/
TSR HIGH ADVENTURETM Cliffhangers:
The BUCK ROGERS®Adventure Game
itules Book
Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................ 2
SECTION 1: Creating a Player Cha racter ..... .... 3
Character Abil ities .. .......... ........................ 3
Ability Ranks .. ...... .. .... .. ................ .. ........ 3
Rank Shifts ............................................. 4
Skills ...................................................... 4
Strength Skills ................. .. ....... ............. 4
Aim Skills ............................................. 5
Brains Skills ... ....... .. ........ .. ........... ......... 6
Health Skills .......................................... 6
Master Skills ............................................. 7
SECTION 2: Character Actions .... ...... .............. 8
Action Points ............................................. 8
Action Point Cost Table ........................... 8
Ability Checks .......................................... 9
Success & Dice .......................................... 9
Rule of Six .......................................... 10
Rule of Eight ....................................... 10
Maps & Movement .................................... 11
Action on the Maps .............................. 11
Moving Characters ... ........ .......... .. .......... 11
Terrain Effects ....................................... 11
SECTION 3 : Combat ........................ .......... .. 12
Initiative ................................................ 12
Melee Combat: How to Fight ..................... 12
Fisticuffs/Punching .............................. 12
Fighting with Melee Weapons .................. 13
The Mortality Roll .................................... 13
Melee Weapons Summary ........................ 13
Missile Combat: How to Shoot/Throw ......... 14
Fighting with Missile Weapons ............... 14
Missile Combat Maneuvers ..................... 15
Random Location: Optional Rule ............ 15
Missile Weapons Summary ........................ 16
Special Combat Maneuvers ........................ 18
SECTION 4 : Equipment & Sundries ....... ........ 19
Org Equipment Standards ........................... 19
Org Militia Equipment ........................... 19
Getting More Stuff .................................... 19
Equipment Summary .............. .. ...... ........... 20
Vehicles ... . ... .. .......................................... 21
Vehicle Statistics ................................. 21
Vehicles in Combat .............................. 22
Orgzone Vehicles Summary .. ........ ........... 23
Mongol Vehicles Summary ..................... 24
Robots ................................................... 25
Mongolian Broadcast Power ........................ 25
SECTION 5: Experience .............................. 26
Using Experience .................................... 26
Experience Banks: Optional Rule ............... 26
SECTION 6: The Game Master's Job ..... .......... 27
Running the Game Turn ........................... 27
1
Campaign Time .................................... 27
Game Turn Action Order ........................ 27
Player Character Cooperation .................. 27
Player Character Dissent ........ ................ 28
Surprise ................................... ... .... ........ . 28
Random Initiative: Optional Rule ............ 28
Resolving Ability Checks & Skills .......... .. ... 29
Task Level Assignments .................. .. .... 29
Task Level Alterations ..................... .. .... 29
Task Level Success Numbers Table ......... 30
Material Strength/Breaking Stuff ............ 31
Awarding Experience Chips ........................ 31
Spending Experience Chips ........................ 32
Buying a Break .................................... 32
The Fine Art of Winging It ........ ................ 32
Credits
Design: Jeff Grubb
Development & Editing: Steven E. Schend
Cover Art: Den Beauvais
Interior Art: Dick Calkins & Mark Heike
Standup Art: Mark Heike
Cartography: Spectrum Graphics
Typography: Angelika Lokotz
Production: Dawn Murin
Playtesters: Peter Bangarth & the Brave,
Resourceful, Adventurous Gamers, David Schnur &
the Circle of Swords. and David Whitney & the
Realms of Fantasy
Additiona l Thanks to: Rich Baker, Wolfgang Baur,
Tim Brown. Michele Carter, Dale Donovan , Bruce
Heard. Colin McComb. Jean Rabe, Doug Stewart,
and David Wise for all their comments and help.
TSR, Inc. TSR Ltd.
P.O. Box 756 120 Church End
Lake Geneva Cherry Hinton
WI 53147 Cambridge, CB1 3LB
U.S.A. United Kingdom
Rtmdom Ilouse ~ml its affiliate compa.nic.s h3\'C worldwide distribution right~ in lhe
hoo~ lnult• for F.ni;lish longu:igo pr<Xlucls of TSR, Inc. Distribu11•d ro lhP hook •ntl
hohhy 1mch1 i n 1ho United Kingdom by TSK L1d Dis1rilH•h:"d to tl1c toy and hobby
1rado by regional dls1ribu1or<
BUCK RO\.ERS j, a rt"Ri~ti·n·cl t radPnH~r,k of Thj' IJill<' Family TniM and is usud
under liccnM}. 0 1~~3 The Uill\; Famih· 1'ros1. All RiRh•~ RP"lt""n•fHI.
lllGll Al)\IENTlfRF. and tlrn TSR lt'f:O ore 1ra1l<•111ar ~s owned b,· TSK. Inc. • 1993
TSK. Inc. All Righ1s Kcscr"cd. l'rinwd in lhc 11.S.A.
TI1is book is pro1c«ll!d umlt•r 11t~ cOJ)yrrgh1 law nf 1hc Uni red Stales of r\meriui. "">"
ruvrc.xh11:tio11 or umtnlhorizcd u~c of tho m:ucrial or an work hcruin i~ prohilJitucl
witho111 thv oxpn·"s \\ ri11cn c-onscn1 ofTSK. Int. and Tht! Dilltt Family Trust. Th~
1
nam•'" or'"" chnracwrs u~cd heroin :ire fic1hiou~ and do 1101rt1ft:r10 .m~· persons
Ji\'inx or ,ft*Htl. Arly 'tnsr.riplions includ ing similarities tu person~ living or clcnd arc
uwr1·ly <.oiru idcnml.
ISBN 1-56076-636-0 3587XXX0842
( Introduction )
elcome to the exciting action-packed worlds of TSR HIGH ADVENTURETMgames and the fantastic

W exploits of BUCK ROGERS®and the 25th Century! If you're an experienced role-playi ng game
player, jump right into "Creating a Player Character" on the next page. If you "re new to role-
playing games (also known as RPGs), you've started at the right place-the BUCK ROGERS Ad venture
Game wi ll provide you with a quick, easy, and exciting introduction to role-playing!

Playing the Game I

HERE 'S WHERE
DO SOME
I VUMPEO BEYOND
RANGE O'P THEIR.
The BUCK ROGERS Adventure Game GROUND DISINTEGRATOR
allows you, the player, to experience the STRAFING! ~s .AND OPENED
wonders of the 25th Century, a future of AN EFFgc't~
ROCKET FIRE
thrilling high adventure and action. You FROM THE
do this by creating a persona or player- AIR•
character, much like an actor creating a
role, and you take on that role within the
future setting. You get to play the part of
your character in Buck Rogers' war against
the Han invaders of America. The
decisions you make for your player
character determine his or her success in
this dangerous new world. Your characters
are the stars, the heroes of the adventure.

One player takes the role of the Game

Master, or GM. He or she doesn't have a
specific player character, but acts like a
story-teller for the game. The GM is in charge of
setting the scene for the other players, describing
what they see and determining the results of their
actions. The GM also provides all the other
personas the players' heroes run into during a
game; these personas are called non-player
characters (or NPCs). If the player characters are the
"stars" of the adventu re, the non-player characters
are the "bit-players" and the bad guys. The GM is
part producer, part writer, and part stage manager
of the show.
In order to play, the BUCK ROGERS Adventure
Game is broken up into small adventures, the first
of which is in this box. Each adventure is a separate
game or story placed in the 25th Century, like one
episode of a television series; when you and your
friends play another BUCK ROGERS game, it's like
another episode of the same television series.
Playing an adventure takes one GM and two to four
other players, and it should take one evening to
play an adventure.
What's Inside
To play the BUCK ROGERS Adventure Game,
everything you will need is in this box. The first
book, the one you're reading right now, is the Rules
Book. It contains all the rules on how to play the
game and teaches you how to enter the worlds of
the 25th Century ! The next book to look at is the
World of the 25th Century Book, and it gives the
players all the information they need to know about
Earth in the year 2430, including its technology, its
history, and its major NPCs (both heroes and
villains) , including its most famous hero from the
20th century, Buck Rogers! Last but not least, the
Adventures Book provides your characters with
their entry into the universe and straight into the
action. The Adventures Book also helps the Game
Masters prepare and design their own adventures.
The maps and standup counters are for use with
the adventures in the book as well as the GM's own
adventures. The plastic chips are Experience Chips
for gauging your character's talent or for marking
spots on a map.
What arc you waiting for? The future awaits!

2
[ Creating a Player Character )
Character I THRE:W MY
R IGl-\T lNTO
Abilities HIS SOLAR
A player character has
P LEXUS
four abilities. These
abilities define how
good the player
character is in
particular areas. The
abilities are:

Strength: This is a
reflection of how
physically strong a
character is. It also
indicates ho\"1well a
character can fight in
hand-to-hand combat.
wrestle, and lift or
move heavy objects.

Aim: This is a reflection of how agile and dexterous a player character is. In addition, it reflects the
ability to dodge, fire rocket pistols and other missile weapons, pilot space ships. and do delicate work like
picking a lock.
Brains: This is a reflection of how smart a character is. It determines the character's knowledge and
ability to solve problems, deal with other people, and invent nev,1 machines. This is the player character's
intelligence, not that of the player. Players can run characters that are more or less intelligent than they are.
Health: This is a reflection of how healthy a player character is. A character's Health shows the player
how resistant the character is to being shot at, stabbed, knocked out , and affected by guns. rocks, and other
damage.

Ability ~anks
Each ability has a rank that shows how good characters are in each of their abilities. The higher a
character's rank, the more dice the player gets to roll to determ ine the character's actions during play. There
are four ranks ranging from OK to BEST:
OK: The player character is average in this area. Characters with OK Brains are still smart, but
understanding new languages and complex inventions are beyond them. A character with OK Strength is
fine in normal li fe, but is far from the best fighter in the world .
GOOD: The player character is above average in this area. A character with GOOD Strength is a capable
fighter, and one with GOOD Brains can understand and use new devices with few instructions.
BETTER: The player character is well above average in this area. A character with BETTER Strength can
beat most opponents at arm-wrestl ing, whi le one with BETTER Brains has an improved chance of
constructing new devices and using existing devices in new ways.
BEST: The player character is superior to all but others of similar rank in the specific ability. A character
with BEST Strength is among the strongest in his group, while one with BEST Brains is a master inventor
and researcher.

3
( Creating a Player Character )
Character Examples
Not everyone can be great at everything. When making a character, you assign one of the four ranks to each
of the four abi lities. For example, you can create characters that look like this:

CHARACTER #1 CHARACTER #2
Strength: OK Strength: BETTER
Aim: GOOD Aim: BEST
Brains: BETTER Brains: OK
Health: BEST Health: GOOD

The first character ("Fritz") is smart and could be a scientist. Fritz's player gave his BEST rank to Health;
the player wants Fritz to be able to survi ve what the GM thrO\·\IS at him.
The second character ("Max") is a warrior kind of guy, with a sharp eye and big muscles. He leaves
thinking to people like Fritz and concentrates on fighting.

Rank Shifts: Optional Role

When creating a character, the player can reduce the rank of one ability to raise that of another. A player
can drop his BEST Brains to BETTER in order to raise an OK Strength to GOOD. A player could also drop
his character's Health from GOOD to OK and boost his Strength from BETTER to BEST. This option can
only be used once during character creation with one pair of abilities and their ranks.

Skills
Now that you have your character's ability ranks all set up, it 's time to find out what special skills the
character has in relation to those abilities. Skills are specific learned talents that help raise a character's
chances of performing certain actions. Skills can improve a character's talent with a rocket pistol or in
languages, effectively raising their rank in the related ability by one rank (and one die): a character with
GOOD Aim and a Rocket Pistol skill can shoot his rocket pistol as well as another character with BETTER
Aim. Some skills also allow your character to perform actions that would otherwise be impossible.
At the start of the game, each player character has five (5) skills: one skill for each ability and one extra
skill for a BEST rank ability (If a player has used the Rank Shift optional rule (see above) and has reduced
his BEST rank to BETTER, the fifth skill is applied to that BETTER abilit y.). Jn this way, each player
character is trained in a number of different skills and disciplines and is very heroic and nearly unbeatable
in one particu lar skill (6 dice for a BEST rank with a skill! ).
Many of the skills below pertain to combat use and other options we haven't yet covered in the rules.
Don't worry- just get an idea of what you want your character to know and to be able to do . After learning
the combat rules, you can recheck on your skills and be sure this is the character you want. Once the
character's skills are chosen, the character is ready for his or her first adventure!

Strength Skills
Strength skills a llow you, the player, to add one die to any Strength task of your player character as long as
the skill is applicable. The available Strength skills are:

Axe: The character receives an add itional die when using an axe, hatchet, or other chopping weapon.
Brawling: The character receives an additional die when using an impromptu weapon . An impromptu
weapon is an y object not usually intended as a weapon , including chairs, bottles, or other characters.
The character with this skill does NOT gai n an additional die from this skill when using swords, knives,
bayonets, or other melee weapons.

4
( Creating a Player Character )
Fisticuffs: The charar.ter gets an additiona l die when punching an
opponent in hand-to-hand combat and also when using a short blunt
weapon such as a sap, blackjack, or brass knuckles.
Grappling: The character gets an additional die when wrestling or
grabbing an opponent.
Knife: The character receives an additional die when using a knife, dagger,
or other short stabbing weapon.
Mace: The character receives an additional die when using a mace, club,
or other long blunt weapon.
Muscles: The character receives an additional die when using Strength
directly to !Ht or break objects, including breaking down doors and
similar feats.
Sword: The character receives an additional di e when using a sword,
bayonet, or other long stabbing weapon.

flim Skills
Aim skills allow you to add one die to all your player character's Aim tasks , provided that the skill is
applicable. Available Aim skills are as follows:

Airborne Combat: The character is capable of firing weapons from a

moving platform, such as a rocket ship, and gains an additional die
when using this ability. This does not give the character any added
ability when using the same weapons on the ground.
Daredevil: The character gains an additional die when performing actions
which require physical agility, such as jumping. gymnastics, and
anything else you can convince the GM your character can do. Your
character does not get additional die for rolls in combat.
Dexterity: The character gains an additional die when performing actions
which require a high degree of manual dexterity. such as picking locks
or tying and untying ropes.
Disintegrator: The character knows how to use the Han disintegrator pistol
and rifle, the standard Han weapons of the 25th Century, and receives
an additional die when using them.
Gunpowder Weapons: The character is familiar \·vi th archaic weapons such as the gunpowder pistol and
rifle, and receives an additional die when firing these items.

Heavy Weapons: The c haracter can handle large weapons systems

such as death ray projectors (disintegrator cannons) and rocket
cannons, and receives +1 die when using these devices.
Nimble: The character gains an additi onal die when using the
Dodging ability (see "Special Combat Maneuvers" in Section 3).
Rocket Pistol: The character is trained in the use of the rocket pistol,
the standard weapon of the 25th Century Orgzones, and receives
an additional die when using this weapon.
Throwing: The character receives an additional die when throwing
objects, including rocks , baseballs, and grenades. This skill does
not, however, increase the range characters may throw a missile; it
just improves their chances to successfully hit.

5
( Creating a Player Character )
Mechanic: The character is familiar with
Brains Skills mechanical objects, including but not limited to
Brains skills represent knowledge, and grant the mechanical locks, rockets, and large machinery.
player an additional die for the player character's The character gains one die when repairing or
Brains rolls when using the applicable skill. Brains altering mechanical items.
skills are: Piloting: The
character gains
;-
Broadcast Technologist: The character is familiar an additional J
with broadcast technology. the chief science of die when
the Han (see "Broadcast Technology"), and gains controlling a
an additional die when analyzing, repairing, or plane or rocket
modifying these devices. This skill does not ship. This
grant additional abilities to pilot Han airships includes ship-
nor Aim benefits when firing disintegrator rays. to-ship combat,
Contacts: The character has an easy-going and but also
friendly personality and makes contacts easily. If includes
in an area a month or more , the character knows abilities that
people who can give him information with an might require
additional die to the chances of success. The attributes other
Contacts skill is a requirement for successful than Brains; for
spie~. example, flying between two skyscrapers is
Electronist: more of an Aim test than that of Brains, but the
The character additional die still counts. This is an exception
is familiar to the normal rules.
with the Robotist: The character is fam iliar with the science
workings of of robotics and gains an additional die when
25th Century using, repairing, or modifying robots.
technology, in
particular radio
technology. The
Health Skills
character gains Health skills are generally physical attributes and
an additional die training which grant the player character survival
when using, advantages when faced with Health rolls. The
repairing, or --:. . Health skills are:
modifying
electrical devices and radios. Constitution: The character has a resistance to
First Aid: The character has skill with first aid and toxins and poisons. The character gains an
medicine, and can perform basic first aid. The additional di e when making Health rolls
character has an additional die to the Brains roll involving poison or being knocked out by gas.
when performing these actions. A character \•v ith Endurance: The
First Aid must use the skill within six turns of character gains
the injury, or it will have no effect. A successful an add itional
First Aid roll will: die for tasks
• revive an unconscious character. who can take \•v hich
actions at the end of the next turn; physically tax
• reduce a mortally wounded (ie. failed the body over a
Mortality Roll) character to merely long period,
unconscious for 6 turns; and including
• restore wounded characters (failed Health surviving in the
Roll , successful Mortality Roll) to 2 Action desert. lasting
Points (see "Action Points" in Section 2 and without food or
"The Mortality Roll" in Section 3). water, or
performing
actions for long
periods of time
(distance swimming, hanging over a cliff, etc.).

6
( Creating a Player Character
Hardy Individual: The character can take
punishment during a fight and gains an
additional die when making Health rolls against
being knocked out during combat.
Indomitable Spirit: The character gains an
additional die when fending off the effects of
mental attacks. Mind control is limited on Earth,
but does exist; such attacks include the paralysis
rays used in the Mongol homeland.
Will to Live: The character's spirit and survival
instincts are greater and the character gains an
extra die when making Mortality Rolls.
)
Master Skills
Certain individuals have the ability to be the best at
what they do, often to the exclusion of other skills
or through a natural superiority. These individuals
have super-skills, or Master skills. Master skills
usually come from intensive (and often boring)
training, and in general, only non-player characters
can have Master skills. Player characters do not
normally gain them unless the GM wishes to allow
them this option (See Section 5 on "Experience'').
Master skills allow the player to roll three (3)
additional dice for the character's applicable
ability; in addition, the player may roll a maximum
of ten (10) dice-an exception to the Rule of Eight
(See Section 2 on the "Rule of Eight"). Any skill
may be used as a Master skill. Here are the Master
Skills:

Base Ability Original Skill

Aim Airborne Combat Master Gunner
Aim Daredevil Acrobat
Aim Dexterity Master Thief
Aim Nimble Agile
Aim Throwing Dead-Eye
Aim Any Missile Weapon skill Marksman, (missile weapon)

Brains Contacts Master Spy

Brains First Aid Doctor
Brains Pi loting Flying Ace
Brains Any Science skill Inventor, (any science)

Health Constitution Moxie

Health Endurance Survival
Health Hardy Individual Tough as Nails
Health Indomitable Spirit Iron Will
Health Will to Live Never Say Die

Strength Brawling Street Fighter

Strength Fisticuffs Prize Fighter
Strength Grappling Pro Wrestler
Strength Muscles Strongman
Strength Any Melee Weapon skill Weapons Master, (weapon)

Melee Weapon Skills: Axe, Knife. Mace, Sword

Missile Weapon Skills: Disintegrator, Gunpowder Weapons. Heavy Weapons, Rocket
Pistol
Science Skills: Broadcast Technologist, Electronist. Mechanic, Robotist

7
[ Character fictions )
hen playing the BUCK ROGERS® Action Points are used to move and interact with

W Adventure Game, the GM sets up an

adventure and the players, using their
wits and the abilities of their player characters, try
to achieve their own goals in that scenario. For
example, if the scenario is "Your characters are
captured by the Han and thrown into a prison,"
the players can have their characters try to break
out through the bars, lure their captors in and
ambush them, explore their cell for a means of
escape or tools they can use, or wait for someone
else to rescue them. This interaction between the
GM and the players makes up the on-going story
that is the game. The action of the game/story
takes place in the minds of the players and on the
maps.
fiction Points
Characters move and act by using Action Points.
Action Points tell the player how far or how much
a character can move and act in a single turn.
Large, slow individuals (such as robots) have fewer
Action Points, while fast creatures have many
more Action Points. All human characters
(including all player characters) have three (3)
Action Points to spend in a turn.
the world around the character. One Action Point
lets a character move 1 square on a game map, so
typical humans move 3 squares in a turn if they
perform no other actions. It costs one or more
Action Points to attack an opponent, pick up an
item, or perform other actions. See the Action Point
Cost Table below for examples.
A turn is about 5 seconds long, and is important
only when several actions are occurring quickly;
this is most likely to happen only in combat, when
a lot of running around, fighting, and shooting are
taking place. Each character must use all of his or
her Action Points during one turn , since Action
Points cannot be saved up from turn to turn. If your
character does not have the Action Points to
perform a certain action, he or she can 't perform
that action. For example, Max has been wounded in
a fight ·with a Han, but he needs to break down a
door to escape; since a wounded character has a
reduced number of Action Points (see "The
Mortality Roll" in Section 3). Max is not be able to
break down the door, which he could normally do
if completely healthy.
The Action Points shown below are a guide to
the Game Master, not a total list. The Game Master
is free to increase or decrease the number of Action
Points required to fit the situation and the scenario.

fiction Point Cost Table

Standard Actions/Movement APs
Move a Square 1
Jump 10 squares (with Inert.ron Belt) 2
Pick Up something Small (1-handed) 1
Pick Up something Large (2-handed) 2
Open a Door 1
Open a Door and Step into the Room 2
Break Down a Door 3
Use a Non-Combat Skill 1
Pilot a Vehicle 3

Combat Actions APs

Punch an Opponent 1
Draw Weapon (Small/Large) 112
.-;-.; Use Melee Weapon (Small/Large) See weapon (1/2)
' , ,, ~... , . ~ Fire a Missile Weapon See weapon (1/3)
\ .r
<fir, Jump ·with Inertron Belt
\tf1« . and fire a 1 AP Missile Weapon 3

8
( Character fictions )
Ability Checks Success & Dice
To determine the success of a character's action. the Every action in the BUCK ROGERS® Adventure
GM asks for a dice roll against one of the character's Game. just like in real life, can be easy or hard,
abilities. The checked ability is determined by the depending on the situations. Each action's success ,
action at hand: whether it's breaking down a door or shooting a
• If the action involves fighting someone in gun out of someone's hand, is determined by the
hand-to-hand combat, grabbing somet hing "success number"-a number that shows how
from another person's hands, lifting large difficult an action is. In general, the higher the
objects, or breaking something, the roll is success number is, the harder it is to complete the
based on the character's Strength. action effectively. The player must roll a number
• If the action involves hitting a target with a of six-sided dice and have a result equal to or
missile weapon (whether it's a gun or a greater than the success number to accomplish the
thrown rock). dodging an attack, or action .
performing delicate operations like picking a The number of dice that the player rolls for his
lock or repairing a watch, the roll is based on or her character is determined by the ran k of the
the character's Aim. relevant ability. Very simply, the better the
• If the action involves figuring out a code, characters are in their abilities, the more dice their
patching together a new invention, players receive to roll during game play. Here's the
understanding how an alien machine works, chart:
or noticing a vital clue to a mystery, the roll is
based on the character's Brains.
• If the action involves shrugging off the effects If the ability is OK Roll TWO dice
of being hit. holding one's breath, or doing If the ability is GOOD Roll THREE dice
some physical activity for long periods of time If the ability is BEITER Roll FOUR dice
(running, hanging over a cliff, etc.) , the roll is If the ability is BEST Roll FIVE dice
based on the character's Health .

Success numbers are alwavs determined before the

~oil; many basic actions have been given success
numbers on the Success Numbers Table in the
"GM's Job" section. Game Masters can, however,
assign appropriate numbers to tasks based on
special circumstances or new situations; for
example, it's harder to hit someone with a rocket
pistol in the middle of a thunderstorm, and this
might raise the success number by 3 points. In
general , the higher the success number is, the
harder it is to achieve the action.

fiction Example
Fritz wants to bash down a wooden door. This is a
Strength feat and the success number for breaking
down a wooden door is 10. He has to roll a 10 or
better on two dice. since he only has OK Strength.
Rolling under a 10 would indicate he failed to do
this. Max, on the other hand. has BETTER Strength,
and needs to roll a 10 or better with four dice. It is
much more likely that Max would do the door-
bashing in this case, since he is more likely to
succeed.

9
( Character fictions
The Role of Six
Player characters with low rankings in critical
abilities may find themselves at a disadvantage al
crucial moments. Even if your character is the
smartest person in the city and can build a rocket
pistol out of a tin can, two aspirin, and a radio, he
or she may not be able to push open a door and
escape a fire in his lab. Luckily, everyone has a
chance to perform beyond their normal limitations
in the BUCK ROGERS®Adventure Game-think of
it as an adrenaline rush to boost your strength or a
sudden inspired idea. This luck is given by the
"Rule of Six. "
When you roll a "six" (6) on any of your d ice,
ro ll another die and add its number to the
total.
Role of Six Example
Max finds a device abandoned in the ruins of an
old city. He tries to figure out how to use the device
(Task Level of 15). Max's Brains rank is only OK
(two dice), so he couldn't normally figure this
puzzle out. But with the Rule of Six, he has a
chance: if one of the dice comes up a six, he rolls a
third die and adds to the total, giving him a chance
to succeed. Max's player rolls a six and a four. a
total of ten; the player rolls another die (due to the
six) and rolls a five-Max succeeds in figuring out
how to work the strange device!
10
)
1OAREO NOT
PAU~ EFOR BREATl-i
BUT GAVE MY
OPPONENT POINT
ANO B VTT IN R A P I O
W CC E$$ 10N .
LU C.K WA5
':;:, W ITH ME
VNTI\.-
Improving Dice Rolls
There are other, more reliable ways to add to the
dice you can roll for characters to achieve their
particular tasks. They are as follows:
1) Player characters can use tools , weapons, and
other devices to increase their chances to
succeed. Some items are necessary to perform
particular actions at all- it's pretty hard to hit
someone with a rocket pistol unless you have a
rocket pistol. See Section 4 ("Equipment &
Sundries") for more information.
2) If the player character has an appropriate skill,
the player can add one die to the attempted roll.
See "Skills" for more information.
3) The player c.an choose to spend one or more
Experience Chips to increase the n umber of dice
he can roll. Each chip spent increases the
number of dice rolled by one. See "Experience"
for more information.
The Role of Eight
Regardless of all the potential modifications, there
is an upper limit to both luck and skill. Characters
can be the best rocket pistol marksmen ever
trained, but some things are just patently
impossible, despite all the modifiers and lucky
d ice. This is the "Rule of Eight:"
A player can not roll more than eight dice to
determine the result of his player character's
actions. This limit includes dice added from
experience, weapons and tools, skills, and the
Rule of Six.
( Character fictions )
Maps & Movement A player
character may
Even though the action of the BUCK ROGERS® spr int up to 9
Adventure Game occurs in the imaginations and squares in a turn.
minds' eyes of the players , it is often played out on Make a Health roll
maps and game boards. It 's much easier for a Game at the end of each
Master to show where the enemy is shooting from turn. The success
on a map than simply describing the scene lo the number is 10 for
other players. Maps also help players when the first turn of
characters have to find something inside an sprinting, 20 for
unknown place; they can d raw maps on graph the second, and
paper as the heroes travel. increases in
All HIGH ADVENTURETM game maps are multiples of 10 for
divid ed into square grids. Each square, regardless each turn
of its actua l size, represents 10 square feet indoors, thereafter. Failing
and 10 squa re yards (30 square feet) outdoors. All the roll indicates
weapon ranges and distances are given in squares that the player character has only 2 Action Points a
and feet for use in your own adventures. turn for the next 1-6 turns; in addition, when player
characters attempt to act during this time, any
acti ons are performed at reduced ranks. and their
fiction on the Maps players roll one LESS die than normal.
If your players wish to use maps for battles. have
them choose character stand ups (provided in this
box) to represent their characters on the map. A Terrain Effects
player character can interact with anything in the The movement rates assume that you have
same square and within the squares adjacent to his relatively clear terrain around your character's
slandup (pick up tools, hit opponents, etc.). The path-sidewalks , roads, or open fi elds. Moving
character can attack in a ll directions without over tougher terrain is more difficult and takes
penalty; for more information on fighting, see longer, and it also costs more APs to move through.
"Melee Combat." If opponents are beyond those All BUCK ROGERS game maps have different
ad jacent squares on the map, we get into the terrains marked on map keys.
concept of range and missile combat (soc the Difficult terrains, like rocky ground, marsh y
section on "Missile Combat"). ground, underbrush, and slopes slow movement by
half. It takes 2 Action Points to move tluough 1
difficult terrain square. Characters can 't sprint
Moving Characters while in d iffi cult terrain.
Player characters walk three (3) squares (30 feet Rough terrains are more extreme versions of
indoors or 90 feet outdoors) normally in a turn by difficult terrain, such as soft sand, thick
spending 3 APs. They can move faster if the Game undergrowth, or greater slopes. It takes 3 Action
Master uses the Opti onal Movement Rul es. Points to move through 1 rough terrain square.
Characters can' t run or sprint in rough terrain.
Impassable terrains are imposs ible to move
Optional Movement Roles
1 '"'>Mv~TM -'"c through under normal
A player character may run up to 6 squares in a (co.~?.,, ,,~~sL~:t<>•o) conditions. Let's face
~~
0
turn , moving at twice normal movement speeds. In T"r' ~:~~~~;;-~N" it: even the greatest
other words. it costs 1 Action Point to move 2 ~
~~~~~~
CQO~~ :t tl" ~
heroes of the 25th
squares when running. Make a Health roll at the , ~~-:;"~~~ Century cannot move
end of each turn. The success number is 5 for the
first turn , 10 for the second, 15 for the thi rd , and
, c-=-~-'
-=JT~::.:R
thrOLJt'gfhf. wTallls or run
up c 1 s. 1ese types
increases by 5 each turn thereafter. Failing the roll of terrain or obstacles
reduces the character to only 2 Action Points a turn must be passed using
for the next 1-6 turns due to overexertion (roll one methods other than
6-sided die for the number of turns). normal movement.

11
{ Combat )
ow that you've learned how to create your the disintegrator beam weapons of the Han

N characters and how they move and interact

within the game, it's time to learn how to
figh t and free your characters from the tyranny of
the Han overlords of the American continent.
You've read a little so far about fighting and combat
in the "Skills" section, and now you're going to
learn everything about all of the forms of combat in
the BUCK ROGERS®Adventure Game.
Initiative
During most of the game, there is usually no need
to worry about the order of events, but in combat,
what happens when can be a matter of life and
death. Each turn, the player characters get to move
first (Hey, they're the heroes, so why not'?). They
have what is known in other games as the
initiative. There are a couple of rare occasions
where the player characters do not have the
initiative and they include when:
• The player characters are taken by surprise-
they are ambushed or the unexpected
happens.
• The player characters are unable to act-they
are unconscious , wounded , or tied up.
• The player characters consciously delay their
actions since they are waiting for something to
happen-they are waiting for an opponent to
step into the room, to pass by, or any number
of other things. As soon as this happens , the
player characters get to act. (See "Targeting").
• The player characters are acting against other
player characters. Shou ld two characters both
try to do something (like trying to grab the
same item or fighting each other), each player
makes an Aim roll for his character. The high
roll gets to move first. All player characters
will still have the chance to act before the
non-player characters.
invaders. In addition, there are a wide variety of
clubs, swords, and axes, not to mention old
fashioned fisticuffs. As a general rule, your
character punches or attacks with a melee or
missi le vveapon after moving in the turn. Here 's
how your character fights:
fisticuffs/Punching
The r.haracter's player must roll a Strength check.
You need a 10 for a character to hit an unsuspecting
target (attacking from hiding or from behind). If the
target character is fighting back, the player and the
GM must roll their character's Strength dice. The
highest roll tells the player and GM who hit their
target. If both Strength rolls are tied, then both
characters hit each other.
Effects of being punched: Make a Health roll
against a number determined by the attacker's
Strength score. This number is called the Task
Level of that Health roll. For standard human
strength levels, here are the numbers you need:
Attacker's Strength is OK: 10
GOOD: 15
BETTER: 20
BEST: 25
If a player fails to roll the Task Level number or
higher with the dice provided by the character's
Health score, the character is knocked out for 1-6
turns. The Game Master, not the player, rolls to see
how long a character is unconscious.
~ ZOWIE .I
'), RIGHT ON THE.
v4~

Melee Combat:
How to fight
Every character has three (3) Action Points per turn
to use to perform actions; instead of just using them
to move, characters can move and fight. Hand-to-
hand fist fighting is the simplest form of combat and
only costs one (1) AP to perform, whereas using
larger and more complex weapons (like swords or
pistols) costs more APs. The most common
vveapons of the 25th Century are missile weapons:
the rocket pistol of the Orgzone Confederation and

12
[ Combat )
f ighting w ith Melee Weapons Melee Weapons Summary
Melee \·v eapons are an y hand-held weapons that are
used to clobber an opponent better than a character Fists/Punching (Unarmed)
can with just his or her fists. Standard melee AP Cost: 1
weapons include clubs, swords, saps (also called Modifier to Strength Roll: 0
blackjacks) , and other hand-held weapons. Melee Task Level of Health Roll: Foe's Strength Dice x 5
weapons can also include such impromptu items as O K: 10 GOOD: 15
chairs, frying pans, or (if your character is strong BETTER: 20 BEST: 25
enough) another character! Effects: Knocked out for 1-6 turns
In melee combat, make a Strength check just as
you did for punching an opponent. The wea pon
may add a number or another die to your roll; Axe (or chopping weapon)
check the " Melee Weapons Summary" below. AP Cost: 2
Again, you need to roll a 10 to hit an unsuspecting Modifier to Strength Roll: +1 Die
target. If the target is fighting back, roll against his Task Level of Health Roll: 20
Strength Roll. The highest roll hits the target. If a Effects: Mortality Roll
tie is rolled, then both hit.
Effects of being hit with a melee weapon: Make a Chair (or large object; not normally a weapon)
Health Roll against the Task Level number listed for AP Cost: 2
that weapon. Success means that nothing Modifier to Strength Roll: +1 Die
(significant) happens to the target; he or she has Task Level of Health Roll: Fists/Punching+ 10
either dodged the weapon or shrugged off its OK: 20 GOOD: 25
effects. Failure indicates the effects as noted under BETTER: 30 BEST: 35
each specific melee weapon. Effects: Knocked ou t for 1 d6 turns.

Knife or Dagger (or short stabbing weapon)

The Mortality ltoll AP Cost: 1
Modifier to Strength Roll: o
This is the most crucial dice roll in the game. It is a Task Level of Health Roll: 15
Hea lth Roll and if you fail the roll, your character is Effects: Mortality Roll
dead and out of the game. Pini to, finis , ring dm·vn
the curtain and cue the celestial choir. Make it, and Mace (or blunt weapons)
your character is alive, but barely so. The player AP Cost: 2
character has 1 Action Point each turn. He or she Modifier to Strength Roll: +1 Die
can move around a little, but can't run or sprint; the Task Level of Health Roll: 20
character is wounded and needs medical attention Effects: Mortality Roll
(NPC doctors are available at the Orgs) . If a
character is in this condition, and its player is Sap, Brass Knuckles, or Blackjack (or small bludgeoning
forced to make another ability check or any other weapon)
roll, the rolls are made at -1 die. Wounded AP Cost: 1
characters' players cannot roll more than five dice Modifier to Strength Roll: o
until the character has been restored to full Task Level of Health Roll: Fists/Punching+ 5
strength . (The Rule of Eight becomes OK: 15 GOOD: 20
the Rule of Five BETTER: 25 BEST: 30
for wounded Effects: Knocked out for 1-6 turns
characters).
Sword or Bayonet (or a ny long stabbing weapon)
AP Cost: 2
Modifier to Strength Roll: 0
Task Level of Health Roll : 20
Effects: Mortality Roll

13
[ Combat )
Missile Combat:
How to Shoot/
Throw
When a character isn ' t within arm 's
reach of anyone, he or she can still
attack if the character has a missile
weapon. Missile weapons include
any weapon that strikes over a
distance, such as throvvn objects,
guns, arrows, and other long-range
instruments such as rocket pistols
and disintegrator rays. The most
common missile weapons of the 25th
Century are rocket pistols and the
Han disintegrator weapons; there are
also the antiquated but frusty missile
weapons like rifles , handguns, and
bows and arrows. Guns and bows are
still in common use in the American
West of the 25th Century, where they add to the a) If the player has the highest Aim roll, the
nostalgic charm. target is hit. The target must make a Health
Guns and bows can hit a single target, while roll or suffer the effects as noted for the
rocket pistols and disintegrators can affect weapon.
numerous targets due to their specific effects and bl If the target has the highest Aim roll , the
ammunition. These are explained in the Missile attack misses and doesn't affect the target.
Weapons Summary for the individual weapons.
Throwing Stuff
fighting with Missile Weapons Jn desperate situations, your character's only
Make an Aim roll to hit a target. If the target is not missile weapons might be rocks or other things to
expecting an attack (unaware of an attacker's throw. Your characters can throv,1something
presence, involved in some other activity, etc}. accurately up to a number of spaces equal to their
then the attack hits on a 10 or better. If the target Aim rank number of dice. This means that if your
is av.rare of the attack, the target gets to make an character has an OK Aim. he or she can throw
Aim roll as well. The results are checked as things accurately up to 2 squares (20 feet or yards)
follows: away. For each space beyond that, reduce the dice
rolled by one. For example, if your
character's Aim is GOOD (3 dice) , that
character can throw something
accurately up to 3 spaces. If the target is
four spaces av.ray, your character can
still try to hit it, but only two dice are
rolled to do so. Just like other ranged
weapons, the success number for
hitting an unaware target with a thrown
object is 1 O; active opponents roll
against their Aim.

14
I Combat
Missile Combat Maneuvers
There are a number of special maneuvers that a
character can perform to improve his or her Aim
rolls in missile combat. Some of them can be
combined with one another, but the player must
keep the Rule of Eight in mind when adjusting the
number of dice for each Aim roll. The special
maneuvers are:
Targeting
A character \vho spends an entire turn targeting
(getting the target in his sights , estimating range,
etc.) receives an additional die to hit his or her
target in the following turn. The Targeting
character may not perform any other actions that
turn (in effect, it costs 3 AP to target). A character
can spend any number of turns Targeting, but only
gets the benefit of one additional die. If an
Targeting character is attacked, he or she can
attempt to Dodge as normal (See "Special Combat
Maneuvers" below). but the bonus die for Targeting
is lost.
Firing into a Crowd
Sometimes, in a large scale battle, a character will
fire a weapon into a group of several characters.
The GM rolls randomly to determine which
character is likely to be struck. That character must
then make an Aim roll against the attack, whether
the attacker was a friend or a foe; friends
accidentally under attack generally do not shoot
back in these situations. Characters using the
Targeting maneuver can pick one target, rather than
the GM's random roll, but they do not gain the
bonus die for Targeting.
)
Skill Shots
A character can try to make a
particular shot at a very
specific target (shooting
a gun out of the hand of
the opponent, or
shooting the lens of
a camera). One die
is subtracted from
the Aim rank for a
Skill Shot, and effects are taken
by the specific target. Some
weapons. like disintegrators and gas grenades, do
not have a small enough area of effect and cannot
be used for Skill Shooting; rocket pistols can be
used with this maneuver, but the character still
must make a Health roll or be knocked out (rather
than a Mortality Roll). As a rule for the Game
Master, Skill Shots should never be used in
situations where they would force the target to
make a Mortality Roll ("I'm going to use Skill
Shooting to hit Max right between the eyes."). The
GM decides the effects of Skill Shots, but they tend
to be pretty obvious: Shooting a target's gun will
knock the gun from his hand; shooting at a switch
sets off exp losives; etc.
Random Location: Optional Rule
Despite characters' best efforts, not every shot will
hit its target. For most missile weapons. it does not
matter \.vhere a bullet or rock lands if the character
is missed. However, with rocket pistols and
grenades , it becomes important since their effects
cover wider areas than normal missiles. At the
GM 's option, when such a situation arises, roll on
the following table:

Die Roll Result

Firing in Melee 1 Short 1 square
A character can fire a gun at an opponent who is 2 Long 1 square
hitting or grappling him or her in melee. However, 3 Right 1 square
if the Aim roll fails (if the other character rolls 4 Left 1 square
higher), then the character has his or her weapon 5 Long 2 squares
turned around or deflected and the attack hits the 6 Roll again, and add one square
character. The player must then make the (1 becomes 2, 2 becomes 3).
appropriate Health rolls against his or her If the object cannot roll or land in that location
character's own attack. It is not possible to fire a (obstructed by a wall or closed door). then it stops
weapon at others when someone is beating on your at the edge of that location.
character.

15
 ( Combat )
Missile Weapons Summary
Thrown Object (rocks, wood, etc.) Bow and Arrow
AP Cost: 1 AP Cost: 1
Effective Range: 2, 3, 4 , or 5 squares (Aim dice). Effective J:{ange: 6 squares
Modifier to Aim Roll: 0 Modifier to Aim Roll: 0
Task Level of Health Roll : 10 Task Level of Health Roll: 15
Effects: Knocked out for 1-6 turns; Health Task Levels Effects: Mortality Roll
and effects arc the same as a normal attack if melee
weapons are thrown (Chairs and large m elee Force Ray
weapons are -1 die to Aim). AP Cost: 1
Effective Range: 3 squares
Atomic Torpedo Modifier to Aim Koll: -1 Die
AP Cost: 3 Task Level of Health Roll: 20
Effective Range: 3 squares Effects: Single target affected must make a Health roll
Modifier to Aim Roll: -1 Die or be knocked unconscious for 1-6 turns.
Task Level of Health Roll: 25 Alternately the attack may be used to p in down an
Effects: Characters w ithin the target square and opponent in place. si milar to a Wrestling attack of
adjacent squares m ust make Health rolls or fall strength 20.
unconscious for 1-6 turns. The weapon is normally Notes: This weapon is used only by the Tigermen of
used underwater; used out of water, it acts like an Mars and is unavailable unless the characters
explosive grenade. encounter a Tigerman on Earth.
Notes: This weapon is used only by the Chileans.

Disintegrator Disintegr ator Disintegrator

Pistols Rifles Cannons
AP Cost: 2 3 3
Effective Range: 2 squares 5 squares 20 squares
Modifier to Aim Roll : -1 Die -2 Dice -3 Dice
Task Level of Health Roll: 15 20 25
Effects: Mortality Roll Mortality Roll Mortality Roll
Notes: The Han disintegrator beam. also known as the Mongolian Death Ray. is an energy beam that stri kes the first
target in range. whether a living or non-living object and vaporizes it. If fired at a very large object. the ray will
disi ntegrate as much of one object that fits with in a 10 'x10 'x10' space (a 10' diameter hole in the side of a rocket
cruiser, etc). The effects of the Morta lity Roll are all or nothing-the target is either unharmed or disintegrated
(there is no such thing as being "a little bit vaporized"). A successful roll represents more luck & good reflexes
than an invulnerability to Mongolian Death Rays. Disintegrators operate off broadcast power teclrnology (see
belo·w).

16
[ Combat )
Gasser Rifle
AP Cost: 1 AP Cost: 1
Effective Range: 1 square Effective Range: 10 squares
Modifier to Aim Roll: +1 Die Modifier to Aim Roll: 0
Task Level of Health Roll: 20 Task Level of Health Roll: 20
Effects: Health roll for the target or be knocked Effects: Mortality Roll
unconscious for 6 + 1-6 turns.
Rocket Cannon
Grenade, Explosive & Gas AP Cost: 3
AP Cost: 1 Effective Range: 20 squares
Effective Range: See Thrown Object Modifier to Aim Roll: 0
Modifier to Aim Roll: o Task Level of Health Roll: 25
Task Level of Health Roll: 20 Effects: Mortality Roll to individuals in the target
Effects, Explosive Grenade: Mortality Roll for square and in all squares adjacent to the square.
individual in the square where the grenade lands. Those in squares adjacent to this 9 square "blast
Those adjacent to this square must make a Health area" must make a Health roll or be knocked
roll or be knocked unconscious for 6 + 1-6 turns. unconscious for 6 + 1-6 turns.
Effects, Gas Grenade: Health roll for the individual in
the square the grenade lands in and all adjacent Rocket Pistol
squares or be knocked unconscious for 6 + 1-6 AP Cost: 1
turns. Effective Range: 10 squares
Modifier to Aim Roll: 0
Handgun Task Level of Health Roll: 20
AP Cost: 1 Effects: Mortality Roll for individual in the square
Effective Range: 8 squares being shot at: Those in adjacent squares must make
Modifier to Aim Roll: 0 a Health roll or be knocked unconscious for 6 + 1-6
Task Level of Health Roll: 15 turns.
Effects: Mortality Roll Notes: Rocket pistols can be loaded with other
ammunition like small rocks in an emergency; the
Liquid Air Guns range is reduced to 8 squares and the Health Task
AP Cost: 6 (These guns only fire every other turn.) Level is a 10.
Effective Range: 10 squares
Modifier to Aim Roll: 0 Super Powered Ray Projector
Task Level of Health Roll: 25 AP Cost: Special
Effects: Mortality Roll to individuals in the target Effective Range: Global
square and all squares adjacent to it. Those in other Modifier to Aim Roll: Special
adjacent squares must make a Health roll or be Task Level of Health Roll: 35
knocked unconscious for 6 + 1-6 turns. Effects: Mortality Roll
Notes: This weapon is used only by the Chileans and is Notes: A special experimental weapon created by
unavailable unless the characters encounter a rogue Mongolian scientists in America, the device
Chilean. consists of two separate ray machines built
thousands of miles apart from each other. These
Para lyzing Ray machines generate power beams that produces the
AP Cost: 3 force of 1.000,000 bombs at the point where the
Effective Range: 2 squares beams intersect. This weapon is incredibly
Modifier to Aim Roll: 0 powerful and can eradicate full cities, but it is
Task Level of Health Roll: 30 neither mobile or incredibly subtle: the tuning of
Effects: All characters within the target square must the beam intersection and aim will result in sonic
make a Health roll or be paralyzed until released by booms over the target city for weeks before the final
a chemical antidote. Those making the Health roll explosion can be delivered.
are unaffected (they have dodged the ray).
Notes: This weapon is used only in the Imperial
household of the Celestial Mogul.

17
( Combat )
Special Combat Maneuvers Grabbing Staff
Two (or more) characters can try to grab an item

~
As LARIAT LUKE'S LOOP at the same time, like a pistol or a club. The GM
WHJSiLED OVER MY and the players make Strength rolls for the char-
SHOULDERS, I LEAPED- acters involved, and the highest roll shows
which character gets the item. If the highest roll
is tied between two or more characters, then the
item can, at the Game Master's option, be broken
or activated . In the case of wrestling over a
weapon, the gun is fired into melec and the tar-
get is rolled randomly by the GM . The GM can
grant one additional die to a character's roll if
any character has a better grip on the object at
the start of the conflict.

ONE 45\0E-OQ A U:G

Dodging OFI= ! I N=eo TJ4ECSE
There are times when yom player character HELP/ PLA ~
wants to avoid being hit at all, and he or she is WHO'S
not interested in hitting the opponent. This action RUNN\NG
is Dodging, and includes bobbing, weaving, T~\5
blocking, and generally trying to stay out of the ROBOT?
way of any and all attacks. In this case, the
attacker still rolls his or her applicable ability to
hit, (Strength in melee combat, Aim in missi le
combat) but the defending player rolls on Aim to
avoid being hit. If the attacker's roll is higher, the
Dodging character is hit, and makes Health rolls
at a -1 Die penalty (in addition to any other penal-
ties). If the defender rolls equal to or higher than
the attacker, the defender is missed, and the
defender adds +1 die to an action roll in the next
turn (whether that roll is for an attack, another
dodge. or some other action).

OOUBLECROSSEQ/ NOW t'LL. Wrestling

SETTL.E Occasionally, a player will want his character to
WITH "t'OU
tackle or hold another character. Like normal
KANE/
melee combat, the player must make a Strength
roll to beat either the opponent's Strength roll or
against the number 10 (surprise attack). A suc-
cessful attack can knock down the target character
and he or she is held. The grappled character can
escape during his or her active tum if he or she
can roll a higher Strength roll than the attacker; if
this fails. the held character must make a Health
roll or be unable to try again for 1-6 tw-ns. Further,
the individual holding the character can force that
character to make a Health Roll against 6 + 1d6

-©
Oo .... ce.

18
turns of unconsciousness at any time during his
or her turn by spending 2 APs.
( Equipment & Sundries
oney and individual possessions are not
M important in the 25th Century. Most
exceptional equipment and personal items
are either accumulated over time, or gained by
joining up with a larger organizati on which gives
your character stuff in exchange for services
rendered (save the Bad Bloods who gain all they
have through scavenging). If your character has run
through the introductory adventure . he or she has
gained some equipment. Otherwise, your character
has items available to h im or her as a citizen of the
Orgzone Confederation.
Org Equipment Standards
As an Org member, your character's basic needs are
taken care of. Player characters can get the
follmving stuff through their Orgs:
• A place to live; depending on your Org's
status, this may be a tent or a luxury
apartment in a skyscraper.
• Basic food needs; this also can vary from a
communal commissary to ITfl!': credit at
various restaurants around the city.
• Basic local transportation; movement can be
by horse, taxi, or aircar around the city.
• Ample clothing for the situation and fashion.
Org Militia Equipment
As a member of the Org's militia (Your characters
gain this through the introductory adventure), your
character has the following additional stuff:
• An Inertron "Jumping Belt"
• A Helmet Radio
• A Rocket Pistol
• A second weapon, if your character has a
melee weapon skill
• A First Aid Kit, if vour character has First Aid
skill - cha'ractcr should be the one asking for the
• A Electronics Kit, if vour character has
Electronist skill , since it represents others putting in a good word for
• A Tool Kit, if vour character has the
Mechanics or ,the Robotist skill
19
)
Getting More Stuff
Personal property is a questionable thing in the far
future. For the Mongols in America. all things are
the property of the Celestial Mogul. For those of the
of the Orgzone Confederation, all property belongs
to the community and is shared by its people. For
the Bad Bloods and the Outlaws, property is what
you can physically hold onto and defend. All this
means that typical natives of the future, in one way
or another, can count on their immediate
surroundings and equipment. But how do you r
characters get better weapons, bigger rocket ships,
and neater toys?
Within the Orgs, your characters can get
equipment above and beyond what is normally
available by appealing to their superiors in the
militia. Your character makes a request to his or her
immediate superior (a GM -controlled NPC). That
superior determines whether to grant the request
based upon the following criteria:
1) Docs the character really NEED this item?
2) ls the mission really IMPORTANT?
3) Does the character seem TRUSTWORTHY?
Need: The GM has information about the
particular scenario, and may deny inappropriate or
dangerous equipment (no explosive grenades, for
example). This is a flat-out decision , and the GM
mav choose to allocate no more resources than have
already been determined.
Importance: Missions and activities which are
officially approved by the local leadership are more
important than personal missions. A character may
find that his leaders are willing to give him a rocket
ship to attack the Mongols, but not to locate a lost
companion.
Trustworthiness: In borderline situations, where
the need and importance may be argued , the GM
mav ask one character to make a Brains roll. The
equipment. The Contacts skill has an effect here
the character.
The Mongols have a similar operation within
their own walled cities, though they tend to be
less forgiving to those who fail to return the
equipment in repairable shape (Buck crashed a
number of rocket ships over the years with no ill
effects to his bargaining povvcr with his superiors).
The Outlaws and Bad Bloods have nothing of this
type , since they hold onto everything they can by
raw power.
 ( Equipm~nt
Equipment Summary
This is a synopsis of ANO HERE'5 A ROCKET C.UN,
YOU ARE H ERE6Y RE-
equipment available C.EIVEO INTO FULL
BROTHERHOOD IN TME
to the denizens of the ALLEuHANY OR(,
25th Century. More
information on some
weapons and
technology can be
found in the World of
the 25th Century
book.
Standard Equipment
Helmet Radio: A small radio headset is placed
within standard issue helmets to allow short-
distance communication and long-distance
reception of radio waves. The helmet radio is set on
a fixed frequency used by the Orgs, and the helmet
radios have the energy to communicate up to about
a mile away while they can receive clearly from a
source up to 10 miles away.
Radios of the 25th Century have a number of
disadvantages. They are extremely fragile, such that
a good knock (such as an explosion or a blow to the
head) can cause them to malfunction or break (see
"Material Strength" in Section 6).
Secondly, radio signals cannot penetrate steel or
thick concrete. Radios \ovithin large structu res
require external antennas and may not functi on
within large buildings otherwise.
Lastly, radio transmissions can be traced. In large
communities, both the Americans and the Mongols
have radio security operations which track
unofficial radio signals.
lnertron "Jumping Belt": Inertron is a solid
compound which exerts a reverse gravity; the
Inertron can be measured to counterbalance
specific weights and make them extremely light. lt
is most often measured and fitted into a harness to
be worn over a person's torso, reducing its wearer's
vveight to a few pounds. The Inertron belt allows
your character to leap up to 10 squares (100 yards
outdoors) away or 10 squares straight up easily at a
cost of only 2 APs.
20
& Sundries )
Supplemental Equipment Kits
Electronics Kit: An electronics kit provides the
equipment for Electronists (an individual with the
Electronist skill) to repair electronics with an
additional die applied to the Brains roll (on top of
the skill bonus die). A character may attempt to
perform electronic repair without a kit, but gains no
positive modifiers; characters without the
Electronist skill can also do so but have a -1 d ie
penalty on the Brains roll.
First Aid Kit: A first aid kit allows the user to
heal other characters, allowing them additional
Health rolls to offset any incurred damage. A first
aid kit may be used by any character, but functions
best in the hands of a character with the First Aid
skill. A character with the First Aid skill does not
need the ki t to use the skill, but gains an additional
die to the roll if using one (in addition to the
addi ti onal die for the skill).
Tool Kit: A tool kit allows an individual with the
Mechanic or Robotist skill to use the skill with an
additional die to their Brains roll. It gives no
additional bonus to those w ithout these skills
(though the GM may require the use of a tool kit to
repair a particular item, whether they have the skill
or not).
Weapons. Melcze and Missile
All weapons are noted above in the Weapons
Summary sections; these entries simply provide
further desr.riptions and details.
Axe: These include all types of chopping
weapons, including hatchets, axes, and cleavers,
regardless of size. Axes are used in logging and may
be used as impromptu weapons, but the axe is
usually used only as a ceremonial weapon.
Bow and Arrow:
This is an easily
constructed weapon
that is stil l in use in
the American West,
particularly among
the Native
American Orgs. It is
not as effective as
other weapons, but
bas the advantage
of being silent.
I Equipment & Sundries
Mace, club or cudgel: Th ese include an y long,
blunt weapons; as such , they are hard to conceal.
They are thick weapons with little chance of
breaking on impact.
Handgun: These are one-handed gunpowder
weapons, and is generally considered archaic since
the rocket pistol is more effective. They are still in
use in some parts of America.
Knife or Dagger~ These include any short,
stabbing weapons , normally \Vorn on u belt, but
sometimes kept concealed in a boot or in a vest.
Rifle: Another
archaic gunpowder
weapon, the rifle is
still available in
some Org armories;
these are used when
rocket pistols are not
available. Rifles may
be wielded as clubs
(swinging the butt
end at an opponent)
or swords (if fitted
with a bayonet on
the barrel).
Rocket Pistol: The standard weapon of the Org
militias, the rocket pistol fires an explosive bolt
w hich may affect either one target or a large area
(different propellant settings and loads account for
the difference). T he rocket pistol comes with its
own holster.
Sap, Bross Knuckles, or BlaGkjock: These include
any small bludgeoning weapons. They are , by their
nature, easily concealed in a pocket and pulled out
when needed.
Sword or Bayonet: These are long, stabbing
weapons. Bayonets are relics of earlier \>vars but
still used in combat, particularly in conjunction
with old rifles. Swords are particularly effective
melee weapons for the Mongols, who use them as a
back-up for their disintegrator rays.
Other Weapon.s: There are other weapon types
which are not normally available to militia
members. These include large , "heavy weapons "
(such as rocket cannons). weapons attached to
vehicles, grenades, and weapons used primarily by
other cultures (such as Han disintegrators) or those
c ustom-designed for one person (like Killer Kane's
multi-club). These may be acquired by using
Contacts (see "Getting More Stuff" above).
21
)
Vehicles
The vehicles of the 25th Century arP. many and
varied. Not onlv do vehicles differ from nation to
nation, but all sides are constantly improving their
vehicles, making them more maneuverable.
powerful, and speciali7.ed. All vehicles share some
same basic statistics:
Vehicle Statistics
Armor: This is the number of dice that are
subtractecl from all attacks from outside the
vehicle; this shows the general toughness of the
vehicle's hull and how well it protects itself and
its passengers.
Internal Strength: This represents the number of
d ice rolled to resist damage if the ship's armor is
breached. This number is just like a Health roll
for human combatants.
Combat Speed: This speed measures how fast a
vehicle moves in a single turn; this speed is
listed in squares and it is important mostly for
combat situations. It mav seem slower than the
proportionate cruising speed , but it reflects the
fact that the vehicle may be engaged in combat
or difficult maneuvering.
Cruising Speed: This is the approximate top speed
(in miles per hour) at which the vehicle moves
in a straight line. This can be altered by
difficulties such as bad terrain, inclement
vvcather, and attacking enemies.
Control: This number signifies how difficult the
vehicle is to control under combat conditions.
This Task Level number is used when the pilot
is attempting a difficult maneuver or when
situations demand a Control rol1 (a vehicle
under attack, attempting to land in rough
terrain, etc.).
Repair: This Task Level number represents how
complex the vehicle's internal machinery is;
characters must roll this Task Level number to
repair any part of the vehicle, whether it's a hull
breach or a weapons malfunction.
Armaments: These are the standard weapons for
the vehicle, though they can be altered by the
GM. See Section 3 and its "Weapon Summaries"
for \•Veapon dc>.tails.
Crew: This is the maximum number of people the
vehicle can carry; most craft carry only a single
driver.
I Equipment & Sundries )
'~~~@~·
Vehicles in Combat
Your characters are trapped in a canyon
with a swarm of Han fliers overhead. •· ~-- .
Are they doomed with no chance of :"~
escape? NO! Characters can bring down so ·.. ~~
Han airships with a rocket pistol (and ADJ,USTING ~
lots of skill and luck)! O)(YGEN
MASKS~~.,;:'
W £ DIVED ----~
Piloting a Vehicle AT BREATH
TAKING SPEED,
Operating vehicles under normal travel OUR ROCKET
GUNS SPITTING
conditions is no problem for characters DEA.TH AND
in this game; all it takes is 3 APs a turn DESTRUCTION~®
to pilot a vehicle. Piloting is necessary,
however, for maneuvering or fighting in
a plane or other vehicle. If a single pilot
vehicle is drawn into combat, the pilot has to Weapon Da mage: The attacker chooses a weapon
choose between attacking and maneuvering- he or mounted on the vehicle to be hit. It is useless until
she focuses on firing the craft's weapons or steering repaired.
it out of trouble. Engine Dam age: The vehicle is damaged and
malfunctioning. For Org vehicles, problems could
be a loss of ballast or propellors; for Han vehicles,
Attacking a Vehicle the problems could center on the repellors. The
• Attackers roll attacks as normal, subtracting Game Master (or player) must make a Brains roll to
the dice indicated by a vehicle's Armor repair the problem within one turn or crash.
rating. See the Task Level Success Numbers CRASH!: The vehicle crashes in the following
Table in Section 6 for the appropriate turn; for Han airships or other high-flying vehicles,
numbers needed. the controllers may have a turn or two to react, but
• If a vehicle is struck by a weapon that can the vehicle itself is useless and will crash. All
cause a Mortality Roll , the GM or player personnel aboard the vehicle must make a Health
checks against its Internal Strength, just like a roll against th e vehicle's Repair Task Level; this is
Health roll. If successful, the craft is fine. If considered a Mortality Roll. Characters can escape
the roll fails, the veh icle is damaged: check the crash by jumping out (a successful Aim Task
the Critical Hits Table for effects. Level of 20), but they should have parachutes,
jumping belts, or other similar devices to survive
the fall to the ground.
Critical Hits Table
Die Roll Effect
1 Radio Knocked Out
Defending a Vehicle
2 Control Roll Characters in a flying vehicle may also opt to
3 Control Roll -2 defend the craft by some aerial maneuvering. This
4 Weapon Damage is only available if a character has the Piloting
5 Engine Damage skill; similar to the Dodging maneuver, the pilot
6 CRASH! must roll against his or her Aim skill, without the
added die for Piloting, and equal or exceed the
Rad io Knocked Out: Any hit has a chance to vehicle's Control rating. If successful, the pilot has
knock the radio out-they're kind of delicate. executed some maneuver that saves the vehicle
Radios must be repaired before being used again from any missile attacks during that turn. If
(ie. the pilot can't communicate with anyone). unsuccessful, the character's vehicle can be
Control Rolls: The pilot must make an Aim roll attacked as normal.
against the craft's Control or crash. The more
extreme hits ("Control Roll -2") force the pilot to
make the same Aim roll against Control but with a
penalty of two less dice to roll.

22
( Equipment & Sundries )
Orgzomz Vehicle Sa~c:_~
Org Biplane
Armor:
V ._ c
The Org Biplane is designed
1.vith the classic lines and utility
0 ·-... of the Curtis Jenny (an early
Internal Strength:
Combat Speed:
3
6
--- 20th Century plane) and is the
workhorse of the independent
Cruising Speed: Orgs. The biplane's structure is
Control: light-weight canvas and wood;
Repair: its ense of repair, combined with
Armaments: its maneuverability and ease of
control, makes it an ideal small
Crew: war-craft.

Manufactured in Niagara and

available in some of the
Personal Rocket Flie advanced Orgs. the personal
Armor: 2 roc ket flier is a vast
Internal Strength: 4 improvement over the biplane.
Combat Speed: 9 ll is faster and more damage-
Cruising Speed: 70 mph resistant, but it is also harder to
Control: 15 handle and more difficult to
Repair: 25 repair. Its flight is made possible
Armaments: Swivel-mounted by Inertron ballast attached to
Rocket Cannon the inner hull, reducing its
Crew: 1 to 3 persons weight substantially. Various
versions of personal rockets are
found in many Orgs, but those
within cities are usually not
rf§1~
- ~~~ armed.
'-../

Rockt~t cruisers are the great

Rocket Cruiser fly ing fortresses of the Orgzone
Armor: Confederation, matching the
Internal Strength: 5 Han airsh ips in power hut
Combat Speed: 6 exceeding them in speed and
Cruising Spood: 90mph maneuverability. The entire ship
Control: 20 weighs only a few hundred
Repair: 25 pounds thanks lo payloads of
Armaments: 4 Rocket Inertron.
Cannons Rock1~t cruisers are often
(2 forward. ~~~L--=:::;-----~ customized, but the statistics
2 aft) listed here are the standards
Crew: Crew of10 aml 15 built into them at Niagara. If
passengers needed. a rocket cruiser can
carry four rocket fliers and
11\u: SHIP TO WHlC'H 11>.c.CiRt:GOR R'£Fl:QR£C W/>S
nt£ nl?l>T O~ "CH£ AME.RICANS' BtG ROC!<F.T C1XJ'C~'l'l S . reduce passengers to six. All
WHtOi HAD JUS"C 0£1'.N COMPIX-C-CO·
rocket cruisers are equipped
with parachutes and air masks
in case the crew has to bni l out
nt high altitudes.

23
[ Equipment & Sundries )
Mongol Vehicle Summary

Han Flier
Armor: 0
Internal Strength: 3
Combat Speed: 4
Cruising Speed: 20 mph
Control: 15
Repair: 30
Armaments: Forward-mounted disintegrator rifle
Crew: 1 person
The small Han fighters operate off the broadcast power of a
nearby Mongol Raider. They fly by using smaller version of the airships' repellor beams; this gives them a slower
maneuvering speed and makes them relatively ineffective except in larger squadrons. Save firepower, these ships are
inferior to their Org equivalents-the personal rocket flier.

Han Airship r~Mongol Raider··)

Armor: 4
Internal Strength: 6
Combat Speed: 3
Cruising Speed: 20 mph
Control: 25
Repair: 30
Armaments: 1\vo Disintegrator Cannons (Pore and aft)
Crew: Crew of 10 with up to 50 passengers
The behemoth of the Han invasion and the symbol of their tyranny, the Han Airship operates off internally generated
broadcast power. The monstrous size of these ships is necessary to house the power generators for the ship. its repellor
beams (which hold it aloft). and its disintegrator cannons.
There are three versions of the so-called "Mongol Raider,·· though the differences are not apparent from the ground
looking up:
• The standard, unmodified Han Airship holds 50 parachutists armed with disintegrator rifles, all powered by the
ship. This ship is used for ground assaults on defended cities.
• The "Air Carrier" has a hatch at the top of the ship which opens the cargo area to release a dozen smaller Han
fliers. This ship, and its supplemental forces, is used against enemies with established air power. This ship has a
crew of 10. 12 flier pilots, and room for only 10 additional passengers.
• The "'Heavy Airship" sacrifices much of its cargo and passenger space (Crew of 14 and 20 passengers) for the
machinery for two additional disintegrators (two forward, two aft). This airship is often used against undefended
stationary targets like the lesser Orgs.

KILLER KA.NE.
RESOURCEFUL AC,
.E"V£R . LAUNCHED
A NCW" THREAT
AT US-

24
[ Equipment & Sundries
Robots
The robots of the 25th Century are not
free-thinking individuals , since
computers and artificial intelligence
technologies did not rise from the
ruins of 22nd Century America.
Instead, robots are created as radio-
controlled workers to perform actions
that are dangerous for humans. They
are always under the control of
skilled operators who direct their
every move.
Robots, being made from metal ,
have armored skin (-2 dice to all
attacks) and have overall BETTER
material strength (treat as 4 dice of
Health). They move at running speed
(1 AP= 2 squares); a robot's arms
have BEST Strength and they can be
used as clubs (6 dice attack!). It costs
a human controller 3 APs to control a
robot for one turn (the robot gets the
equivalent APs of a normal human).
If a robot is hit in combat and fails
its Health roll, the GM rolls ld6.
• (1 or 2) The robot's arms are
damaged and its Strength is
reduced to a 3 dice attack.
• (3 or 4) The robot's motors are
damaged and the robot is
immobile but can still attack.
• (5 or 6) The robot explodes!
)
Mongolian Broadcast Power
All Mongolian ships and weapons, including disintegrators,
operate off of their special science of broadcast power. This
Mongolian advancement allows power to be generated in one
place and transmitted by radio waves to a weapon or device far
away, charging the device from afar. These power generators are
by necessity quite large, so they are either stationary or in the
holds of the great Han Raiders. The power broadcasters of either
a city or a Han airship have a range of only a few miles. Devices
beyond the range of these generators lose all of their power:
weapons won't function, fliers fall out of the sky, etc.
The limitations of this power are clear to the player wanting a
disintegrator weapon for his player character. Such a weapon
would only be useful in close proximity to the Mongol cities and
Han strongholds. If rampant destruction of Han forces begins as a
result of captured weaponry, they often just cut the power
broadcast for the devices, rendering them harmless. The Mongols
often change broadcast power frequencies to prevent jamming by
Org radio technicians , so a disintegrator or other Han device will
be of limited use in the game.
The use of broadcast power reveals some of the nature of the
Mongol invaders: their society and peoples are ruled by a
centralized, entrenched bureaucracy that desires to keep its own
power intact. Its organization from such a bureaucracy is its main
strength, as it conquered much of the 25th Century world and
maintains its control over the conquered lands. This
centralization of power also makes it vulnerable, in the sense
that downing a Han Raider (with its interior generator) will
knock out all the disintegrators of its ground support troops, and
destroying a city's generator system makes it extremely
vulnerable to attack.
By contrast, the individualistic nature of the Orgs also reveals
itself in its weapons and devices. The Inertron of the jumping
belts must be produced from a central location, but once created
and distributed, it allows its users a great freedom of movement
not limited to a centralized area. Similarly, the ubiquitous rocket
pistol relies on no outside source, merely the aim and ability of
its user; ammunition is created at the Orgs, but the rocket pistol
can even fire small rocks as ammunition if needed. The Orgs rely
more on the achievements of the individual than the Mongols
and trust their people with greater individual power.
.. ~
25
( Experience )
k, your characters have been created and you know about their equipment and how to fight in

0 combat. Now where can your characters go? From here, players and their characters play adventures
in order to gain Experience. Just as in real life, characters performing their jobs and fighting the good
fight will gain knowledge of how to do things better and improve their own abilities to fight or perform
their jobs-this is the basic idea behind experience.
In the BUCK ROGERS®Adventure Game, experience takes the form of Experience Chips. When a player
character (or an important NPC) is created , the player (or the GM) receives five Experience Chips for that
character. The Game Master provides the players with items to represent Experience Chips; suggestions
include using pennies or other coins, poker chips (included in this box), or toothpicks. Players should keep
track of their characters' Experience Chips on a piece of paper or on their character record sheets (see the
back of the Adventures book) as well as having the "chips" themselves. Additional Experience Chips are
gained through each of the characters' adventures.

<Ising Experience Gaining Skills & Ranks

Players can spend their characters' Experience
Chips on a wide variety of actions and bonuses:
Influencing Die Rolls
Whenever players need to make die rolls for their
characters, they can spend one or more Experience
Chips to change the odds a bit. Spending an
Experience Chip adds an additional die to the roll,
in addition to all other dice rolled. Players can add
as many dice to the roll as they wish by spending
their characters' Experience Ch ips. provided by
follow the limitations of the Rule of Eight.
Players should spend Experience Chips when
they want to ensure something happens, or when it
would be disastrous for the roll to fail. A prime
example is the Mortality Roll, which results in the
character's death if the roll is failed.
The player can increase his or her character's
knowledge with new skills or increased ability. At
the end of any game session, the player can spend
20 Experience Chips to gain a new skill. This may
be of any type, but duplicating any skills does not
add any more bonus dice to rolls.
At the GM's option , a player can spend 40
Experience Chips on a player character to improve
one of the character's skills to the level of a Master
skill. Characters can further increase one of their
attributes by one rank by spending 60 Experience
Chips if the Game Master allows it. Players should
check with the GM before saving up for Master
Skills or attribute improvements; if the player
characters aren't allowed to use these optional
rules, saving up for them is a waste of time and
chips!

Increase Available fiction Points Experience Banks:

The player can spend Experience Ch ips to gain
additi onal APs in a single turn. These are spent
Optional Rule
when the player character attempts those actions. In the BUCK ROGERS Adventure Game, as in many
The cost is equal to the total number of APs to be role-playing games, characters function better on a
spent in that turn. If a character has the normal team than when acting as individuals. If the players
3 APs, it costs four Experience Chips to move wish, they may form an Experience Bank. One
4 APs, and additional five player is the banker, and all the players contribute
Experience Chips as many Experience Chips as they see fit. The
(for nine total) to use contributing players may then withdraw
5 APs. This is often Experience Chips from the bank to modify die rolls
useful in crisis only- they can't improve skills or attributes using
situations when an Experience Bank. If players disagree about the
quick movement is disbursement of Chips, the players present may
of the utmost vote to distribute the Chips back to each player-
importance. the Banker decides all ties on whether to release
the banked Chips or not.

26
( The Game Master·s Job
o far, this book has covered the options open
S to the players and their characters. This
section discusses the Game Master's bag of
tricks, \.vhat he or sh e can do within the BUCK
ROGERS® Ad venture Game.
While the players each take the role of an
individual of the 25th Century and become, in
effect, actors, the GM is the stage manager, director,
and script writer. He is also the actor playing all the
lesser characters, supporting actors, and, most
importantly, villains. It is the job of the GM to make
sure that everything fits together, to describe what
the players see, and to handle the action. The GM
doesn't gain experience for playing the non-player
characters. Instead, he awards experience to the
other players by judging their characters' levels of
success in the adventure.
Ronning the Game Torn
In ordinary games, each person moves one al a
time, and play passes in an orderly fashion. In a
role-playing game, players move characters, fire
weapons, and perform actions simultaneously. One
of the GM's jobs is to sort out what happens when.
Can Buck escape his prison before Killer Kane
returns? Can Wilma reach the control panel before
the missile is launched? The GM must be able to
answer these questions.
The basic unit of time in the BUCK ROGERS
game is the turn. A turn is about 5 seconds long
and is used most often in combat. In 5 seconds, the
normal player character has 3 APs to spend, which
he or she can use to perform a number of actions as
dictated under "Action Points" in Section 2 above.
Campaign Time
An adventure does not always have to be run in 5-
second turn increments. Player characters are often
waiting for something to occur or they are engaged
in repetitive work. The GM can move this along by
saying "The night passes without incident '' or "You
fly 30 miles over rocky terrain ", without running
every turn.
There are also cases where time is not a factor.
beyond noting how much time has passed. For
example. the heroes go to the Orgzone
Confederation President to report on recent strikes
against the Bad Bloods. The GM may decide to play
this adventure (role-playing the president while the
players, as their characters, explain their successes)
27
)
or cover it by saying "You meet with the president,
and he's impressed with your report." Note that
players often like to have their characters talk about
their exploits, so letting them brag gives them a
small reward and can set up future adventures (if,
say, the president is doubtful, or very impressed
with their statements).
Game Torn fiction Order
The format for a turn runs as follows:
1) The GM decides what is going to happen to
non-player characters and other effects during
that turn. The GM does not tell the players
these plans until they take effect.
2) The players decide what their player
characters are going to do during that turn.
They each tell the GM what their characters
are going to do.
3) Players move their characters according to
their individual and mutual decisions. using
APs as they do so. They do not have to spend
all their APs, but cannot exceed their limits,
(all unspent APs are lost at the turn's· end).
Characters' attacks are resolved as shown in
the "Combat" section.
4) The GM moves the NPCs and makes their
actions as well, again not exceeding their AP
limits. The NPCs get their attacks if they are
able after the attacks of the player characters.
5) Go to the next turn.
Player Character Cooperation
Three APs per turn is a guideline the GM should
use to direct player actions and prevent them from
trying to do too much in a single turn. APs may be
spent in any fashion during the player's part of the
turn. A player may spend 2 APs moving up to a
door and opening it. Another player may then
spend APs to move through the door the first player
opened. Then the first player may spend his last AP
after the other player.
If there is a problem with who moves first, each
of the player characters spends 1 AP, then they
each spend their 2nd AP, then their 3rd AP. Actions
which require multiple APs are completed after all
other actions are done. A player may spend less
than the required number of APs in a turn , but
cannot give those unspent APs to other characters.
Players cannot save APs up over two different turns
unl ess they use special maneuvers like Targeting
(see " Missile Combat Maneuvers" in Section 3).
( The Game Master·s Job
Player Character Dissent
Player characters (and players as well) don't always
get along, and often will perform actions against
each other, such as struggling to be the first one out
the door or be the one to grab the secret weapon. As
a general rule in cases of conflict, the individual
who spends the fewest Action Points to complete
the action gets to perform the action first. In case of
a tie. both players roll a die (re-roll ties). The higher
number has initiative over the other. and that
character can move first. In general, most player
characters will be working together toward
common goa ls, so this problem should be rare.
Surprise
There is an exception to the rule of the players
going first in a game turn: surprise or ambush.
There are situations where the players may be
unaware that they are about to be attacked (or be
affected by some special effect) without any prior
warning. Whether a situation involves surprise or
not is determined by the GM, but here are some
surprise examples:
• The player characters walk into a ambush
with opponents hidden from view.
• Player characters are not expecting an attack
("'Your trusty guide suddenly turns to
attack!'").
• The player characters are at a disadvantage
not shared by their opponents: blinded by
smoke, fighting in th e dark against foes who
can see in the dark, or being tied up or
restrained.
In these cases, the players DO NOT get to move their
player characters first. Instead, the attackers get a
free turn to attack (skip steps 2 and 3 in the earlier
procedure). After that. play proceeds as normal.
~
.,~~~·
/(.:P r..-
( ?.
.
j (
( \
' '
)
Now, player characters live by their wits, and
are, by nature, a suspicious and cautious lot. If
there is a chance that the player characters may
find out they are about to be ambushed (bushes
shake mysteriously. twigs snap in the distance,
looking in the right direction just before the enemy
attacks), they get a chance to discover the danger.
The GM secretly makes a Brains check for the
smartest player character in the ambush. If the roll
is 15 or greater. that player character can warn his
or her companions of I he danger and they can act;
if the roll is less than 15. the characters are
surprised and attacked without warning. Play
proceeds normally after this.
Random Initiative: Optional Rule
Once the GM is comfortable with determining who
does what and when, he or she may allow Random
Initiative. The game turn procedure runs in a
modified form, as follows:
1. The GM determines what characters and
events under his con trol are going to do but
does not announce this to the players.
2. The players determine what their player
characters are going to <lo , and tell the GM in
turn.
3. The GM and one of the players roll 2 six-sided
die. The high roll wins initiative.
4. The side ·with initiative makes its move.
5. The other side makes its move. It may
sometimes find its earlier determination
altered by the actions of the winning side, and
they may often miss those actions. ("You
reach the safe, but find that it is open and the
money's already gone! ")
· ~
. y-._ \ ,
(
\ r-r ' .. '"> '
"'
(
28
( The Game Master·s Job
Resolving Ability Checks
& Skills
One of the key tasks of the Game Master is to
resolve ability checks made by all characters. When
playing a written adventure, particular tasks are
given Task Levels in the text: A lock may have a
complexity of 11, requiring a Brains roll of 11 or
better to open it. There will be many situations
where the action's Task Level must be created on a
moment's notice. Numbers are easily found by
gauging the d ifficu lty of an action.
Task Level Assignments
At the most basic level, Task Levels can be set at
Automatic, Easy, Average , Above Average, Hard,
Very Hard, or Darn-Near Impossible.
Automatic: Unless there are other factors, anyone
can do this all the time. Examples include opening
a door, pressing a button , and similar ordinary
actions. Automatic Task Level: 0
Easy: These are relatively simple tasks that an
ordinary human can still fail. Examples include
breaking down a thin, wooden door or striking an
unsuspecting character. Easy Task Level: 10
Average: Average tasks are common actions that
are a little tougher than normal. They are difficult
only for those with low ability ranks or lack of any
appropriate skills. Examples include lifting your
own weight, or understanding common machines.
Average Task Level: 15
Above Average: These are more complex tasks
that are difficult for ordinary humans but relatively
simple for individuals with both the proper skills
and equipment. Examples include mechanical
repair or reviving unconscious or mortally
wounded characters using first aid. Above Average
Task Level: 20
Hard: These are tasks best left to the
professionals, needing skill , higher rank abilities.
and a fair amount of luck. Examples include
understanding new ·o r alien machines, lifting twice
your own weight, or jumping with a jumping bell
and grabbing onto a passing flying vehicle. Hord
Task Level: 25
Very Hard: These complex tasks are still solvable
for trained individuals with the proper tools.
Examples include inventing or modifying
mechanical or electronic devices , fighting the
effects of knock-out gas, or breaking open a locked.
metal door. Very Hard Task Level: 30
Darn-Near Impossible: This skirts the limits of
human endurance ("You want to do WHAT?").
Examples of this extreme include breaking through
29
)
a brick wall with your head, bending a thick iron
bar with your hands, and flying into space using
two rocket pistols and a jumping belt. Dam-Near
Impossible Task Level: 35+
Of course, there are always the impossible items
that no one can do: fall from a planet's orbit
without burning up in the atmosphere, eat a tank,
or rip up a city with your bare hands. The GM's
moderation is called for in these si tuations: strike
down the more ridiculous requests, or, better yet,
force the players to justify their actions (Yes, Buck
and Wi lma once fell from Earth orbit and survived
- through careful thought and use of many
Experience Chips!). A fast-thinking player might
reduce an impossible task level to one which is.
well, only Darn-Near Impossible.
Task Level Alterations
Under certain circumstances, the GM can alter the
standard Task Levels and may choose to make a
particu lar task level one level higher or lower. This
can be done at any time for two major reasons:
Make certain tasks easier to speed up play ("They
don't need to spend TOO long unlocking that door,
or they'll miss the ambush in the next room!"): and
Make tasks difficult to keep their adventure
challenging ("They' ve got Buck ·with them. I'd
better make the doors tougher and better
guarded."). Also , adjustments can be made due to
the enviromcnt and the setting (It's harder to shoot
at enemies in a driving rain!).
Standard adjustments change Task Levels by
three points for situations where a task is slightly
more or less difficult to accomplish ; Task Levels
should rarely be altered by more than one full
level (5 or 10 points). This is particularly useful
when dealing with players who know the rules
and the Task Levels. ("It's a wooden door-Task
Level 10 to bust it down. Piece o' cake!") The GM
may do this to any listed Task Level. including
those listed in the adventurns. Natl~ that this
makes things more challenging to the players and
their characters.
I
( The Game Master·s Job )
Task Level Success tlambers Table
The table below is a basic chart for indicating the
Task Levels of various things that a GM will be
called to rule on. This is not a complete list, and
should be used as a guide to help the GM come up
with his or her own numbers.

STRENGTH Rolls
Lifting under a hundred pounds 0
Lifting your own weight 15
Lifting twice your weight 25
Lifting three times your weight 40
Striking an unsus pecting opponent 10
Striking an active opponent Strength
Break down a wooden door 10
Break down a metal door 20
Break a hole in a stone wall 40

AIM Rolls
Hitting the broad side of a barn 0
Hitting an unsuspecting target 10
Hitting an active target Aim
Hitting a large inanimate target 15
Hitting a small inanimate target 20
Hitting a Han fli er 20
Hitting a Han airship 15
Throwing items within range 10
Throwing items beyond range 15
Flying a vehicle in a tight place 30
Untying ropes/non mechanical bindings 15
Catching a falling object 10
Sleight of hand /Pick pockets 15
.. -
BRAINS Rolls
Understanding a standard machine 15 "' '. .,
Fixing a standard/known machine 20
Creating a radio from spare parts 30
Understanding a new/ unknown machine 25
Fixing a new/unknown mcichine 30
Creating a new invention 35
Noticing a clue 20
Cracking a Bad Blood c:ocfo 15
Cracking a Han code 25

HEALTH Rolls
Resist standard knock-out gas 30
Resist Mongolian Lotus gas 35
Holding one's breath (1 minute) 10
Holding one's breath (2 minutes) 20
Holding one's breath (5 minutes) 30
Holding one's breath (10 minutes) 40
Sustained activity 10 + 5/turn
Running (6 squares max ./turn) 5 + 5/turn
Sprinting (9 squares max./turn) 10+10/ turn

30
( The Game Master·s Job
Material Strength/Breaking Stuff
Sometimes force is directed, whether intentional or
not, against objects instead of people. Melee attacks
can affect items at hand and missile attacks must
make a skill shot to affect the target. Most "stuff''
has a material strength. which is listed as a Task
Level. An attack must equal or exceed the item's
material strength Task Level to break or destroy it.
Many items have specific material strengths , and
these are provided within adventures and scenarios
when they are necessary-if the player characters
must d estroy a Mongol radio center, the strength of
the equipment is needed. Exampl es of material
strength are below:
Material Example
Strength Materials
5 Glass; wooden chairs, helmet radios
10 Thin wood; wooden doors
15 Heavy wood; rocket & disintegrator
pistols, heavy tree limbs. tables
20 Metaloglass; disintegrator rifles
25 Steel: rocket & disintegrator
cannons
30 Worked steel: Han airship hulls
40 Diamonds: thick stone walls or
solid rock
The Game Master can , at his or her op tion,
determine that particular objects can only be
broken if the character delivers a successful attack
with weapons that force a Mortality Roll. Though
it's mathematically possible to break open a steel
hatch or tear apart a rocket cannon with one 's bare
hands, logic and game rules dictate using
equipment like axes or explosives to do the job.
31
)
Awarding Experience
Chips
As player characters explore the world of the 25th
Century, they are rewarded for their achievements
with additional Experience Chips. These Chips can
be converted into additional dice for combat or
skill rolls, additional Action Points, and a wide
variety of skills (see Section 5).
Experi« .n ce Chips should be award ed at the end
of each gaming session, and the new Chips are
available for use in the next game session. At the
end of an adventure (whether the game lasts one or
several sessions), Experience Chips are also
awarded, but players can only buy skills between
adventures. Players cannot use new Experience
Chips to give their characters skills during an
adventure; the characters can only learn new skills
after the adventure is completed and they have
time to learn. General Experience Chip a\,..1ards are:
One Chip Awards
Characters gain one Experience Chip:
• if a character defeats minor enemies (thugs,
soldiers, animals, NPCs w ith no Experience
Chips). regardless of the number of enemies
(i.e. defeat 1 thug= defeat 8 thugs = 1 EC);
• if a character rescues another character from
imprisonment or certain death at the hands of
an enemy;
• if a character behaves and acts in a spirit of
fair play and sportsmanship (ie. doesn't attack
someone from behind, looks out for one's
friends, etc.); or
• if a player shows imagination and innovation
in role-playing his or her character during that
game session.
Two Chip Awards
Characters gain two Experience Chips :
• if a character finishes an adventure alive and
conscious;
• if a charncter disables or destroys a major
enemy stronghold or super-weapon; or
• if a character defeats a major enemy (an NPC
with Experience Chips).
Heroic and dramatic actions should be noted by the
GM and additional Experience Chips may be
awarded for them at that GM's discretion.
 ( The Game Master•s Job
Spending Experience Chips
Just as the players can spend Experience Chips to influence their characters' actions, the Game Master can
spend them to help the characters under his control. The GM can only spend these points if they are listed
for the character; usually, only notable NPCs as Buck or Killer Kane have Experience Chips, and nameless
thugs and soldiers don't have any Chips. The GM can spend Experience Chips in the same manner that
players spend them.
IT IS KIL.LE R KANE. /
MAYBE I W ON'T TAKE
~"'""
- ------- -
THAT Guv APART l
--.........
Baying fl Break
The GM does have a special ability with regard to
Experience Chips: Important NPCs, most often the
villains, can use Experience Chips to Buy a Break.
There are often situations where an important non-
player character is in danger of losing his or her life
or at least suffering lots of damage. To prevent this,
the NPC Buys a Break and is immediately removed
from the game in the proverbial nick of time.
Buying a Break takes many forms-escaping when
no one is looking, slipping behind an unknown
secret panel, falling off a convenient cliff, being
rescued by an assistant, etc.- but always results in
letting an NPC get away.
Buying a Break is costly, since the GM spends all
the Experience Chips an NPC has to accomplish the
escape. The character must have a minimum of 3
Experience Chips to spend; if he or she does not
have that many Chips, the character's luck has run
out! In addition, the NPC cannot reappear in the
game campaign for a period of weeks equal to the
number of Chips spent to Buy the Break (minimum
of three weeks). When the NPC reappears, he or she
will have a full allotment of Experience Chips
restored and ready for use.
32
)
Buying a Break Example
Killer Kane has been bedeviling the player
characters for weeks with a nefarious scheme. Now,
at last , the player characters have turned the tables
and are face-to-face with the traitorous villain,
intending "to rid the future of him once and for
all." Wanting to keep him alive, the GM Buys a
Break. Kane suddenly throws a flash-pellet (that
didn 't exist a second before), and he escapes into a
secret tunnel while everyone is blinded. The player
characters still defeated Kane and gain all the
awards due to them; though they didn't finish him,
Kane won't be around for months (until he's licked
his wounds).
The Fine flrt of Winging It
This is the last and most important rule: learn how
to "wing it" while Game Mastering.
• If the players try something not covered in the
rules, make a decision on how it works and
stick to it.
• Feel free to make new skills, weapons, and
character races-it's your world now!
• These rules are just a tool box to get you
started, not orders. The only ironclad rule in
this game is that the fun and excitement
should never end!
 TSR HIGH ADVENTURETM Cliffhangers:
The BUCK ROGERS®Adventure Game

World of the 25th Century Book

Table of Contents Credits
Introduction ................... ................. ......... ... 1 Design: Jeff Grubb
Man of the Past, Hero of the Future .................. 2 Development & Editing: Steven E. Schend
Futures Past: 25th Century History .................. 4 Cover Art: Den Beauvais
People, Places, & Things ............ ................ ..... 6 Interior Art: Dick Calkins & Mark Heike
25th Century Hardware ...... ........................... 10 Typography: Angelika Lokotz
Heroes and Heels ................................. ... ... 16 Production: Dawn Murin
Buck Rogers ............................................. 16
Wilma Deering .... .. .................................... 17 TSR. Inc. TSR. Ltd.
Cornelius "Kill er" Kane .............................. 18 P.O. Box 756 120 Church End
Black Barnev & Arda la Val mar ..................... 19 Lake Geneva Cherry Hinton
Commander· MacGregor & Doctor Hu er ......... 20 WI 53147 Cambridge. CB1 3LB
Nunah. Lone Wolf. & Lie utenant Bla ir ... .. .... 2·1 U.S.A. United Kingdom
Colonel Edwards , Gilda. &
R.ul<lum f louse a nd 11<> o. Hi liatc c:tHn i>ani<-~ ha\'tl wo rld wide dis1ribution righ1s in
Tommy Johnson .............................. .. .... 22 1h,• l•mk 1wlC' for Engl i<h languagu prod11CI> u f T S R. Inc.. OiSlributc d 10 1he book a n d
Cyclone Kid & Lariat Luke ........................ 23 hobh\ trMl1, 111 tho Uni1ed Kingdom by TSK I.Id . Distrihutro to 1he 1oy a nrl hobby
tr.lch• h~ n~u'mal di ... tributors
The Mongol Emperor ................... .. ............ 24 Bl 'CK R(X:ERS is a rogis1c rcd 1rademark of The Dille Famil\' Trus1 and is u<ed
The Viceroy of Chicago & under l111'n<e. BLAC K 8 1\RNEY i< a 1rademark of The Dille Famil~· T rus1 and is used
u nd1... r hu•nst•. c1993 Thf' Dille Family 'fmsl. All H1ghts f<est"f\'ed
Air Marshal Ka-Flui ................ .. ............ 25 HIGH :\OVE:'<TUR£ and 1he TSR logo a rc 1radcmMk> o wned by T SR . Inc. <1993
Lan-Lu & Wong ...... .................. . .............. 26 TSH. lnr :\II l< igh1s l<eserwd. Pri m ed in 1hc LI S.t\
Thi< book is pro1ec1ed unde r 1he copyn gh 1 laws o f 1he UnilNl S1a 1cs or Americ , 1
Marke Ka-Lona & Om-Ka Zoril .................. 27 :\n y reporcluf'tion or unamhoriz.ed use o f the materrnl o r artwo rk he rein is prohilnrpcl
w11hu111 1tw t'Xpres~ \\•ri111•t1 U ll t!J,t,_•nl orTSR . Inc .. .tOd T tw Dil lll Family Trusl.
Typical NPCs: Mongol & Org Soldiers, Thi• r1amf's of tlw r haractcrs used he roin nrc flctlt iou~ and do not refer to an\'
Bad Blood. Outla w. Citizen ..................... 28 pcr..0 11.. li\'ing or dead. J\nv description~ including s1m i lnri t ies to per~ons 1ivii1~ ur
dead art~ merel\' coincidental.
Animals ...... ..... ...... ......................... ......... 31
ISI3 N ·1-56076-636-0 3587XXX0843

Introduction
"Howdy. people . I'm Buck Hogers! l'JJ bet you 're
pretty bewildered by aJJ the goings-on here in the
25th Century. huh? Don ·1 wony-l was just as
starstruck whe n I left the co ve and entered this ivild
future myself. Us being f rom the past and aJJ.
Commander MacGregor f igured I'd be one of the
best guides for you in h elping getting you settled.
Settle y ourselves down and 1'11 teJJ you m y story
first before I give you the basics of the world as it is
today After that, I can shoiv you some of the
technological gizmos Dr. J-fuer and the science-boys
whipped up to h elp us in our struggle against the
Mongols. FinaJJy. f'JJ give you the loiv-down on the
people of the f uture and introduce you to a few of
my friends and warn you about my enemies. By
then. you folk 'JJ be ready to take on the Han
yourselves. Ready? Let's get cracking!"

1
I Man of the Past. ttero of the future )
Buck Rogers was a veteran of the
First World War, serving in the
Army Air Corps as a pilot. After
the war. he worked in a number
of civilian positions. His las t job
in the 20th Century was
s urvey ing an abandoned mine
near Pittsburgh. He noticed an
odd smell in the air and also
discovered strange, glowing
rocks in the mine. A sudden
cave-in trapped him in the
m ine , and a myst1~ riou s gas
overpO\·v ered h im.
Buc k awoke wh en the cave
mouth was accidenta lly blasted
open by a Mongol rcpellor beam
a nd fresh a ir seeped into the old
cavern. He left the aban don ed
mine to find his o ld world in
ruins. He also found a group of
Bad Blood raiders ambu s hing a
femal e so ldier who was j1ying
without a plane! She was
wounded. but Buck drove off
her attackers. The soldi er was
Wilma Deering of the Allegheny
Orgzone, and Buck quickly
found that he had been asleep
for 500 years. His world was
gone, and he had awakened to a
world where the Mongols ruled
America.
Buck and Wilma returned to
the All eghen y Orgzo ne, where
h is s tory was confirmed and
Buck settled into life in the
Orgzones . His s kills a nd fighting
spirit served him well to
acclimate himself to th e war-
torn future.
When Wi lma was kidnapped
by Mongols. Buck went after h er
a nd rescued her. In the process.
Bu ck first encount ered Wilma's
o ld s uitor, Killer Kane. Buc k and
Killer fought a duel. a nd while
Buck won the fight, he lost
\:Vilma ·s affections. Shortly
afterwards Wilma was
recaptured by the Mongo ls.
Buck, disobeying direc t orders.
stole a plane and went after her.

2
( Man of the Past. Hero of the Future )
Buck encou ntered foes and
allies as he made his way to the
Mongol Cap ital of Los A.ngeles
to rescue Wilma. He met allies
in the Navajo Orgzon e and
among the Out law Gangs of the
West. Buck also fou nd more foes
among the Bad Bloods and the
Mongols, ancl Kill er Kane
quickly became his true
nemesis. Kane turned tra itor.
sold his loyalties to the Mongol
Empero r, and led an assault
aga ins t Buck and his Ou tl aw
all ies. The battle would have
been lost if not for the aid of
Buck's new ally. Commander
MacGregor of Niagara.
Things occurred quickly as
the war intensified . Buck and
Wilma foiled the Golden Dragon
Society's plot to destroy Niaga ra.
and defeated the sabotage of
Kill er Kane. now fully a black-
hea rted traitor. They engineered
the capture of the Mongol
Emperor of orth America. <lnd
fo iled the power-mad Viceroy of
Chicago's bid to rule America.
At long last. Buck and his
fri ends made their wav to the
Aseptic City where they
confronted the Celestia I Mogul
himself: the kind and
ben evolen t rul er was unaware of
the cruel practices of his
underlings , but soon forged a
peace which freed the America n
people once and for all from
Mongol rule.
So say the legends and tales
spun around the dinner table
and reported over the
radiophone. However, this is a
time for h eroes of all types , and
player characters also have their
special roles to play in the wa1·
to free Ameri ca . With skill.
determ ination , and daring, they
can all become as famous as
Buck Rogers or Wil ma Deering
in this new-found future of the
25th Century.

3
 [ futures Past: 25th Century History )
The s ituations and adventures descril>ed
in t his box are based on the "War against
the Han." a time of rebe llion when the
Orgzones of 25th Century Ameri ca unified
and began to strike back aga inst the
Mongol Invaders . This time also marks
the arrival of o ne of the 25th Centurv·s
greatest heroes- Buck Rogers! The tal es of
Buck Rogers are recorded in a series of
comic strips from long ago . and th is set
presents a s ummary of those times both
past and future. The truth o f the mat ter
(and any changes in t he narrative) w ill
depend on th e actions of the player ~~. ~WA5HINC>TON
characters in playing the game. ' \ \ '0 . C WA":>
\ " ' .WIPED OUT
\ \ , OF E XIST ENCE
' ,· IN 3 HOURS
The World that Was BY 1THE, T ER RIBLE
RA'('S WHICH CUT
Buck Rogers left the 20th Century at the TrlE VE R V FOUN DATIONS.
dawn of American influence in the world. FROM UNOER IT~ MAC,Nl-
America em erged from the First World FICENT 8UILOIN65 .
Was as a rising giant in the worldwide le' I' ! '1 ') \ ; , •
'1'· : .. . -
family of nations. Throughout the rest of
that century. America would be heralded ft! ~ ;1_:;,,
. ,../ •,;;•"'•. -
-
• ~~ -
J....'\ ) ;Ytitl
l \ ) fl!Tlt,> ~
the \.vorld over as a beacon of liberty and
peace. Yet when Buck awoke in the 25 th
Century, that world and all he knew ·was
long go ne. Mos t of America was eith er in
ruins or under the di rect control of fo reign
invaders.
How did this happen?

~ ~~
Coming of the ttan • .';. I STARVING
~-..: _ __

. MO BS . RE DUCED TO ELEMENTAL
Sometime after the present day. a new 'W1 S/\VAGERY, FOUGHT T HE IR WAY
1
1 OVT OF THE CI T IES TO SC.AT-
powerful Mongol power rose out of T ER AN O HIDE I N THE COU NTRY,
IT 'WAS TH E DEATH OF A NATION•
Central Asia. Also ca lled the Han . these
people rul ed by the might of thei r superior
science and its deadly weapons. The Han
swiftly subdued a ny resistance from other
nations, and quickly became masters of all
Asia: their s ights soon focused on
conquering the entire world. Europe and
America were no match for their "death
ray projectors ... and the proud countries of
the West \<Vere soon in ruins. as no
defenses were able to s top the Mongols.

4
( futures Past: 25th Century History )
Life Under the Han
Ha ving d estroyed most of Ame ri ca's abili ty to produce
muni t ions a nd fi ghl (as w ell as support itself a nd its
pop ula ti on). Lhe Ha n in vad e rs used their techno logy to
rebuild some major c iti es for the ir own peop le and the
nati ves of the conq uered territories w ho beca me loyal
to t hem . Nev.1 wond rous c iti es rose fro m th e ruins of
Los Angeles. New York. a nd De troit: each of t hese
r.iti es was powered by Mongo li a n Broadcast Power
a nd wa lls protected the citize ns from the d a ngers of
the w il d hinte rla nds .

Origins of the Orgs

During the Mongol Invasion. only the Ame rica n cities
had been destroyed. no t its p eop le or the ir thirs t for
freedom. Re fugees were dri ven in to the countryside.
\\'here many fe ll to near-savagery as t hey hid from the
powerful Mongol Raide rs. A ft e r years as d isorga nized
refugees a nd rebels . ma ny Am erica ns gathe red into
larger orga niza ti on s. or Orgs. w hi c h sought to
recaptu re the ir los t civ ili zation and its technology in
order to throw off the yoke of Mongolia n oppression.
T he Mongol rul e rs . fo r their pa rt , turned their
attent ions elsewhe re. a nd gre w com p lacent within
Lheir wa ll ed citi es. Th ev a ba ndon ed the w ild
terri tories except to pu~ is h rai d ing America ns. The
Orgs became Orgzon es . a nd these la rger ci ty-s ta tes
a llied with each othe r to fi ght agains t the Mongo ls.
One of the early trium phs of the free Americans w as
the buil d ing of Niagara . a n entire city above ground
p rotected from Mongo l a ttacks by roc ke t-ca nnon
batte ries p owerful e nough to turn back even th e most
dete rmin ed Mongol airships. Still. most Orgzo nes
ex isted unde rground. sa fe from the a ttacking fl eets,
wh ile th e war fo r freedo m wore o n above.

America's Other Problems

Not all of the Ame rica ns· probl e ms were created by
the Mongols. Outl aw ga ngs pa trolled th e edges of t he
Orgzon e te rritories . a nd groups li ke the Bad Bloods .
little more tha n savages s ince the Invasion , raid ed
Mongol a nd A me ri can holdings alike.
This was the world tha t Buc k Rogers reappeared in,
a world w he re the Mongols ru le . but the Am erican
drea m o f freedom s till exis ts. Ge nerati ons have
p la nn ed fo r the day w he n the Mongol invaders are
overthrown a nd Ameri ca is re turned to its peop le.

T hat day is today. Welcome to the 25th Cen tury.

5
I People & Places & Things )
The s tory of the 25th Century is the story of the New American Rebellion a nd the Wa r agains t the Han. The
primary conflic t is bet vveen the Ame rica n patri ots a nd the Mongol invaders. But there are many types of
America ns. a nd ma ny typ es of Mongols as w ell. Nor are they alone in the w orld ...

The Americans
Th e Ame ri can people a re the fe w. p roud s urvi vors whose a ncestors fl ed the original Mongol Invas ion years
ago. To this day. they maintain a c ivilized e xi s te nce outs ide the bounds o f th e Mongols ' s uper-scie ntific
socie ty. Th ough muc h w as lost in the initia l Ha n attac ks decades before, the Ame ricans ha ve mad e their
own recent scie ntific ad vances . virtua lly re pl aci ng most of the other now-l ost sciences of the 21st through
24th Ce nturi es. The Am e ri cans now s ta nd read y to re pel the Mongol Invad e rs by spir it, de termination, and
the w ond e rs o f radi o techno logy. Al the time of th ese adventures . th e Am ericans are m oving towards a
loose confed e ra ti on of individual c ity-s tates, called Orgs. with the ca pitol of thi s united coalition at
Niagara.

The Orgzones are mostly located al or n ear the

The Orgzones s ites of a ncie nt American citi es long ago destroyed
The ma jority of th e Amer ican p eopl e li ve in widely by th e Mongols and neve r re built. Su c h ruins
scatte red communities called Orgzones (or Orgs for provide a rich ha rvest of sc rap and other materials
s hort). T hese "organized communiti es" have for the war effort. Rud ime ntary farming is
adopt ed a milita ry s truc ture. and a ll me n a nd p erformed in s ome areas, but most food is
wome n of s uitable age a rc e n listed to serve the Org artificia lly synthesized from basi c atoms for use by
in the militia . a ir corps . or scouting di vis io ns. They the populace.
can also serve by ma nu fac turing wha tever goods Most Orgzones are un dergro~nd . their s urface
are need ed for the community. T h e very old lend to s truc tures d isguised by camouflage and ne tting to
the ve ry young. a nd this communal e xis te nce is avoid de tection from the cons tant threat from
under the control o f o ne military leader fo r each above: the freque nt patrols by Mongol Raid e rs over
Org . the Orgboss. · the hinte rla nds are always looking for rebels. The
deadly beams of the dis integrator cannons and the
pressure of the airs hi ps' rep ellor bea ms wreak
THOUSANDS OF l1405E ~
GVN 5 MAIN'TAIN A : :~ havoc on an y s urface buildings, making it
CONTIN UOUS AERIAL • n ecessary for the Orgzo ne quarters to be built safely
BARRAGE · NIAGARA'S a nd securely underground. While little major
WATER POWER MAKES punitive action against Orgzone c ities has occurred
PROOUCilON P0551BLE in the past te n years, there a re s ufficient patrols and
sporadic raids, pa rti c ularly agains t a reas whic h
have been active in re bellion , to ac t as a re minde r
of how pow e rful a presence the Mongol Empire is
in America.
As ide from those n ear the ruins of former cities.
Orgs may a lso be found in more re mote locations
p rotected fro m Mongol d epredations. Important
Orgzones include the All eghe ny Orgzone located
nea r Philadelphia (whe re Wilma Deering is a
nm 2s-.,.M c£N'TURY Co lonel) , th e Columbus Orgzone in Ohio, isolated
N'OR'l'H AMERlC~
CAPrTAL, F'ROt1 ~ Orgs in Seattl e and Tacoma, and the Navajo
AIRG.UARD BUILDING-, w. Orgzone of the Southwest. This last Org mixes local
Nati ve Ame rican attitudes and traditions wilh the
WAS A Bg,At.rrn::uL
SI6'tt · mode rn world o f rocke t pistols and biplanes.

6
 ( People & Places & Things
rtiagara
Niagara is the except ion wh ich proves the ru le for
the Orgzones. Niagara's builders concentrated
in itially on creating huge. hidden batteries of rocket
cannons around the perim eter of the ruined
Canad ian city. creat ing a cordon through which
even Mongol airships could not pass unscathed .
After several aborted attempts to level the Niagaran
protective zone, the Mongols contented themselves
with containing Niagara and prevent ing the
expansion of its protective inOuence. Behind the
protection of th eir rocket ca nnons , Niagara
continued to grow, becoming th e only American
community vvith skyscrapers and overhead m ass
transportation. Niagara is the effective center of the
Free American Rebellion . and the capitol of the
newborn Confed erat ion of United Orgzones . It is
ru led by a President and a coun cil. with a number
of de partments beneath it , including police, militia,
intelligence. and radio censorship (which monitors
radio traffi c).
Outlaws
Not a ll loyal
Americans live
w ithin the
warrens of the
Orgzones. In
more desolate
areas of the
Ameri cas. gangs
of men and
women form
outlaw bands .
and are known
collectivelv as To • "'"""""o
the Outla\.~S.
They raid nea rby Orgzones for supplies. and are
considered little better than the Bad Bloods (see
below) in th e eyes of more c ivi lized individuals .
Their technology is lower than that of the
Orgzon es, hut many still have roc ket pistols and
rad ios .
Most Outl aws return to the s impler lifestyles of
th e 19th Century. particularly in the American
West. where the lifestvle of the cowboy is sti ll in
full sw ing. The Outlaws are generall y honorabl e.
though hot-headed . and obey a stri ct code of loya lty
and honesty. They are an excell ent set of allies for
those ci ty folk wlio can look beyond their rough
exteriors and basic differences.
7
)
Other American Areas of Interest
Given the s ize of the territori es and Buck's ability to
get into trouble, it 's no surprise that he didn't gei
much chance to explore other exci ting places in
25th Century America. If the GM wi s hes to develop
the areas for adventures. there are a number of fun
places that the player characters can explo re:
• The Grand Ca nyon is a s hipyard for Han
airs hips: the canyons and mesas are its main
defense rather than weaponry.
• New Pearl Harbor, a Mongols-only city that
noats on re pellor beams above the waves. lies
off the coast of the island of Hawaii.
• The Everglades Orgzones are among the best
defended in the Confederation due to the
dense swa mps a nd the d ifficu lty Han airships
have penetrating the area.
• GMs are encouraged to alter their home towns
and convert th em into underground Orgzones
or Mongol-occupied walled cities to add
personal touch es to their games.
The Mongols
The Mongols boiled out of Central Asia centuries
ago. using their s uperior science to bring the entire
globe under their s way. For th e mos t part, they
s ucceeded. smashing the native civili zati ons o f
Asia. Europe. and the Americas. They swiftl y
establis hed the Pax Mongo lia . the peace of the
Mongols. an oppressive peace en forced by the
clisintegrator rays of the Mongol Raid ers (their huge
ai rships), which cut down a ny resistance. In the
minds of the Mongol overlords. on ly pockets of
rebe lli on remained , and most of these \•Vere crus hed
in the firs t years aft er the invasions.
Having taken the world by force. the Mongols
soon s howed little interest in running it. Like many
powerful empires before th em. th e Mongols
considered th eir ovm lands to be the center of the
universe: thev turned their atte ntions inward,
refining thei( s uper-science further and all but
ignoring the conquered lands. These lands. s uch as
North America. were left in the hands of trivial
Emperors and Viceroys who sough t to subdue any
rebels and keep the lands in the Mongol Empire.
Their cru elty and excesses p lanted the seeds o f the
New American Re be llion.
( People & Places & Things
North America is ruled by an
Emperor, a petty regent for the
Celestial Mogu l who rules the entire
Mongol Empire. The North American
Emperor is served by a number of
warlords and viceroys who manage
small er fiefs and cities throughout the
continent.
The Mongol Cities
The Mongols destroyed many great
cities of America and rebuilt them on
their own d esigns. The bulk of the
population of the Mongol Cities is not
Mongolian, but is composed of
Americans of all races who have
accepted the Mongol ways. Many of the ruling
class, however, can trace their lineage back to what
they consider the center of the uni verse-the
Aseptic City of the Celestial Mogu l.
These cities have great skyscrapers hundreds of
stories high. The limited transmitting range of
broadcast power keeps citi es from sprawling
horizontally. so many grow vertically. All cities
have perimeter walls to protect them from the
savage Americans; the rebel Orgzones and the Bad
Bloods are cons idered one and the same by the
Mongols. The walls are patrolled, but there are a
number of secret entrances and exits to the cities.
Life within the Mongol Cities is focused inward.
ignoring the wild, uncivilized lands beyond its
gates. Most citizen s live comfortably. enjoy ing the
scien tific byproducts of Mongol society. Despite
their splendor compared to standard American
living conditions. American Mongol c iti es are
considered frontier towns . their tall towers and
high walls h ovels when compared to the wonders
of Mongolia it self. Many resources sent to these
cities from Mongolia have been used by the ruling
class to better their own Ii ves.
The greatest of the Mongol cities is Los Angeles,
the home of the North America n Mongol Emperor
and his court. Other great Mongol citi es include
Omaha. Detroit, New York, and Chicago. Chicago in
particular is oppressively rul ed by a warlike and
strong-'"'illed Viceroy, whose forces s tand ready to
pursue the savage American s rebels and drive them
out of their lairs.
8
)
,..___---...----- -
WILMA IS HE.LO I N
THE EHPEROQ'S
TOWE:R - WO'..F IN
THE. LABORATOQIES
WE'LL RESCUE
HIM FIRST.
The Golden Dragon Society
Within the "perfect society'' of the Mongols, there
is also resistance and rebellion, something not in
s hort supply in America . The Golden Dragon
Society is one of a number of secret societies
dedicated to the overthro w of the existing North
American governments and rep lacing the Emperor
and his b ureaucracies with a more enlightened and
fair system of government (fair to thH Colden
Dragons . of course) . They do not seek to undermine
the entire Mongol Empire, as much of its rule
e lsewhere is benevolent and the Celestial Mogul
himself is one of their own. The Colden Dragons
are the most widespread of the secret societi es.
with operati ves in every major Mongol city and
stronghold in North America.
The Dragons work to s ubvert the plans of the
Emperor and the Viceroys, and establis h a free
revolutionary governmen t with themselves at the
top. Primarily intellectuals, the Colden Dragons
wish to see fewer weapo ns and more libraries, and
increased freedom and resHarch. Many powerful
a nd trusted scientists within the Emp ire are Colden
Dragons; the two foremost intellectual leaders
among the Colden Dragons are Om-Ka-Zoril and
Morke Ka-Lono. Colden Dragons ca n identify each
other by a secret foot -signal, which is done by
placing the ch aracter's left heel on the toe of the
character's right foot.
 ( People & Places & Things )
Other Power Groups
As Buck Rogers swiftly found out, there are a number of different types o f Am ericans. and h e also found
that not all Mongols were evil invaders. Finally, there are also those who don't fa ll on either side of the
conflict , but whom heroes of the 25th Century may encounter.

LOOK. MATE, AN OQG M AN I

HERE'S OUQ CHANCE TO
Bad Bloods
SNAKE HIS O UTFIT- HE'5
SN00 2.I N! Not all Americans recovered from the Mongol attacks of decades past, and
;.. ent ire communities driven from their homes often returned to savagery
~... i ,\ :
and raiding to survive. These are the Bad Bloods. They use technology
.,
I : stolen from both tlrn Orgzones and th e Han to rob and stea l anything they
ca n get their hands on . Organized into small bands, these Bad Bloods
prefer to strike agai nst the weak and wounded rather than face a fair fight;

~-
their rough ex istence has made them scavengers and bullies rather than
- hunters or fighters. They have no loyalty or honor and are not trustworthy
. -· -- -"" in any way. If confronted by a strong opponent, Bad Bloods often flee
unless they ou tnumber th eir "prey" by more than two-to-one.

Chileans
South America wea thered the Mongol Conquest of the world well, leaving
much of the Chilean civilization intact. The scientific state of Chile swore
allegiance and recognition to the Mongol Empire, and was left alone to
govern itself after this. In the last few years, the Chileans have deve loped
their own brand of su per-science; they rule the seas with th eir
su bmersibl es and protect their ci ties with batteries of compressed liqu id
air gu ns. Their growing influence in South America and beyond may
make them a target fo r Mongol reprisals. In turn, they are looking for
potential allies in their own eventual war against the d espotic Mongol
Emperor o f North America.

The Air Pirates

The masauders of the skies. these men and women are the captains and
crews o f great rocket crui sers stolen from other sources (Han , American,
an d otherwi se). Their ships are always fitted to the teeth with d eadly
weaponry. and are used to ra id c ities and oth er ships. Powerful enough to
give even th e powerfu l Mongol Raiders pause, these Air Pirates scour the
globe fo r rich prey. America has n ot encountered much trouble from the
Air Pirates primarily because. at this time. it has nothing the pirates are
interested in . The most dangerous and deadly group of Air Pirates is
Black Barney and his ··warlords of the Stratosphere." They fl y a
distinctive black rocket cruiser with a dragon painted on the side .

Tiger Men of Mars

Under Mongol rul e. human ity has ye t to reach ou t to th e moon or beyond. but life exists beyond Earth. On
other planets , there exist oth er civilizations, other nations. and other peoples alien to the ways of humanity.
These aliens catuiously watch and wait to see the planet's strengths and weaknesses, and h ow they can
turn them to the ir adva ntage. Their goals. \>vhether peaceful or not. are unknown.

9
( 25th Century Hardware
john Roberts, reporting for the Niagara Science
Gazette. Today. we're conducting an intervie w with
one of the Orgzone Confederation's eminent
scientists, Doctor Hu er. He's graciously allowed us
some of his time to tell us more about the
technology around us every day here in Niagara.
The descriptions are from the good doctor's own
upcoming book on the Han Wars ' technology.
HWatch Where You Point That Thing!"
ttocket Pistol
Description
One of the two greatest American inventions of the
25th Century, the rocket pistol put the American
rebels on an equal technological footing with the
Mongol invaders.
Resembling an advanced form of gu npowder
pistol, the rocket pistol is manufactured entirely in
light-alloy steel, and usually has a leather-wrapped
handgrip. The barrel is 12 " to 18" long and ends in
a thin muzzle. The bullets are fired by compressed
air, gathered by primary and secondary
compressors mounted on the top of the pistol. A
flange-li ke exhaust port vents excess gas at the base
of the barrel. The pistol can be breech-loaded or it
can operate from a magazine in the handgrip.
Standard rocket pistol ammunition consists of
various vaned gyrojet shells w ith explos ive
payloads, which can explode either on con tact or
up to a set distance from the gun (usually once the
bullet drops below a certain ve locity) . These bullets
are made of light-weight material , but in times of
need. wooden projectiles or even small stones ca n
be pressed into service, though this tends to ruin
the barrel with long (ab)use. Because of this
versatility. a rocket pistol user rarely runs out of
ammun ition in a fire fight.
10
)
Ask Doctor Hoer!
Q: Was the rocket pistol
the great equalizer
in the Han Wars?
Huer: On! y in part.
What made the
rocket pistol so
revo lutionary was
the fact that it was
easily constructed
and also easily
repaired at the
technology level of the far-flung Orgzones. Each
component of the standard-issue rocket pistol
was an exact fit to all other components. That
way, if the primary and secondary air
compressors went into flux. they could be
rep laced easil y; if the barrel clogged, it could be
removed and cleaned , etc. Actually, such
interchangabi lity of parts was a vital part of the
early American wars for freedom in earlier
centuries as well.
Q: So moss-produc tion won the war?
Huer: Again, only in part. The rocket pistol was
also light-weight and self-contained, a
requirement for free -ranging guerillas. which is
basically what many of our " freedom fighters"
were. It allowed the users to fight for long
periods of time far from their home bases as
ind ependent agents. On the down side, its use of
explosive munitions tended to make
it difficult to use effectively in tight
quarters. So, as in everything, you
take your chances.
( 25th Century Hardware )
lnertron --Jumping Belt••
Description
The jumping belt is the other technologica l advance unique to the
American Orgzones. It is a harness worn in the manner of the
ancient knapsack; instead of stori ng items, the backpack section
contains a large disk of Inertron, the "anti-gravity element. "
Inertron negates the effects of normal gravity. pulling upwards
instead of pushing downwards, and thus repels normal gravi ty.
A jumping belt is usually tailor-made for an individual, s uch
that it reduces the wearer's weight to on ly a few pound s. In this
manner, th e individual may be able to jump long distances with
minimal effort. while retaining their normal strength, mass, and
inertia (all useful in terms of hitting people). T hey also allowed
biplane pilots to bail out at low altitudes without fear of severe
injuries from a fa ll.
lnertron is a dry. crumbly material which may be whittled
away with a knife or diligent work with the fingers; remov ing
lnertron this way from a jump ing belt can increase the weight of
the user, if need be.

Ask Doctor Haer!

Q: Now. ore you the inventor of
lnertron ?
Huer : Me? Oh. heavens no!
Tnertron had been ''discovered"
accidentally quite a number of
times before it finally was
harnessed . Most of the
d iscoveries just fl oated away.
taking the lab roof w ith it. All I
have done in my st udies is to
discover a more reasonable and
economical method to generate
and mass produce this material.
Q: It's obvious why it 's been called the "Anti-Gravity Element ,"
but why is it also called the "Mystery Element?"
H uer: Because it's not an e lement, my boy! Hah! It's actually an
alloy of two stable transuranial isotopes, which react in the
p resence of a radio-bath catalyst to produce a substance w hich
repels gravitons instead of being attracted to them. Am I being
too techn ical for you?
Q: Er, no. Well sir, if you can jump long distances using an
Inertron belt (or "jumping belt " as they are colloquially
known ). what's to keep people f rom strapping motors onto
their backs and using them lo fly?
H uer: Fly? Using an lnertron belt? Hmmmm .... Hadn't thought
about that one. Can I get back to you in a few weeks on that?
Hmmmm ... yes. it would be possible .... Say. do you have any
paper? I've got to work something out. ..

11
( 25th Century Hardware )
Biplanes
Description
The mos t widesprea d mode of America n
trans portation d uring the war yea rs. the biplane is
mad e of canvas pull ed t ight over a wooden frame.
Sturdier models made with alum inum frames or
fu lly armored in light s teel al loys have been
cons trncted as well. The fina l prod uct is a cra ft
whic h s trong ly resembles those fo und in the s kies
during the 20th Century 's Firs t World War.
Ben eath t he engine can opy. however. th e
d ifferen ces end. Light -weight alloys and fin e ly-
crafted engines rep lace the hea vy. temperamental
engines of the p ast. and the contro ls are m ad e of
high -s trength mylar an d s pun s teel. allowing the
sm all craft greater man eu verability in combat.
T hough they are alread y in danger of obsolesence
due to the newer rocket cruisers. it was the bip lane
that marked th e firs t d irect hits aga ins t the Mongols
and their s u pp osed "a ir s uperiority."

flsk Doctor Hoer!

Q: Why biplanes?
Huer: Why not? Seriou sly n ow. at the early 25th
Century s tart of the Han Wars, the basic biplane
design (the classic Curtis "Jenny ") was the most
logical craft fo r th e Orgzon es to use as air
d efenses an d travel. The biplan e was
inexpensive to p roduce and. m ore importantly.
it was easy to repair in the fi e ld . Improved Q: Why didn ·t we keep the biplanes ofter the war?
engines made cross-cou ntry trips possible Huer: Keep t hem? Fah! For all th eir simple beauty,
w ithout the need for refueling. Furthermore. the they were d eath traps to a nyone under fi re by a
planes were easy to hide and they could take off Han death ray. Nasty choice- get blas ted to
and land on rough gro und . so there was no need atoms or fall to your d eath, even with a jumping
for la rge la nd ing fi e lds that might attract Mongol belt. You 'll still see them used in rural areas but,
attent ion. for the most part , the world moves on. We were
Q: Wh y didn 't we see land croft of similar power lu cky to en cl the war when we did-we cou ld
com e out of the 0 1gzone f actories? Why were a lways make more planes, but good pilots, like
there no cars or tonks? Ma jor Kan e (before he turn ed traitor) and Buck
Huer: What good would tanks d o'? Remember. the Rogers, are unders tandably irrep laceabl e.
American highway system was built in vvhat , the
mid-20th Century? It was the firs t thing
devastated by t he Mongols; they had no n eed for
highways with their repellor technology. and
destroyi ng the highways cri p p led most of the
organi zed response from the Army at the time.
After the Ha n In vasion. the origina l Am ericans
becam e refugees and were ce rta in ) ~, in no s hape
to rebuild the roads. Most of those old highways
are nO\V overgrown green swards- perfect
land ing fi e lds ! We bypassed gro und travel
altogether in our technologica l d evelopment.
except fo r limited use wi th in th e la rger citi es .

12
 ( 25th Century Hardware
Rocket Cruiser
Description
The great rocket cruisers of the Americas appea red
near the close of the Han Wars . and were one of t he
main reasons for the swift conclusion to th e long-
standing conflict. They could originally only be
produced in such guarded and secure locations
such as the great city of Niagara. They were the firsl
American craft capable of going toe-to-toe with the
Mongol Ra iders, and th eir speed and greater
maneuverability made them superi or to th e Han
airships.
Rocket cruisers are constructed of heavy-du ly
s teel alloys with impenetrable metaloglass over all
formerl y vulnerable surfaces. s uch as the
viewshield. The rocket cruisers are flying
fortresses. armed with multiple rocket cannons on
the stern and bow. as well as torpedo lubes that can
lau nch a variety of to rpedoes. from the stan dard
explosive vari ety to advanced rad io-contro ll ed
''spy-eyes." The entire ship is counter-ba lanced by
a large Inertron keel which reduces raw ship weight
to only a few hundred pounds. The only real
weight the powerful electro-magnetic engines have
to lift is the crew and an y additional cargo.
Rocket cruisers are eas il y customized to pilots'
specifications. Standard modifications include
additiona l rocket cannons. extra stabi li zer fins an d
Inertron ballast for fast er speeds , or w ider ca rgo
areas to carry a number of s mall personal rocket
fliers.
13
)
Ask Doctor Hoer!
Q: What con vou tell us
about rocket cru isers?
H uer: The ea rl v ones .
before we started
going to other
planets? We had the
plans for them for
years . but we had
littl e chance to
p ursue the ir
development until
verv lat e in the war.
Sin.ce they appeared s hortl y aft er Colon el Buck
Rogers first s howed up , many Ha n assumed that
they were irrevocably linked: to the Mongols
(and some Americans) . the rocket cruiser. rocket
pistol. and the jumping be lt were all "that Buck
Rogers stuff. .. Heh .
Q: Ye t f rom the city of Niagara . o fleet of these
powe1ful aircraft could have been constructed ?
Huer: Mm-hmm. a nd be zapped out of the s kies by
trained Han gu nners a nd their death rays .
Rem ember. we never lacked materials nor a
reason to fight: we n eeded the trained
manpower to hand le everything. Sending up
green troops in a new mach ine was a s ure recipe
fo r disaster. No, the hero ic machine of the Han
Wars was the biplane . n ot th ese bea utiful toys. A
s kill ed pil ot in a bip lane ca n fl y rings around
th ese fl ying tanks. They may be cutting-edge
tec hnology. and l worry for my sa fety less in
them. but it was th e bipla1rn that won the war.
Q: Why are there so m any types of rocket cruisers?
Huer: We were relearning aerodyn amic principles
plus experimenting with potential uses for
Inertron when we
designed the
rocket cruiser. In
essence . we learned
what we cou ld d o
with them as we
built them. Each of
these earl y s hips was
hand crafted. and
each was unique. Individual captains
modified them. and some passed into
the hand s of trade rs or air pirates who
cus tomized th em further. These easil v-mod ified
s hips were built to last. a nd they 110\.V rule the
s ki es o f America .
( 25th Century ttardware
Disintegrator Weaponry
Description
The chief Mongol weapons, hated by every soldier
in the Orgzones, are disintegrator pistols and the
larger disintegrator rifles. These weapons are
capable of cu tting a wide swath through enemy
troops, as well as fortified positions. buildings. and
anything else that gets in its way.
Oisintegrators, like all important Mongol
technology, operate on broadcast power. Select
energy wavelengths are emitted from either a tov:er
in a large city or a generator aboard a Han airship.
The cylindrical receiver on either the pistol or rifle
then collects the energy wavelengths, intensifies
the collected energy, and finally emits a destructive
beam of radiation that destroys all so lid matter. The
beam from these weapons is powerful enough to
litera lly shear atom ic bonds apart, causing
molecules to lose their cohes ion, and effectively
vaporizing any matter it meets. One of the few
drawbacks of these powerful weapons is their short
range of fire; concentrated bursts of energy disperse
quickly, limiting portable disintegrators to ranges of
little more than a few hundred feet
These weapons can cause much destruction and
death unless they can be neutralized. The Orgzone
militias do so by destroying the main generators or
driving the enemy far enough away from their
energy source. If the power source is cut off or the
energy wavelength is blocked, cl isintegrator beam
weapons are useless except as clubs.
14
)
flsk Doctor Haer!
Q: Whal can you say about
disintegrators?
H uer : The less the better,
but it does show a basic
weakness in the Han
Warlords' way of
thinking-centralized ,
and very "top-clown."
They didn 't want
anyone using their
own devices against
them. so they controlled
the power broadcast to them. To do this, they
needed generators in large cities or large craft,
and their troops thereby lacked the mobility of
our American rebels. It was the same as giving
guns to the soldiers but limiting the supply of
bullets. This is all very well and good, as long as
your enemy cooperates and doesn't attack your
power sources. which is exactly what we did.
Q: The big question is: How does a disintegrator
beam know when to stop destroying matter?
H uer : A disintegrator is just a beam of concentrated
energy, very powerful but still just a jumble of
radiation like light or radio waves. There are
three things that can stop radiation: time.
distance, and shielding. If the time is no more
than a fraction of a second, it's too long-atoms
can be disintegrated. Shielding lasts a bit longer,
so that a steel plate will go seconds before what
is hiding behind it. But the true defense is
distance-the beam doesn't hold together in that
precise configuration for long (remember, it's
disintegrating all the air between itself and the
target as well). That's why they have no range
worth a darn. and airship cannons can 't hit
much more than the ground beneath them and
targets that fly into range .
.. ~
[ 25th Century Hardware
Han ffirship/
Mongol Raider
Description
The workhorse of the Han fleet, .
the Mongol Raider was the
battleship of its day, since
nothing of comparable size or
firepower existed to
chal lenge its dominance of
the skies (until late in the
Han War with the rise
of the American
rocket cru iser). Like the
zeppelins of the First
World War in form and
function, these
powerful ships ruled
# I
the air. raining death
on exposed
installations below them. Only cities protected by
heavy artillery batteries (such as Niagara) and those
with extensive underground facilities escaped the
wrath of these war machines.
There are several variants of the standard airship.
including modifications for carrying troops or
additional Han fliers. All functions aboard the ship,
from commun ications to the disintegrators, use
broadcast power from powerful generators. These
generators are also responsible for maintaining the
repellor beams that keep the craft aloft. The Han
scientists have never been able to duplicate
Inertron and. as a result, still use this older. more
dangerous technology for flight.
Repellors consist of two beams of modulated
radiation, one focused within the core of the other.
The inner beam fires intense wavelengths of energy
against the ground, while the outer she II of
radiation contai ns the dangerous inner beam,
reflecting it back upon itself and magnifying its
power. The resulting beam was the anti-gravity
device of the Mongols; its only drawback is the
destruction it leaves behind. as the force of the
repellors carves huge furrows in the ground and
any matter it passes over. America's landscape is
forever scarred by the Mongols' work.
)
Ask Doctor Hoerr!
Q: Did the Raiders reflect the
centralizing
tendencies of the
Mongol invaders as
well?
Huer: Absolutely.
They needed huge
engines to power the
repellors of a ship
that big, and to
handle the broadcast
power needs for the smaller ships and weapons.
Their strategy worked, too. It kept everything we
couldn't protect with artillery underground and
kept the Orgzones hidden for most of the war.
Q: Do you see any use for their repellor technology
now, after the war?
Huer: lnertron technology is safer. easier. and less
dangerous to the immediate area. These
repellors leak energy like a faulty plug, and
chew up the ground they pass over. The Raiders
in Mongol territories were banned over
"civi lized areas,'' but were used extensively on
the battlefronts of America, where the only ones
hurt would be us "savage Americans." Though
we cou ld find some uses for it with a lot of
tinkering and modification, these devices will
most likely join other failed technologies once
peace fully arrives. and we can share our safer
American technologies \•Vith a waiting world.
Q: Thank you for your time, Doctor Huer.
Huer: No , thank you!

15
 ( tteroes & tteels of the 25th Century )
BUCK ROGERS
Abilities 'r·--.....- . . .
Strength BETTER TRAPPED !.' ~
Aim BEST (......_~"'"''-'-' .,7
Brains GOOD •-11::.oi--,.__
(,f - - 1t ·~
Health BETTER \ <: Lt:"[P'1
t C·\ £. <:.., I " l !"i
Skills i r-01...:• · v< JuD
8YF. ,-,_ L •
Daredevil (Aim) ';..., '
Fisticuffs (Strength)
Gunpowder Weapons (Aim)
Hardy Individual (Health)
Rocket Pistol (Aim)
Wil l to Live (Health)

Master Skills
Flying Ace (Brains)
Iron Will (Health)

Equipment
Rocket Pistol
Jumping Belt
Helmet Radio

Experience: 10 Ch ips

Role-Playing Traits: Buck is

honest, good-humored, and his
courage borders on recklessness.
He is very self-assured and
confident to the point of being
cocky about his own abilities.
Buck is very patriotic towards
America no matter what century
it is. Buck has a strong
knowledge of mi litary tactics, but
he wi ll always "stick up for the
little guy" regard less of the
situation. He is always conscious
of his duty, but he is a maverick
and will overstep his authority
and orders to "do what 's right. "

Origina lly a native of the 20th Century. Buck was trapped in a cave-in in the Appalachians. his body
preserved by a strange glowing gas. He awoke 500 years later into a world altered by scientific advances
and a nation under the heel of an invader"s boot. Buck quickly encountered Wilma Deering and joined the
Orgs' rebellion against the Mongol invad ers.
Buck has proved to be an effective warrior and leader in the rebel Iion aga inst the Han . His a llegiance is
first to the Allegheny Org, and later to the greater Orgzone Confederation based in Niagara . He has the
acting rank of Colonel. In addition. Buck often operates as a free agent in the name of oppressed peop le
everywhere.

16
[ Heroes & Heels of the 25th Century )
WILMA DEERltlG
Abilities
Strength GOOD
Aim BEST
Brains BETTER
Health BETTER
Skills
Brawling (Strength)
Contacts (Brains)
Dexterity (Aim)
Electron ist (Brains)
Endurance (Health)
Hardy Individual (Health)

Master Skills
Marksman, Rocket Pistol (Aim)

Equipment
Rocket Pistol
Jumping Belt
Helmet Radio

Experience: 10 Chips

Role-Playing Traits: Wilma's

willpower and determination are
her strengths. though her
stubbornness has often led her into
trouble. She has a very passionate
nature and her beliefs in both her
country and people close to her
run deep. However, she can also be
a bit hot-headed, her temper
flaring up whenever she is not
treated with respect. Wilma is one
of the most enthusiastic soldiers
within the entire Orgzone
Confederation and is held in high
regard by her commanders and her
comrades, especially Buck Rogers.

A Colonel in the Allegheny Org, Wilma is a capable and strong-willed young woman. She is often Buck's
companion in his adventures, and they both share a common attraction for each other. Wilma has a number
of younger brothers and sisters. including Sally and Buddy who are junior officers in the Allegheny Org.

17
 ( tteroes & tteels of the 25th Century )
CORttELIOS HKILLER'' KflttE
Abilitjes
Strength: BETTER
Aim: BEST
Brains: GOOD SHE MEAN S I ~
I (,QT MACitE TO 1 C
Health : BEST OUl LAW THA.,.. ·
Skills
DIRT'r MONGOL '
DY. r~oc,t RS /
~
-::._
'fcf
Airborne Combat (Aim) -' _ .,,,...._~ '
'
Brawling (Strength)
, / '
~I
) I
Contacts (Brains)
Fisticuffs (Strength)
Hardy In dividual (Health)
Rocket Pistol (Health)

Master Skills
Flying Ace (Brains)
Never Say Die (Health)

Equipment
Personal Biplane
Rocket Pis tol
Jumping Belt
Helmet Radio

Experience: 10 Chips

Role-Playing Traits: Kane gained

his nickname ··Killer .. for his
ruthlessness against his
opponents. Kane's ego leads him
to believe that he is better than
everyone else. He was once the
hero of the Orgzones, as well as
being Wilma 's suitor. until Buck
took Wilma's and the peoples'
attentions away from him ; for
this, Buck is Kane's sworn enemy
until death. He is entirely self-
possessed. arrogant. and without
conscience. He is also cruel and
vindictive. but he is not without
wits; where Buck survives with
good humor and a strong right
arm . Kane survives on cunning
and the strength of bis hatred.

Buck·s greatest personal en emy in the future. Killer Kane is a s killed Org warrior who turns traitor and
allies with the Han oppressors. A wily and devious opponent. Killer Kane is an evil mastermind in his own
right, working both independently an d with other diabolical allies.

18
( tteroes & tteels of the 25th Century J
BUICK BARHEY Role-Playing Traits: Black
Bar ney is a scoundrel. a liar, a
Abilities blackguard, and a pirate. His
Strength: BEST voice is rough, like a growl. He is
Aim : BETTER an incredibly greedy person who
Brains: OK allows littl e to d eter him from
Health: BEST what h e wants: however. h e is
not maniaca l about hi s pursuits,
Skills and will abandon profit and
Airborne Combat (Aim) allies a like to avoid capture. Like
Brawling (Strength) Kane, he is ruthless. but he has a
Fisticuffs (Strength) strong sense o f honor for a
· Hardy Individual (Health) resp ected foe. He's heard of
Piloting (Brains ) Buck's prowess for both flying
Rocket Pis tol (Aim) and fightin g, and hopes to test
Strong Constituti on (Health) his mettle soon ....
Throwing (Aim)
Black Barney is the most
Equipment dangerous and infamous of the
Personal Rocket Cruiser airborne desperadoes known as
Rocket Pistol the Warl ords o f the Stratosphere.
Helmet Radio He and his c rew of bloodthirs ty
pirates operate in a powerfully-
Experience: 8 Chips armed rocket cruiser named
Chaos Dragon.

ARDAUI VALMAR Role-Play ing Traits: Ardala

could be quite s uccess ful within
Abilities the Orgzones' military structure
Strength: GOOD if s he weren 't so impatient or
Aim: BETTER power-hungry. She is a tigress.
Brains: BETTER sly and treach erous when
Health: BEST hunting what s he wants and
dangerously crue l wh en spurned
Skills or s topped. Arda la is a vamp and
Contacts (Brains) uses her beauty to ensnare men
Dexterity (Aim) to help her get what s he wants;
Endurance (Health) s he is obsessively attracted to
Indomitable Spirit (Health) me n who d o not fall prey to her
Knife (Strength) wily influence. such as Buck
Mechanic (Brains) Rogers or Kill er Ka ne.
Nimble (Aim)
Ardala is a Lieutenant in the
Equipment Orgzone Confederation's
Rocket Pis to l military forces, assigned to aid
Knife in the d evelopment o f a new
fl ying s ubmarine.
Experience: 6 Chips

19
 ( tteroes & tteels of the 25th Century )
COMMflHDER Experience: 6 Chips

MACGREGOR Role-Playing Traits: MacGregor. or

Mac as he's known to bis friends.
Abilities is quite s imply a good man. He is
Strength: GOOD good natured, quick with a joke,
Aim: BETTER and is an honorable man of his
Brains: GOOD word. He judges people by the ir
Health: BETTER actions a n d their hearts and, be ing
somewhat of a maverick h imself,
Skills is no t above overlooking
Airborne Comba t (Aim) regulations and o rders fo r those
Contacts (Brains) who prove themse lves his friends.
Fisticuffs (Stre ngth)
Hardy Ind ividual (Health) MacGregor is Buck and Wilma's
Roc ket Pis to l (Aim) commanding officer in the
Will to Live (Hea lth) Orgzone Confederati on and
commander of the e lite MacGregor
Master Skills A ir Guard . He is a native Canadian
Flying Ace (Bra ins ) of Scots descent who takes pride
in his heavy accent and his kill.
Equipment However. in times of cris is, the
Personal Rocke t Flier burr miracu lo us ly disappears.
Rocke t Pistol MacGregor is a wise o ld fox. w e ll-
Jumping Be lt trained in the long resistance to
He lme t Radio the Han invaders.

DOCTOR HOER Role-Playing Traits: Doctor Huer is

a preoccupied but brilliant scie ntist
Abilities who e njoys research for its own
Strength: OK rewards. His inventions are me re
Aim: GOOD byproducts of his m a tc hless inte l-
Brains: BEST lect a nd playful curiosity. Doc's
Health: BETTER mind is so often occupied by deep
thoughts that he rarely expresses
Skills emotions beyond a smile a nd
Airborne Combat (Aim) cackle o ver a successful experi- .
Dexterit y (Aim) me nt. He is a lways amused, how-
First Aid (Brains) ever, by interpersonal relationships.
Hardy Individual (Hea lth) suc h as the rocky romance of Buck
Indomitable Will (Health) and Wilma. Science is a muc h
Will lo Live (Health) more s table romance for him.

Master Skills Doc tor Hue r is o ne of the

Inventor, Electronist (Brains) Orgzones' leading scie ntis ts. He is
Inve ntor, M echa nic (Brains) both brillia nt a nd a gen era lis t.
moving from project to project
Equipment with equal zeal a nd abandon. His
Jumping Bell best triumph to date is a cheap
He lme t Radio method to produce Inerlron. At the
Eleclronist Tool Kit war's start, Dr. Huer has yet to
Mechanics Tool Kil implement the process, s ince the
Orgzones' resources are d irected to
Experience: 6 Chips winning the war.

20
[ Heroes & Heels of the 25th Century )
tt<lttAH LOttE WOLF
Abilities Abilities
Strengt h: BETTER St rengt h: BEST
Aim: BETTER Aim: BETTER
Brains: GOOD Brains: GOOD
Health: GOOD Health: GOOD

Skills Skills
Airborne Combat (Aim) Airborne Combat (Aim)
A7-e (Strength) Axe (Strength)
First Aid (Brains) Brawling (Strength)
Heavy Weapons (Aim) Gunpowder Weap ons (Aim)
Knife (Strength) Kn ife (Strength)
Nimble (Aim) Will to Live (H ealth)
Piloting (Brains)
Will to Live (Health) Master Skill
Fly ing Ace (Brains)
Equipment
Persona l Monoplane Equipment
Rocket Pisto l Persona l Monoplane
Knife Kn ife
Rifl e
Experience: 4 Chips
Experien ce: 4 Chi ps
Role-Playing Tra its: Nunah is a prou d , s tubborn
woman wh o honors her word, once given . She is Role-Playing Traits: Lon e Wolf is reckless and bold .
not prone to rashness. preferring to plan an d think a nd he te nds to act quickly without thinking. He
things through. but she will fearl ess ly d o an yth ing has a fi erce temper in battle but always has a qui ck
to help Lone Wolf if he needs h er help. She values s mile fo r friends. He has an unrelenting hatred of
her indep enden ce but is lovingly committed to the Mongols because o f his imprisonment.
Lon e Wolf.
Lo ne Wolf is on e of the best pilots o f the Navajo
Nunah is an experienced Native America n Orgzone. as we ll as being the boyfri end o f Nunah.
warrior in the service of the Nava jo Orgzone in the He cons tantly p resses the attack against any
American Southwest. Nu nah h elped Buck escape Mongol Ra iders that cross into Nava jo territory. He
from prison to he lp save Wilma and her boy fri end . gets many com ments comparing him to the other
Lone Wolf. groat O rg p ilots, Buck Rogers and Ma jor Kan e.

LI EOTEtt AttT Ruckel Pis to l (Aim)

Strong Cons titu tio n (H ea lth)
military s tructure and his un-
w ill ingness to break rul es o ften
BLflllt Equipmen t
keeps him from Buck 's side .
One of the brave young
Abilities Rocket Pis to l offi cers of the Orgzone
Strength: GOOD Jumping Belt Confederation , Lt. Blair serves as
Aim: BETTER Helmet Radi o Buck's second in command
Brains: GOOD Dagger w hen Buck uses his ra nk to
Health: GOOD s ummon and order troops from
Experien ce: 2 Ch ips General Org Headquarters in
Skills Niagara.
Airborne Combat (Aim ) Role-Playing Traits: Lt. Blair is a
Con tacts (Brains) "good egg.·· He's a young . trust- Game Masters' Note: Use th ese
Fisticuffs (Strength) worthy man w ho idoli zes Buck. ab ilit ies. skill s, and too ls fo r a ny
Pi loting (Brains) However, his ad herence to ju nior militia officers of Niagara .

21
 ( Heroes & Heels of the 25th Century )
COLOHEL
EDWARDS
Abilities
Strength: GOOD
Aim: GOOD
Brains: BETTER
Health: BETTER
Skills
Airborne Combat (Aim)
Contacts (Bra ins)
Endurance (Hea lth)
Hardy Individual (Healt11)
Piloting (Bra ins)
Rocket Pistol (Aim)
Sword (Strength)
Equipment
Roc ket Pistol
Jumping Belt
Helmet Radio
Experience: 4 Chips
Role-Playing Traits: Colonel
Edwards is a no-nonsense
m ilitary leader who likes things
done "by the book.·· This strict
attitude sometimes puts him at
odds with both Buck and
MacGregor. Despi te his stern
demeanor, Edw ards is just as
dedicated in the fight against the
Han as anyone.
Colonel Edwards is Buck and
Wilma's commanding officer at
the Allegheny Orgzone. He
a nswers to MacGregor in
Niagara. Edwa1·ds is a dour.
sensible leader with extensive
exp eri ence in leading gueril la
operations against the Mongols.
LIEOTEHflHT
GILDA
Abilities
Strength: GOOD
Aim: BETTER
Brains: BETTER
Health: GOOD
Skills
Endurance (Health)
Fisticuffs (Strength)
Hctrdy Individual (Healt11)
Roc ke t Pistol (Aim)
Sword (Strength)
Wi ll to Live (Health)
Equipment
Roc ket Pistol
Jumping Belt
Hel me t Radio
Experience: 2 Chips
Role-Playing Traits: Gilda is
young and eager to prove herself
in her first command position.
She is fast idious in keeping
things in order, whether they are
rules, people . or just her uni-
form. Though she only met him
briefly. she is secretly infatuated
with Buck Rogers. and bas been
working on getting a transfer to
Niagara to be closer to him.
Lieute nant Gilda is a junior
officer in the Columbus Orgzone,
and she is a practical, no-
nonsense warrior engaged in
battle against the oppressors.
22
TOMMY
JOHHSOH
Abilities
Strength: GOOD
Aim: BETTER
Brains: BETTER
Health: GOOD
Skills
Airborne Combat (Aim)
Heavy Weapons (Aim)
Mechani c (Brains)
Will to Live (Health)
Equipment
Personal Rocket Flie r
Rocket Pistol
Experience: 2 Chips
Role-Playing Traits: Tommy, like
many young soldiers, talks a
good talk when he's on his home
ground at Niagara, but he
becomes hesitan t and acts
conservatively in dangerous
situations; he isn't a coward, but
he simply
doesn't react
quickly in
pressure
situations.
He idolizes
Buck and
envies his
"devil-may-
care"
courage: he considers both Buck
and Wilma his friends, and is
always getting caught in the
middle of one of their quarrels.
Tommy Johnson is an
artillerist assigned to one of the
rocket cannon batteries which
ring Niagara and protect it from
Mongol air attacks. A young
man and a snappy dresser.
Tommy is typical of those
individuals who have grown up
in Niagara, confident that the
ring of rocket batteries will
protect the city from Mongol
e ncroac hme nt
[ Heroes & Heels of the 25th Century )
LARIAT LOKE Role-Playing Traits: Luke is a
good-natured fellow with a
Abilities hearty laugh and smile. He's a
Strength: BETTER fair-handed hoss but is merciless
Aim: GOOD on those who break his (or
Brains: BETTER Buck's) rules. He tends to insult
Health: BETTER people and push them to their
physical limits when first meet-
Skills ing them so he knows their limi-
Brawling (Strength) tations: he holds a high respect
Constitution (Health) for those that meet his ~tandards .
Gunpowder Weapons (Aim)
Horsemanship (Brains) Lariat Luke is the leader of the
Lariat (Aim) Western Outlaws, though he
Will to Live (Health) follows Buck's orders since Buck
beat h im in a fight. He is the
CYCLOtlE KID Equipment
Horse
roughest and toughest of his
band of cowboys \·v h ich still
Abilities Pistol roam the American Midwest and
Strength: BEST Rope the Great Plains. Though out-
Aim: GOOD siders in the war against the
Brains: OK Experience: 2 Chips Mongols, they fight them just as
Health: BETTER strongly as the Orgzone
Confederation's sold iers.
Skills
Hardy Individual (Health)
Horsemanship (Brains)
Will to Live (Health)

Equipment
Horse
Rocket Pistol

Experience: 2 Chips

Role-Play ing Traits: The Cyclone

Kid is a loud-mouthed braggart
who is prone to quick action but
not quick thinking. He's a bully,
but his bark is on ly a little worse
than his bite: he thinks with his
fists if at all, and is bitter if
beaten in a fight. Any grudges he
has, though. pale against his
hatred of the Mongol invaders.
Cyclone Kid is one of the Out-
laws. a gang located outside the
established Orgzones in the
American West. He once chal-
lenged Buck for Wilma's atten-
tions, and v.ras beaten by the
hero from the 20th Century;
since then, this hothead has har-
bored a grudge against Buck and
wants to fight him again soon.
Western Outlaws' Skills
Horsemanship is a skill
avai lable to natives of the
Western Orgs or Outlaw
groups, where horses are still
commonly used for travel. It
functions like Piloting (Brains
or Aim skill as appropriate)
but only applies to riding
horses. The Master Skill for
Horsemanship is called Bronco
Buster.
Lariat is an Aim skill
available to individuals from
the Western Orgzones or
Outlaws, much like
Horsemanship. It all ows them
to toss ropes accurately. and to
make a grappling attack up to
2 squares away using the rope
(the rope can be considered to
have GOOD strength). The
Master Skill ability is
Ropesman.

23
( Heroes & Heels of the 25th Century )
The MOrtGOL EMPEROR
of rtorth America
Abilities
Strength: GOOD
Aim: OK
Brains: BETTER
Health: GOOD

Skills
Grappling (Strength)
Disintegrator (Aim)
Dexterity (Aim)
Contacts , Mongol (Brains)
Strong Constitution (Health)
Hardy Individual (Health)
Will to Live (Health)

Equipment
Dagger
Personal Air Ship
Personal Palace in Los Angeles
Personal Guard (12 soldiers)
The undying devotion of the Mongol
populace of North America

Experience: 10 Chips

Role-Playing Traits: The Emperor of

North America is a capricious man
with a head more suited to keeping
himself amused than ruling a
continent. Like a child, he is often
ruled by his whims until he finds
something else to distract him. Much of
his former combat s kill h e used to get
to this lofty position is lost, but he can
still be a tricky opponent, having
become a little more shrewd about
court intrigue and espionage. More
J.'BuT IN lHl-
than a few foes have been dispatched 1 H r'r FORCED 'Wll l"IC'\
by the Emperor's agents for believing 10 W EA.R l Ht Ma:iGOl ' l :
him more of a dullard than he truly is.

The Mongol Emperor of North America is the highest ranking representative of the Han Empire on the
continent, and answers on ly to the Celestial Mogul on the Asian continent. The Mongol Emperor lives a
spacious palace in the occupied and walled city of Los Angeles. He has a number of lower dukes,
viscounts. viceroys, and flunkies to rul e the countryside. The Mongol Emperor's priorities are to:
a) enjoy his indolent li fe, and
b) keep his job.
To ensure both of these things, he has sent glowing reports to the Celestial Mogul on how the American
people truly welcome Mongolian rule. At the same time, he allows his Air Marshals and his appointed
local rulers to punish and torment the American people at their discretion. The Emperor's name is not
recorded, but when traveling incognito, he oft en uses the unlikely name of O'Brien.

24
( tleroes & tleels of the 25th Century )
The VICEROY of CHICfiGO own . a nd ea rnestl y be lieves in his s upe ri ority over
a ny foe (or a lly). He is inhe rentl y a coward. a n d he
Abilities ten ds to nee fro m battl e if the re's even a ti ny
Stre ngth: GO O D c ha nce o f be ing injured o r caught.
Aim: BETTER
Brains: GOOD Th e Viceroy o f Chi cago is one of th e mos t
Health: BETTER ev il m e n in the Mo n go l hi e rarc h y. Po w e r-
hung r)' a nd d esiring no less tha n
Ski lls contro l o f the e ntire Mo ngo l
Contacts. Mo ngol (Bra ins) Empire . the Vi ceroy gathers his
Da red evil (Aim) fo re es a nd w a its fo r th e
Dis integra tor (A im) Mo ngol Empe ro r of Nort h
Heavy Weapo ns (A im) Ame ri ca to s tumbl e s o h e
Sword (Streng th ) ca n ta ke control of the
Will to Li ve (Hea lth) contine nt. Using his
resources fro m A m e ri ca , it
Equipme nt w o uld be s imple (in the
Dis integra tor Pis tol Viceroy's mind ) to assau lt the
Sword Ce lesti a l Mog ul himse lf. The
5.000 Ha n troops Vi ceroy secs th e Em pero r as a
s imp leto n du lled by a soft life, a nd
Experience: 8 Chips the Ce lesti a l Mogul as a n inte llectu a l
d evoid of a ny true m e ttle. Th e Vi ceroy
Role-Playing Traits: T he Viceroy of ma inta ins co ns ta nt s trikes aga in st the Orgzo nes
Ch icago is a rat in hu m a n fo rm. Totally w ithout w hil e he bid es hi s tim e to ri se to power. S till.
m orals o r conscie nce. h e wi ll go to a ny extre m e to N iaga ra . the grea t Orgzon e cap ita l. re m a ins
ga in pow e r. He re fu ses to ad mit m istak es of h is beyon d h is power to brea k.

flir Marshal Kfl-FLUI Role-Playing Traits: Ka-Flui is conceited . very

judgem e nta l of his underlings (and co ll eagues). a nd
Abilities boast ful. Ka-Flui cons ide rs th e na ti ves of the
Strength: GOOD Americas to be infe rio r to the po w erfu l Mongo l
Aim: BETTER peop le. a nd sees no th ing wro ng w ith w h olesa le
Brains: BETTER e lim ina tion in orde r to en s ure peace for the
Health : GOOD Celesti a l Rea lm . Fo r a ll his bo mbast. he is a
good tacti cian a nd soldie r; He is loa th to lose
Skills face w ith his s upe rio rs . a nd thus he d oes no t
Con tacts. Mongo l (B ra ins) clirectl >' assau lt m ajor Am e rica n c iti es s uc h as
Da red ev il (A im) iaga ra a nd ris k failure.
Di s integralor (A im )
Heavy Weapons (Aim) Ka-Flui is o ne of the Air Marsha ls of the Mo ngo l
Pilo ting (Brains) Em pire in North Am e ri ca. He is the m aster of a fl eet
Sword (Strength) of Han a irs hips . an d is responsible for the ir
Will to Live (Hea lth) assignmen ts and mission s . Ka-Flu i's own a irsh ip
has the ca rri er m odificatio n. His stati s tics ar c
Equipment typ ical fo r a Mo ngo l Air Ma rs hal. An Ai r Mars ha l's
Dis intcgrator ra nk is equivalent to a Duke .
Mo ngol Raider
Persona l Flier
Sword

Expe rien ce: 6 Ch ips

25
( Heroes & Heels of the 25th Century )
Lflrl LO Role-Playing Traits: Lan Lu is resourceful and very
adept at thinking on her feet. No matter \o\rhat
Abilities situation she finds herself in. s he looks for and
Strength: OK finds onlv the benefits and uses of that situation,
Aim: BETTER not dwelling on the drawbacks. She endures her
Brains: BETTER current position since she sees its advantages in
Health: BETTER contacts with highly placed Han officials. When
she deems it righ t. sh e w ill use whatever she has
Skills gained and move on to her next goa l. She is
Contacts (Brains) honorable and trustworthy. but she is not above
Dagger (Strength) stooping to some sneaky tricks.
Dexterity (Aim)
Grappling (Strength) Lan Lu is a smart young woman who emigrated
Nimble (Aim) from the poorer provinces of the Han Empire to Los
Will to Live (Health) Angeles in a bid to better h er life. Lan Lu is now a
member of the Mongol Emperor's harem, and
Equipment makes Los Angeles her home base. She seeks to
Dagger advance h erse lf by gaining the ear and confidence
of the North American Emperor. but is a well-
Experience: 4 Chips seasoned spy in her own right. She has none of the
racial hatreds of her more well-placed countrymen,
and is not against allying with the Americans or
others to gain what she wants.

WOrt<i Role-Playing Traits: An accomplished actor and

spy. Wong is most often seen as a bumbling
Abilities underling by whomever he works for. He is thus
Strength: GOOD underestimated and can gain information when
Aim: GOOD least expected. In truth, Wong is quite inte lligent
Brains: BETTER and has a good head for spy work: when he seems
Health: BETTER the most distracted or fright ened, he's usually using
his mock emotion to cover his checking for clues or
Skills secrets. He rarely hesitates to help others who prove
Brawling (Strength) themselves his allies. When he's not acting. Wong is
Contacts. Mongol a quiet. contemplative Mongol with no prejudices
(Brains) against lhe Americans or any other groups.
Disintegrator (Aim)
Fisticuffs (Strength) Wong is a member of the Golden Dragon Society.
Hardy Individual working in the service of the Celestial Mogul and
(Health) his loyal allies. He remains devoted to the
Knife (Strength) overthrow of the traitorous Mongol Emperor in
America, and is willing to risk his cover to aid
Equipment those allied with the Golden Dragons (those '"' ho
Oisintegrator Pistol know the secret signal. like Buck Rogers). Wong
Knife often acts clumsy or less intelligent than he
Golden Dragon really is in order to avoid suspicion .
Society member
Game Master's Notes: Wong's statistics and abili ties
Experience: 4 Chips can be used for any member of the Golden Dragon
society. The Dragons can be found in most Han
cities. and may be members (on the surface) to
causes unfriendly to the Golden Dragons. Many
mask their abilities through c lever ruses while th ey
gather information for their society and the
Celestial Mogul.

26
[ Heroes & Heels of the 25th Century )
MORKE KA-LOHO OM-KA ZORIL
Abilities Abilities
Strength: GOOD Strength: GOOD
Aim: GOOD Aim: GOOD
Brains: BEST Brains: BEST
Health: GOOD Health: GOOD

Skills Skills
Contacts, Mongol (Bra ins ) Broadcast Techno logy (Brains )
Electronis t (Brains ) Contacts, Mongol (B rains)
Endurance (Health) Endurance (Health)
Heavy Wea pons (Aim) Heavy Weapons (Aim)
Mech anic (Brains ) Mechanic (Bra ins )
Robotist (Bra ins) Piloting (Brains)
Will to Li ve (Health) Will to Live (Health)

Master Skill Master Skill

Inventor. Broad cast Inventor. Electroni st (Brains)
Technology (Brains )
Equipment
Equipment Dis integrator Pisto l
Dis integrator Pis to l Golden Dragon Soc iety Leader
Golden Dragon Society Leader
Experience: 6 Chips
Experience: 6 Chips

Role-Playing Traits: Both Morke Ka- Lon o and Om-Ka-Zoril enjoy keeping secrets and only giving out the
minimum amount of information to those they d eem lesser inte llects . They s hare a few other personality
traits as well : arroga nce, insatia ble curiosity. an d an obsessive n eed for control.
Morke Ka-Lono is the elder. and he is far more crafty and conniving than his partner. He \•Vas an
uneducated peasan t in Mongo lia before joining the Golden Dragons: he will do everything possibl e to
maintain his standing except betray the Celesti al Mogu l. He is insulting and contemptible towards people
who think with their fists . even if a pri soner. Morke Ka-Lono is a bit prejudiced agains t American s and often
does not acknowledge them unless forced. He is often foul and bitter, an everpresent frown on his face .
Younger than his partner but n o less brilli ant , Om-Ka-Zoril abandoned his noble holdings in a northern
Mongolian province to join the Golden Dragons. He is even-tempered and thoughtful , and is more often the
m outhpiece of the Golden Dragon Society. Where Morke Ka-Lono is a wonder at thinking on his feet. Om-
Ka-Zoril is a methodical thinker an d tactician. He is a lso long-w inded an d tends to an alyze problems to
great extremes .

Morke Ka-Lon o and Om-Ka Zoril are Mongol scientis ts working in North America on the Han war effort,
with wide leeway as to their research. They are also covert leaders of a secret s ociety known as the Golden
Dragon Society, dedicated to the weakening of the Mongol Emperor's power on this continent. To that end ,
the two scientists are w illing to clandestinely su pport the Orgzon es in their rebellion. However, they are
wily alli es at best. w illing to work for or against anyon e as long as it works out to their own advantage.
Morke Ka-Lono and Om-Ka-Zoril are. at best. reckless s cientists. often working on matters in volving large
expl osive d evi ces. For this reason. they conduct m ost o f their research in the hinterlands o f the Mongol
Empire-the American Midw est, where n o on e im porta nt (from the Mongols' perspective) can be hurt ; this
works to their ad vantage as it is too isolated for the Han military to often bother w ith. and allows them to
run the Golden Dragons in relative secrecy.
Buck Rogers and Wilma Deering encountered this pa ir of scientis ts w hen they attempted to focus the
Super-Powered Ray Projector on Niagara. Defeating th eir guard and capturing them. Buck and Wilma estab-
lis hed an alli ance with the Gold en Dragons to oust the Mo ngol Emperor and his Viceroys. Toward the en d of
the Han Wars. Om-Ka-Zoril has great respect for Buck Rogers and his accomplis hments. Morke Ka-Lono, o n
the other hand. resents Buck's and Wilma 's us urp ing uf hi s pos itio n and power in the Go lden Dragons.

27
 [ Heroes & Heels of the 25th Century )
MOttCiOL SOLDIER.
Typical
Abilities
Strength: GOOD
Aim: GOOD
Brains: OK
Health: OK

Skills
Brawling (Strength}
Disintegrator (Aim)
Sword (Strength)

Equipment
Disintegra tor Rifl e with Bayonet

The bulk of the largest army of 25th Century Earth.

Mongol warriors are used in mass assaults to take
enemy-held positions. For all their strength in their
numbers. the troops' morale is generally poor: this
comes from their superiors' attitudes that
emphasize troop expendability over failure. If the ir
leaders or heavy support weapons (such as fli ers or
an air ship with its disintegrator cannons) are
incapacitated . the soldiers will often rout and fl ee.

Han Junior officers gain on e rank in one of their

abi lities and these skills:
Piloting (Brains}
Will to Live (Health)
Junior officers often get lo p ilot fli ers in an airship
carrier strike . Special Combat Rules:
Han Senior officers gain another rank in one of
Optional Rules
their abilities and these skills: The Mongol soldier is the most common
Contacts, Mongol (Brains) enemy faced by any player characters within
Heavy Weapons (Aim} the first few adventures. When player
Senior officers characters are fighting six or more Mongol
command all soldiers vvho aren't under someone's command
ground troops (a senior officer or NPC with Experience
and their Chips), the follo ...ving changes can occur:
escorting • Mongol soldiers don 't roll to dodge;
airship, often player characters just need to roll 16 or
piloting or greater to hit.
manning the • If hit. they do not make Health rolls:
main Mongol soldiers simply succumb to a
disintegrators. weapon 's effects.
This speeds up play against huge numbers of
foes for the Game Master. and moves the
characters swiftly toward encounters with the
main villains! (If the GM has some tougher
soldiers within the mix. treat them separately
and make rolls as needed.)

28
[ Heroes & Heels of the 25th Century )
ORGZOttE SOLDIER.
Typical
Abilities
Strength : GOOD
Aim: GOOD
Brains: GOOD
Health: GOOD

Skills
Brawling (Strength)
Daredevil (Aim)
First Aid (Brains)
Rocket Pistol (Aim)

Equipment
Rocket Pistol
Jumping Belt

The ty pical American Orgzone soldier is gen erall y

better-armed (from an individual stan dpoint) and
better-trained than his Mongol opponent, but lacks
the Mongol 's heavy firepow er and large numbers.
Orgzone soldiers are often used effectively in small
teams for lightning-fast s trikes and raids agains t
Mongol strongholds. These s tats may be used for
Orgzone warriors , as well as policemen and other
military individuals within the Orgzones. These
stats are applicable for all American vvarriors .
including the Niagara and Navajo Orgzones.

American junior officers gain one rank in one of

their abilities and these s kill s:
Airborne Combat (Aim)
P iloting (Brains)
Will to Live (Hea lth)
T14ERE ' S OUR
American senior officers ga in an add itional rank MEAi , AND
in one of their abilities and these skills : ONLY ONE
Contacts (Brains) SI-HP· L ET' 5
Heavy Weapons (Aim) ATTACK
Hardy Individua l (Health)

Keep in mind that player r.haracters and many

NPC personalities do not have to conform to this
pattern; the GM and the players design them as
they d esire. This is a simpl e ""prototype" Orgzone
soldier that h el ps the Gam e Master generate a lot
of sold iers in a hurry.

29
( Heroes & Heels of the 25th Century
BAD BLOOD.
Typical
Abilities
Strength: BETTER
Aim: OK
Brains: OK
Health: GOOD
Skms
Brawling (Strength)
Endurance (Health)
Grappling (Strength)
Mace (Strength)
Muscles (Strength)
Rocket Pistol (Aim)
Equipment
Club or makeshift Sap
Rocket Pistol (sometimes)
The Bad Bloods are outcasts both
the Orgzones and the Mongol
cities. They live as scavengers
and thieves, waylay ing and rob-
bing individual travelers and tak-
ing what they want by force.
They occasionally fo rm into
larger groups to make major raids
under a strong leader, but such
cooperation is often enforced by
the wi llpower of the leader, and
once that leader is wounded or
overthrown , the group returns to
its fractious , thieving ways.
Bad Bloods are not
particularly smart, nor are very
brave . They prefer to strike in
the dark and from ambush, and
m ake the wounded their targets.
Their strength is in numbers, not
their skill in battle .
1
OOTUIW. CITIZEtl. Typica I
Typical Abilities
Strength: OK
Abilities Aim : OK
Strength: GOOD Brains: OK
Aim: GOOD Health: OK
Brains: OK
Health : GOOD GMs can boost any one of
these abilities to GOOD ra nk at
Skills their option.
Horsemanship (Brains)
Lariat (Aim) Skills
Gunpowder Weapons
or Rocket Pistol (Aim)
Any two skills, determined as
applicable by the GM
Endurance (Health)
Equipment
Equipment As normal for the c itizen's home
Horse
Rope Typical citizens are ordinary
Pistol or Rocket Pistol people. whether they are from
the the Walled City of Mongol
The Outlaws are a group of Los Angeles, the rural Orgzones
outcast Orgzone members who of Allegheny and the Ohio
have formed the ir own ga ng. Valley, or the great city of
They are guided by the fact and Niagara. They are the people that
fiction of the old American West. run sh ops and businesses,
They wear chaps and ten-gallon operate machinery, and
hats, ride horses. and practice otherwise engage in the daily li fe
their rope-work. They regularly of the community. The GM
raid the n eighboring Orgzones, should feel free to increase the
but seek to keep damage and abilities a nd skills as is need ed
injury to a minimum: it's against by the situation: it is easy to
their "Outlaws' code" to harm assume that an air taxi driver has
innocents. Besides, they know as the Piloting skill, or a machine-
well as Org citizens do that the operator has the Mechanic skill.
Han are their true enemies.
Various Outlaw encampments
may be found throughout the
America n Midwest and West,
particularly in those regions
which th e Mongols deem
"unsuitable for civi lized
men." Most Org bosses and
leaders place the Outlaws
on the same level as Bad
Bloods, judging them
nuisances rather than real
dangers; however, th e
Outlaws are much better
organized and disciplined and
can easily be underestimated
by their foes.
30
( Heroes & Heels of the 25th Century )
flHIMflLS Guard Dog Rats
Animals have neither skills nor Strength: GOOD Strength: OK
equipment. but some do have Aim: OK Aim: OK
innate abilities or rather nastv Brains: OK Brains: OK
attacks. The following is a modest Health: GOOD Health: OK
sampling of the animaJs of the 25th Action Points: 4 Action Points: 2
Century. All animals are given Guard dogs are used all over Individual rats are unpleasant,
'.'OK" brains, but they aren't that North America, p rimarily in rural and they are only dangerous in
smart-they cannot speak, though areas. In the wilderness, wolves larger packs. A single rat attack is
they may be trained to respond to share similar abilities. A dog's like a normal Punch: a group
certain commands. Their Brains attack is treated as a Dagger. attack of five rats is treated like a
are used to determine resistance Guard dogs will sound an alarm dagger attack, showing their
against mind control and similar by barking before attacking, chances of doing real harm by
attacks. Action Points are listed for though they will back off in the multiple bites and scratches. If
each animal, though most are nor- face of explosive miss ile fire. attacked by ten or more rats, the
mally spent for movement. character must also make a suc-
cessful Health roll or contract a
Horse disease that reduces all die roll
Bear Stre ngth: BETTER totals by -3 for three days.
Strength: BEST Aim: GOOD
Aim: OK Brains: OK
Brains: OK Health: GOOD
Shark
Health: BETTER Action Points: 6 Strength: BETTER
Action Points: 4 Horses are still used as domes- Aim: GOOD
Bears (and great cats} are native ti c animals in and beyond the Brains: OK
to the North American continent Western Orgzones. particularly Health: BETTER
and have made an comeback in by the Outlaw ga ngs. The stan- Action Points: 5
the days since the Mongo l In va- dard attack is to kick or trample Sharks remain the great preda-
sion. These animals are extremelv another living thing; a horse's tors of the oceans. and vary from
territorial, and lone travelers are· natural shyness will cause it to peaceful, quiet sharks to the dan-
warned that the eastern forests hesitate before attacking unless gerous great white sharks. The
may not be as safe as they were in provoked. If attacking, treat the statistics presented represent the
the 20th Century. Their combined horse's kick/ trampl e attack as a more dangerous typ es. Shark
claw and bite attacks count as Sap attack with its Strength. attacks are treated as Sword
sword attacks. attacks in combat.
Octopos
Deer Strength: BETTER
Snake
Strength: OK Aim: GOOD Strength: OK
Aim : GOOD Brains: OK Aim: BETTER
Brains: OK Health: BETTER Brains: OK
Health: OK Action Points: 4 Health: OK
Action Points: 7 Most octopi are quiet. shy Action Points: 2
Deer and antelope populations creatures which wou ld rather Snakes. like most oth er ani-
have increased since the mid- flee than fight. However, there mals. are generally not harmful
20th century, and are now eagerly are powerful. rogue octopi in the to humans and pre fer to avoid
hunted as a source of meat bv 25th Century, primarily in the any confrontations. Exceptions
Bad Bloods, Outlaws, and mem- depths of the oceans. which may include poisonous snakes such
bers of rural Orgzones. Deer deal pose a danger to aquatic travel. as rattlesnakes. A bite of the rat-
with danger by fleeing. and ca n whether travelling on or under tl esnake can inject poison into
run far longer than normal the waves. Such octopi attack the wound. Make a Mortality
humans; they also can bound two with a Grappling assault. Roll: success indicates a - 1 die
areas with each AP. If forced to penalty to all die rolls for th'e
figh t, they kick with their hind next week, and failure indicates
legs (treat as a Mace attack). death by snake venom.

31
Turn to the broadest
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AMAZINGENGINE, BUGHUNTERS. and the TSR logo are trademarks owned by TSR. Inc. © 1993 TSR. Inc. All Rights Reserved.
 ~
!!!
BUCK ROGERS Is a registered trademark used under license from The Diiie Family Trust .
Copyright c1993 The Dille Family Trust . All Rights Reserved.
HIGH ADVENTURE and the TSR logo are trademarks of TSR, Inc.
3587XXX1901 Copyright c1993 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed In the U.S.A.
 TSR HIGH ADVENTURE™Cliffhangers:
The BUCK ROGERS®Adventure Game

fldventores Book
Table of Contents
Introduction ..................... .. .......................................... .......................... .................... 2

UtTO THE 25TH CEHTORY

Chapter One: Arrival ............................. ................................................................... 3-9
lA. The Cave and the Future ......... . .......................................................................... 4
lB. Battle Beyond the Cave ....................... .... .......................... ...................... .. .......... 7
Chapter Two: Engage the Enemy .............................................................................. 10-14
2A. Introductions and Stories ............................ .......... .............................................. 10
2B. The Jumping Belt Lesson .................................................................................... 12
2C. Meet the Mongols ............................................................................................. 13
Chapter Three: Cloaks & Daggers ................. ............ ....... .... ................. . .................... 1 S-24
3A. The Briefing ..................... ........... .... .... ................................................ .............. lS
3B. A Bear in the Woods ......... ..... ..... ....... ............................................. ..... .............. 17
3C. Into the Lion's Den .......... ........ . ... .................................................. .... ........ ..... .... 20
3D. The Escape ................................. ............... ... ..... ...... ................. ....................... 22
3E. The Trap is Sprung .......................................... ............ ....................................... 23
Chapter Four: Rescue ................................................................................... ..... ..... 2S-28
4A. The Cell ................................................................ ......................................... 2S
48. Getting Under the Gun ....................................................................................... 27
Chapter Five: Final Gambit ........................................ ............. ............................... 29-33
SA. Raid on Columbus .................................... ............................... .... ........ ..... ......... 29
SB. Epilogue ..................................... .................................................................... 33

flPPEHDICES
I. Pregenerated Characters ........ ... ............... ................... ........ ........... ....................... 34-3S
II. Game Design 101 ..................... ...... ......... ................. ......... ..... .. ........ ................... 36-44
Designing Adventures ............................................................................................. 36
Adventure Skeleton Generator ... .. ...... .................................................. ... ................. 43
III. Character Record Sheet .......... ... ............................... ................... ............... ............ 4S
IV. GM Reference Tables ................................................... ....................................... 46-48

Credits H.andom House and i1s affiliate companies ha \'C worldwid e distribution
rights in the book trade for English lan~uage produc ts of TSR. Inc. Distrib-
Design: Jeff Grubb uted tu lht! book and hol>l>y lr::tde in the Uni led Kingdom by TSR Lht. Di~trih ·
Development & Editing: Steven E. Sch end utcd 10 thu toy nnd h<>hby trad e by rogional distribu1ors.
Cover Art: Den Beauvais OllC:K ROGERS is A regislerod lrad omork of Tho Dille Fnmi ly Trost mHI is
Typography: Angelika Lokotz used und er licen se. BLACK BA RN EY is a tr:ldcrnark of The Oil lo Fomily
Tru~l ~ind is us(l:d under license. C'-J993 The Dille Family Trust. All Righls
Production: Dawn Murin Re-served.
HIGH ADVENTURE anti tho TSR logo arc trademarks o wned by TSR. Inc.
:\MAZING is a registered lrndemark owned by TSR. Inc. "1993 TSR. Inc. All
RiM.hb Reserved . Printed in the l l.$.A.
This book is prOlflt:locl under lhc c:opyrigh t laws of l hc U nited Stales of
1\murica. Any repor<lue.;t ion or unButhorizttd us._, of l hc material or Artwork
herein i~ prohibited w ithotH thc O><prcss written <:onsunt o fTSK. Inc . and
Tho Oillt: Family T nnl.I.
TSR. Inc. TSR, Ltd. T he names of the c harocrcrs used herein are fi ctitious and do not refor 10
P.O. Box 7S6 120 Church End any persons livin~ o r tlcad. Any descriptions incl u di ng si mila rilics to per·
sons livi ng or dead nro merely coincirlon1al.
Lake Geneva Cherry Hinton
WI S3147 Cambridge, CB13LB
U.S.A. United Kingdom ISBN 1-S6076-636-0 3S87XXX0844

1
I Introduction
Imagine another time an d place. a worl d very
d iffere nt fro m the o ne you know and are
com fo rta ble with. In this far- flung future .
va liant h eroes fi ght fo r freedom aga ins t the
relentl ess hordes o f an oppress ive in vad er. It
is a world of s uper-scien ce. fill ed with fl ying
wars hips, rocket pis to ls. and jumping belts. It
is a wo rld of d angerous s truggles and peril. It
is the 25th Century of Buck Rogers, and this
game helps you be a part o f it.
Th e BUCK ROGERS®Ad venture Ga me is a
role-playing game, an experience s imilar to
living your way through a movie o r a boo k
while you play the game . You play th e role of
a c haracter in the futu re. deciding what he or
s he does in various s ituati ons. Role- playing is
s imilar to the old games of "cowboys &
indians" or "cops & robbers." In thi s case,
th ere are more rules to he lp the players figure
out exactly what can h a ppen.
Winning and Losing
In most games . there is one winner (the first
one to reach a set amount o f mo ney. the firs t
one to cross the finis h line). Ro le-p lay ing
operates d iffere ntl y. an d all Lhe players mu s t
\Nork together to ga in their goal a nd to w in or
lose as a team.
So ·w ho are the players winn ing AGAINST ?
The Gam e Master creates a ch all enge to the
p layers in the fo rm o f a n adventure . Whether
the cha ll enge is to down a Han airs hip or
escape the clut ches of Kill er Kane, the
players try to s ucceed in overcom ing that
cha lle nge a nd "win " the ga me. There urc
various ways lo win- fini s h the ad venture
unsca thed. find rich es. or just set back the
Mo ngo l war machine. The mos t important
way to win is to make s ure everyone has fun ,
the ultimate purpose o f all ga mes.
So What•s This?
"Into the 25th Century" is an introductory
adventure that brings charncters into the 25th
Century in the same manner as Bu ck himself
urri ved in th e future . Du ring this ad venture .
a ll the basics and all th e neat s tuff in a role-
pl ay ing gam e is expla ined, so the Game
Master and the players can easily enter the
l~ xciting world of the 25th Century. Aft er th e
adventure. Append ix II has information un d
examples on creating yo ur own adventures
for further fun with the BUCK ROGERS
Ad venture Game.
2
)
Getting Set Up
Th e " Int o the 25th Century" a dve nture is
broken cl own into fiv e ch a pters , and each
c ha pte r s ho uld p rovide an eve ning of pl ay.
th ough som e encount ers will run longer or
s h orter. dep ending on your players.
Cha pters are d ivided into sections for easy
p lay. and som ething important occurs in
each pa rt.
The GM s hould read each chapter be fore
play ing it: A rea lly s mart move for the Game
Master is to read the entire adventure at the
start. and ma ke s ure every thing in the
ad venture is unders tood (check the Rules
book for a nything that is uncl ear). At the s tart
of each chapter. the "CM's Tool Box"
p ro vi des a qui ck refere nce o f which ma ps
and counters will be need ed fo r each part o f
the adventure . As al ways . h ave a s upply of
dice and Experience Chips handy as we ll-
you ' ll need them.
Think o f the ad venture as the script of a
movie or TV program: It h as its own rhythm
and plot. Certuin things will happen , certain
characters will a ppear. and it all builds lo a
cl imacti c fini s h. In this case. h owever. the
important actors in the pi ece, the player
characters . are n ot in on the s cript. and arc
reacting to the s ituations the GM presents.
Much o f the game 's s uccess de pends on
w hat you (the GM) present and h ow it 's
done. Don't worry. though ; mos t sections
begin with a sectio n of boxed text to read to
the players. he lping you describe a ll the
scenes . Th e rema ining information is
prov ided based o n the player c haracters·
acti ons an d questi ons. Hints on running
things are s prinkled liberally through thi s
ad venture.
We ll. that's a bout it for introductions. Sit
back. check over the first chapter, get your
books a nd some paper (and don't forget the
munchies!) and prepare to enter the thrill-a-
minut e 25 th Century!
GM·s Tool Box
This section is used to lis t the
physical components (like maps
anti standups) the GM wi ll J1(~ed to
have on hand during each scenario
of the adventure. It also provides
s hort notes to help the staging of
encounters on the maps. If there is
no need fo r maps. standups . or
other props. the section will be
marked as " Role-Play Only...
Map Notos: The map lis ted under
each scenario s ho uld have
designated area letters in use for
that scenario. Rarelv will all the
area letters be in use duri ng one
scenario: they are o n the maps for
later adventures (created bv the GM
or bv TSR). Of course. thcv can
init i'a lly confuse the players. and
there's always one in every group
who says ''I'm going to havn my
character stand ovBr lwrn by the big
"X" on the map and sec w hat
happens!" Well. n othing will
happen at that spot unless the
scenario (or the GM) has a plan for
that section of the map at that time.
Encounter 1 A
Role-Play Only
Encounter 1 B
Map: Outdoors Map:
Area A (player charactms ).
Arca B (soldiers. NPCs).
Area C (Bad Bloods)
Standups: Gil<la. Dr. Huer.
1 male Org Sold ier. 3 female
Org soldiers: 6 Bad Bloods
Combat Stats & Info: World .
pgs. 20. 22. and 30
Synopsis
This sect ion is alwavs filled with s hort s tatements for
the Game Master. identifying each SE!cl ion of a chapter.
\vhat occurs in the plot. and how it fits in the
advent ure plot as a whole.
With this section and the "GM·s Tool Box" as
constant parts of each c hapter. it's easy for thn Game
Master to sca n tho s tart of each chapter ancl gnt a quick
feel of the adventure and w hat is neednd to run it
effectively.
Encounter lA: PCs (player characters) wake up in
a n abandoned mine and mus t escape.
Encounter 18: PCs leave cave and find a pitched
battle between 1 Org sold ier and 6 Bad
Bloods.
Beginning Your First Game
As a Player: Well. you're lucky-all you ne1!d is H
charac:tm rnady at the s tart of tlrn game. You have two
options: choose a pregeneratcd character from page 34
or 35. or gmwrate your O'v\1 11 player character. The Rules
Book tells you how to create a character for the ganrn.
The onl~1 limitation flt the start of th is game is that
none of vuur charadcrs can have 25t h Ccnturv ski lls
(like Ro~:ket Pistol). This limitation just means that.
like Buck himself. the characters are time-tossed heroes
from the 20th Ccnturv! Besides. 20th Centurv
characters cnn lenrn about the 25th Century i1 long with
the players. Any new players who joi n after tlw first
encountor arn of 25th Centurv stock and havn all
abilities ava ilah h! lo Orgzom; soldiers. At any time. the
player may "retire" a character and s tart a new o ne
from the 25 th Ccnturv.
As a Game Master: Be sure you read nach chapter
(or t he ent irn advnnture) before start ing play: this w ill
help the game run more smooth ly. and you won·t b1!
surp rised by anyt h ing except the p lay1!rs! Th is initia l
adventure is fil led with hints and suggest ions. and they
will assist ~'ou al l th e way through your first adven ture.
Bo sure you read and understnnd al l th e ga me rules
in the Rules Book and how thev are usod with in the
game. Don't worry about knowing everything exactl~1
the firs t time or two as a Game Master: just concentrate
on entertain ing yoursel f and your players. and you' ll
be running grnat games before ~1ou know it!
Your first CM task wi ll be to help players create char-
acters. Characters are provided on pages 34 and 35. and
r.an be used if everyone wants to get started quickly.
Cup~' the pages. cut thn characters out. and give one to
each p layer. Make s ure each player r.hooscs n l 11tt1~red
standup for their character. and ~'ou're rnady lo go!
3

lfi. The Caver
and the future
You (the GM) don't have to use any maps yet.
Tht>. player characters will awaken inside the
cave and the map only becomes important
onr.e they get outside. This is something
unique about role-playing games: you don't
always need a map or a game board to play.
GMs can use verbal descriptions to set a
scene \·Vithout any pictures: most of the boxed
text within the adventure provides the verbal
descriptions for the GM. Read the text in the
following box aloud to the players:
After a long dreamless sleep. you awaken
in the dark. You remember exploring an
old mine with your companions. and
someone noticed a strange. greenish glow
on the rock formations. There was a
sudden earthquake, the ground shook.
and the mine supports collapsed,
trapping you all just as a pungent gas
seeped into the area and knocked you
out.
The gas and the greenish glow of the
rock strata around you are gone now.
•
'
~
4
There is a dim light in the mine shaft.
and a hint of fresh air. You see your
companions stirring around you, as if
awakening from a long sleep.
What is your character doing?
The First Qaestions
Ask each of the players what their character
is doing in turn, in any order you prefer.
What the players probably ask first is "Where
are we?" and "What happened?" and "How
did we get here?".
Read the following to the players:
You remember being asked to investigate
an abandoned mine in western Pennsylva-
nia. You and your comrades were several
hundred feet beneath the ground when
the support timbers behind you collapsed.
This trapped you all and sent clouds of
billowing gas towards you, overpowering
you and your associates. That is the last
thing you remember until waking up now.
The next question is usually "What do we
see?". Read the following to the players:
The light is dim, but you can see your
companions lying around the mine shaft,
waking up like you just did. There are a
number of tools still scattered around the
area: a couple of broken picks, a rusty
shovel. and an old miner's lamp.
You see no greenish glowing rocks.
Responding to Claes
You (the GM) should watch and listen to the
players-you're telling them the characters'
situation. in effect, painting a picture of the
group in the abandoned mine, and they react
by asking questions. There are a number of
clues in the descriptions of what they see.
hear, and smell (and they lead to other
questions and actions). Players may have
their characters take some items mentioned
earlier-the broken picks, shovel, and the
miner's lamp. They can add these items to
their equipment-tell the players to write the
chosen item down on their character sheets
under "Equipment." There are some notes for
the GM on the items (and what the players
don't know about them until they ask) below.
The Picks: The iron pick heads are rusted
to almost nothing. When used for the first
time, they just crumble into dull, rusty shards
(no damage to the wielder). The handles can
be used as maces or impromptu weapons
(Mace or Brawling skills give characters
advantages with these).
The Shovel: In better shape. the shovel is
not badly harmed by the passage of time. It
also can be used as a mace in combat or a
normal digging implement.
The Lamp: This old miner's lamp has a
broken bulb and does not work. If the battery
compartment is opened, red dust (the
remains of the battery) spills out.
The player characters may spend some
time examining them, or they might not pay
any attention to these items. That's the nature
of role-playing: the decisions are up to the
players. The information is at the GM's
fingertips. but he or she should always wait
for the players to ask for the information.
The players may eventually ask about the
pungent gas and the current state of the air, or
the light by which they see everything (CLUE:
The lamp is broken. but they can still see ... ).
If the players don't guess what's up (unlikely.
but it can happen). help them by mentioning
a soft breeze that wafts through loose rocks at
one end of the cavern. This is a "hint" (or
"hitting them over the head with the
obvious") but it gets the party going in the
right direction. You can drop as many "hints"
as you want. but don't let them rely on your
help: a party that always waits for the GM to
point out the correct route is a party that's
easily led into BIG trouble!
On the subjects of the air, the gas. and the
light, they all lead to the same place:
The Gas: [Read aloud) "There is no
pungent gas in the cave. Instead. you smell
fresh air. What is your character doing'?"
The Afr: [Read aloud I "You smell fresh air.
cool and refreshing on your face. The air
seems to be coming from a small opening
among some fallen rocks. The light grows
stronger from that area as well. What is your
character doing?"
The Light: "The light grows stronger from a
5
clutter of fallen rocks at the end of the cave.
The air coming through them is fresh. What is
your character doing'?"
Moving Ahead
Well. only cartoons have big arrow-shaped
neon signs saying "This Way Out." Dy now.
though. most players will get the idm1 that.
unless they like cave-dwelling. they can get
out by moving the rocks. Here's where the
ability checks first come into play.
It will take thrne successful Strength
checks to dear a passage large enough to
crawl through and escape the cave. The
successful checks do not have to be one after
the another. and up to two people can try
moving rocks and making Strength checks at
the same time.
Now, look at the "Task Level Success
Numbers Table" (Rules Book, page 30, or in
Appendix JV of this book). It lists a number of
values for the various Strength ability checks.
There are a lot of boulders here. but the big
ones will be about twice the weight of an
individual. It's a Hard Task hut not Very Hard,
so we'll slot it at a Task Level of 25. The
player must roll 25 or better with his or her
character's Strength dice in order to dig a way
out. This means that weaker characters stand
little chance of digging themselves out. while
very strong individuals will have no problem
of widening the hole so everyone can get out.
There are things which effect the die rolls
and come into play here:
Skills: Don't worry-there's no "Digging
Out of Caves" skill. But this situation is a
good use for th1~ Muscles skill. since the
character is simply lifting a heavy rock.
Therefore. characters with the Muscles skill
gets a +1 die to their Strength checks.
Tools: Hey. remember the shovel and the
picks'? The shovel will add one die to the
number rolled by the player whose player
character is using it. The metal in the picks
will disintegrate when used. but they can still
be used once as pry-bars to move the bigger
rocks. Add 1 die to the character's chances if
thev think of this.
Experience Chips: This activity is not
dangerous or so important that Experience
Chips need to be spent. If someone d11cides to
spend an Experience Chip. take it and add
one die to the check. The player will soon
find when and where it's more critical to
•
spend Experience Chips.
.
~
 Rule of Six: Th is isn't a reliable nwthod of
boosting your ro lls . hut it is effecti ve. If
players roll a ti. they ca n roll an added die for
the Strnngth c:hnck (up to the limit of 8 dice}.
The first and second times a player makes a
sur.c:essful S trnngth Check. read the fo llowing
boxed text aloud:
A large boulder shifts and rolls asid1L
The sun lig ht and frosh a ir arc both
getting s tronger.
Whenever someone fails a Strength Check.
read the following boxed text:
You s hift t he bou lde r and three m o re
shift in to take its place \.Vith a crash .
(Make sound effect of rocks falling in
hern.}
After the second rnading of this. you ccm just
make th e sound effoct of rocks falling in to
get the idea across. This doesn't add any
more Stre ngth checks though: they on ly nc1?d
three successful c hocks to be free.
6
With tlrn thi rd s uccessful S trength Check.
rnad the following boxed text:
The last major rock toppl es out of the
wav and into a natura l cavern beyond.
Yot1 sneeze from the cobwebs and the
dust kicked up by your efforts: it looks
like no one has been here for vears. The
cavern turns so you cannot sc.e out the
entranrn. hut the light and frnsh air are
very strong. You have escaped the
a bandoned mine !
Outside. you hear the rumhles of
nearby expt"osions. Is someone blasting
in the area·?
Give each of the pla~1ers whose c haracters
made a successful S trength Check an
Experience Chip (maximum of one per
player}. Yeah. its being easy. but we're just
getting started and they'll need all the Chips
they can get soon enough ....
Winging It. Pt. I:
Unknown Aid
Now. there is the small (hut vcr v real)
possibility that none of the characters trapped
in that c:ave may have a Strength above OK
rank (2 dice). This means that they should
spend a ll their Experience Chips just to get
o ut of th1cJ cave. right?
Wrong! If the odds are severely against the
p la yer c haracters (as they would be here}.
alter their c:hanc:es. Drop th e difficulty to
Average (15}. T his isn't a life-or-death
s ituation. and if they spend the entire
evening in a cave, no one's going to have
much fun. It will be d ifficult for this lov,1-
Strength group to get out. even with the
lowmed Task Level. If thev use their tools and
spend some time (and maybe a little
Experience} . they s hou ld be able to get out.
Si milarly. the player characte rs might all
have BEST rank Strnngth and Muscles skills.
They'll maku short work of that pile of
rocks-heck. thev'd make s hort work of the
mountain! That's fi n e. because there are
many more c hallenges than just this one.
lB. Battle Beyond
the Cave
Now we have the pla~1er characters near the
entrance of the cave. read v for action. and
we've given them the basfcs of roif~-playing
mechanics-telling the GM what the~1 are
doing. a nd making Task Level checks to
succeed at actions. We've also had verv few
options outside o f the obvious that thl; GM
had to be ready for. Once the player
characters get out of the cave, there are any
number of ways th ings can go and this is
wlrnrn the Came Master neflds to learn how to
move an advf!nture along and kf~ep the pla~rer
characters focused o n the plot.
If GMs read the adventure ahead of time.
they know what's coming up and this wil l
help predict ho\.-. players w ill have their
1 listed in the
c haracters react. This text will co\l(~ r the most
likely (and most damaging) flffoc:ts of what
will hap pen. hut beyond that. \·v hat occurs is
up to tht~ players and the Game Master.
The p layer characters arc near the mouth of
the cave and they hear explosions. What
happens next'? Eventually (unless they a re
fully without courage). the characters will
loo k o ut of the cave. Read the text a loud:
The cave looks out onto a battlefield. In
front of you and to your right. there are
some me n and women crouching among
what looks like digging mach inery. They
seem to be mostlv unarmed. and several
appear woundecf.
The attackers are a nasty-looking
group of bandits. dressed in dirt y.
tattered un iforms . Their leader is a
particularly ugly hrute. laughing as he
fires on the men and women in the
encampment. The weapons o f thn
bandits arc strange-looking guns; where
they firn the weapons. large explosions
engu lf the ir targets. Luckily. most of their
s hots seem to go ...vi de of the
encam pment.
Only orw o f the peopl e by tlw digging
machinery is firing bac k. a thin young
woman \.Vith a similar weapon. Sim is
wearing some sort of uniform as well.
though it is in far better shapB than her
attackers. S he is also wearing some t~1 pe
of small knapsack on her back.
7
As you watch. one of the bandits runs
forward and makes a great leap. far more
than any man can normally do . htnv ling
as he jumps towards the pinned -down
people. The young woman fires at him
and he is hit in the chest. the force of the
explosion droppi ng him in front of you r
cavern. where he lies unmoving.
What are your charac:t11rs doing?
GM Setup
Tools &
Props
Use the map
and s tand ups
"GM's Tool Box"
at the start of
the chapter to
sl?I up the scene. . ,
The player ~~~,.·~~
' ~!!!~~•:tt..i:l.~~
characters·
standu ps arc placed arou nd location A. the
cave entrance. Tlw unconscious Bad Blood is
one squa re away from the nearest player
c haracter s tanclup. The sq uares around area 8
con tain the pinned-down O rg scientists. and
tlrn s tand ups cons ist of Gi lda. Doc Huor. one
female Org scient ist and thrcfl warriors.
Everyone except Gilda is on the ground (lay
tlrnir stand ups on thei r s ides). e ither
wounded or unarmed and hugging the
ground for protection. They are all non-
combata nts. The Bad Bloods (the bandits) are
all placed within 2 squares of the area C
marking. There arc as many conscious Bad
Bloods as the re are player c: hara c ll~rs: the Bad
Bloods number at least three and no more
than six (lhB amount of stand ups Wfl have fur
them in this set).
Unlike our fi rst encount er within the mine.
we're using stand ups and a map to set the
scene. It is often easier to s how rather than to
te ll. You can usn ot her tokens. standups. or
1~ve n bits of paper to show <l<~ tails other tha n
what's o n the map or represented by the
existing standups. This helps players sec
what's going on and \.\ here ever~1one is. and
1
this is useful. but not nec:cssarv. in situations
with lots o f peop le and action.'
 Descriptions
Note the language used in the description of
the battle. As the GM. you want the player
characters to have sympathy for Gilda and the
Org scientists. so they are described in
positive terms (slender young woman,
capable shot. outnumbered. they are unarmed
scientists. etc... ). The Bad Bloods are
described in negative terms (ugly. cursing,
poorly-dressed, unwashed. aggressive. etc.).
The GM should play the characters in the
same way they are described-Gilda as being
basically good, the Bad Bloods as being near-
savage barbarians. The key to molding the
adventure and staging the action is by the GM
controlling the descriptions. What the player
characters see is left to the GM, and he or she
can frequently steer the adventure through
his or her word choice.
Ready. Ce1mere1. fiction!
We have a number of preparations to keep in
mind before setting the player characters
loose on this scene. There arc a lot of
characters moving and using Action Points.
There is some rough and difficult terrain on
the map which causes characters to move
slower. Keep the "Action Point Table" and
''Task Level Success Number Table" handy
for all character actions, and any other
information you think you'll need for this
scene (Copy the Appendix pages from this
book for many of the tables needed during
combat!). Don't be afraid that something's
missing or that you'll forget how something
works-you'll quickly have a sense of how
things work and soon not need the tables at
all. Just relax. have your materials at hand.
and let the game begin!
Player fictions
At this point, the characters may each have
their own ideas of what to do. The way to
handle things is to ask each player in turn
what his or her player character is doing.
Allow some discussion (one player may
shout "Come on, people!" while everyone
else heads for hiding), but quickly encourage
them to make decisions, individually and as a
group.
•
'
~
8
Pl~r Che1re1cter Options
Run and Hide: Well. it's an option that
some might take. CharactE?rs who run and
hide will miss most of the fight and the fun.
They gain no experience from the encounter
and could be teased by the other players.
Ask More Questions: Good idea, but don't
take too long. The key question is "Has
anyone else noticed us'?" The answer is
"No." In time-important situations, the GM
can declare that a character asking too many
questions has spent the turn gathering
information and doing nothing else.
Loot the Bodv: The Bad Blood at the cave is
dead: he has a ;ocket pistol and jumping belt
on him that the player characters can steal.
When characters remove the jumping belt,
have them make an Aim check (Task Level:
Easy (10)): if failed. the jumping belt slips
from their hands and floats away swiftly.
Sneak up on the Bad Bloods: There is some
brush between the player characters and the
Bad Bloods. and the bandits are not looking
for trouble from that direction. It is possible
to move close to them and gain surprise (page
28, Rules). fighting with the shovel, picks,
and even dead tree branches (Mace attack). If
attacked like this, the Bad Bloods do not fire,
but use their fists to attack back.
Bad Blood
Strength: BETTER Aim: OK
Brains: OK Health: GOOD
Ski/Js: Grappling; Rocket Pistol
Equipment: Rocket Pistol
(Full stats on page 30. World)
Go Help Gilda: It's a short run from the
cave to her position. Gilda won't fire on the
characters, nor will the surprised Bad Bloods.
They won't be surprised by these visible
characters after this, but they can be
surprised by others sneaking behind them.
When the characters get near Gilda, she will
nod and say "Don't know who you are, but if
we don't drive off the Bad Bloods, we're all
finished! Grab a rocket pistol and come on!"
She then fires a well-aimed shot at the Bad
Bloods. knocking a pistol from the leader's
hand! There are enough rocket pistols on the
wounded to outfit any player characters that
arrive at this spot.
Now. the players may have their characters
do a number of different things, and the GM
must keep track of what everyone's doing.
The key to this battle is that the Bad Bloods.
while nasty and well-armed, aren't expecting
the player characters. If they can surprise
them, the player characters should not have a
hard fight with their Experience Chips and
skills to help them.
Raalts
This chapter should have one of three
possible results: Either the player characters
avoid combat. aid Gilda and succeed in
driving off the Bad Bloods. or find themselves
overwhelmed by Bad Blood forces.
Avoiding Combat: If they do this. give the
players about two or three turns to change
their minds. then have the cavalrv arrive (sec
below) to rescue Gilda. The Bad Bloods flee.
the player characters are discovered by Gilda
and her rescuers. and they are taken prisoner
(not a problem since they don't have rocket
pistols). Questions are asked ("Who arn
you?", "Where are you from'?''), and thu
characters are taken to the Org Outpost (see
Chapter 2) on foot. They don't get experience.
rocket pistols, or jumping belts (ignore
Section 2B in the next chapter).
The player characters are victorious: The
Bad Bloods fight until only the leader is left.
and he will turn tail and leap away. making
great bounds with his jumping belt. Gilda
will thank the player characters. as will Doc
Huer (see notes below for these NPCs). The
reinforcements arrive. and it's clear that
without the player characters' influence, they
would have found a massacre. Evervone in
the battle gets 2 Experience Chips. ~nd those
who did extremely well get 3 Chips. From
here, we go on to the next chapter.
The player characters are losing: If more
than half of the player characters are
wounded in the battle. 10 Org soldiers arrive
on the right side of the map. The Bad Bloods
flee in the face of this greater assault. The
wounded player characters are aided, and the
various questions asked. Everyone gets I
Experience Chip for trying. and those left
standing get 2 Chips. Go to the next Chapter.
9
Winging It. Pt. II:
The Onexpcrctecl
Did everything go the way you expected it to?
Of course not. The hardest thing for new GMs
to learn is how to deal with unexpected
actions from the players. Don't stop them
from trying new things. but know the goal of
the scenario and be sure the players do as
well. Players will always have new ideas of
what to do. but they want to reach the goal
too. Let the player try the new action. but
have him or her answer these questions:
• Why are you doing this?
• How are you doing this?
• Who does it help (beyond yourselfl?
Chances are. if these are answered. GMs can
get some info to work back into the game.
Winging It. Pt. Ill:
Maltiple Roles
We have two non-player characters (NPCs)
introduced here: Lt. Gilda and Doc Huer.
When giving information or talking as one of
the characters. try to give the impression of
who is talking by how you speak or act (if
you can do different voices. that's great!).
Gilda. for example. is a practical. no-
nonsense type of girl. intent on keeping
things under control. Read through Gilda's
description (World Book. page 22) and play
her accordingly-her questions will be short
and precise, and she will interrupt players
that are rambling or lying.
Huer. on the other hand. is a preoccupied
scientist who meanders and wanders off
whatever topic he's talking about. Think of all
the fuzzy-brained scientists you've seen on
TV and in the movies and thern's Doc Huer.
Read his description in the World Book (page
20) for details. but have fun with him. Either
Gilda or Huer can interrogate the player
characters. This is the fun of being the Game
Master: You get a wide range of great
characters to role-play.
Both Doc l-luer and Gilda know that Buck
Rogers rear.hed the 25th Century through
sim ilar circ umstances. As a result. they are
suspicious when the player characters use a
similar story and will be slightly wary of the
characters. Remember that these people are in
a war, and it takes a lot to trust strangers.
•

CiM s Tool Box
1 tlw player c:h<1rac:tcrs DID help). wan ts to know more
Encounter 2A
Rol e-Pl<l_v Onl:-,1
Encounter 2B
Role- Pla~1 Only
Encounter 2C
Map: Outdoors Map: Arca G.
H . I (Orgzo n c e n lrances. O rg
soldiers). Area J (Ae rodro m e ).
Artm K (Han <1irship). i\rna L
(Mo ngol sold iers). i\rca M
(player characters. G ilda. Org
so ldiers )
Standups: G ilda, 7 nwle Org
sold ims. 3 fomalt: Org soldiers:
lU Mungul suldiL?rs. Han ai rs hi p
Combat Stats & Info: World.
pgs. 28. :rn: Rules. pg. 24
Synopsis
Encounter 2A: PCs learn som e
hi stor v an d the bns ics of
the 25-th Centurv.
Encounter 2B: PC:s ln'c1rn how tu
Ul;e jumping bel ts.
Encounter 2C: PCs g1~t caught
u p in a battl e aga inst the
Mongols at the Columbu s
Orgzo1rn.
2fl. Introductions
and Stories
Setting: The Org scicnlists' c ncampm c nl
No o n e gets blown up in this ser.tion. and no Ability
chccb arc require d. Mosl uf the material is informa-
tion that the plavcrs will want and need tu knO\'\'
about the futurn . Tlw characters c:an also tell their o•vn
slur v aml trv lo gain lh e trusl o f Lt. Gilda. Doc Hu e r.
anci°lhc Org. soldiers. The only difference in how this
section is run dfJp Hnds on ·w hal tlrn characte rs <lid in
Encounte r 1 B: if they avoided the fight. they were cap-
lured at th1~ e nd nf th f! encounter and wi ll be interro-
gatHd as poten tia l enemies rather than asked a s allies.
LI. Gilda. while lhan kfu l for th ei r h elp (assuming
abou t the plaver charac ters. Who are they, how did
thev get h e re . and w h y are t lrny wearing such a n cien t
cost11 m es?
If the c:harac:tcrs try to explain the cave-in and the
c a ve. Gi lda 'vvill nod a nd exchange looks with Doctor
Hu c~r. Huer. for his part wi ll give ou t a low whistle and
n ote "There seem s lo be a LOT of that going around
these davs." He wi ll not elaborate 011 tlie commen t,
even if 1)rcssured by the c h a rac ters.
Both Doc H11er a n d Gilda are inc lined to believe the
pl a ~1 er c h aracters if they aidr.d the m aga inst the Bad
Blood s . hut tlrnir s uspicions rise if they cla im to have
conw from the 20th Ce ntury. What c<1n thn p layers do
to prove the truth of theirs.tor~:'~
• The age o f th e mines and the ir lo n g-unuse d
conditions: c;ilda herself will note that the mines
in this area haven'! b een worked for o ver 400
vcars.
• Their ignora n ce a bout 25th Centur~' technology:
Dnc HuP.r Cflll bluff tlrnm with fl common
radiascopc (a gcigcr counter). saying it's a lie-
cfoteclor. If tlH1 players don't recognize the
machinn. thev' ll l>e morn inclined to t111l the truth.
• Have the play e r c haracters produce equipment
and materials from th e 20th Cen tury (money and
o ther equi pmen t): Doc Huor can then v erify their
story if tlw ovidence is givon lo him .
Of cou rse. the pla y ers may h ave their pla yer
r. haract nrs say anyth ing t lw~1 want. or nothing at all.
S hould the player characters try somn o the r s to ry.
ma ke an t\vcragc (20) Brains c heck for Doc Hucr: if
successful. h e kn ows they 're lyi ng and w ill not give
them arw morn information (they're not spie s but they
aren 't honest). Fu rther. it will be assumed (depending
on thei r s tory) that the player c haracte rs know a ll
about jumping belts and rocket pistols immediate ly
and need nu training in u:;ing th em (This could to be
fun. CMs! S 1~(? S nc:tion 2U).
10
 Chapter Two
History Lesson
If the p layer
drnractcrs lir. and
are caught. they do
not ga in any of the
info on this page from
anv NPCs. If thev co nfess
an cf tell the truth: (.;i lda
will eventua ll v tell them
the following.:
'Tim world has changnd sincn !'OU went
tu sleep. America was overu n Ii>' an
invasion of Mongols . using an adva nced
super-scienr:e to power their flying
airships and deadly clisintegrator rays.
The American continent was the last to
fall under its heel. but their superior
wm1ponr!' couldn't be stopped. Any
a rmed resistance \Vas devastated. Must of
the major c ities were d estroyed in the
ini tial invasion . <rnd those cities that
s urvived were quickly captured and
turned into •..valled Mongol strongholds.
America was plunged into a nev" d<trk
age hy the assau lt. one that lasted for
generat ions. We're on ly now hcginn ing to
emerge from the rubble of the \.vorld !'OU
knew: our main sett 11>.ments am now
a lmost all und erground . whnw we can
plan against the Mongols in relative
safety from I heir death rays. The Orgs-
thal's short fo r .. Organized Communit ies ..
-hnvP. b;mded togP.t hN to lrnl p oust tlrn
Mongol .. ru lnrs·· o nc1: and fo r all and Int
freedom live again in North America. Are
you in ternstnd in helping·?"
Tho correct answer is .. Yes:· but. .. Oh. whv
n ut .. w ill do as well. Gilda promises tu adinil
the players in lo her outpost of the Columbus
O rgzone onc:n the!' reach them.
Blasts from the Past
Gilda will not uxtcnd infurnwtion about what
she and th1~ sc:i1rntists were doing in t he <1rna
\.Vi th the digging equ ipment. If inquiries an:
madn. she will nod lo 11oc Hue r. who w ill
take up the ta le. Cough a few times like ~' OU
11
am an old professor about to lecture, fidget
nervously with something invisi ble in your
hands. and read the huxNI text a lo ud.
.. Well. of late . there has been a lot uf
interest in the post. thanks to the heroic
exploi ts of Buck Rogers: you folks will
cert<1inlv stir somn interest as well . I'm
sure. What was I say i ng·~ O h . yes. In terest
in the past. o r more spnc:ific:ally. interest
in m ilitary h istory and weapons
technologies that could prove usofu l in
fight ing tlrn Mongol Empire':; prnscnce in
America. Yes, Buck's proven to us that
o ld ideas and o ld weapons are still
sound lnday. Now. wp,'vn made grnat
slridns with lnertron belts and rocket
pisto ls. but anything wn can find to help
us fight t he Mongols would be valuahln.
i\n vwav. we found olcl references to H
tr.sting s ite. located in t hese hills. for
sonw l1sl Cf:ntllf!' "Disruptor Weapon ...
We dug and found an o ld installation.
but th ieve:; had uncovered ii first. I th ink
it was some of tlw Dad Bloods mvself.
since they often stea l anyth ing tl;f?Y can
gi-it tlrnir hands O i l.
Those \·v erc Bad Bloods that vo11 met
in the batt le earl ier. Nastv customnrs.
living on the fr inges of soc:ic?ty. preying
on the weak <1nd lrnlplc?ss. We \·Vere
caught fla t-footed in the middle of our
excnvatio n and th ey migh t have gotten
the l>P.tter of us. if not for vour timclv
arrival. The!' shouldn't gi~1c us any inorc
troubln. and our work lwrn is donn-
tlrnrn are some old notP.s and hooks. h ut
thern's no nrnjor find lwre ...
The notf!s and hooks am old scientific
jo urna ls from the ~md oft h 1~ 21st c:ent u rv. and
a numlu'! r of copies of i\Mi\ZING<"' S tories
Science Fiction magazines. Not much o f use
here fo r the player characters.
Ci Ida a sks if the cha raclnrs are familiar
w ith jump ing hnl ts . If tlrn p laym characters
sav tlwv are. she will s1niln a nd sav. ''(;nod.
we'll S(;t off for the Org ou tpost at hrsl light. ..
Skip the lnsson in 2B. though not the effects.
If the plavcr characters admit the!' a rc not.
she will nod and say .. Very wel l. you ·11 get a
quick h:sson tomorrow morning. then \•v e'll
head for the ou tpost. .. T1~ n t s arP. pitched. and
lhe night passes swift ly.
/
Chapter Two
ZB. The Jumping Belt
Lesson
Setting: The Org Sc:im1tists' encampment
Come morning. you and your friends arc
directed to an open field. where Dr. Huer
and a young cadet are standing. The
cadet is already wearing a jumping belt.
and oth er soldiers fit each of you with a
device like vou saw Gilda wearing
yesterday (it looks like a knapsack).
Dr. Huer clears his throat with a
harrumph and says. "These devices arc
called jumping belts. They are merely
harnesses to which a block of Incrtron. is
attached. That's l-N-E-R-T-R-0-N for
those taking notes ...
"lnertron has the unusual property in
that it is repelled by gravity instead of
being attracted to it. This means. with a
suitable amount of the material, a man ·s
(or woman's) weight can be reduced to a
few pounds. give or take an ounce. This
allows said woman (or man) lo jump
long d istances without any major
difficulty whatsoever...
"Now. each of these jumping belts has
been set for your approximatP. wP.ights.
and should be closely balanced enough
to work. We want you to take a little
while getting used to them before setting
off. Don't try to jump normally at first-
you'll go flying into the next county.
Start with just a few hops...
For each p layer charac:ter using a
jumping belt. make an Average Aim check
(roll of 15 or better). Success indicates that
the hero quickly gets the hang of the belt
and goes bounding through the air at a
good cl ip . everything under control.
Failurn indicates that the individual put
too much energy into the leap. or aimed in
the wrong direction: these mishaps result
in jumping accidenta ll y to the s ide or
backwards ins tead of forward . Use the
"Scatter Table" belov.1 for the direction and
extent o f any bad jumps due to failed Aim
checks.
The purpose of this secti on is to give
some int roduc:tion to the jumping belt.
which will be a very useful item later in the
12
1
i
adven ture. This section can also be p layed
for laughs. as a light moment between the
Bad Blood and Mongol attar.ks. Someone
failing their roll goes bounding off in
random direr.lions. flying into the trees,
landing in a stream or a bog. GMs are
encouraged to have fun with the section,
bu t don't inflict any real damage on the
player characters. Gett t ing stuck upside
down in the branches of an oak tree is
humiliating enough .
Once the characters get the hang of using
the belts , let the players know the following
game information about the belts:
• Allow 10 square (100 feet/yards) jumps
for 1 AP: and
• Jumps performed in direct lines only
(no turning while in mid-jump) along the
map-lay a ruler down to determine
trajectory.
For future reference , should the characters
miss this lesson. their first time using a
jumping belt will require a Hard Aim check
(25 or greater). In this scenario, bouncing
off in a random direction is just funny; it
may nut be nearly as humorous in battle. If
the roll is failed. check the "Scatter Table"
below for direction and distance. Then
have them make another Hard (25) Aim
check to sec if they can regain control and
s top: repeat these steps until the roll is
made successfully.
The point is "always take lessons
offered." The player characters are given
rocket p istols and jumping belts "on loan"
and Gilda will escort them to the Org
outpost.
At the GM's option, this can be p layed out
on the Outdoors Map. using the player
characters' standups. This can give them a
better idea of the distances and directions
they are jumping.
Scatter Table
Die Roll Result
1 Left 5 squares
2 Straight Ahead 5 squares
3 Right 5 squares
4 Left 10 squares
5 Right 10 squares
6 Forward 10 squares, then bouncing
w ildly to the left another 5 squares
 Chapter Two
ZC. Meet the Mongols
Setting: The Columbus Orgzone Outpost
After a hard day's travel. you reach the
borders of the Columbus Orgzone and
the outpost. You had been warned not to
expect what you'd ca ll a normal c ity-
most of the Org buildings arc below
ground for protection from Mongol
airships. But you definitely did not
expect to see smoke rising over the hills
ahead of you, as if the fores t was on fire!
Lt. Gilda urges everyone to go faster-
something is definitely wrong. You jump
atop the final hill overlooking the ou t-
post and find the Org under assau lt by a
Han airship and Mongol ground troops!
GM Setup
Tools & Props
Set up the map as described in the "GM's
Tool Box" on page 10 . The counters can be
placed as you describe the scene.
The airship is the first item placed ; lay it
on the map with its nose (front center) above
the Area K marking. At the start o f combat. it
moves 3 squares per tu rn toward Area G. The
GM can change its direction as needed.
The Aerodrome is n ot on a stand up or
card. but it is on th e map at Area J. The
building rests on the four squares under the J
and the row of squares arou nd them. Cut out
a 4 inch square piece o f paper and center it
on the J mark for the Aerodrome. The
Aerodrome's runways run on 2 squares from
the left edge of the map to the Area J mark.
When setting up the Mongols. place all
stand ups within 3 squares of the Area L
mark. Never place Mongols in consecutive
squares-always leave one empty square on
all sides if the main conditions can st ill he
met (ie. within 3 of the mark). Thev stav
s pread out because they know what rockP.t
pistols can do.
The p layers p lace their stand u ps around
the Area M mark before the GM p lac:P.s Gilda
and the oth er Org soldiers. Player characters
and the oth ers can be up to four squares av,,ay
from the Area M mark. but n one can bP.
p laced farther north than the J mark.
13
Descriptions
Describe the scene in your own words based
on the layout and the following information:
• T he airsh ip is a huge steel-grey battleship
fl oating in the sky. lances of deadly energy
striki ng the earth henP.ath it and churning the
ground with their power. Its greenish
disin tegrator beam fires directly beneath the
nose of the shi p.
• T he Org's Aerodronrn is in fla mes. and
on ly smoke rises fro m d estroyed planes on
the ground. Craters mark \·v hern the
d isi ntegrators of the airship blasted other
planes and parts of the runways to atoms.
• Org soldiers defend aga inst wave assaults
by the Mongols on the Outpost's entrances.
Many of them am dropping q u ickly from
exhaustion (at Areas G and H). and onl v three
arP. st ill actively fighting (1 male Org soldier
e<tch on marks G. H. and I).
• Most important for the pl<tycr characters.
the 10 Mongol sold iers at locat ion L have
spotted them and the PCs arc immediately
undnr assault the minute they place th eir
sta ndups an d begin thP.ir turn !
• Lt Gilda barks an order that the Mongo l
squad must be stoppP.d. otherwise they will
uverun the taxed Org positions. She a nd hP.r
fo u r Org soldiers (3 fema le. 1 male) h ead
toward marks Hand I to fort ify their
c.omrades· positions. T he play.P.r characters·
main concern should be the enemy Mongol
troops around area L.

Chapter Two
Player Actions
Not surprisingly. tlw pla.\'m charnctms should
be ablr. tn <IP.foal th1~ Mongols in short ordnr.
givP.n thP. fe1c.1 tlrn t tlrn~' havP. hr.ttP.r wm1pons
and jumping bolts. Tlw CM can either run th1:
combat normall~· or use the spe<.:ial comba t
ru !cs on page 28 oft lw World Book to spcP.d
things up. The main purpose of this fi ght is to
g1~t tl11'! player clrnrac:lt?rs usP.d to combat with
their jumping belts.
Player Character Options
Shoo/ al tlrn Mongols: This basic lactic
doesn't have too man~· surprises. The Mongol
troopers a t Arca L will move closm to Arna M
<1t maximum spmxl for one turn and allrnnpt
to disintegrate the pla~·cr characters.
Sneuk Behind the Mon~o/s: This tactic is
almost futiln. since thti Mongols c.an see tlw
charactors and concen trat~~ on tlwm as the
targets. The only way for this to work might
be for the Mongols to al l h£? dist ract1:d
simultH11cous l ~1 (roc:knt pisto l fire. 1:xplnsivc
grnnad<?s. P.tc.) and for a charactnr to make a
Darn-Near Impossible Aim roll (:i5 or bnttnr)
lo jump over and behind the Mongols.
Slwvt at /Ju~ Airship: This is a crazy tac tic.
g i\'Cn the extreme height of the airship. but it
is possible. If a c haracter expends al I his or
hP.r AJ>s to lr.ap 10 arnas dirnctly up and firns
a rocket pistol at tlw peak of the leap. the
c harac tur can hit tlw airship w it h a roll of
25- the THsk Ltwnl increHSE?S to Hard rhw to
tlw difficult y and nxtrnnw rang<) of tlw shot.
Rememl>nr tu suutract 4 dice from the Aim
roll against the Han airship (see Rules. µgs.
22. 24) beforn rnlling tlrn Aim c:hec:k.
/ump at th~ Airship: The Mongol Airship is
too high aloft to hn rnac.hcd hy a single? 1 0
squarn jump. but don't tnl l tlrn playurs nr
their c:harac:tnrs that (Task Lnvel 40: Task
Lnvel :!5 if thoy think to climb a tnw and lnap
from it s top). I lowovur. its disintegralor
cannon beam reaches the grou n d. and starts
at area K. moving 3 sq unrcs per round.
towards the nnarnst player clrnrac:tnr. Plac1~ an
Expericnc:1: Chip on the mop lo s how its
location. Mos t pla~·er characters s hould be
able to avoid it. if th e~· arc pa~1 ing attention.
14
1
Rau Its
The Mongo/,c; r/1~feul thn f'(,'s: If thr. Mongols
defeat Or kill half Of' lllOl'l! of the player
characters. then the Mongols win this sortie.
The <irea is rawd by tlrn airship's
disintegrator cannon s. The remaining Org
troopers gel forced bn<:k in to the underground
refuge while its surface levels are plundnred
by th e Mongols. The attack quick!~' subsides
and tlw airship and its troops IP.ave. Tim
s ur viving characters find tlwmsclves rousnd
b~1 Org medics and am soon returned lo the
adventure. T lwsc c haracters gain no
Exp1~ri1mrn Chips. savf? at tlw GM's opt ion
(for good role-pla~· ing. cl al). Killed characters
can be replac:1?d b~· new characters after t his
encount er is plt1~· r~d nut.
The .\lfvn:::ols cm• de(m1/1icl : If t he~ Mongols
arc reduced tu three or less troopers. tho
survivors throw down their Jisintegrators
and flp,p, to tlw n orth (tnp) edge of the map. If
any are caught. the~' surrnndr.r.
The fate of tlw hat tic: sw ings w ith tho
succ:1~ss nf the player c:h arnc:ters. T im battle
\o\rill be nv1~r with the failure of the Arca L
tronps. Should thn Mongol trnopP.rs falter and
run. the airship will brnak off as wnll. clue to
the flagging morale of the Mongols and the
rising spirits of the Org Troops.
If the pla~1 er charnc:ters repel the Mongol
attack. P.ach one gets 2 Exp«?ricnCl! Chips. If
the play<)r c:harac:tms cause the Mongols to
rout (flee) in less than 4 turns. each will get :i
Ex periflnCf! Chips.
In anv case. tlrn play1~r c haracters' braver~'
and battlc-savvv is honored hv ol'fi<:iallv
making them nimuhcrs of tlrn ·co lumbu~
OrgzonP.. Tlrny rnc:P.iV1? a uniform like G ilda's.
\\'ith a hclnwt radio. a roc:knt pistol. and a
jumping belt. The newcomers \\'ill form their
own platoon. and may choose one of their
mvn as plritoon leadnr.
At the C:M's option. the pla~'er characters
may gain tlw Roc ket Pi s tol Aim skil l a t an
"FiHld-Prnmoti on" cost of 5 ExpP.rience Chips
(instead of :w!). Make sure lhc players know
this is a one-tinw offo1'. not to be repeated.
and it is used only to sho-..v how ExpP.rience
Chips may he used lo ga in new abilities.
Don ·1 hcsi late-order no\\'!
 Chapter Three
CiM·s Tool Box
Encounter 3A
RolP.-Plav Onlv
Maps: o·utdoo"rs and Mongol
Armory Maps: used as props
0111~1
Encounter 3B
Map: Outdoors Map: i\rna i\
(air duct/s1?cret entranc.:c). Area
0 (t:amp). AreCI M (beAr)
Standu ps: Bear. Mongol
Soldier (fur Kane in disguise)
Combat Stats & Info: World.
pgs. 18. :11
Encounter 3C
Map: Mongol Armor>' Map:
Arca B (PC entr>' point/storage).
Area D. E. F (gua rd posts). See
text for more elf) ta i Is
Standups: (No initial
p lar.cnrnnt. but h<1ve mad y for
this P.nr.ountP.r. ~lD . and '.lE) All
Mongol soldiers
Combat St ats & Info: World .
pgs. 28
Encounter 30
Map: Mongol Armor~' Map:
Arca C (Wong. 2 Mongol
soldiers)
Standups: Wong. 2 Mongol
soldiers (all placed un sides)
Combat Stats & Info: Wor ld .
pgs. 2!). 28
Encounter 3E
Map: Armory Map : Arna(;
(Orn-Ka 7.oril. Morkn Ka-1.onu).
Arca H (Ka-Plui. Kane)
Standups: Ki:i -Flui. Kann.
Morkc Ka-Lono. Om-Ka Zoril
Combat St ats & Info: World .
pgs. 18. 2:1. 27
Synopsis
Encounter 3A: PCs hdp repai r the Aerodrome .
train in rocket pistol use. and receive a
mission to in fillrat1? a Mongol Armor.v.
En cou nter :JB: PCs nwnt Ag1~11t X (and perhaps
some local wildlife).
Encounter 3C: PCs s1~c:rn tl>1 cntm the Mongol
c
Armorv: the GM randornlv preps the
i:i rmorv for 1mc:ounters. L
Encounter 30; PCs mrmt and can rescue Wong . the
real Agent X. 0
Encounter :IE: Pl.s <1rn trappnd in a gas r:hamhm
whiln the villain is rnvealcd-Ki llcr Ka1H!! fi
K
lfl. The Briefing s
Sett ing: Tlw Columbus Orgzoiw Outpost
After e\·er»lhing has been wrapped up from Chapter 2.
the pla\·er charactms ha\·e about a week uf down tim e.
spent acclimali11g tu the new world. learning how to usn &
a rnck1~ l pistol (if tlrny purr.lrnsP.d tlu~ skill) . and oth1~ r
inlP.rP.sling things. Read th e following lo the playms:
/\week passes. and vou al l settle into the da»-to-
D
dn,· li fe of the Columbus Orgzone Outpos t. Thesn
men and \\'OlllP.n of tho fut um Hrt? good fWOple. fi
dm·ot1!rl to tlwir familiHs. tlwir 1wighbnrs. ;rnd their
communilv. The chores arc shared to make the
Ci
burdens 1~~isi e r. and both men a nd wom en hear tlin
load of raising familit!s and protecting the area Ci
from Mongol ;Hincks. Yllu familiarize vourself with
jumping bolts and ror: kt~t pistols. WP.It° enough tn E
handl P. t hrm1 in i:i pinch . ns wrdl as th1! hi:isics of
biplane flight. R
The big task of this week is Ill rupa ir tlw damage
crnatnd b~· thn rP.cP.nt llt1 n <1ttac:k. nspnr. it1ll>' thn
rebuilding of tlw <.w rodromc. Bv wenk's end . tlw
s
new hang<!!' is JH!arl>' finished. and the outpost is
expecting n new sq uadron of 12 hipl;uws.
Just as ~·o ur •vork party is hoisting th e last IH!am
of the hanger into place. word comes for >·uu all to
lll P.t~ t with tlw Outpost c:11mrna111lfll'.
Sonw p l a~'t!rs may wan t to usn tlw wenk of rnlativ1!
peace to l!?arn about the area or use the time to arm ;ind
equip thP.ir c:hi:iracters. l Jsn thn rnateriAI in tlrn World
Book for the histor~· of the area. hut don't s pcc:ific:ally
mention Buck Rogers ur Killer Knnc. since the\· nw,·
appear later. Most likf!h". tho plaver charactc!rs will want
sonw weapons other than s tandard-issue rocket pistols.
15
 Chapter Three

Most melee weapons (kn ives. clulJs. swords.
etc.) arc readily provided IJy the Outpost's
armory. Ancient gunpowder weapons and
disintcgrator weapons are not obtainable. nor
are any vehicles avai lable. particularly after
the destruction of the Aerodrome.
Wait for a nod of agreement from the
players for their player characters. Unless
there is some argument or commentary from
the players. the GM shou ld con tinue speaking
as Commander MacGregor.

c Once the characters have armed and

equipped themselves. get them over to HQ-
thc commander is waiting for them! When
L they arrive. read the following aloud:
0 You arc ushered into a subterranean
meeting room. where the outpost
fl commander. the solemn. scowling Major
Strand, is standing al the briefing tahle
K with Doctor Huer and a new officer vou
have not met before. The newcomer·is
s dressed like an Org officer. but he is
wearing a kilt instead of uniform pants.
"Soldiers." says Major Strand. "this is
Commander MacGregor from Niagara. He
has some vital information and an
& important mission for you."
MacGregor is a Scotsman with a heavy
D brogue in his speech. GMs are encouraged to
indulge themselves in speaking with the
fl thickest Scots accent thev can handle- thev
certainly did it in the co~ic strips! ·
Ci
Ci "Thank you, Commander. Mah~s. we
have a serious problem in that the
Mongols have been striking against our
E outposts. the most recent being last
week's attack on this here outpost. ..
R "Now. word comes through that the
MacGregor rolls out a map (GMs can
unfold the Armory map as well). ·•Agent
X says the dev ice is being kept in the
main lab. which is here in the center
(point to Area G). The front gate (point to
Area A) is solid osmodium steel, capable
of taking on our largest rocket pistols
wi th nary a scratch. Guard posts are here.
here. here. and here (point at C. D. E. and
F). The rest is barracks and storage
rooms. No\v, Agent X says there's a back
way into the complex. through some air
ducts. You'll meet Agent X in the woods
outside the complex. and he'll give you
more information at that time. You'll
know him hy his password , "creatures of
the night". The counter-sign is "what
music they make".
Good h;ck and good hunting. lads and
lasses. We need the weapon intact. if
possible. but we definitely want it out of
Mongol hands in any case.
The players may have a few questions
about the si tuation. MacGregor will tell them
he can-the rendezvous with Agent X is in
two days. and the player characters can get to
the outpost comfortably on foot. The number
of guards and how they are armed varies. but
Agent X will tell them more. Agent X will
also have a description of this "disruptor ray

s invaders have uncovered a new weapon.

a prototype of a weapon from before the
invasion. 01' Doc Huer here attempted to
weapon" and how it is being protected. The
characters are chosen because this outpost
needs every capable soldier on their rosters to
find this weapon for us and found the lot defend against Mongol raids. As newcomers
of you instead." At this. Doctor Huer not yet place \·v ithin the ranks and rosters.
nods in agreement. they arc the best available team for the job.
"We have a man inside the Mongol
Armory where they are keeping the
capon. This man, Agent X, has sent
\'\1

plans of the installation and thinks that

small group of heroes can break in and
be off with the device in two shakes of a
lamb's tail. That's where vou come in. if
you be interested." -

16
 Chapter Three

38. fl BEAR
IH THE WOODS
Setting: Wilds Outside the Mongol Armory

Once the characters have all the equipment

they can use. they set out for the Mongol
Armory. using a map provided by Lt. Gilda. It
c
is impossible to get lost unless the c haracters
do so on purpose. The gro up is told to
L
maintain radio silen ce until they get the
weapon and are well clear of the area. as the 0
invaders monitor radio calls. The heroes arc
also advised to travel light.
Read the following aloud to the players:
fl
Player fictions K
You fin d the valley containing the enemy
armory easily. The countryside is rolling
Ask each player in turn. This is more of a
test of role-playing and Brains than combat
s
farmland. with onlv a few small . dense ability. Let each player r.hoose a course of
patches of forest. u· is P.asy to detmminP. action for his or her character. and p lay the
which woods you should meet Agent X
near. Mongol patrols arc infrequent and a
situation out as it happens.
&
Han airship passes overhead only once
or twice. its shadow blocking the sun. Player Character Options
but always with sufficient time to h unt Avoid the bear or wait: T he smart move is
for cover:
You reach the woods by nightfall and
to wait for the bear to move on. It snuffles D
about. and crashes its wav out into the
make a temporary camp. careful not to
make noise or call attention to vour
clearing tO\vard Area B. J{eading for the
woods at the right side of the map.
fl
presen ce with fires. About micl°night. you
hear a terrific crashing noise. growing
Feed the bear: The p layer ch aracters may
even throw a fc\"' rations at the bear to placate
Ci
louder and louder as it approaches your
position. Could an enemy platoon have
it. This is not a lwavs the smartest move . but
it works here. The bear eats the food a nd
Ci
found you so quickly'? What arn your
characters doing'?
moves on as d1~scribecl above.
At tuck the l>ear: Of course. someone may E
just decide to open fire on th e bear. The bear
w ill close with the first attacking character in R
You (the GM) shoulcl have the player
characters' standups d ustered around the
Area D mark. The bear's standup is placed
one round and att ack that person. The bear·s
stats a rc on page 31 of the World Book. This
will most likelv e nd up with a dead bear. a
s
after the players react to the noise: place it lot of unwanted noise. and mavbe a
directly to the right of the Area M mark. wounded player character. T hfs should also
outside the trees. Most of the weapons will be serve as a lesson-sometimes. it's better NOT
d rawn at this point. and the group ready for to attack!
attack. Read the follow ing to the p layers:
Resolb
The brush ahead of you parts to reveal a Give the players one Experience Chip each
huge. towering figure tromp into your if they don't turn the bear encounter into a
camp. It is a bear. a massive. red-eyed firefight. T hny receive no experien ce if they
bear whic h snarls at the player characters fight the bear.
as it approaches. What are you r
characters doing?

17
 Chapter Three
Rendezvous
Agent X uses the bear's approach to cover his
own arrival from the trees south of Arca I.
Those who s pecifically keep an eye
elsewhere than on the bear \viii notice h im
approach and stand b~meath a trm~ . \>Vatc:hing
c the situa tion develop.
L Situation A : If th e-) hear is a ll c»..ved to
wander off and n o battle occurs. read the
0 fo llowing to the p layers:
fi The bear sau n ters off. finding not h ing
else of interest here. T he crash ing
K through the forest d imin ishes. a nd all is
silence again.
s S ilent. except for the sound of a single
pair of hands clapping (GMs. clap your
hands him~ in mock-applause).
"Very good." says a cultured.
intel l igent voice. " 1 11vas afraid you chaps
& might open fire on a ll the <.matures of the
night."
There is a man leaning against a
nearby tree. He is dressed in a Mongol
D uniform . hut is wearing a domino mask
around his eves. He has hlack hair, a
fi black beard. :111d a thin moustache.
"lt 's your turn to say something. now."
Ci he laughs.
Ci Situation B: If the bear encoun ter turned
E into a firefi ght. read the following boxed text :
R The atmosphere in the clearing is
s s uddenly q u iet follow ing the battle. and
an eerie silence settles over the area. Has
your fight alerted the Mongols·~
You expect to hear the battle-cries of
attacking Mongols. Instead . you only
hear a si ngle pair of han ds clapping (clap
vour hands here in mock-app lause).
· ''Oh. brah-vo." savs a cu ltured.
inte lligent voice. si1i1ply dripping wi th
sarr.asm . ''I'm sure the commander w ill
love to hear t hat his tra ined minions kept
the Orgs safe~ from a hungry he!ar. Tell me.
am you going lo fire a t all the creatures of
the nigh t '~"
. .
'1
1!~
• •
'-'
,' '•,
18
There is a man leaning against a
nearby tree. He is dressed in a Mongol
uniform. but is wearing a dom ino mask
around his eyes. He has black hair, a
black beard , ·and a thin moustache.
"It's your t urn to say someth ing, novv,"
he says with a tight smile.
This is !\gent X. and he is wai ting for the
players to give the counter-sign: "what music.:
they ma ke." Most li kely. one of the player
characters will give him the password. If h e
doesn't get it quickly. he w ill politely leave:
'Tm sorry. I was expect ing a different grou p
of gun -vvielding ruffians. " The p layers w il l
th en have to ret urn to base empty-handed.
and another briefing and rendezvous wi ll
need to be set up .
11
uflgent X and his Secrets
Role-Playing Agcznt X
Agen t X is suave and debona ir. cult ured and
refi n ed. Put a hint of an upper-class British
accent in his voice. He is very sarcastic to
those who question h im. and ten ds lo treat
ot hers like inferiors o r id iots. When talkin g
as Agent X. make it clear that the on ly
reason he seems to he putting up with the
player characters is that they are on the
same side.
Well. not really. " !\gent X" is really t he
infamous traitor. Killer Kane. whom the
characters have not knovvingly nrnt and thus
do not know what h e looks like. His beard is
false, hut the moustache is rea l.
GM Misinformation
Herc is one of those cases where the GM is
going to lead th e characters astray. So far. by
following the GM's informat ion and "h ints,'·
th e p layers shou ld be doing pretty well. Nmv.
they have no reason not to trust Agent X
(aside~ from the fact that he is a bit
obnoxious): you, thu GM act ing as Agen t X.
are quite likely going to send them into a trap
in the next section . Play this Vl~ry straight-
faced. and try not to give anything away.
Think of your character only as Aglrnt X. t he
Org's inside spy against th e Mongols.
 Chapter Three

In tlrn un likely event that Agent Xis Aren't yo u coming a long?: "I have some
allac.:ked by the player charactP.rs, he >vi ii fl ee. information which is for MacGregor and
He drops his jacket as h e runs: it contains Mac:(;regor a lone. If I cou ld risk it with >' OU I
notes de ta iling the sam e informMinn hr~ will would. bu ! J m11sl go a l01w. I'll stm d hP-lp l o
vnrbally g iv(! to them. including the location meet vou ha lfwav on the WHV back." (L ii~ :
of the secret air duc t en tra n ce to tlH? :\rmorv. hr."11 ~neak bar.k and catch tl-ie PCs later.)
The follow ing covers cver~1 thing Agent X
h as to te ll them or arc answers tu some
expected questions: an ~' material in
What about the other rooms: " i\rca FF
(point out on the Armory Ma p ) is my barracks
urea. Thc~r don "t encourage much snooping
c
parentheses is secret knowledge fo r the GM.
rathnr than w hat p layP.r c haracters are told:
around . so I w ill warn vou-do not trv
random doors ... (True: ihe o the r rooms are L
T h e Secret Entrance: Less tha n I 00 vards
simply distrar:tions. Som e arn storerooms.
so me arc locked and have e lectronic s irens 0
away from tlrn play1·! r characters is an old a ttach e d. a n d some lead to the barrac ks.)
abandoned air vent usecl by t he Armory long
ago-Area A on the Outdoors Map: all other
How do vou know a ll this?:
"'I've been ~vorking on dean-up
fi
Area references are o n tlw Mongol Armory det a il. Sonworw has to moµ K
Map. None of th e Mongols know abou t this.
and it leads direct Iv into one of thP.
storerooms (Arca B·). (This is pa r tial! ~, true.
the floors an<l cmpt ~1 the
trash. Most of t hP- Mongol
lm1d ers haven "t even not ic:f!d
s
but the Mongols do know about it). 11w." (FalsH: he's a lli ed with
Guards: Located at Areas C. D. E. and F. Ka-Flui to fix the disru ptor
the re is a patrol of two guards e ach. usually
resting on the inner corners. Four guards are
a nd d ecimate the
Outpost.) &
posted a t the m a in d oor a t A rea A. The Why d id n 't
guards from Areas 0 or E com e running if you grab t h e
there is a fight , so stealth is crucial h ere. weapon?:
(Partia l Truth: Kane/Ag1rnt X wa nts the m to
reach Arna G. so the guards are IHx todHy.
·T m o nl v one
pP-rson. It's not
D
They a rc st ill a t their posts. but they have
orders only to s top the pla>1er c h a racters if
as if I can tu c k it
under mv jac ket and stro ll
fi
thev entm their areas. T h e v are not to com e to
the ,aicl of other guard posts .)
out o f th e building with it.
Once it's working. yo u can
Ci
Armament: Good n e ws: the Mongob don't
use their disintegrators indoors. s inrn it
use it to shoot you r way o u t
of thP. Armory. This will
Ci
blow h oles c~'en in tlw
wrecks havoc on th e interior decorat ing.
Thev're armed onlv \·Vi th swords. (All of this front gates ... E
is tri.1e. HO\·vever. tirn Mongols arn also Other Questions:
carry ing knock-out gas grenades.) GMs are nncouraged to wing it. Agent X will R
The Head Ho n c h o: The man in charge of
the Armorv is a fellow named Ka-Flui. the
local Air Marshal. H1~ wants th e wea pon to
t!ithe r claim ig n oran ce . o r claim something
a lo ng the lines of his alrnady-P.stahlislrnd
s torv. He will ah\'avs be su re to s tress two
s
u se it against the Orgs. (This is true . though thi1igs: ·
no nrnntion will be nrnde o f Killer Kerne b e ing • tlrn pla~1 P. r c ha rac:ters h ave to grnh th e
a current allv o f Ka-Flu i.) weuµu 11 now before the Mongols u se it:
The Weapon : It's a supt~r- disi ntegrator of and
sorts and t lrn Mongols arn calling it a • hP. ca nnot p ossibly go \Nith tlrnm to thi~
"di srupt or." Mongol scouts unearthed it a fow armorv due to c rucial business
weeks back. and the sr.ientists have been elsewi10rc.
working on it a round the doc k. It's <1 large.
heavy weapon that rests on your shou lder
with a long bnrrnl. like an andent bazooka.
They've a lmost got it working . so >'OU h ave to
get it ton ight o r not at all. Its in area G.

19
 Chapter Thrczcz
c whose character is the "point:"
L The duct s nakes through the darkness
0 abruptly ·with a s ingle grate in the Boor
fl
K arn also ladders and stepstools here. The
s the opening. What is ~1our character
Role-Playing Agent X. Part II
& Throughout a ll o f the questioning. mainta in
Agent X's calm. cu ltured nrnnner. I le might
even pull out a c igarette. fit it to a cigarntte
holder. and light it-a sure sign of a movit:-
D seriul villai n-so make sure that the pla~1ur
characters buv his s tor v before vou wave this
fl in their faces.' · ·
Agent X will listen to any of the charnc:-
Ci ter's complaints. arguments. and s uggnstions
with equ al rneasurns of patronizing pl1!asun:
Ci and sarcasm. For exampl e. he might respond
to a suggesti on. "Oh. how interesting! I
MUST write that 01w down . Do vou think
E you can rememlwr it long enougl1 for me get
some papcrT' Don't push the pla~icr charac·
R ters too far with h is sarcasm (he needs them
s to vvork wit h him. despite his c.:onlempl for
them). but there may be a few wi tt y types
that can hP.at Ag1mt X at his own game of sar-
r.asm (Killer Kane will. however. remember
these individuals and get 1n-en .... latm) .
Once all tlrn qiwstions have been as ked
and answered lo the best of Agent X's
knowledgu. he lead s them to the entrancu.
\\'hic h. as promisnd. is a n abando ned a ir du ct
with the open ing pried off. It looks like not
much of anyt h ing has passed through ii for a
w h ile. except ma~·be Agent X. The characters
\\'ill have to proceed in single file on their
hands and knees. so decide who is the point
(the man or woman in fron t) and who is
bringing up tho rnar. Agent X w ill wish the
last person well. a nd fade into the night.
20
lC. ltlTO THE
Llott·s DEtl
Setting: The Mongol Armory
Read the following boxed text to the player
about on e hundred yards. and ends
of thP. dur.t. Th rough th e grate. you can
see an open slorn room. fill ed \·Vith mops.
brooms. and o ther deani ng stuff. There
edges o f t he grate arc jammed tightly into
d oing?
This is a r.ase whP.re one player and on e
player a lone makes a decision. The other
playe r c haracters are back a long the duct
and cannot s lide past one another. It is a n
Easy (10) Strengt h check lo push the g rate
out o r an Average (15) Streng th c heck to
lift it out. The difference becomes ap pa re nt
i f th e player docs not speci fy that h is o r
her p layer character is holdi ng onto t h e
g rate: if unspoken. the grate wi ll go
hurtling to the flo or if pu s hed . clashing
with a loud noise . (It's a Very Hard (30)
Aim check t o grab the gra te after the
c haracter pus h es it out.)
Even if the grate fa lls to ground. though. no
one comes lo check o ut the noise-Kane
made sure of this. The first character can
jump d own easily without harming him- or
herself. then gel u lutlcier fo r the others. The
characters all start in Area B on the map.
General Overview
of the Armory
The Mongol Armory Map can be used in your
ow n adventures for any large structure or
base. Descriptions of s pecifically detailed
areas are covered in Encounter 3C. but the
following are general fac ts on the armory:
• Area A is the main (and onlv official)
entrance to the base. ·
• Arna 8 is a storeroom with the secret
ent rance (for the player characters).
 Chapter Three
• Areas C. D, E. and Fare guardposts. See
Encounter 30.
• Area G is the main assembly/mustering
area of the armory. where the .. secret
weapon" is heing kept. See Encounter 3E.
• Area H is a raised dias (a lo\·V stage)
• Areas I through Z and DD through FF are
various! y storage areas and barracks for
the troops.
• Areas AA, BB. and CC are prison cells.
About the Guards
The information presented earlier is truc-
Areas D. E. and Fare all guard posts with two
Mongol guards per post. all armed wit h
swords and two gas grenades each. Area A
has four guards (similarl y armed). as well as
the mechanism for opening the osmodi um
steel doors.
The guards' orders are to use the grenades
for distant attacks. S\.vords for melee. and. if
overrun or outmatched. to fall hack to the
next nearest guardpost. Area C. has a spncictl
function (see Encounter 30). as do Areas G
and H. (see Encounter 3E). Rooms AA . BB,
and CC remain cells.
Constructing a Setting
The rest of the rooms are mixture of guards'
barracks. storerooms. munitions areas. and
other features. The function and contents of
each room can be determined in two methods:
Random Method 1:. Whenever someone
opens a door to one of these areas. roll on the
tahle belO\I\':
Die Roll Result
1 Barracks containing 10 Mongols
armed with swords
2 Barracks containing 5 Mongols
armed with swords
:~ Storeroom containing food
products
4 Storeroom containing melee \.vcapons
- swords. maces. and knives.
5 Storeroom contai ning captured
rocket pistols and clisintcgrator
pistols. The latter pistols will not
function-the broC1dcast power is
turned off.
6 Empty stornroom .
21
Random Method 2: Before play begins.
take a separate sheet of paper and list a ll the
unoc:cupied rooms (1-Z. DD-FF). AftP.r that.
roll on the tabhi abov1: lo determ ine what is
found where and write it down bv the room's
letter. If >'OU don't like the resu lts~ change
them (but make all changes before the pla> er
c
1
c haracters get into the complex).
Them is n'! <11ly nothing for the p layer
characters in an v of these rooms-thcv will L
nol find Kane's c1uartP.rS or a storage .
compartnrnnl of gas masks anywhere. 0
Player fictions fl
The players ' options are quite simplP.: K
Thu player characters sneak to Area G:
They can arrive in Area G without meeting a
guard (see page 19 for reasons) if they
s
proceed through Area C and take the right
corrid or straight to the hall.
The player c:harnr:ters look around: They
have to fight the guctrds or any r.harac:ters that &
are generated for each Area. If they are
defeated b>' guards, they end up in Area AA.
Winging It. Pt. IV: D
The Mongols' Role fl
Thcv mav be the main enemv of 25th Ccnlun·
America: but make no mistake-the Mongols
G
are certainl v a lmtter class of vi llain than vour
standard. savage Bad Bloods. and should he G
treated and played as such.
The Mongols arc intelligent soldiers. E
showing good use of tactics and strategv.
They speak Engli sh 'vvith littl e probl em and R
vvi thout accents (unl ike MacGregor). They are
a rational people. and. if overmatched in
battles of war or wits. \·viii surrender and
s
expect to hH treatP.d with respect.
If anyth ing. a world \•v here the Mongol
Empire inflwrnces or rules ever>' nation
gives the Mongols a s light!>' inflated
opinion uf themselves . compared to the
"dangerous s11vages 11nd barbm·ians" of the
American Orgzoncs. Pla y them acc.:ordingly.
but alwavs reme mber that there are alwavs
those that break the molds of soc:ietv: There
are both good and bad Mongols. jusi as
there arc good and bad Orgzon e natives and
Americans.
 Chapter Three

lD. TtlE ESCAPE ThP. chomcters disagree over cu;tion: If the

Setting: The Mongol Armory. Arna C
Read the following tlix t to th P. p l a~,tP.rs wlrnn
their charac te rs reach area Con the map :
c You sef? a largP. room that serves as a
L guard post. Instead of two guards.
howl:ver. tlrnrn are three bodies on thP.
fl oor o f the room. All three am d ressed as
0 Mongol soldiers . It looks like there was a
battli~ hern just monrnnts earlier. and it
A claimed all three lives.
Suddenly. one of the bodies cough s
K and groans . One of th e Mongo l s old iers is
s till a live! What are vour characters
c h aracters s tand around and argue about
whether to h e lp o r not. wait for two m inutes
of real lime. If thcv st ill haven't made a
decision . Wong coughs o nce. and lapses into
a coma for H while. That's the price you pay
for arguing. (This tact ic is on ly used when
time is A crncia l facto r-pl1:1yers must learn to
rnakl! snap d ecis ions in emergency
situations.)
ThP. chamcters wont to m ovH Wong to c1
.c;afe spot: The heroes m ay w is h to bring Wong
a loug. but moving <l wounded person is not a
smart id ea. If needed . the wounded and
unr.onscious can he left behind in Arca B to
bl~ p icked up later. If the otlrnrs are then
ambushed. the wounded \·v iii be easily caught

s doing? ·
T he Mongol soldier in qm)stion is Wong.
& the real Agent X. who vvas captured by Kane
and vvhose informat ion was used as bait for
the pla~1 er characters. Wong managed to break
out of hi s cell and gl:t th is far hcfo rn running
into tvvo guards. In the resulti ng battle. lw
D d ispatclrnd the guards. but breathed in a
lrnav ~' dos<~ of gas. As a resu It. he is very
A groggy and . w h ile nas ty looking. his \·v ouncls
arn su p crfic:ial.
Ci
Player fictions
Ci This is a test of sorts for the players. T hey
and o verpowered by gas by returning guards.
Th e characters want to disguise themselvt:s
w; Mongol guard.'ilstrip the ~uards of useful
Hquipn w nt: Timm am three suitable Mongol
uniforms on the bodies. though wearing them
\·v ii i not al low tlrn p layers to pass as Mongols
(Kane has already lipped the g uards that the
heroes are coming ). The Mongol guards also
cHrry swords bu! th ere are no gas g renades
hand>' (th ese were used earlier in the fight).
Tiu! dwrac ters Irv to sneak to J\rea G:
F'rom A rca C. the piayor characters can see all
the wav down the hall to arna 0. where
anothe·;. set of guards in on pa tro l. Figures are
small and indistinc t. a nd it will be possible
for the play1!r c harncters to m a ke the ir way
do\vn the hall half-wa~1 before being s topped
and cha l lm1ged (if they are mimicking

E h ave been to ld by the Orgzone soldiers tha t

the Mongols a rc evil. and they have fought
Mongols. lrnre is \.·vhere the jig is up).

aga ins t them <1s well. Nov11• confron ted w ith a

R wounded Mongol. what du the>' do'? CiM's Hote

s Player Character Options

The smartBst move for the pla yer characters is
to head d irect Iv towards Arca C bv the side
passage. Do n 't ·be surprised if the p layers
The charncters incapucilate Wong: If they have their c haracters press on into A reas D
at tem pt to dispa tch him. Wong conveniont l>· and A before tackling area G. Use the rules
fall s unconscious. the gas taking its toll. He'll described earli e r to define Mongol tact ics.
be out o f action for a wh ile. They will reach area G eventual lv. a nd all this
The characters t1:v Fir.c;t 1\ id: If a play1 er docs is wear them down. -
charat:I C:!r attempts First Aid. his or her player
must make an Above Average (20) Brains
check. Failure indicates Wong d r ifts off into a
brief coma. Success indicates Wong has time
to gasp out "Ka ne! Weapon ... tra pped! "
beforn going unconscious. Give the player(s)
whose player charac:ter(s) administered First
Aid t\.vo Experience Chips a t the :->tart uf
c hapter 4 for the rescue.

22
 Chapter Three
3E. THE TRAP
IS SPltOHG
Setting: The Mongol Armory. Areas G & H
One wav or the other. the c h aracters will
make it ·to Area G. When th ey open t he door
(whet her bash ed clown o r opened carefully).
read t h '~ following:
You see a large ha ll. tlrn c1m tral room of
th e armorv. which is used as an indoor
parade ground and mustering field for
Mongol troops. The wal ls a re bnre. bu t
th e center of t h e room is dominated bv a
large metal table. Two Mongol sdent ists
am working uncler hot ligh ts on a large
mechan ica l device-it looks lik(·) the
weapon that Agen t X clescribed! A third
Mongol is seated on a tall-hacked throne
on the d ais (Arca H). His un iform and
posi tion suggests that he is the Air
Marshal Ka-Flu i ment ioned by Agent X.
What arc you r characters doing"?
GM Setup
Tools & Props
The charar:ters will likelv enter the room.
None of the Mon gols loo'k armed . Set the
standup of Air Marshal Ka-Flui 011 the Arca H
mark: set Morke Ka-Lo n o 's and Om-Kn Zoril 's
standu ps on any of t he squares next to Arca
G. The scien tists look surprised and quickl_v
hold up their hands in surrender. T he_v are.
however. smiling.
Descriptions
Before the players get a chance to ctct . a num-
ber of th ings occur within and around th is
area that afft:ict t lwir chmac:h~rs. The GM
shou ld read through this setup sectio11 care-
fully a n d plan how to desr.rihP. th is scene to
the characters (and h ow much thev lr.arn of
it ). The onl:v action that th e pla>'cr. charnctcrs
can see or hear is Kil-Flu i calling fo r his
guards and thc rc is an a l<irm bell ring ing in
the background. T h ere is more danger in w h at
the p la>1er c h aracters don't notirn ha p pening:
read through th e m:xt section but record play-
ers' immediate reactions and plans for act ion .
23
<lnknown Dangers
T here are two immediate secrets that the
player characters S\.viftly find out about:
• The doo rs lock and seal air-t ight upon
closing. and the door tlw players came in
closes and locks un less held O)Hll1.
• Invis ible knock-out gas is p u mped in to
the room t he turn after the c:h<irac:ters
c
e n ter. All player characters h a ve to make
Hard (25) Heal th checks sta rting on thP.
L
2n d turn (Rmnember + ·1 die for
Const itution ski lls!). 0
The scient is ts will he affectP.d by· the gas as
WP.II- Kane did not inform them of th is w h en
fl
he volunteered them for the role as bait. Om- K
Ka Zoril \.vi ii be affocted a t the en cl of tlw
second turn. and fa ll to the groun d. sa_,·ing
" Knock -ou t-gas ...no!" Morkc Ka-Lono w ill be
s
a ffoc: tcd thi: following turn. both knoc ked out.
Air Marshal Ka-Flui wi ll he u nharmed.
s ince the dais is surrounded bv a thir.k shield
o f meta ll oglass (ma te ria l stnmgth 20). As t he &
characters .start getting affected bv t h!! gas. he
wi ll la u gh at t h e ir fate .
The Villain at Center Stage... D
Killer Kane!
At this moment. th e pla>'er characters wi ll
fl
a lso hear the c lapping o f hands. and "Agent
X" \·v iii come out from behind the throne. He
Ci
vvil l laugh nt the players and begin to gloat.
The amoun t of g loa ting the c:ha racte rs henr
Ci
wil l c-!P.penrl o n how lo ng thc_v stay conscious.
The timetable of even ts goes as follows: E
Tum 0: T h e p layP.r c:harac:ters 1rnter Area G. R
Tum 1: The doors lock: the gas is pumped in.
7i1rn 2 : O m-Ka Zori l passes out. Kane
appears . clapping. and removes his mask
s
and false bt!<inl.
Turn 3: Morke Ka -Lono passes o ut. Ka n e savs
"Perm it me to in troduce m vself. I am Kane.
Killer Kane. You h ave fallc~l into m v l i ttli~
trap. and . as we spP.a k. nil invisi b le ·gas is
work ing on >'OU. Don't worry. it vvon' t ki ll
vou. I wnnt vou aliv1~ for now.....
'fiim 4: Kane cont inues : " It \·Vas simplicit v
itself to fool you hufoons as Agen t X. The
real age11 t actun ll» died in an P.scapn just n
little w hi ln eml ier. Now I have the
disruptor. and I have vou. And wou ld vou
care to know w h at I am goi ng to do with
vou'~"
 Chapter Three

Turn 5: Kane carries on: "I am going to use
my new toy to utterly destroy the
Columbus Orgzone, starting with your
dreadful littlt! outpost. In the ruins of said
outpost , they shall find your bodies, with
information indicating you to be traitors
against the Orgs. Not only will you be dead.
c but vour names will be blackened for the
rest "or time!" Kane can't help hut chuckle
L and smile throughout his tirade.
Turn 6: (If there are any characters still
standing at this point, raise the Health
0 check Task Level to 30). "You shouldn't
mind being traitors to the Orgs-l've been
fl doing it myself for a while and it is rather
enjoyable!" He and the Air Marshal share a
Smash the Disruptor to pieces: Good idea
(grant an Experience Chip at the start of the
next chapter). However. the device will still
be repaired by Chapter 4 as well.
Take Om-Ka and Morke as hostages: If
Kane cared about the scientists, would he gas
them with the player characters?
Break down the doors: The doors to this
room have steel support bars in them. They
have a material strength of 30.
Insult Kane: This may be about the best
thing to do in this sit uation- good villains
respect moxie. Give the player character that
threatens Kane an Experience Chip at the
start of the next chapter.

K long. wicked laugh. If any characters arc

still standing, they automatically fail a Winging It. Pt. V:
s Health check in turn 7. As blackness douds
over their senses. the last thing they hear is
uoh Ho! They Eluded
Kane's laughter ringing in their ears. My Foolproof Plan1··
& Player fictions That's the problem \•vith role-playing games-
there 'soften something you haven't thought
The whole purpose of this encounter is to of that the players will use to keep their
get the characters caught in an inescapable characters alive. What if. despite everything
trap. and allow Killer Kane to brag about said earlier. they shoot a hole in the armory
D his plans. However, there is a rule of thumb
about inescapable traps-they are rarely
roof or interior walls (material strength 20,
but only requiring one shot). letting much of
fl fatal, since that 's not very sporting. It's OK
to create inescapable traps to capture player
the gas ourt Whatever the tactic. something
happens that allows them to escape the trap
Ci characters, but not if they only end the
characters' lives. Villains in the BUCK
in one piece. What do you do now?
No problem. In this adventure , they still
Ci ROGERS®Adventure Game create traps to
humiliate and frustrate their foes, not kill
have to get ou t of the armory with 10 Mongol
soldiers armed with swords and gas grenades
E them. After all, if they're dead , who is left
for th e villain to pro;e his or her
at each entrance! And if they get past these
guys and into the clear? Just ignore Chapter 4
superiority to? and go directly to Chapter 5. If your players
R are good enough to get past these odds, they

s Player Character Options

Player characters rarely take things quietly, so
here are a fe"v expected actions:
Break the Metaloglass Shield: It has a
material strength of 20 but the transparent
metal is very th ick. It will need three
suc:c:essful strikes in the same location to
shatter it. On the second successfu l strike. the
Air Marshal wi ll grow c:oncerned and press a
stud on his chair-arm. The entire throne with
Kane will s ink into the dais, \·vhich will closi,:
deserve a reward, not one more set of
encounters.
Remember, we all play games for fun and
having your heroes trapped is frustrating. If
players break the odds and the heroes escape,
don't get angry about the ruined trap-have
the villains swearing revenge and mayhem
with wilder tactics each time until the heroes
lie at their feet! Pick up the action at the next
available spot and increase the dangers due to
the villain's rage!

·.·
over it in a tight seal.
Use The Disruptor Ray: Quick glances at
the disruptor show that the ray's electronics
are a mess. and it would take several hours to

Jf;.

"
fix them into a workable shape.

24
CiM·s Tool Box
Encounter 4A
Maps: Mongol Armory Map:
Area AA
Standups: Wong
Combat Stats & Info: World.
pg. 26
Encounter 48
Map: Mongol Armory Map:
Area G (Om-Ka Zari!. Morke Ka-
Lono), Area H (Kane, 4 Mongol
soldiers)
Standups: Kane. Morke Ka-
Lono, Om-Ka Zori l; 4 Mongol
standups (have all read y as
supplemental guards)[)
Combat Stats & Info: World.
pg. 18.25.27.28
Synopsis
Encounter 4A: PCs are
imprisoned by Killer Kane
and are rescued by Wong.
the real Agent X.
Encounter 48: The heroes make
another attempt at stealing
the disruptor weapon.
4fl. THE CELL
Setting: The Mongol Armory. Area AA
After a long period of dreamless sleep. you awaken
in the dark. You have the feeling of deja vu, like this
has happened to you before in some other place--
the cave! You fell victim to a gas attack again!
Compared to your present surrou ndings.
however. the cave looks inviting. You and your
companions arc in a straw-lined cell. bare other
than the most basic necessities. The on ly light
comes from the hall way. through a small iron-
barred window.
You sec your companions stirring arou nd you in
the cell. What is your character doing'?
The player characters arc imprisoned after falling
victim to a gas attack. Those who stayed awake long
enough know what Kane is plann ing and can fill in the
others. All of the characters' weapons and gear. except
for clothes. have been stripped from them and stashed
somewhere else. Where c:an the characters go from here?
Give the players a few attempts to break out on their
own. The door and walls have a 35 material strength to
keep dangerous (and strong) individuals under lock and
key. Picking the lock may succeed with a successful
Very Hard (30) Aim check (Dexterity adds + 1 die).
Now is a good time for GMs to grant player characters
Experience Chip awards to the characters who
performed First Aid on Wong or threatened Kane in the
face of death. Any other earned Experience Chips can
be awarded now as well at the GM's discretion.
There are no guards in the hallway-in fact. it is
curiously quiet.
Player Actions
Only one of two things will happen: the characters will
break out of the cell on their own . or they will be
rescued from imprisonment by Wong. the rea l Agent X.
If the characters break out of their cell. bv anv
means. read the following a loud: · ·
The door swings open Idescribe method of esca pe
here to fi t into text]. and vou look out into the
hallway. You see a lone figure in a Mongol
uniform. walking towards your cell with a ring of
keys. He smi les as he sees you- it's the wounded
Mongol soldier you saw earl ier!
With a grin. he says "Gee. I brought the keys. but
I see you couldn 't wait. In a h urry to join up with
the other creatures of the night?"
25
 If the player characters are foiled in all
attempts to ~1scape. read thP. follmving:
What little light you have dims as a
shadow passes in front of the small
window in the door. You all look up and
see thP. smiling face of a Mongol soldier.
He looks familiar- in fact. he \Vas the
wounded soldier vou encountered
earl ier. He holds tip a ring of kc~rs.
"Have you out in a minute." he says.
"This isn't a healthy p lace for c rP.aturcs
of the night like ~1 ourselves. ··
Meeting thv Rval flgvnt X
In both c:ast~s. it is the true Agent X ("But ~1ou
c:an ca ll me Wong"). Wong has been working
on the s ly for MacGregor through the
n~hel l ious Golden Dragons Society ("Not all
Mongols agree with thn Emperor and his Air
Marshal toadies."). He had been captured bv
Kam~ and the codes wern tricked out of him
through hypnosis.
Wong's attitude depends on how he was
treated earlier by the heroes. If the pla~1 er
characters refused to aid him. h e is ca utious
and withdrawn. If the pla~1cr characters gave
him Firs t Aid. he is friendl v and o utgoing. If
the playP.rs took a shot at him in his wounded
state. he will be irritated ('Tm 011!~1 helping
you because you're against Kane and Ka-Flui.
Once thev're done. so are we!"). This is an
effect pla.yers need to thin k about in role-
playing: One's actions ver~' often have
consequences. In this case. the player
chMacters eithP.r gainP.d or lost a trnsty al ly.
Mission Status
Wong hHs good ne\>\ s and lmcl nuws. Th ..! good
1 shP.) does. HowP.vP.r. \!Vong (like any NPC) has
11f)WS is that the weapon is still down in the
main hall. The had news is that the scient ists
am almost dune fixing it. and can dcla>' no
longer. with Kane watching them like hawks.
If the ch<lracters have treated Wong well. he
\•v iii tdl them that the scient ists arc also
members of the Colden Dragons Society. and
thcv should not be harmed: if thcv surrender.
the\' mean it. Othcnvisc. he will 1.10t trust the
pla~'cr characters to treat hi s fellow Golden
Dragons well and w ill not s hare thei r secret.
26
Equipment
All of tlrn characters· gear is stornd in tlrn
adjoining c.ell. Kane wanted it kept nearby so
he c:ould bP. surn their bodies WP.re properly
dressed for tlrn massacre. This includes
jumping belts (and three spare belts) and
rocket pistols. Tim guards are at their norma l
posts and no one ~·ct kno ...vs that the player
characters are free .
Player Character Options
There am only t\.vo feasible options open to
the heroes:
• The player c haracters can make a full
escape with their knowledge (and
without the weapon): or
• The player characters c.cm attempt to
steal the now-functioning disruptor
weapon from Ki ller Kane and his Mongol
a llies.
If the heroes choose the first option. they will
arrive at the Orgzone outpost just in time for
the events in Chapter !1. If they are going to
s teal thn disruptor. move on to Encounter 48.
Winging It, Pt. VI:
What How, Mr Wong?
Remembe r that the game is for the player
c haracters. not the NPCs. The decisions of the
characters are up to the players. While a non-
playP.r charac:tP.r can suggP.st an option. this
should not become a habit for the NPCs to
lead the the pla~1 crs to following their lead.
In tlrn casP. of Wong (a ncl Lt. Gilda. to a
lesser degree earlier). we have a character
who is familiar w ith the surrounding world
and its people. and competent in what h e (or
limits. If the players are in a t ight spot and
turn to Wong to rescue them again. Agent X
will merely shrug and say. "Hey. I'm the spy.
That hero-s tuff is your department."
If the playl~rs are relying on Wong to tell
them what to do. vou (the GM) can send him
off on anotlrnr mission ('Tm going lo see if I
can gum up the broadcast power generators
in Ka-Flui's airship-wish me luck!") and
have him leave the sctme quick l ~'· He's a good
supporting character. and can act to aid them
in their hour (and combat turn) of need.
48. GE 11 IHG THE GUH
Setting: The Mongol Armory. Areas c; & H
The scene here is almost identical to the
one earlier. If you need to. read the following
to the pla~1 ers aloud:
You see the large. central room of the
armory again. Its ·w alls are still ham. and
the table still rests in the cunter o r the
room . However. tllfl two Mongo l
scientists arc wiping their hands and
fornheads . hacking a\>vay from t he table
and ·what appears to he the rebuilt
disruptor weapon!
Ki ller Kane is sP.atnd on the tall-lrnc:ked
throne on th e dais. flanked bv four
guards armed with swords. The>' look
expectantly at Kane. and he waves them
back. stand ing at the throne to gaze down
at the terrible weapon o f the past. You
see that a line of lights along the side of
the weapon is glm·v ing green. Everyone is
so intent on the w1iapon that no one has
noticed vour en trance.
What ·arn your characters doing'?
GM Setup
Tools & Props
Plac~1 Morke Ka-Lono·::: and Om-Ka Zoril's
standups one square each awav from Arna
G. and place an Experience Chip on the
Area G mark to represent the disr uptor
weapon and the table. Kane ·s standup
shou ld b~i on the throne at Area H. and the
fo ur Mongo l sold ie rs should fill tlrn rest or
the squares on the dais except the square
beh ind the throne.
Dcrscriptions
This should be familiar terri torv to the
players and tlrn GM->1011 just lil'lo a batt le in
this area. Hern am the important differences:
Tlw Metalo!jlass Shield: Thi: mctaloglass
shield around the throrlll is not in position. It
will take a full combat turn tu raise after Kane
hits the appropriate button on t he arm of the
27
throne. Kane wil l not hit the button unt il his
bod~1 guards are off the da is tu engage the
drnracters. The shiP.ld is f11ll~1 in p lac:H b~1 the
P. IHI of tllll second combat turn.
Tire Mongol Giumls: The guards 1;vi ll all
rush fo rward tu e ngage in mclee w ith those
threaten ing their master. Killer Kane. The>'
fan out to avoid all getting caught in rocket
pistol fire . and two of them move toward
Arna G to protect the disruptor.
Tho Gas 'frap: The gas trap still works. but
wi ll not be used unt il K i l l 1~r Kt'l1H·l is safelv
behind tlrn mntaloglass shield . Also. it is -nO\.V
ddm1t1-id P.asily by tlw preca ution of keeping a
door propped open: resis ting the gas in this
wav reduces the Hea lth Task Level to 10.
TlrP. Monf.lol Scientists: T he Mongol
scientists s till surrnnder. and they prompt!>'
h it the deck if weapons arc fired. During an~'
combat. t hev Irv to move as far from tlrn hattl1~
ns possib le. ·bui do not flee from thP. cen tral
room. T hey would appreciate it if the p la»m
characters took tlrnm wi th them (Timm arc
spam jumping belts in area CC .. . ).
Tire Disruptor Ruy: Tlw disruptor is now
opmationa l. Anyone picking it up will hear
the waverv voice of Morke Ka-Lono
(whernver he is in the room) shout .. Be
carefu l! It's ver>' delicate and it might break
nfter one shot! ..
Player fictions
Obviouslv. time is of absolute essence in this
sc1rnario."Oon·t give the p lnyfirs morn than 15
seconds to d1~cide ·what t he~' are going to do
in t he first combat turn. Irs t i nH~ fo r quick
decisions. or Killer Karn~ mHv turn the
disruptor on >'011! •
Through-out the combat. urge the p lavcrs
on \•v ith a s1rnse of urgency. through the need
for quick decisions during their combat t u rns
and the tone of vour voice (if vuu sound
thrilled and tense and hurrierl. the plnyHrs
will p ic k up t his parn and it adds more
cxcitm111mt to the game). Stress the
importanct? of escaping with the weapon (and
mavbP. tlrn scientists) before rei nforc:cnrnnls
arriH!. Murke Ka-Lono m ight sa~' something
to I he effect of .. We 111 ust flee! KalH-! lrns
s u mmoned rninforc1rnrnnts! .. The idea is to
get the characters out of there. not have a
climact ic battle <1g<1i nst the traitorous Kane.

Player Character Options
The player r.hamcters nttnr.k Kane: If Kane
is attacked. he only responds in mclec
combat. using his APs to escape through the
eastern door. The Mongol soldiers wi ll cover
his escape. If he gets out of a pursuing
character's s ight. he gets away.
If the player characters don't us€? the
disruptor to carve a new escape route out of
the area, they only have to deal with 10
Mongo ls attacking from Area A and the 4
guards in the room already. The remainder
arc on the Han airship for Encounter 5.
~r the player characters are defeated: They
are treated for wounds and thrown back in
the prison. where they can try this all again a
few davs later. Thev shouldn't fail. but there 's
always· the chance:If nothing else. they find
that their skirmish ruined the disruptor and
they're st ill fixing it.
A player character picks up the disruptor:
A player character can sprint from the
western door and pick up the disruptor by
spending 3 APs; he or she must then wait
until next turn to act again (unless
Experience Chips are spent). The disruptor
costs 2 APs to fire. like an~' heavy weapon.
The disruptor is remarkably light. despite
its size and bu lkiness. Morke Ka-Lono veils a
warning to you (see above). His warning is
correct: the wielder will have one shot ·with
this toy. then it will need repairs. When it is
fired. read the following aloud to the firer.
There is the crack of thunder. and the air
around vou reverses. like a color
negative. A dazzling bolt of blue flame
lances from the muzzle of the disruptor.
and the recoil nearly knocks you off your
feet. Everything vanishes before the bolt
of blue ions. which surges like a tornado
through its target. Ovnr the roar of
energy. you hear the ddicatc crash and
tinkle of something within the machine.
like shattering crystal.
The power (and delicacy) of this \·v capon
can't be underestimated. It vaporizes
everything in a 10-foot wide path starting
from its location to one mile away.
28
What happens to the surroundings? Give
me a direction to fire!
At the roof: Goo<lbye roof! A large hole
appears. suitable for anyone with a jumping
belt to escape through.
At the front gotes: Goodbye doors and
~1our "impenetrable" osmodium stee l gates
too! Trees are fel led and catch fire a mile
aw av.
Iri a random dimction: The complex gains
a new 10'-wide opening.
Downwards: A very deep. 10·-\·vide well is
created to an underground stream. Anyone
i..vho falls down it w ill be swept several miles
away before swimming to safety.
At Killer Kane: Killer Kane will Buv a
Break (see Rules. pg. 32). though it appears
like he and his throne disappear in a bolt of
blue thunder. Kane will not be back in this
adventure if this happens. When he does
reappear (and he will reappear). he'll gloat
that he escaped through a passage beneath
the thron e. Oh. and he'll be sure to remind
the heroes of the grief they caused him
here.
Results
1 Experience Chip Awards:
• For the character who escapes the prison
without Wong's aid : and
• For characters that let the Mongol
scientists escape Kane and accompany
them (getting spare jumping belts for
them gains an additional Chip).
2 Experience Chip Awards:
• For all characters if they escape the
Armory with the disruptor:
• For all characters if they force Killer
Kane to Buy a Break and thereby taking
him out of the game (whether by the
disruptor or other weapons); and
• For the disruptor usflr if it isn't fired
direct ly at human targets (Mongol
guards. Karn~ . etc:.).
Allocate Experience Chips as the heroes
flee the site. A look backwards indicates that
their trouble isn't over yflt: a great Mongol
Raider is settling to the ground behind the
armor~'· taking on troops to pursue. The
player characters will have the Mongols right
on their tails when they get home!
( Chapter five
1
GM s Tool Box
Encounter 5A
Maps: Outdoors Map: Areas
G. H. I (Org entrances. Org
soldiers). Area J (Aerodrome.
Doc Huer. Om-Ka Zoril. Morkc
Ka-Lono . Wong. PCs) . Areas K.
L. M (Gilda. MacGregor. Org
soldiers): Arca F (Han airship).
Areas B. E (Mongols)
Standups: Gilda . Doc: Hu er.
Comdr. MacGregor, 7 male Org
soldiers. 3 fema le Org soldiers.
6 bip lane cards: Wong. Morke
Ka-Lono. Om-Ka Zoril: Killer
Kane (if s till in play). Ka-Flui.
10 Mongol sold iers. 6 Bad
Bloods (as Mongols), Han
airship card
Combat Stats & Info: World.
pgs. 18. 20. 22. 25. 27. 28. 30:
Rules. pg. 24
Encounter SB
Role-Play On ly
Synopsis
Encounter 5A: This is the final
assault against the
Columbus Orgzone outpost
for control of the
disruptor!
Encounter 58: The epi logue a nd
Buck' speech .
)
Sfl. Raid on Columbus
Setting: The Columbus Orgzone Outpost
OK. this is the big wrap-up ! The final reel in tlrn
picture! The wholH 1rnc:hilada! The battle of the
century! Wel l. that's how it shou ld be pitched to the
pla~1ers. Tlw player c:harac:ters should Im on the way
back from the armor~' and this takes place 10 minutes
after thev arrive.
The characters start this scenario at area J. just
reaching the Aerodrome scant minutes before.
hopefully with the weapon. Read the following to the
players:
After leaping at top speed. you arrive back at the
Org. exhausted but triumphant. MacGregor
himself greets you. and congratulates you on
capturing the ·weapon. Doc Huer asks to see it:
wh il e concerned that it seems broken. he is sure it
can be repa ired.
Your celebrat ion is short-l ived. however. for
scouts immediately report that a la rge Mongol
armed force has b1~e n spotted to the north and cast.
led b~r a Han airship. Apparently the Mongols want
their an tique back . and don't care who or what
they hawi to destroy to get it! Worse, the Outpost
is at reduced manpower-even though they now
have biplanes. th ey have no trained pilots to fly
them!
The player characters are at the Aerodrmrn'! , and any
who \·v ish to take a bip lane aloft arc allO\·vcd to do so-
there are up to s ix biplanes availahlfi. The planes will
othen.v ise he destroyed . so MacGregor w ill allow the
heroes to u1->e them. It's u p to the heroes to down the
Mongol Raider and save the Outpost!
~c -~. ~'\...
...........
29
 [ Chapter five
GM Setop
Tools & Props
Arca G. H. and I are all 1mtrances to the
underground Org instal liltion. Eilch en trnnce
has one guard each at its Area mark.
Area I is the now operat ional i\P.rodrornP.
for the insta llation. and it serves as a starting
place for the player characters and the
scientists. Simply place a 4 inch square over
the J ma rk. placing the scientists' standups
vvithin its boundaries. All other s tandups arc
placed outside the "Aerodrome ...
Arca Fis the starting location for the He1n
Airship. Wlrnn the tinm comes. put the front
uf the Han ship card directly to the righ t of
the F mark (the disintegrator beam is tra ined
on Arna F. marked by a n Experience Chip).
Areas Band E will be the stl'lrting positions
of the Mongol Troopers (use the Uad Ulood
counters as well) . Thev will be \Vithin three
hexes of either locat io1i a t start.
Descriptions
This is going to become IP.ss of a sN:t ion for
itemizing facts for the GM to rnvmil to the
players in long descriptions. Think of
yourself (the GM) as a rc1dio reporter. tHlling
tlrn story as it happHns. The players c:an 't sne
what's going on until you tell them. but the~·
also don't see everything at once. Revealing
the scene piecemeal also adds to some of thn
nxc:itcrncnt. as man~' different things happen
at once and pla~1 crs need to track on all of it.
The Mongols will be led by Killer Kane (if
he is stil l in p lay) or h>' Air Marshal Ka-Fl11i.
Their tac:tir.s are similar to those from Chapter
:L: Crub1! over tht! site and inflic t damage. The
Mongol disintegrator canno n beam s tarts atop
<1rea F and moves three spaces per turn along
with the airship (it can be pointed at any
squan: adjacent to the airship's front squares).
The cannon fire will be trained on Arca J first
to destroy the Aerodrome again. After that.
Areas G. H. and I become targets. as the Han
airship gunners attP.mpt to s<~a l tlw
underground entrances tu the Orgs a nd trap
the soldiers here. The ground troops am to
slav as manv enemies on the su rface as
possible. ·
•
' .
I
30
J
The Han airship remains 600 feet up in the
air (long range for the disintr.grator). so high
that someone with an lnertron belt cannot
rnach it from the ground . Stress that it cannot
be reached by j11mping /i·om tht> gro11nd. See
"Player Clrnrnr.ter Options" for some ideas
that may pop up.
Special Situations: The Disruptor
If' the ployP.r chorocters recovered the
disrnptnr from the nrmor:v: It is brok1m . flitlrnr
through use ur just the rough handling
needed to carry it back. ll will need repairs
before it can be u sP.d again.
Doc Hum will need tim1: to repair the
disruptor. and the c harac ters have to get him
some time. It will take six turns to get the
disrnptor int o working order. ll only takes
Doc four turns if Morke Ka-Lono a nrl Orn-Ka
Zoril <1rn helping. If a player charactP.r with
Electronist skill aids them . and the player
makes a successfu I Hard (25) Bra ins check.
tlrn amount of tinrn \·v ii i hH halved (threP.
turns for Huer. two turns for Hucr and the
scien tists). If successfully repaired. the only
important target o n the field for the disruptor
is the Mongol Raider.
If Ki/for Kerne hos th P. disruptor: It will be
nrnuntml on th P. front of tlw Han airship.
insll?ad of thn forward disintegrator. and it
will be used against the first plane that
at tacks it. It w ill utt e rlv destroy the
bip la1rn. and its occupi111t(s) mt1st makP.
Ver~' Hard (:30) Health checks to avoid being
vaporized. After one shot. the weapon will
be useless.
~(no one hns the disruptor: If it was
destroyed in a previous section. ignore all
re ferences to the weapon in the text. and
cha nge thn "read-aloud" sections
acc:ording l ~'·
Player Actions
Run the combat as we have done before: Ask
what each playt1r is doing in turn. Some may
want to havn biplanes. and somP. may ask
wish to lead a ground assault. In the latter
case. give th ese pla~1 er characters brevet
(that's a field promotion) Captain's rank and a
few of the remaining Org soldiers .
 ( Chapter five
Player Character Options
Ployer clwmcters in biplones: If thP.
c harac te rs •..vish to lake to the air and deal
directly against the Han a irship. they can get
airborne with n o diffic ultv a t al l. Thev can
get airborne and all bipl anes can be piaced
between Areas K and L north of the
Aerodrome. heading toward the airship.
• Firing on Han airship: Gunners on ly
n eed lo roll Average (15) Aim checks to
h it th e airs hip. but they have to s ubtract
4 dice from the roll because of the ship's
Armor. Remember that single pilot
planes cannot maneu ver or change
direction if they fire during that tum.
• Firing on grouncl troops: Gunners need
to roll 16 or greatf1r on A im checks to hit
Mongo l troops (sec the Special Combat
Rules). However. doing this will attract
the attentio n of the ai rship and it \·Viii
attempt to shoot the biplane down w ith
its fore and aft disintegrator cannons.
• Lf~aping onto Han airship: Sonrn playf?rS
may get the bright idea to jump from
biplanes onto the airship. Th is is
permi tted. and is an Above Average (20)
Aim check. An y character on top of thP.
airship will be confronted by fi ve
Mongol soldiers a nd e ither Kane or Ka-
Flui. armed with S\·v ords.
• Crashing biplane against the airship: A
last-ditch effort. to be s ure. but effective!
This is a 36 point attcic k on the ai rs hip;
even with a successful lntmnal Strength
roll. a 10'-wide hole is left at the point of
impact. Player characters must make
Abovf? Average (20) Aim c:hc~cks to leap
oul of the plane safely. or else they need
Hea lth c hec ks against a 36 poi nt
P.xplosio n!
Player characters hwdin8 2rou nd troops:
Player charac te rs a re g iven Org sold iers to
c:ommancl: combat oc:c:urs normally. exc:ept
players control more than one c haracter. Tho
GM should di vide any unplaced Org sold ie rs
among thP. ground-basP.cl he roP.s for thei r
troo ps. Everyone gets a gas grenade and an
explosive grenade from MacGregor. and is
sent into batt le ! A ll standups s ta rt w ithin five
squares of Arca J. Good luck!
31
)
Results
The disJ'llptor is repaired: A likely
concl us ion is that Hucr and his helpe rs vvill
get the d isruptor repaired and b low the
Mongol Ra ider ou t of the s ky. Thi s t ime.
however. the w eapon itself will be utter I~,
destroyed and irre pa irable. With the loss of
the Mongol Ra ider. the remai ning troo ps
s urrender. Ki ller Kane a nd Ka-Flui both Buv a
Ornak and are merely captured. hoping to ·
breAk fret? and re turn to fight a not her day.
The disJ'llptnr isn't repnirnd: A possible
conclusio n is that Huer never gets the d()vice
or nev1:r get s its working. It is possible lo
bring down a Mongol Raid er \.Vi th the planes.
or even wit h a s ingle c h aracter who lnaps
onto it and cripples it \·Vith a lucky rocket
pistol shot. Again. with the loss of the
Mongol Raider. the remaining troops
surrender.
T he Han oirship is destroyed: Wlrnn thP.
Mongol Raider is destroyed . read the
following text to the players:
A s eries of exp los ions rock the ma mmoth
11irsh ip. a nd firns brnak out along its
lm1gth. Mongol crewmen tumble o ut of
the craft. many fo iling into a nearb:v lake.
Wa te rsoa ked Mongo ls s urre nder to the
Org forces as the grea t s hip fall s burning
to Earth .
The Mongol ground forces sec the
df:slruction of their air cover and throw
d own their now-useless weapons. They
surre nder without a fight. Thn battln has
l>Fmn won. and lhF1 Org is savnd.
Thern is a new sound. suddenlv. from
the east. A small squadron of bi pianes
clears the ridgel ine ancl c irc:IP.s tlw
burning cra ft. Thei r markings arc those o f
MacCregor's Niagaran Air Cuarcl . The~'
turn and h ead for the Aerodrome.
The bip lanes c:omfl to a bumpy
landing. and a tall, good-looking ~r oung
man cl imbs out of the lead bipl<lne. He
wal ks up lo you and pulls off h is he lmet.
revealing ::;a nd~' brow n hair and a qui i.:k
smile. "Iii! I'm Duck Rogers. I've heard a
lot about you. a ncl h av 1~ bP.en looking
forward to meeting you . Seems you fo lks
didn't need our help aft nr all. eh'("
( Chapter Five )
The player characters and allies seem
defeated: An unlikely cond us ion. though still
possible. is that the biplanes are all
destroyed. the Mongol Raider remains
unharmed. the disruptor is never repaired.
and all the player characters are knocked out
of action. At this point. it's time to c.:all in the
cavalry. Read the fo llowing to the players:

All looks its darkest when. suddenlv.

there is a new sound. a whirr of engines.
A new detachmen t of biplanes r:rests the
riclge-line and fa lls upon the Han airship.
The Mongol craft's disintegrator cannons
lash back and forth to no avail. The
biplanes arc under the command of a
skilled squadron leader. and they quickly
ridclle its length with rocket fire.
Fires break out in several places at
once and explosions rock the craft. The
great Mongol airship sinks to the ground.
like a wouncled giant, as its crew leaps to
safety. Th e ground forces of the Mongols
quail at the sigh t and surrender.
The biplanes come to a bumpy landing
bv the Aerodrome. and a tall. handsome
~1oung man climbs out of the lead plane.
He walks up to you and pulls off his
hel met, reveali ng sandy brown hair and a
dean smile. "Hello, I'm Buck Rogers. I've
heard a lot about you, and have been
looking forward to meeting you. It sure
looks like 1 picked a good time to visit!"

This version is much less satisfying for the

p layers. but it docs ~md the entire adventure
on an positive note. If you want the p layer
characters and their allies to go down
fighting. tragit; heroes to the end. that's your
choice as the Game Master, but don't expect
your players to be too gung-ho about playing
too often after this ...

Experience Chips should be awarded as

indicated on page :n of the Rules Book. The
player that destroys the Mongol Raider gains
an addit ional two Chips. However. no Ch ips
are gained for disabling the disruptor. since it
d estroys itself.

32
( Chapter Five )
The Epilogue:
Setting: The Columbus Orgzone Outpost

A day has passed s inc:P. thn hattle. and all

of tlrn involved Mongol troops haw~ llllcn
rounded up and disarmed. Th ~?i r leaders
are imprisoned and tlw disruptor
weapon has been recovered.
However. it isn't usable. Aft er about
!P.n homs of trying to fit it together aftnr
its last use. Doc Huer has th rown in the
towel. "Alas. it'll never work again. St ill.
it s energy-transfer systems am quite
int ernsting. and could be used to mon!
easilv manufacture lnmtron. Hmrn .... "
As for vou and vour comrades. there is
a small awards ceremonv. You am all
promoted to the rank o(Lieutenant
w ithin the Orgzone Confoderati on. and
arn invill~d to form a pernrnrwnt team of
operati ves to battle the Mongols. Buc k
Rogers himself awards each of ~1 ou a
medal fur valorous service. and invites
you to serve as a "Rocket Ranger" under
the Orgs' centra l command in Niagara.
"It is not an easv task ahead of us ."
savs Buc k to tlw assembl,~d audienc1~.
"And it •viii take nrnnv more battles to
finallv free America from the dutches of
lrnr irivaders. But as long as we have
warriors. scientists. and citizens like
these . w e can rest assured that with
patience. diligence. and hard work. we
CAN make that futurn happ1:m ."
The applause? of the audience
rnbounds off the distant hills.

Is That It? Is It Over?

No. it isn't over b~, a longs hut! Your
characters (and your players) havn onl y
begun their adv~rn turcs in the 25th Century.
Turn to page 36 for more ideas for us ing t bP.
BlJCK ROGERS': AdVfmturn l.amn Svstem
and how GMs (and even solo-p la~1 crs) ca n
c:reatP. their own thrill-packed action epics of
tlw 25th Century! Keep an e~1~1 out for future
support products for the BUCK ROGERS
Game-a ft P.r all. what's a good movie without
sequels. an~1 wa~1 ?

33
• .
.
( Appendix One )
Jeb Croger Otis J. Sanders Holly rtorth
Mine-Worker Government Agent Reporter

Abilities Abilities Abilities

Strength: BEST (5 dicP.) Strength: GOOD (3 dice) Strength: OK (2 dice)
Aim: OK (2 dice) Aim: OK (2 dic.:e) Aim: BETTER (4 dice)
Brains: GOOD (3 dice) Brains: BETTER (4 dice) Brains: BETTER (4 dice)
Health: BETTER (4 dice) Health: REST (5 dicP.) Health: BETTER (4 dicti)

Skills Skills Skills

Brawling (Strength) Dexterity (Aim) Contacts (Brains)
Hardy Individua l {Health) First Aid (Brains) Constitution (Health)
Meclianic (Brains) Grappling (Stffmgth) Grappling (Strength)
Muscles (Strength) Indomitable Spirit (Hea lth) Gunpowder Weapons (Aim)
Throwing {Aim) Will to Live (I lealth) Nimble (Aim)

Equipment Equipment Equipment

Lighter Wallet \•Vith government A pack of gum (fi sticks)
Pocket Knife badge A makeup compact and
$2 in bills. 72 cents in change $6 in bills. 18 cents in change lipstick
Magnifying glass A small bottle uf perfume
Diamond 1mgagP.ment ring Notebook
Pencils (3)
Fountain pen
Small pistol with four bu llets
Experience
5 Experience Chips at Start

Experience
5 Experience Chips at Start
Rolcz-Playing Traits
Jeb is a strong, broad-
shouldered young man who
has worked since boyhood in
the mines of Westerri
Pennsylvania. Good-natured
and friendly, the bloncle-
haired Jeb is always more
than happy to help others. He
has a tendency to be
impulsive, and is morn
willing to use his fists than
his brains in combat.
Rolcz-Playing Traits
Lean, handsome Otis JosP.ph
Sandt-!rs is a mid-level
inspector and functionary for
the Bureau of Mine Safety. He
knows many people in other
branches of the government.
though. and is often off
''doing favors" and offering
advice for other branches as a
consultant. He has a joking,
kind nature. but is dead ly ·
serious about the safetv of
others. • markswo man. she knows Iha!
Otis was planning to pro-
pose to his intended the
evening after this mine
inspection. but he missed the
elate by over 500 years ! (If the
GM and players use these
charactP.rs. Lt. Gilda might
bear some startling resem-
h lancP. to Otis' lost love ... )
Ex.pczricznce
5 Experience Chips al Start
Role-Playing Traits
A hard-driving. independen t
woman. Hollv North is a
reporh=?r \•vith-a nose for news
and a insatiable curios ity
about new ideas and •
inven tions. An accomplished
a gun and a kind word gets
her more answers morn often
than just a kind word. She
also knows when to flatter
her subjects to draw out more
information. Her wild.
mischievous nature makes
her oftP.n takP. risks and P.ntcr
into dangerous situations.

34
( fippendix One
Victor Slane
Former Pi lot
Abilities
Strengt h: BE'nI::R (4 clirn)
Aim : nETTER (4 clim)
Brains: OK (2 die<!)
Health: 8ETl'ER (4 d ict?}
Skills
Airborne? Co mbat (/\ im)
Da rncl1!v i I (Aim)
Encluranc:n (I lna lth}
Kni fe (Strnngth)
Pilot ing (An;iins)
Equipment
80\\'ic knift> (in boot )
Brass knuckles
Lea lhe r jackt!l
Pistol \\'il h I !i extra hullnts
Experience
!1 Expori<mc:o Chips at Sta rt
Role-Playing Traits
An accomp lislwd pilot who
s1?rv1!d in World \Vnr I. Victor
Slane has ho1111c:nd around
from job to sinr.n tlwn. snn ·ing
as a barnsl1Jrn1Cr. i n\"l!St igato r.
and pt-!rso1rn l pi lot. But
nothing has given him th1~
same thrill as taking tu the air
against a truP. fm!. and risking
his lifo in the sm\'i c:e o f his
c:a usn.
He's c:urrc ntl~· tlw personal
pilnt irncl hod>-gt1ard In C:loria
Tuesda~-. clcsµitc her protests.
Hnr fothm signs his pa>·dwi:k.
so Im s ticks lo lrnr likt! gl11n.
O f cou rse. tlwn: could \11:
another rnason .... . .
)
Dr. fimadeos Triest Dr Gloria Tuesday
Scie ntist El ectronics Spt?c inlis t
Abilities Abilities
St rength : OK (2 dic:n) Strength : GOOD (:l dice)
Aim: OK (2 dirn) Aim: OK (2 dicP.)
Bra ins: BEST (!l di c:n) Bra ins: BEST (!l d ir.e)
Health: REST (:;dice) Health: BETTER (4 dice)
Skills Skills
Broadcast Technologist (Brnins) Brnwli ng (Strrmgth)
IJnxl~!r i t\· (Aim) Dllxlnrit\· (Aim)
Crappli1ig (Strnngth) Firs t 1\icl (Urains)
Roliotisl (Brains) Elnctronist (nrains)
\Viii In I.in~ (HmdthJ End u ranrn (I !Haith)
Equipment Equipment
Lahcoat \\'ith cl1!1?p pockets Pmse \\'ith S:.12 in hills
Sc rc\nJri \·er Leather glo,·cs
Sma II \\Trnu:h A pocket Ill i rror
\Vim c:11 1t ers and a loop nr wirn NP.ndlc-nosml pl inrs
. to his lahnrnto n. ·
Kt?\"S
Experience
:i Experience Chips at Sta rt
Role-Playing Traits
Rri ll iant if s light I v 1!<:c1!nlrii:.
IJr. Tri1!sl is 01w of th n 11e1tion's
cxp1irts in li?ading-cdgn tnc:h-
Experience
nolog>'· inc:luding tlw nxpnri- !) ExpHrirn1c:n Chi ps al Stmt
mnntal subjects or robots nnd
liroadc:ust tcc:hnolog>-. Thesn
am rngarded as har111l1!ss and
Role-Playing Traits
1!cc:cntric branches of science t\ skilled olcc:lronics f!XpNI.
in 1 !129. mor(! s u itable! to pulp Dr. Tunsclm· is a tale nted and
111agazi1ws than rt?al rnsnarch dmi ng wo1:Id-t ravP. lnr. c; i ftP.d
jo urna ls. Dr. TriP.sl prnssP.s on . \\' il h Hn i11s<1liahln dnsirc to
confident that his rnhot-min - mako tlw world lmtter
t?rs (sti ll 011 tlw dra\\'i11g through lwr act ions. s he is
hoard) ,,·ill opnn 11p 111!\\" vis- just as at tiasf"! 011 a rP.linf
tas lo the future!. mission as in the lahoraton-.
Dr. Tricst h;1s an iso l:it f"! d Hnr oniridi ng concern for her
cabin in northern P1?nnsvlva- follo\\' humans o lkn lnads her
nie1 ,,·ith an undmgro1mcl lab into thn path of clanger. and
in it. He s till has the kc\·s. hut s h e is not abovn rcl>' ing on
al l thn hrndmarks lw k1iows tlw talon ts of tlrns<? c:apabi<? of
are gone. But his lah a nd hi s d1!a li11g i11 viol1? 11co (or
robots an: still thi:rn. arnn't ent ering tlw fra~· lwrsHIO if
I h t ! \·_.~ nnod hn.
35
( Appendix Two
Whew! The player characters have just
demolished the evil plans of the traitorous
Killer Kane and caused him to flee for his
life! '"What's next?" the players ask the Game
Master. Well. even though the preceding
adventure is the only one within this box.
there is a way to continue playing the BUCK
ROGERS®Adventure Game any time: design
vour own adventures!
• TSR will continue to publish adventures
and sourceboxes for BUCK ROGERS and the
HIGH ADVENTURETM game line. but what's a
GM to do when the players want to play
everv week'! Well. that's what this section is
all about: design simple adventures in
minutes and play them as often as desired.
Creating an adventure is easier than many
people think: it's simply a matter of pointing
your imagination in the right directions and
asking a few simple questions. Ready? Let's
make some excitement!
Designing Adventures
In the BUCK ROGERS Adventure Game. as in
other role-playing games (and other stories.
books. or movies), there are basic themes.
items. and methods that are crucial to any
adventure. No, no, no... don' t walk away now
expecting something long-winded and boring.
Let's look at how to build the skeleton of an
adventure. and then we'll see how we can
add those special touches that make it a
thrilling, action-packed BUCK ROGERS
adventure!
five Steps to Adventure
All anyone really needs to create a basic
adventure are five things:
• a conflict for heroes to solve or a goal
thev must reach:
• a vfllain responsible for stopping the
characters from reaching thn goal or
solving the conflict:
• a setting or grou p of settings and locales
that are both interesting to explore and
add flavor to the game:
• a supporting cast of othl!r non player
characters that eithl~r work with the
heroes toward their goals or work with
the villain against them: an<l
• gimmicks. traps. an<l other surprises lo
keep the player characters on their toes
and to add more excitemnnt to the game.
36
)
Conflict/Goal
This is the true heart of anv adventure, and it
serves as the best place to begin designing our
adventure. Two \•vays of approaching the core
of our scenario are to give the heroes a
problem to solve. or to give them some goal to
work toward. Whether the central focus is
based on conflict or is more peaceful. there's
always the potential for danger and
excitement.
In the 25th Century of the BUCK ROGERS
game. there is almost always some problem
that needs to be solved. Something is not
right with the world and it's up to the player
characters to use their skills to solve it.
Conflicts arc the easiest approach lo
designing adventures. because it's the
quickest way to get direct ly into action. The
players sec \.,•hat's wrong and move
immediately to fix it. Examples of conflict
based scenarios are:
• Buck exits the cave where he's slept for
500 years an<l is attacked by Bad
Bloods-immediate conflict!
• One of the Orgs is under attack by a
Mongol Raider; it's up to the heroes to
destroy the Han airship without crashing
it into the Org.
• Org agents report that a robot army is
advancing toward the city of Niagara and
must be stopped.
There are also other adventures types
where conflicts are secondary to a specific
goal in mind. These goal-oriented adventures
give the player characters chances to use their
noncombat skills and do some role-playing
rather than just fight the bad guys. Goal-
oriented scenario examples are:
• Wilma's biplane crashed outside Niagara,
but Wilma is missing, and Buck has lo
find her!
• The heroes have been sent out to a
Mongol stronghold with orders lo
destroy their broadcast power generator
before the Org forces send a full-scale
attack.
• The heroes must reach a remote Orgzone
and escort Doctor Hucr back to Niagara
with some new invention .
{ Appendix Two
Classic Plots
As you can probably guess. there are an infi-
nite number of core scenarios bevond the fev.•
examples above. Luckily for Gan1e Masters.
most adventures and scEmarios break down
into six easy-to-remember ' classic' plots:
• Rescue the Prisoner: The heroes must
rescue someone of importance from the
villain or the villain's al lies. In fantasv
games, this tends to be the ··rescue the
princess " plot. but in the BUCK
ROGERS®game, you could be raiding a
Han prison to help free captured
Orgzone soldiers.
• Retrieve the Object: The characters are
supposed to find i.I particu lar item.
Fantasy games oft en have the heroes
hired by a wizard to find magical doo-
dads: in tlrn 25th Century, the lives o f the
entire Orgzonc Confederation count on
the heroes find ing the plans to the
Mongols' new battle robot!
• Solve the Mystery: A mystery has come
up without an answer, and the heroes
must solve the puzzle. Fantasy adventur-
ers worry about "Why is this village
deserted?" In the BUCK ROGERS game.
heroes must discover "Who has been
sabotaging the Rocket Cruiser factories?"
• Protect the Subject: The player
characters must do everything to protect
a person or thing from harm. Fantasy
games offor such variety as being a
bodyguard to a noble or protecting an
item that must be d elivered to a wizard.
25th Century i.Jdvcnturers have many of
the same options. from protecting
important documents from sabotage to
keeping Orgzone d igni taries from harm.
• Stop the Invaders: This simple. conflict-
oriented scenario pits the heroes directly
against the villai ns in combat. protecti ng
some place the villains want destroyed.
In fan tasy settings. player characters
might defend their lord's castle during a
siege: in the BUCK ROGERS Adventure
Game, the heroes protect the Org fro m
attack.
• Destroy the Threat: There's a threat to
the region's safety and the heroes must
stop it. Heroes can fight armies of ores or
a dragon in fantasy worlds: for the 25th
Century. the heroes face tasks like
destroying a Mongol Raider or the Super
Powered Ray Projector!
37
)
Combining Goals, Conflicts & Plots
We i I, you've got the hasir: scenario of your
adventure established. but you don' t want to
run a quick, s imple game: you want a tangled
\•veb of intrigue, thrills. and danger! No prob-
lem! Simply combine two or more of the clas-
sic: p lots or other ideas to create a fuller, more
complicated adventure for your players to
enjoy.
A lot of times. the characters' goals change
during the course of an adventure due to their
actions and decisions. They may begin an
adventure trying to find a saboteur. but along
the way, they may uncover a plot by the same
saboteur to murder Colonel MacGregor: this
is a combinat ion of a "Mystery" plot which
changes into a "Protection" plot.
There's no reason why plot combinations
can't happen in groups of three or even more:
the only limitations are those that Game Mas-
ters set on themselves and their players. The
BUCK ROGERS Adventure Game is designed
for simple one-nigh t games that play qu ickly
and imitate the feel of a Saturday morning
movie scrii.11-danger at every turn. villains
who never say die. the excitement of the chase.
etc. Keep this in mind when constructing the
core scenarios of the adventure: you can com-
bine lots of plot ideas together to make an intri-
cate story. but make sure that there's always
some excitement. dm1ger. and suspense. or it's
not the 25th Century of Buck Rogers!
If you ever get stuck trying to come up with
a great plot for your latest adventure, steal
some ideas from someplace else! Think back
to vour favorite science fiction books. comic
books. or movies for story ideas that sparked
vour interest. The stories often still break
down to combi nations of the plots listed
above. but they'll give you other ideas on
how to twist them and make them different
and new (we'll get to this in "Gimmicks"
below). There's no lack for source material to
borrow ideas from out there--just be sure to
put in some of the basic elements mentioned
abovn to Hnsurc that the game has that special
BUCK ROGERS tou ch!
 { Appendix Two
Villain/Obstacle
1\ll right. you'vo c:hosnn ~1 our conflict or goal
and established a basic pint (or plots) around
it: now it's tinw to bring tlw \'ii lain on stag1! 1
This character or objnc:t is tho main obstac:IP
to prevent player characlCJrs from ad1icv i ng
their objcctivns. T lw c;anw Mnstnr should 11 s1~
a villain best suited tu slop heroes in tlwir
I racks.
Villains c:omo in all shapes. sizes. colors.
and tempers. If you <kcide .vou noml u ph \'si -
cally strung villain to give the heroes a tough
fight. look at Black Barncv as a n example. If
the adventure relics morn on planning and
cunning. Killer Kane or Anlala arc \Jetter
suit ed fo r the vil lain of thn scenario. Thnse arn
all just exam pins of tlw many grnat vi llains
alreadv cstablislwd in the BLICK ROGERS"
Game 'universe. but thev a1·en' t tlrn o nlv
01ws-all the GM has t(» do is crnate 1H.!W onns!
Creating a Villain
Just likP. c:rnating n pla~1 er c:haractor. the CM
must decide which abiliti1!s an~ th e most
important for the clrnr<1cter h1!i ng c:rnat1~cl. I lsn
thn "Crnating a Play1?r Charac:t1?1"' and the
"Equ ipment and Sundrios" s1?ctions of tlw
Rules book to design tho \'illain and all of his
or lwr stuff. If vuu're creating a major NPC
r'\\
r..::
. - "'
:J8
)
\'illain fnr ~·nur ganH-!S. tlw villain gnts some
Experi1!n<:c Chips: instead of gaining fiv1?
Chips likn player c haracl1!rs. mast P.r vi llains
start with thn?1! Chips. If tlw~, ·I'(! just fl unk ies
of anot lwr villain. likP. soldiers nr pirates.
th<!~· rlon't g<:I an~- Chips.
i\gain. keep in mind th1: t~: pe of character
vou need to mnkc tlw advcnllirl! work.
i>hvsicul lv tough c harac t1~rs arc great for
combat and tlw final c.linwctii: fight. hut tlwy
arnn 't great planners and can oft1?11 li1? heat1m
h~· smart pla~· er characlors. Cunning and
i11t el lig<!11t rues <1rc great. and an: more apt to
havi: lots of strong thugs ,,·orking for them:
tlw,· can bH vnn· skilled and l1!nd In be much
moi·c mo110111mi iaca l Ihan Ihe strong.
Whctlwr villa ins arn made or chosen. tlwv
all sham tlrns1? traits in thH BlJCK ROGERS ,
game:
. • a lll?ed to glont and boast auuut their
plans lo the lwroes. usua lly when tlw
lrnrnfls <!rt~ at th Hir mnrcy in a rleathtrap
of sorts (this is the\ hnllmark of tlrn
Satunla\· morning mo\· ic seria l villa ins):
• thn b~~ tief th<1t no onn <:<1 11 defeat tlrnm.
since tlwv "nrc the greatest I insert related
::;kill or profession here! in the world":
and
• a \\·1:a kiwss or \H:akness1?s that ca n bP.
11s1!d In ddn<1t tlwm (like Karn~ ·s je<1 lnusv
of Buck and his lorn for Wilma). ·
( fippendix Two
Setting/Locale
Now. with thP. basir. plot in plar.e anrl the
muin villuin c:hmmn , \.,•hut's next? Well, the
adventure needs to be placed within a locale
that can put some additional interest and
excitement into the scenario. The 25th
Century advent mes of Buck Rogers take place
across hu ndreds of different settings. each
with its beauties. dangers. and items of
int1m>.st. All the Camo Master has to do is
choose what type of settings are approp riate
to work into his or h1-1r adwmture.
Thme arn ahvavs bendits for villains to bo
"on their own tur"r." The setting can be rigged
with dangers that can surprise the characters
(see ''Gimmicks" belo\·v). It also allows th e
vi llain to relv on anv hidden NPCs for his or
her allies (setting the guards on the player
characters. releasing the animals from a pen.
etc.). Most of all. knowledge of the
surroundings lets the villain "Buy a Break"
(see Ser.lion fi of the Rules Onnk) with a verv
plausible exr.usP. for esr.aping.
Make sure that the locations add
someth ing of a unique twist to the scene. All
it takes is altering one of the basic
P.xpectations of thn players and moving it to
an urnixpccted pluc:e. For example. Dr. Huer
is a prisoner uf the Mongols. Exciting. right'?
Well, change the sett ing so he's imprisoned
on board a Mongol Kaiclcr: the slight twist in
the setting from tlrn land to tlw air adds a
new clement o f danger and suspense to the
advent ure. sinc:n thn p layer c haracters must
)
now sneak onto and off of a Han airship w ith
the prisoner-a much more diffir.ult and
certainly morn exdting task than the original
prison break!
Things have certainly changed on Earth
since the 20th Cent ury. so use those changes
to acid some new thrills to the world and to
your adventures. KP.ep in mind that much of
American and Cam1dian civilization was
razed during the initial Mongol invasion , so
much of what is familiar to the 20th Century
native is long si n ce destroyed or in ruins: the
highways are ovmgrown rubble: the sewer
systems of any city are now tw isted.
dangerous tunnels leading to some
subterranean Orgs: and such public: places
likP. shopping malls and zoos have either
become havens for many wild animals or the
homes of the Dad Bloods. If your players are
interested in seeing a number of new sights in
25th l.entury America, here arc some places
to send them:
• The Grand Canyon has become a
· shipyard and staging area for Han
airships. The Mongols' security is lax
due to t heir remote location and the high
mesas and deep r.anyons.
• Off the coast of the island of Hawaii.
New Pearl Harbor floats above the waves.
This is a large Mongol-constructed
domed city held aloft by rcpcllor beams.
and is ono of the principal vacationing
spots for the Mongol Emperor and his
court.
• Long abandoned as a prison. Alcatraz
Island in San Fran r.iso's hav is a little
known safehousti for OrgzO'nc soldiers
and th eir allifls. It also serves as an
armory for the local Orgzones.
• The Everglades Orgzones are among the
best clefendP.d communities. due to the
dense foliage and swampland that makes
it diffir.ult for tho Mongols to attack by
airship or ground troops.
• For a personal touch, alter your home
towns ancl bring tlrnm into the 25th
Century as subterranean Orgzones or
Mongol-occup ied dties. Keep enough
local landmarks to make it recognizable.
hut thev can also accentuate the changes
of 500 years!
39
( fippendix Two
Sapporting Cast
As po...verful and skilled as heroes and villains
arn. they can always use a little help from
their friends. Supporting casts arc an impor-
tant fa ctor in fleshing out adventures and
making them come alive for both the Game
Master and the players. i\bove anything else.
the supporting cast is there to populate tlw
Came Master"s games and provide character
interaction with the player characters. Tlrnrr.
are a numbm of othm ways of presenting and
using non player characters \·vi thin a game: as
villains. as allies. or as innocent bvstande rs
(or NPCs needing rescue). · nervously as the characters drag mud across
The villain·s supporting cast is present to
provide the player characters with lots of
lesser foes to delay them frum reaching the ir
goal or objective. They ca n a lso serve as
sources of information. since the smartt?st
villains a lways ~1mploy a dumb lackey or two
that can conveniently point the characters in
tluJ right direction. These lesser villa ins ctnd
scoundrels r<1relv need to bP. lrnavilv clP.tailecl.
due to their temporary natuw. Of course. the
GM can create spec:i<il s upport ing characte rs
with enough s kill and strength that they
could possibl~· work their way up to being
major vill<1i ns: all it takes to separate them
from the lesser NPCs are one or two distinct
trail s that set them apart from the pack.
Arda la Valmar was originally a supporting
character with Killer Kane. but she's certa in lv
a great villain in her own right. Once thP.~' ·
step beyond being ··m1P- of tlrn horde of
soldiers.·· non-player c:harac:ters gain
Experience Chips as well.
The supporting cast of the heroes consists
of c:onsistentl~1 recurring characters like their
commanding officp,rs and various otlrnr NPCs
they have encountered. As opposed to the
40
)
"faceless" NPCs that work for a main villain.
player characters need to interact more often
with lively characters. It's best for the GM to
a
generate number of characters to fulfill
specific purposes. give them names and traits
that are easilv remembered, and use them
constantly. h1stead of the players asking in
general for a courier to deliver a message.
they'll remember the s tuttering Jack Martin is
always ready to work with them; rather than
having "your commanding officer" blankly
give the heroes an assignment. Colonel
Hevwood will invite them into his
me.ticulous office. smoking his pipe
his ancient 23rd Century rugs.
People are not the only members of the
supporting casts that can enhance the adven-
ture. Animals. insects. and basicallv any ani-
mate or living creature can be worked into
advf!ntures to strengthen the scenario. The
on lv differences between lesser characters
anci animals are the ability to communicate
and tlrn ability to gain Experience Chips
(these are restricted to actual human charac-
ters). What about a trained guard dog for
Black Barney that knows to grab rocket pis-
tols from peoples' hands'! Maybe the GM
could include a cat that's attached itself to the
heroes and continues to stow away on their
Rocket Cruis(~f. showing up when least
expected in adventures'! And there's always
the uncontrolled actions of animals in the
wild. from bears roaming the forest the char-
acters are camping in to the hees that are
swarming from a nest during a firefight
against the Mongols. Animals and lesser crea-
tures may not be able to say much or hold a
disintegrator rifle. but they can certainly
improve both the setting and the general feel
of the game.
( Appendix Two
Gimmicks
Last, but certainly not least. the adventure's
got to have a gimmick-some unique. odd
item or plot twist that sets it outside the
ordinary. Remember that the game is what
you and your players make of it. and if the
players all see the plot coming from a mile
off, there's little excitement generated for the
adventure. Gimmicks keep players and
characters on their toes. guessing what 's up
next-an important element in the action-
packed BUCK ROGERS®Adventure Game!
False information is one of the most basic
gimmicks imaginable. and it's amazing how
well it works! Remember, a ll the information
the player characters get comes from the
Game Master: if they accept information
without questioning it. they'll walk right into
the villain 's clutc hes every time. False
information can be fed to the player
characters by written materials (t he note
clutched in the hand of th e wounded Org
scout), the setting (muddy footp rints leading
from the scene of a murd er to a player
character's lodgings). or other characters (like
Killer Kane did in the previous adve nture). It
can be used to confuse player and non-player
characters a like, and always adds tu the fun
of a plot: the heroes need to solve a murder.
but one of their own is suspected of being the
killer-what can they do? False information
should be used tu enhance a plot and keep
the players in suspense. hut don't lie to the
players about anything they have questions
on during a game-the truth can be found if
the characters can uncover the d eceptions.
41
)
After 500 years. new technology will also
be a simple way to add twists and tu rns to the
adventures. A staple of futuristic science
fictio n is to expand the exist ing technologies
to wild proportions-in the future of the
BUCK ROGERS game. much of the base
technology was destroyed and is being rehu ilt
slowly. We're used to fast automobiles and jet
planes in the 1990's: however. all that
tech nology is lost and the best vehicles of the
25th Century certainly can't match those
speeds. Radio is once again the wonder-
science, and its capabilities in the future are
grnat. usP.d as broadcast power and robot
control. The discovery and mass-product ion
of lnertron signals the coming of a w hole new
era of anti-gravity devices. Game Masters are
encouraged to create many different wa ~1 s of
using the tcdmologies listed in the Rules and
World of the 25th Century Books. and even
create some new technology of thei r own.
Last ly. there are the technological artifacts of
500 years buried beneat h the ruhble of former
civilizations out among the Orgzones and the
Mongol Cities-go out and find someth ing
new that wi ll push fo rward the cause of
freedom for the Orgzone Confederation!
Specific gim micks that there should be nu
end of arc the tricks and traps of the
adventu re vil lains. When the villain knows
the terrain. traps can be readied: spiked pits
can o pen up in hallways. disintegrator heams
can be set off by someone entering a room.
tripwires can acti vate landmines . etc:. The
villains always have to have their chance to
rant about their accompli shments and pl ans.
and what bcttt~r time to do it than when their
enemies are ti£~ d up to the latest deathtrap
d(w ice! ThesH can hHas si mple as lucking
them up in a prison without food or water. or
they can be as elaborate as anything ever seen
in the movies ("You're chained to a giant
pendulum that swi ngs in front of a solar-
activatcd disintcgrator rifle. and when the
sun comes through the window behi nd you.
vou 'II have all of a minute before !'vu
defeated vou forever! Mu-hu-wha-ha-ha-
ha!''). Al f of these add to the danger and the
fun of the game.
[ fippendix Two
The BOCK ROGERS® Game:
Back to Basics
Thought vou had evcr~· thing you nccch~ d to
set up an adventure·~ Well. you're almost
ready. but ~1 ou need to know a few things
about what makes this game (and game
system} special to tnd~' create your own
BUCK ROGERS<:!.' games.
We a ll think about the futurf! and what it'll
be~ lih. and we all have different vie\•VS on
what's going to happen. We 110\"' hav1~
computms. artificial intd ligcnc:c. nuclear
wcaponr~'· and mic rowa ves-all sort s of
IP.c:hnolog~' undrnamt of at the start of this
centurv. Evervone dreams of the future from
thP.ir o·wn historical and IP.chnological
standpoint, so man~: of us look at a future
with space stations. supercomputers. and
gcncticall v-alte red humans. Th is is n ·1 the
future \·ve've taken to 1,ovith this game. For this
ganrn. we're looking back to 192H before WP.
look forward!
From a 1 !129 vie\·v point. the fut urn was
ra dio. This was the ne\·v est technologica l
advancP. ctnd Buck Rogms shnwfHI tlrn world
wlrnrn rndio would tak1~ us in 500 vnars! We
emhrac:c the optimism and innocci1ce of
whern folks of th1J 1!)20's thought technology
\\'ould go from there. Hence. we have rockl!l
pistols nnd jumping belts and broadcast
power as thn higher forms of technology.
Thern are no nuclear bombs. no genetica lly
altered peopl e or c lones. and no microchips
or computers. All the technology that was
developed between ·1929 and 2430 was
buried in tlrn rubbln after the Mongol
Invasions (It's sti ll there for GMs that wan t to
use it ..... ). Technology takes on the aspects of
vacuu m tubns and "mvsterv elements" rathnr
than 111ic:roc:ircuitr~1 a1id ONA splicing. With
this um:om plicated look a t technology. the
game also adopts another asper:! o f the 1920s:
the actio n- packed simpl ic it>' of thfl comic
s tri ps.
Tlrn vea r 1 !:i2~l saw tlrn start of the Bl JC:K
ROGERS dai ly adventure comic strip. and Li!'
1932. Buck's adven tures hact sprnild to the
radio. with movie serials arriving in 1939. All
three shared the common c haracte ristics of
con tinua l threat. advent urf! . ilnd cliffhangers .
The act ion rushes along. with tlrn heroes
fighting. nsr:aping. anct moving qu ic:klv. The
ac.:tion slows on lv to reveal some new marvel
or wonder. then IJicks up again with a sneak
42
)
attack . a spy. a new discover>'· or some other
peril. Cliffliangers were common. with the
hero in grave peril but quickl~1 gaining tllP.
upper hand against the villain simpl ~·
her:ause '' he had rig ht and thf! hopes of a free
people on his s ide ...
In game terms. this means that there
should be precious little time to rest or relax
when there is a mission ur adventure-things
should happm1 swiftly one after another.
Movement is quick. and fortuitous events
which forward the plot (such as running into
thP. fixar:t pnrsnn ynu'rn looking for in ctn ctlien
city) are common. Dangp,rs arn real lo tlrn
characters. and can often be exaggerated by
the gloat ing villain. but thev are rare ly
vvithout options to choose from. The lrnroP.s
a re a lso treated as larger than life: even if they
might not normall~· leap at an armed soldier
and wrest In for a wc>.apon. that sort of action
is cummonplactJ here simply for thP-
advcnture and the th rill of it.
So. in a nutshell. what is the spP.cial "fep,I"
of the BUCK ROGERS Ad venture Ga me '? It's
non-stop act ion. thrill-a-minute adventures,
ctnd fast-pa ced excit ement. It's a future
brimming with optimism and enthusiasm. It's
not O\'crshadowed h~1 lots of fan cy high-tech
hardware. but filled to bursting w ith P.Xciting
heroes with s im p le. low-tHch gadgets
that do the job. It's a fun . basic
look into the future
through the t)yt!s of
the past.
( Appendix Two )
Well. am Wll rnady to gllnr.rate an HxamplH advrmturn from scratch? flP.low is what \ve'v1? called
the "Adven t um Skeleton Generator." With the ta hills in it. we can ro ll up some basic id eas for
an ad venture. a nd lhen nesh out the details. creating a brand 1ww exci ting saga in the 25th
Century! CMs cion't have to use rtirn to use lhesP. lahles: Ibey can c:P.rtainly pi ck and choosr?
what c lements the~' wanl in the ir adventures. For o ur exampln. though. we' ll make sure we
have 2 six-sided <lice on hand to roll up a random adrnnturn.

flDVErtTURE SKELETOrt Adventure Generation Example

CiErtERflTOR
Conflic t/Goal
• Resc: ut~ the Prisoner
• RP.trieve tlrn Ohjnr.t
• Solve thn Mvstnrv
• Protect t hn Su hjnc:t
• Stop the In vaders
• Dest roy the Threat
Conflict/Goal
2 Dice Ok. '"'n'rn ju sl going lo c:rnato a shorl si nglc-
2-3 scenario mlvcnlurc. so our firs l step is lo roll
4-5 for llrn core conflict. Kolling 2nfl (two si x-
fi-7 side<l dir.n). I roll a 2 and an Ii for a result of
8 8: "Protnc:t thr. Su bj1?cl" is llw Connict. I'm
fl -10 nol going to choose who lhc characlnrs must
n-1 2 protect yet. but I'l l clr.c:id c a littl e latm.

Villain/Obstacle 2 Dice Villain/Obstacle

• Kill er Kane 2-4 I roll the lwo dice a second lime. looki ng for
• Ardala Valmar 5 the "bad gu~'... Two 3s add up to 6. telling me
• Black Barney 6 that Black Barnev is the brutish b lackguard
• Mo ngol Em1)eror 7-9 hd1i nd so nw p la·n lo harm ..... no . I haven·1
• Viceroy of Ch icago 10 dcr.ided vet.
• New Villain-Smart 11
• N ew Vi llain-Tough 12 Sett ing/Locale
Grabbing onl~· om! die this time. I roll a 4.
Setting/Loca le 1 Die "Co mbinati on" means I shoulci finci two
• Air 1 sntting types (or two snparatn scenarios and
• Land 2 places for them) to use in m~· adventure.
• Water 3 Si nn: our vi lla in is Black Barney. I'll choose
• Combinatio n 4 Air fo r one setting. and haw~ ii t·ake place on
• Hostile 5 Ihn Chaos Dragon. his rocket cruiser. Rolling
• Frie ndl y 6 once mo re and getting a 2. our second selling
is on land. OncP. again. I'l l wai l until I havn
Supporting Cast 1 Die morn informat ion hdorn I make any plans 0 11
• Al lv 1 speci fi cs.
• Al lies (1 -6) 2
• NPC All y :l Supi1orting Cast
• Enemy 4 If the numlwr o f pl a~·e rs is more than fo ur.
• Enemlr.s(1-o) ~ Came Masters mav wan l to roll l\·vic.n on this
• NPC Enem,· () lable when gt?ner~ting the supporting cast: it
gran ls morn of a durnc:e for enem ies to Im
Gimmicks 1 Die involved (or ii can provide NPC allies that
• T he Deathlrap 1 can provide some good ro le-playi ng).
• T he Chase 2 I roll a fi and. uh -oh! Anol her NPC mrnmv!
• T h e Cli fnrnnger 3 Who could ii hn'? T lw herons have lo pro1rn:1
• Unknovm Allv 4 s11111eo1w from bot h Blac:k Harnev ancl ...
• Unknown Encnl\' 5 1\rclala! The conniving m in x has fallen in
• Falsn ln formalio.n () wil h Barnnv. 11111 for what nnfarious
p u rµose '??'??

Gimmicks
Ok. I ro llnd a 2 for Gim mic ks . and I gnnnrcitnd
a Chase sncp11!11C(!. S hccsh ! I have nu idea
what I c:an do w ilh tl1<1I righl nnw!

43
I Appendix Two
Pulling It All Together
Conflict: Protect the Subject
Villain: Black Barney
Setting(s): Air and Land
Supporting Cast: Ardala (NPC Enemy)
Gimmicks: The Chase
Well. we have enough information to put a
short scenario together. and just looking at it
all in one place helps the focus. I've looked
over the items and asked myself some basic
questions. The questions let the adventure
fall into place in my head; I'll write it down
so you can see how it comes together and
how you might do the same.
• What's the best place for the
gimmick/chase? Well, since we know
who's responsible and that all our
vehicles are flying vehicles. I'll place the
chase at the end of the adventure-the
player characters have to chase Barney
out of the sky!
• Why should the player characters chase
Barney? Well. the best reason to chase
him is because he has kidnapped the
person they're supposed to protect! This
still hasn't answered who the subject is.
but it'll be answered soon.
• Where and how did the subject get
kidnapped? The kidnapping takes place
at our Land setting, and I'll place it at an
Orgzone laboratory. The heroes are here
during the test phase of the new flying
submarine and they must protect a Dr.
Emilio Paz. an American scientist with
family and contacts in Chile. The doctor
is the best mind on submersible crafts in
America and has succeeded in finishing
a flying submarine with the help of his
assistants. Lt. Jon Caspian and Lt. Ardala
Valmar. (All these ideas sprang from
knowing Ardala's character description
and the fact that Chile also has
knowledge of submarines.)
Now that we know who and where. let's
answer how. The characters can defend the
doctor and his assistants from Black Barnev
and his pirates (I have to add some so · the Game Master can blow up any graph
everyone can get in the fight). but they don' t
expect Ardala to suddenly turn traitor and
hold the doctor hostage with a knife!
44
)
Well. our first adventure is nearly
completely outlined! A number of other
aspects that I didn't roll slipped in to the mix
as I developed this adventure. but that's ok;
it's better to add and change things rather
than stick with a plot that's not nearly as
exciting. The last part of preparing an
adventure is making sure all the items are
covered and adding those final touches.
Final Touches
Ok. the player characters let Barney,
Ardala. and the doctor escape to protect his
life. They need to keep him alive for secrets
Barney wants to sell to the highest bidder, a
point he bellowed about during the attack on
the Jab. We started with a Protection plot and
ended up with a double scenario where it's
both Protection and Rescue. How do we get to
the chase?
Assuming he wasn't killed in the firefight.
Lt. Jon Caspian (a new NPC with typical
Orgzone junior officer stats + Electronist) can
pilot the new flying submarine and the
characters can all chase after Barney. This is a
simple way to get to the chase. Now, the
problem is catching Barney and freeing the
doctor without harming him.
The final chase sequence will be in the air
as the player characters look at their options.
Shooting at Barney's ship could possibly
harm the doctor. so the players must jump
onto the hull of the Chaos Dragon and fight
their way inside to rescue the doctor! All the
details of the fight and any defenses for the
ship in this encounter can be worked out
later.
Maps & Counters
From here. the adventure can continue to
branch out and get a number of other scenes
involved. but there's enough to give you the
idea of how adventures fall together. Now,
looking over the basics, it seems we'll need
counters and maps for the combat scenes.
Graph paper works great to show the players
the basics of the area they are in; if available.
paper maps with a photocopier for maps to
play on. otherwise he or she can draw a grid
of one-inch squares on large sheets of paper
and use them for a playing surface. For
standups. use Dr. Huer for Dr. Paz; Ardala
and Barney have their own standups; and
Barney's pirates can be represented by
Mongol soldiers.
 Appendix Three
CHARACTER RECORD SHEET
__
[_P-la-y-er_ N _ e_______________,)
am [~C-h_ar__a_c-te_r_N__am__e______________________________)
Basic Task Levels Table Abilities
Automatic 0 Rank #of Dice
Easy 10
Average 15 Strength:
Above Average 20 Aim:
Hard 25 Brains:
Very Hard 30
Darn-Near Impossible 40 Health:

Action Point Costs Table Skills

Standard Actions/Movement APs Name Ability +1 +3 Name Ability +1 +3
Move a square 1
Jump 10 squares {with Inertron Belt) 2
Pick Up something Small (1-hand) 1
Pick Up something Large (2-hands) 2
Open a Door 1
Open a Door and Step into a Room 2
Break Down a Door 3
Use a Non-Combat Skill 1
Pilot a Vehicle 3

Combat Actions APs

Punch an Opponent 1 Experience History/Character Notes
Draw Weapon (Small/Large) 1/2
Use Melee Weapon {Small/Large)
See weapon {112)
Fire a Missile Weapon
See weapon (1/3)
Jump with Inertron Belt
and fire a 1 AP missile weapon 3
Chips

Weapons
Aim/ Health
AP Siren~ Task Weapon
Weapon Cost Modi aer Range
.
Level Effects

Equipment

By permission ofTSR. Inc. and Tho Dille family Trust. this page may be reproduced for personal uso only. C1993 TSR, Inc. and The Dille family Trust.

45
 Appendix four
flblllty Ranks & Dice Task Level Success Humbers Table
If the ability is OK Roll TWO dice STRENGTH Rolls
If the ability is GOOD Roll THREE dice Lifti ng under a hundred pounds 0
If the ability is BE1TER Roll FOUR d ice Lifti ng you r own weight 10
If the ability is BEST Roll FIVE dice Lifting tw ice you r weight 20
Lifting three times your weight 40
Striking an unsuspecting opponent 10
Striking an active opponent Strength
Basic Task Levels Table Break down a wooden door 10
Automa tic 0 AJM Rolls
Easy 10 Hitting the broad side of a barn 0
Average 15 Hitting an unsuspecting Target 10
Above Average 20 Hitting an active Target Aim
Hard 25 Hitting a s pecifi c. nonliving Target 15
Very Hard 30 Throwing Ite ms within ra nge 10
Darn-Near Impossibl e 40 Throwing Items beyond range 15
Flyi ng a vehicle in a tight place 30
Pick a mechanical lock 20
r Untie ropes. nonmecha nica l bonds 15
fiction Point Cosb Table Catching a falling object 10
Sleight of Hanel/Pick Pockets 20
Standard Actio11s!Movement APs
Move a square 1 BRAINS Rolls
Jump 10 squares (with lnertron Belt) 2 Understanding a s tandard machine 10
Pick Up somethi ng Small (1-hand) 1 Fixing a standard/known machine 20
Pick Up something Large (2-hands) 2 Ji mmying an electronic lock 20
Open a Door 1 Crea ting a rad io from spare parts 30
Open a Door and Step into a Room 2 Unde rs tanding a new machine 20
Break Down a Door 3 Fixing a new/unknown mac hine 30
Use a Non-Combat Skill 1 Creating a new inve nti on 40
Pilot a Vehicle 3 Noticing an easy clue 15
Combat Actions APs Noticing hidde n features , clues 25
Punch an O pponent Cracking a Bad Blood code 10
Draw Wea pon (Small/Large) 1/2 Cracking a Han code 20
Use Mclee Weapon (Small/Large) See weapon (1/2)
Fire a Missile Weapon See weapon (1/3) HEALTH Rolls
Jump wit h ln ertron Belt Resist sta ndard knock-out gas 30
and firn a 1 AP missil e weapon 3 Holding o ne's breath (1 m in utes) 10
Holding one's breath (2 minutes) 20
Holding one's breat h (5 minutes) 30
Holding one's breath (10 minutes) 40
Sustained act ivity 10 + 5/turn
Running (6 squares/turn) 5 + 5/turn
1 map square = 10 square feet indoors Sprint ing (9 squares/turn ) 10 + 10/turn
= 10 square yards (30 sq. feet) outdoors

Movement Material Strengths Table

Characters walk 3 squares a turn (1 AP/square). Ma terial Example
Characters run 6 squares a turn (1 AP/2 squares). S trength Materials
Make a Hea lth roll al the end of each turn.
Success #s: 5 for one turn. +5 each s uccessive turn 5 Glass: wooden chai rs. helmet radios
Failing the roll reduces c harac ters to 2 Act ion Points a 10 Thin wood: wooden doors
turn for the next 1-6 turns due to o verexertion. 15 Heavy wood: rocket & d isi ntegrdto r pistols,
Cha racters sprint 9 sq uares a turn (1 AP/3 squares). heavy tree limbs. tables
Make a Health roll al the e nd of each turn. 20 Mfltaloglass: disintegrator rifles
Success #s: 10 for one turn. +10 each turn th ereafte r. 25 Steel; roc ket & d isintegrator cannons
Failing the roll reduces characte rs to o nly 2 Action 30 Worked s teel: Han airship h ulls
Points a turn for the next t -6 turns: all actions at -1 die. 40 Diamonds: thic k s tone walls or solid rock

Terrain Movment Effects Material S trengths of 25 o r greater are damaged o nly by

Difficult terrains: 2 Action Points to move through 1 difficult weapons that have Mortality Roll effects.
terrain square. No s printing in diffic ult terrain.
Rough terrains: 3 Ac tion Points to move through 1 rough
terrain square. No running or sprinting in rough terrai n.
Impassable terrains: These te rrains are impossibl e to move
through under normal conditions and must be bypassed .

46
 Appendix four
Mein Weapons Table
AP Strength Health Weapon
Weapon Cost Modifier Task Level ~
Axe 2 +1 Die 20 Mortalitv Roll
Chair/Lrg. Object 2 +1 Die Str. dice x 5 + 10 Knocked out for 1d6 turns.
Fists/Punching 1 0 Str. dice x 5 Knocked out for 1-6 turns
Knife or Dagger 1 0 15 Mortality Roll
Mace 2 +1 Die 20 Mortality Roll
Sap or Blackjack 1 0 Str. dice x 5 + 5 Knocked out for 1-6 turns
Sword 2 0 20 Mortality Roll

Missile Weapons Table

AP Aim Health Weapon
Weapon ~ Modifier Range Task Level Effects
Atomic Torpedo 3 -1 die 3 25 K.O. of 1d6 turns (9 square area underwater)
Bow & Arrow ·1 0 6 15 Mortality Roll
Disintegrator
- Pistol 1 0 2 15 Mortalit y Roll
- Ri fle 2 -1 die 5 20 Mortality Roll
- Ca nnon 3 -2 dice 20 30 Mortality Roll
Force Ray 1 -1 die 3 20 K. 0. for 1d6 turns; grapple
Gasser 1 +1 die 1 20 Knocked out for 6+1d6 turn s
Grenade. Explosive 1 0 2-5 20 Mortality Roll (impact); K.O. of 6+ 1d6 turns
(adjacent)
Grenade. Gas 0 2-5 20 K.O. of 6+1d6 turns (9 square area)
Handgun 0 8 15 Mortality Roll
Liquid Air Gun 3• 0 10 25 Mortality Roll (impact); K.O. of 6+1d6 turns
(adjacent). • = Fires every ot her turn.
Paralyzing Ray 3 0 2 30 Paralysis
Rifle 1 0 10 20 Mortalitv Roll
Rocket Cannon 3 -1 d ie 20 25 Mortalit)• Roll (impact): K.0. of6+1d6 turns
(ad jacent)
Rocket Pistol 1 0 10 20 Mortality Roll (impact); K.O. of6+1d6 turns
(adjacent)
Thrown Object (SJ 0 2-5 10 Knocked out for 1d6 turns: weapon
Thrown Object (L) -1 die 2-5 10 Knocked out for 1d6 turns: weapon

,
The Mortality Roll Mlsslle Weapons Maneawn
Health Roll: Fail = death. Succeed = 1 AP. no run or sprint; Targeting: +1 die to hit target; attack occurs in following
all rolls at -1 die, max. of 5 dice. turn (cost= 3 APs).

Firing into a Crowd: Random roll to determine target in

, group of two or more targets.
Special Combat Maneawn Firing While in Melee: Shoot as normal; if target rolls higher
Dodging: Aim roll vs. attack roll to avoid being hit; success = Aim roll. character is hit.
+1 die to next roll. fail= -1 die Health
Skill Shots: -1 die for area- or item-specific shots.
Grabbing Stuff: Strength vs. Strength rolls; if a tie. item is ...
broken or activated. In the case of a gun. it fires into melee
(target is rolled randomly by GM). ,
Wrestling: Strength roll vs. Strength roll or a 10 (surprise) to Random Missile Location (Optional)
knock down and hold target. Strength vs. Strength to escape:
fail and make Health roll or be immobilized for 1-6 turns. Die Roll Result
The indi vidual holding a character can force a Health Roll at 1 Short 1 square
any time. 2 Long 1 square
:J Right 1 square
4 Left 1 square
5 Long 2 squares
6 Roll again. and add 1 square to result

47
 Appendix foar
Skills: +1 die to Ability
Master Skills (MS): +3 dice to Ability

Strength Skills Brains Skills

' Axe: +1 die when using an axe, hatchet, or other chopping
Broadcast Technologist: +1 die when analyzing, repairing,
weapon. (MS: Weapons Master, Axe)
or changing broadcast technology devices: ~o
Brawling: +t die when using any object not usually additional skill to pilot Han craft or fire d1smtegrators.
intended as a weapon, including chairs. bottles. or
(MS: Inventor, Broadcast Technology)
other characters. The character with this skill does
Contacts: +1 die to gain favors or information from people.
NOT gain +t die from this skill when using other Some are restricted to certain people (Contacts,
melee weapons. (MS: Street Fighter)
Mongol). (MS: Master Spy) .
Fisticuffs: +1 die when punching and also when using a
Electronist: +1 die when repairing or modifying electr1cal
short blunt weapon such as a sap, blackjack. or brass
devices. (MS: Inventor. Electronist)
knuckles. (MS: Prize Fighter)
First Aid: +1 die when performing First Aid within six
Grappling: +1 die when wrestling or grabbing an
turns of the injury can revive unconscious characters,
opponent. (MS: Pro Wrestler)
reduce mortal wounds to knock-outs, and restore 2 APs
Knife: +1 die when using a knife, dagger, or other short
to wounded characters. (MS: Doctor)
stabbing weapon. (MS: Weapons Master, Knife)
Mechanic: + 1 die when repairing or altering mechanical
Mace: +1 die when using a mace, club, or other long blunt
items. (MS: )
weapon. (MS: Weapons Master. Mace)
Piloting: + 1 die when controlling planes or rock~ts and
Muscles: +1 die when using Strength to lift or break allows single-pilot airborne combat. (MS: Flymg Ace)
objects. (MS: Strongman)
Robotist: +1 die when using, repairing, or modifying
Sword: +1 die when using a sword, bayonet, or other long robots. (MS: Inventor, Robotist)
stabbing weapon. (MS: Weapons Master, Sword)

flim Skills Health Skills

Airborne Combat: +1 die when firing weapons from a
moving platform, such as a plane or rocket ship. No
added ability when using the same weapons on the
ground. (MS: Master Gunner) . .
Daredevil: +1 die when jumping, perform mg gymnasllcs.
and any other acts of physical agility. No additional die
for rolls in combat. (MS: Acrobat)
Dexterity: +1 die when picking locks or (un)tying ropes
(acts of manua l dexterity). (MS: Master Thietl
Disintegrator: +t die when using Han disintegrator pistols
and rifles. (MS: Marksman, Disintegrator)
Gunpowder Weapons: +1 die when firing archaic
gunpowder weapons such as the pistol & rifle. (MS:
Marksman, Gunpowder Weapons)
Heavy Weapons: +1 dill when using large weapons such
as death ray projectors (disintegrator cannons) and
rocket cannons. (MS: Marksman. Heavy Weapons)
Nimble: +1 die when Dodging. (MS: Agile)
Rocket Pistol: +1 die when using a rocket pistol. (MS:
Marksman. Rocket Pistol)
Throwing: + 1 die when throwing objects (rocks and
grenades). This skill does not increase the range. only
the chances to successfully bit. (MS: Dead-Eye)
----
Vehicle Summary
Name Internal Combat Cruising
of Vehicle Armor Strength Speed Speed Cmphl Control Repair Crew Armaments
Han Airship 4 6 3 20 25 30 10+50 2 Disintegrator Cannons
"Carrier" 4 6 3 20 25 30 10+22 12 Han fliers+ Cannons
"Heavy Cruiser" 4 6 3 20 25 30 14+22 4 Disintegrator Cannons
Han Flier 0 3 4 20 15 30 l Disintegrator Rifle
Org Biplane 0 3 6 30 10 20 112 2 Rocket Pistols
Rocket Cruiser 3 5 6 90 20 25 10+15 4 Rocket Cannons
Rocket Flier 2 4 9 70 15 25 1/3 Rocket Cannon

48
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c1993 The Dille Family Trust end TSR, Inc. c 1993 The Dille Family Trust and TSR, Inc.

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