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ISSUE 30

FALL 2020

SECTION FEATURES
SCOUTING YACHT 3
2 FROM THE EDITOR
SURPLUS ASSAULT SCOUT HULL 6
A DEATH IN PORT 8
16 EMITTER ARRAYS &
COMM DISHES
The Frontier in Miniature
TO BOLDY EXPAND THE FRONTIER 10
THE ART OF THE CROSSOVER 12
19 JURAK HANGNA:
HANDLING RANDOM CREATURE 14
ANAKALYPTO
ENCOUNTERS
DISARMING THINGS THAT GO BOOM! 26
24 TITAN RISING: 2299 GYROJET WEAPONS – “HISSERS” 34
Episode 23

PIMP MY NEEDLER 40
NEW PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT 42
BC ESCAPE RUN COMIC
Episode 8
PERSONAL RESTRAINTS 44
FOOD TRUCKS IN THE FRONTIER 46
FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 1
Cover Art: Coferosa

Editors: Tom Stephens, Tom Verreault


LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Hello Explorers! page. If the art style looks familiar, it’s be-
Senior Editor: Tom Stephens
Welcome to issue 30 of the Frontier Ex- cause we used another of her images on
Layout Design: Shane Winter plorer. As you can see from the table of the cover of issue 20. She gave us permis-
contents, this issue is filled to the brim sion to use both of these images back when
Layout: Tom Stephens
with lots of little articles. We had so many we were working on issue 20 and we’re just
in fact, I was worried I was going to run out now getting to use this one. But I think it
https://frontierexplorer.org of room on the table of contents page. But goes well with our two lead articles on re-
https://patreon.com/FrontierExplorer
we just made it. purposed/salvaged assault scout hulls.
I’d like to start by calling out our two While 2020 has been a rough year, we’ve
new authors this issue. e Art of the managed to get the issues out on time.
Crossover, an article with tips about We’ve also started working behind the
LOOKING FOR SUBMISSIONS adapting material from other games/gen- scenes on a couple more “Frontier Explorer
Do you have material you’d like to see pub-
res to Star Frontiers, was submitted by RJ Presents” products that will probably be
lished in the Frontier Explorer? We accept
submissions of any fan material for Star Fron- McDonough. It also includes an encounter coming out in 2021, although I might
tiers, FrontierSpace, or any other sci-fi role- adapted from an old White Dwarf maga- manage to get one of them out this year
playing game whether it is new races, equip- zine article. ere was originally going to but I wouldn’t hold your breath.
ment, vehicles, setting material, play reports, be a second article by RJ but it was based e first is a short story collection, the
or anything else. on an on-line game he was running and Book of Khad’dans. e Khad’dan is a
If you have something you’d like to share, unfortunately had to cancel. e article yazirian honor weapon invented by Mat-
head on over to the Frontier Explorer web-
this issue was to be the first part in a series thew Crymble way back in the 90’s and the
site and hit the gold “Submit New Content”
button. We’ll help you get the material ready but since the game ended, he decided not book will contain stories by a number of
for publication and into a future issue of the to have us publish it since he wouldn’t be authors featuring that weapon. is is a
magazine. able to finish it. project we’ve been sitting on since we
Our second new author is Oscar Rios. started the magazine back in 2012 and I
GETTING THE RULES & BACK ISSUES He provides us with two new equipment think we’re finally going to get it finished.
The published rules and modules for Star articles in his debut issue, one on needler e others are a bit more nebulous but
Frontiers and FrontierSpace, as well as all weapons and a second on restraints. I’m working on another starship technical
back issues for the Frontier Explorer and the e only long article in the issue, we manual and we’ve started taking about do-
Star Frontiersman (including print-on-de- have what I thought was going to be the ing a special Jurak Hangna publication.
mand physical copies of the Frontier Ex-
last of the “ings at Go Boom!” articles We’ll see how those pan out. Regardless,
plorer) are available for purchase or down-
load on DriveThruRPG. by Joseph Cabadas in this issue but while I the regular issues of the magazine will con-
All the old issues of the fan magazines, as was editing this one, he submitted another tinue to roll out on schedule.
well as print-on-demand versions of the that you can look for in the next issue. I’d love to hear your feedback on the
Frontier Explorer can be found at the Fron- With this issue we are starting to bring magazine. And so would the authors. I’ve
tier Explorer page. These products are of- back our “Frontier in Miniature” articles been asked by different authors if I ever
fered as pay-what-you-want. You can grab looking at miniatures for use in your game. get feedback on the articles. And I’ve al-
them for free, but this provides a way for you
to make a donation to help support the mag-
is issue, Tom Verreault kit-bashes some ways had to tell them no. If you have
azines if you so desire. computers and transmitter arrays as ter- thoughts about the magazine and article,
Wizards of the Coast offers the Star Fron- rain pieces. We already have a couple more we’d love to hear them. What can we im-
tiers rules and modules on their Star Fron- miniature articles in the queue so you can prove? What are we doing that you like?
tiers page. expect to see more of these in the future. Are there types of articles you like to see
FrontierSpace products can be found on We are also continuing the “An Alter- more of? Less of? Do you have other sug-
the DWD Studios page. nate Frontier” series by Richard Farris gestions? Have you used any of the mate-
with a look at gyrojet weapons. rial presented in your games? Let us know.
Rounding out the issue we have a pair of I’d love to be able to include a “Letters TO
©2020 Frontier Explorer Magazine. The Frontier Ex- spaceship articles by Richard “Shadow the Editor” section in each issue so feel
plorer and Star Frontiersman names and logos are Shack” Rose, a short adventure, some new free to write in and share your thoughts at
trademarks of the Frontier Explorer Magazine. Wiz-
ards of the Coast, Star Frontiers, and their logos are species, and a look at food trucks in the editors@frontierexplorer.org.
trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, LLC in the Frontier by Tom Verreault, and a look at at’s enough rambling from me. Sit
United States and other countries. The rights to all handling random creature encounters and back, settle in, and enjoy this issue of the
material presented here are retained by their origi-
nal authors and are printed with permission.
an article on protective gear by Joseph Frontier Explorer. And as always, keep ex-
Cabadas. Finally, we have our regular Ju- ploring.
The Frontier Explorer is not affiliated with, en- rak Hangna article by Eric Winsor and the
dorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wiz-
ards of the Coast, LLC. The Frontier Explorer may
comics by Scott Mulder. - Tom Stephens
use the trademarks and other intellectual property Our cover image this issue is “e Rise of Senior Editor
of Wizards of the Coast, LLC, which is permitted un- e Dolphin Bay” by Coferosa. You can
der Wizards’ Fan Site Policy.
find her other art on her Deviant Art

2 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


available (See the next article) . The hull is
typically 40-60 years old (2d10+40) with
most of the components stripped
away...the few components remaining
tend to include the communications and
detection equipment, computer panels on
the bridge and maintenance deck (albeit
no mainframe computer), and the recrea-
tion deck & cabin furnishings.
The retrofit can be performed at any
Class I or II SCC at the cost of 739,180Cr
at a Class-I SCC (+200,000 for a Class-II
center), which includes replacement size-A
atomic drives, computer with the basic
software package listed above, and fresh
cabin furnishings. The flying bridge simply
IMAGE BY RICHARD ROSE

becomes a bridge, with the original bridge


deck below converted into a pair of double
occupancy crew cabins. The recreation
deck remains largely unchanged save for
upgrades to accommodate the "first class"
occupants (typically owner and
friends/family). The crew deck is con-

SCOUTING YACHT verted into a pair of luxury suites, com-


plete with an observation dome where the
laser battery used to be. The maintenance
SHIPS OF THE FRONTIER deck is retrofitted and restocked with tools
& equipment, and the hold & airlock deck
BY RICHARD “SHADOW SHACK” ROSE
remains unchanged at 0.20 unit cargo ca-
pacity --- not sufficient for profitable cargo
Computer: Level: 4 FP: 82 Mass/SP: hauling yet ample enough for the owner &
SS SPACE ANGEL 100, 2 Panels (Bridge, Maintenance passenger possessions.
Angel class Scouting Yacht (demilita- Deck) Performance is reduced to a civilian
rized/surplus assault scout conversion) Computer Programs: Alarm (2), Analysis grade ADF/MF:4/4 and DCR:29 due to the
(4), Astrogation (4), Communication removal of military grade hardware & soft-
STATISTICS (1), Damage Control (2), Drive (4), In- ware that enabled the scout's original
Constructed at - WarTech Shipyards dustry (1), Life Support, cap:12 (1), higher performance. Customizing is often
(originally) – PanGalactic Shipyards @ Maintenance (2) enacted, typically applied to the recreation
Triad (retrofit) Cargo Capacity: 0.20 and suite decks. To this end several op-
Age - 57 years (hull), 3 years (everything Crew Accommodations: 2 double cabins tions are available during the reconstruc-
else) Passenger Accommodations: 2 luxury tion phase, first and foremost being the re-
Cost - See Description Below suites placement laser battery system, which de-
Ship's Vehicles: n/a ducts 1 from the ADF or MR (determined
HS: 3 HP: 15 during construction). The other feasible
Powerplant: 2 Atomic A drives Owner - Rollo & Aurelia Tyme option is an upgrade to Pan Galactic Eu-
ADF: 4 MR: 4 DCR: 29 Crew: 4 Captain Aboard - Jensen Streele reka drives at 500,000Cr (available only at
Weapons: N/A Home Port - Clarion Station the PGC Gran Quivera shipyard) which re-
Defenses: RH Crew Roster - Pilot/Captain, Engineer, sults in an increase of 1 to the ADF score.
Communication/Detection: SubSpace Astrogator, Comm/Sensor officer This of course can be added with the bat-
Radio, VideoCom, Radar, Intercom - tery system to compensate for an ADF loss
Panels in Bridge & Maintenance Deck, HISTORY to maintain stock ship performance, or the
Speaker/Mike in every area (13 total) The Angel class Scouting Yacht is an as- MR can be dropped to 3 in favor of an
Misc. Equipment: Streamlined, Engineer sault scout, with the typical demilita- ADF:5 score.
Toolbox rized/surplus scout hull conversion ac-
quired for 250,000Cr when they are made

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 3


OWNERS
BARON ROLLO TYME III
(age-68)
STR/STA - 45/55
DEX/RS - 50/50
INT/LOG - 55/70
PER/LDR - 65/75
SKILLS (PSA-Tech) Technician-6, Com-
puter-2, Projectile Weapons-1; Pilot-2

BARONESS AURELIA TYME


(age-64)
STR/STA - 40/55
DEX/RS - 60/50
INT/LOG - 70/65
PER/LDR - 75/75
SKILLS (PSA-Tech) Technician-4, Com-
puter-6, Robotics-2; Astrogation-1, Engi-
neering-1

4 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


jockey from the Starfighter Corps, he was
a Flight Leader running sorties against pi-
rates and the worms alike during his ca-
reer. He met the Tymes at the Dance &
Dice aboard Clarion Station, and he was of-
fered a job as captain of the nobles' new
yacht. Other crewmembers have come and
gone over the past three years, yet Streele
remains loyal to the Tymes.

CAMPAIGN INFO
The Space Angel can be inserted into
any campaign at any time. Players with low
level ship skills will be ideal crew members
on the Angel. Perhaps they can encounter
the Tymes in a spacer's pub or other such
local hang-out, with the Tymes offering a
steady paycheck for an engineer, astroga-
tor, and sensor/communications officer
(which can also be a back-up to the other
three). A gunner could also be hired on,
simply have the Tymes in the process of
having a laser battery installed in place of
the observation dome if the encounter is
IMAGE BY RICHARD ROSE

in a system with a SCC.


Ideally, this can occur after the War-
riors of White Light module, with the Os-
prey's boarding party looking for another
line of work after their stint with the Clar-
ion Royal Marines...
Rollo is a retired Clarion Royal Marine had their converted yacht dubbed the "SS
entrusted with a barony on Clarion's sur- Space Angel". On top of the commission,
face. Aurelia is a former corporate R&D the shipwright negotiated a partnership
manager from PGC's branch office on Clar- for making this a standardized conver-
ion Station. Together they make a text- sion...each time an Angel class scouting
book example of "big fish in a big pond". yacht conversion was performed both the
Wealth and power have been thrust upon shipwright and the Tymes earned a bo-
them as a reward for their combined en- nus...thus proving good business is where
deavors. Being in the market for an inter- you can find it.
stellar transport, Aurelia came upon a de-
militarized surplus WarTech assault scout
hull that was in remarkable condition con- CAPTAIN JENSEN STREELE
sidering its age. The hull was stripped (age-40)
clean at Triad's construction center, and STR/STA - 55/60
Aurelia --- having a basic understanding of DEX/RS - 70/65
engineering --- began considering a possi- INT/LOG - 55/50
ble reconfiguration of the design. She put PER/LDR - 50/50
a deposit down and the two booked pas- SKILLS (PSA-Tech) Technician-6, Com-
sage on a luxury liner to the Cassidine sys- puter-2, Gyrojet Weapons-3, Beam Weap-
tem. ons-2; Pilot-3
IMAGE BY RICHARD ROSE

After making their way to the Triad


shipyards, they met with one of the ship- Jensen Streele (no affiliation with the
wrights to discuss the plausibility of Aure- megacorp) retired from the Steel Talons
lia's idea. Plans were drafted, credits ex- 21st tactical starfighter squadron while
changed, and several months later they stationed at Clarion. A hot shot fighter

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 5


SURPLUS ASSAULT SCOUT HULL
SHIPS OF THE FRONTIER
BY RICHARD “SHADOW SHACK” ROSE

KH STATS
or MR penalty (although sealed with a slower fuel efficient ion drives for ADF:1 ...
hatch, this section can also be utilized for alas such craft cannot operate in an atmos-
HS:3 HP: Powerplant: n/a a workpod or as an observation dome, phere so this is rare.
ADF:0 MR:0 DCR:0 etc.). The assault rocket system is another Typical opening bids are 150,000Cr
Weapons: none story, good luck acquiring that and fitting but they escalate quickly with more bid-
Defenses: RH it with the performance penalties accrued ders.
Communications/Detection: Sub-space via civilian ship construction. Maximum
Radio, VideoCom, Radar; Intercom ADF for a retrofitted assault scout would
Misc. Equipment: streamlined be 4 assuming two atomic-A drives and no
additional weaponry beyond the laser bat-
Computer: Level: 4 FP: 40 Mass/SP:
tery, although owners may opt for the
20
Computer Programs: Alarm (2), Analysis
(4), Astrogation (4), Damage Control
(2), Life Support, cap:8 (1)
Cargo Capacity: 0.2
Crew Accommodations: 4 dbl cabins
Passenger Accommodations: n/a
Ships Vehicles: none

DESCRIPTION
Surplus assault scout hulls are typi-
cally had at auction, either when the UPF
or a local government militia retires one of
theirs. The drives and maneuvering RCS
thrusters are removed, both weapon sys-
tems are pulled, as well as most of the per-
tinent computer software related to those
systems including information and secu-
rity programs. The communications, sen-
sor equipment, and internal comms (inter-
com) remain along with the four computer
panels (flying bridge, main bridge pilot &
astrogator positions, and maintenance
deck). The stripped hulls often command
high auction prices for what you get, aver-
aging 250,000-300,000 credits.
While they are not space-worthy as is,
it doesn't take much to retrofit the hull
with drives and software along with seal-
ing the voids in the hull. Life support
equipment is retained. Astrogation equip-
ment is also left behind as it is standard
IMAGE BY RICHARD ROSE

equipment that is readily available to


Spacefleet and civilian markets alike.
Even though the laser battery is re-
moved, the socket remains for ease of re-
placement in the civilian sector at a -1 ADF

6 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


ASSAULT SCOUT DECKS CREW DECK
This deck con-
FLYING BRIDGE tains the crew’s
This deck is primarily used for atmos- cabins. It consists
pheric flight and contains a station for the of four double oc-
pilot and laser battery gunner. This deck, cupancy cabins.
as well as the main bridge, can only be ac- The ship’s laser
cessed by the secondary elevator from the battery was also
Recreation Deck. This allows security pro- mounted here be-
tocols to limit access to these areas. fore it was re-
moved.
MAIN BRIDGE
This is the main duty station while in MAINTENANCE DECK
space and has seats for the pilot, astroga- This deck contains the ship’s life sup-
tor, engineer and two gunners. port system and access to the engines.
There is also a control station here for the
RECREATION DECK ship’s engineer as well as a small workshop
This is where the crew spends their lei- for minor repairs.
sure and/or communal time. Contains a
head, the galley, and a large common area STORAGE AND ENTRY DECK.
that is used for dining and gathering This deck is the cargo deck of the vessel
and also houses the ship’s airlock.

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 7


A DEATH IN PORT
A ROYAL MARINES CRIME INVESTIGATION SERVICE ADVENTURE
BY TOM VERREAULT

prerequisite skill. This tends to make the prison and is not willing to relinquish his
Author’s Note: This adventure is heavily bor-
rowed from a TV drama episode written by character a “one shot wonder” nailing parental rights. When she threatens to ex-
Christopher Ambrose, Jonathan I. Kidd & every skill check with that prerequisite pose his drug business, which he’s trying
Sonya Winton skill. If using the original skill system, in- to lure his son into, he uses his son’s car to
corporating the article “Spacer Skills Revis- kill her in an apparent hit and run.
ited” might be advisable to scale back the
This adventure is designed for one or
two player characters of mid to high level.
power creep and high-level skills.
THE INVESTIGATION
REFEREE RESOURCES
Characters for this adventure can be cre- Royal Marine analyst, Lt. Sarah Weaver,
ated using the classic rules for KHs (i.e. was found dead outside of her home, the
Royal Marine characters as per those cre- This adventure assumes you have access apparent victim of a hit and run. Because
ated for the Warriors of White Light ad- to the Alpha Dawn and Knight Hawks rule of her top-secret clearances and the suspi-
venture) or the Star Law character crea- books as well as the module SFKH0: War- cious nature of her death the PCs have
tion rules from Dragon Magazine # 91 “Ca- riors of White Light at a minimum. There been assigned to investigate.
reers in Star Law” by Alex Curylo from No- are also numerous fan articles expanding
vember 1984. The original rule system on the Royal Marines found in Frontier AT THE SCENE
starts out Royal Marine characters at a Explorer issues: #22 “Assault Scout Stand- The body has already been transported
high level of capability. “Careers in Star ard Equipment”; #23 “Clarion Station Ex- to the morgue for autopsy, there is a
Law” starts characters out just a notch be- panded” & “10 Things on Clarion Station”, parked ground car with damage and debris
low this. The “Skilled Frontier” fan rules #24 “Dark Shadow’s Revenge”. form being side swiped by the hit and run
from Star Frontiersman #9 can also be vehicle. In addition, one of the officers

RUNNING THE
used with some adaption to create less that secured the scene informs the PCs
clunky characters that are not as high pow- that Lt. Weaver had a foster child that is at
the Department of Social Services.
ADVENTURE
ered but are also well rounded. If using “A
Skilled Frontier” the referee should in-
crease the number and levels of starting The set up can be local law enforcement INVESTIGATING LT. WEAVER’S
skills and incorporate the fan rules “Spacer on Clarion, Star Law, Royal Mounted Con- LIFE
Skills Revisited” from Star Frontiersman stabulary or Royal Marines assigned to in- Her coworkers and friends know that
#11. vestigate the death of one of their own. she’s been upset lately and stressed. They
For reference the character creation There are multiple lines of investigation believe its connected to her foster son and
rules in “Careers in Star Law” requires and the players may wish to rabbit trail note that she had been communicating
these ability scores: STR/STA 40/40, just one of them. If this happens have the frequently with another foster family.
DEX/RS 40/40, INT/LOG 60/60, technician or medical examiner inform Otherwise they think she’s a good person
PER/LDR 40/40. It also calls for these them that it will take a few hours before and can’t understand who would want to
starting skills based on PSA: Technologi- they have results for the PCs to force them kill her.
cal/Biosocial: One 5th-level skill and one to investigate other clues. If the players hit Lt. Weaver’s chroncom has a cryptic text
3rd-level skill from the appropriate PSA, a a dead end have a lab technician, medical message that says, “I will expose you for
2nd-level ranged weapons skill (usually examiner, or other NPC nudge them in a your corruption,” to an unlisted burner
beam), and 1st-level in a non-ranged new direction by providing analysis of a number.
weapon Military skill (usually Melee). Mil- clue. The adventure should build to con-
itary: Two 5th-level weapon skills, 2nd- frontation with the killer’s minions and INVESTIGATING THE BODY
level Martial Arts, 1st-level Demolitions. I the killer himself. The medical examiner will confirm Lt.
consider the ability score requirements op- The Plot: Lt. Sarah Weaver, having Weaver’s death is blunt force trauma con-
tional but I’ve supplied them for thorough- come from poor beginnings has been try- sistent with being stuck by a ground car.
ness. ing to adopt the foster child she cares for. Her teeth show poor nutrition in child-
Characters entering the Royal Marines To do this she needs the sole remaining hood as testimony to poor beginnings. She
begin with a 1st level spacer skill and the parent to sign off on her petition. This also has a black eye that is a few days old
prerequisite skills for that skill which usu- man, Rejack Key is a criminal and drug (from an altercation outside her home
ally means they are level 6 in at least one dealer that was recently released from

8 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


with Rejack two days ago where he tried to the PCs, “Tell my wife I’m sorry” and leaps close by the PCs can arrive as Rejack is
take his son. off the balcony behind his desk to his leaving the building with Bobby.
death. Note this is the red herring of the
INVESTIGATING THE VEHICLE
The lab technician can tell the PCs that
investigation. The PCs can solve the em-
bezzlement crime but the CEO is not the REJACK KEY
the debris from the hit and run vehicle murderer. If they fixate on the CEO as the
shows that it is a sedan and that there was murderer have an NPC point out that he
some film on it that he may be able to iden- had no real reason to kill Weaver and was
tify eventually. With some analysis he will being deposed by Crown Investigators at
be able to tell them more details on the the time of Weaver’s death.
ground car involved, a 15 year old Zoomer.
If they look in the registry of motor vehi- INTERVIEWING ROBBY KEY, THE
cles, they can discover that there is such a FOSTER CHILD
Zoomer registered to the teenage foster He’s upset and will complain that Lt.
son of Lt. Weaver (although it was pur- Weaver had promised to adopt him but
chased by Rejack). nothing ever came of that. He doesn’t
The film on the car is a combination of know who would want to kill her. It obvi-

IMAGE BY JERRY BOUCHER


sulfur, carbon black, zinc oxide, steric acid, ous that he has trust issues. The Depart-
silica and 200 other trace elements and ment of Social Services will place him in a
chemicals used in the manufacture or recy- group home. Bobby knows that Rejack had
cling of tires. The closest tire manufac- come to the house and that Weaver had
turer is more than 600 km away but there spoken to him outside before she came
is a tire recycler right here in town. Rejack back in with the black eye but he will resist Rejack is a career criminal with convictions
Key works at that recycler and the owner sharing that. for drug dealing and attempted murder.
will recognize the 15 year old Zoomer as Later Bobby goes missing from the He was recently released from prison and
Rejack’s car. Video surveillance will reveal group home and a search of his room re- he put on a front of obtaining a job and re-
that he left work early in the car with the veals samples of Night High, a powerful porting to his probation officer but has
appropriate time to kill Lt. Weaver even narcotic that has been circulating. He will gone right back to drug dealing.
though his time card was punched out by be found at the home of Rejack compound- STR/STA: 65/55
another employee. Rejack has not shown ing drugs. DEX/RS: 40/40
up for work since. Rejack has been giving him money and RW: 60
manipulating him into selling drugs for
INVESTIGATING THE FOSTER SIT- him on the idea, “I’m the only family you
M: 50
PS: 4
UATION have.” It should be emphasized that Bobby
IM: 4
Her neighbors, who are also foster par- didn’t really want to do this but felt he had
Equipment: civilian skein suit and al-
ents can attest the frustration they shared to because of Rejack’s manipulation and
bedo screen, belt pack, gyro-jet pistol and
with Lt. Weaver concerning their inability threats to Lt. Weaver. As the PCs leave Re-
extra clip, and sonic sword.
to obtain financial aid and reimbursement jack’s house, two thugs employed by Re-
from Comfort and Care Horizons, a pri- jack will show up: RW 40, M 45, PS 4, IM
vate agency with a government contract to
support and oversee foster care in this
4, RS 40, STA 45, civilian skein suit and al-
bedo screen, belt pack, a pistol (random
EPILOGUE
In the personal effects of Lt. Weaver
area. They hate C&C Horizons and praise type) and extra clip.
that must be cataloged by the PCs is a filled
Weaver for her bulldog tenacity in going
out plasti-paper document lacking the sig-
after the foster agency.
The CEO is actually under investigation WRAPPING UP THE nature of Bobby Key’s parent signing off
on the adoption. It would seem that Lt.
by Crown Investigators and has no reason
to kill Lt. Weaver since there is in effect INVESTIGATION Weaver was serious about adopting Bobby.
nothing for her to reveal to the govern- The PCs may be able to convince Bobby
ment. His government contract is for 2 to provide them with enough information
million credits and his income is 2 million to track down Rejack (possibly to a safe
credits. On the books he’s represented house). If they cannot do that then have
himself as employing dozens of social the social worker that is taking Bobby back
workers but he has simply embezzled the to the group home call the PCs in a panic
money and denied services to foster fami- that Rejack showed up at the DSS office
lies. When confronted in his office he tells and kidnapped Bobby. Since that office is

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 9


TO BOLDY EXPAND THE FRONTIER
WITH NEW SPECIES AND CIVILIZATIONS
BY TOM VERREAULT

The canned Star Frontiers setting was checks involving movement and balance. environment (+15% to resist the negative
always a little constricted being about 50 Loss of one antenna results in a -5% pen- effects of cold where appropriate) and this
light years in diameter. Those who desire a alty and two antennae in a -10% penalty lets them extend the duration of their life
more wide-ranging, exploration type game until they grow back in 3 months. support in a vacuum suit or personal craft
might consider converting species from like a workpod by 25%. This ability comes
other sci-fi properties to the Star Frontiers SPEECH at a cost of a higher metabolism requiring
game. Creating new races can be a chal- Their speech organs mimic those of hu- 1.5 times the amount of sustenance of
lenge and the anthropomorphic humans manity and can handle any language that that required by humans. They have less
with animal heads can grow stale. The humanity can. Due to their antennae they stamina then humanity and a susceptibil-
plethora of sci-fi TV shows and movies are adept at learning the language of vrusk ity to infections (-5% penalty to resist in-
over the years like Battle Beyond the Stars, but like humans cannot pronounce it. fections).
Star Trek, and Babylon 5 are fertile ground SOCIETY AND CUSTOMS Balance and Spatial Sense: their an-
for converting well known and familiar al- Andellorian culture is very marshal in tennae confer a +5% bonus to DEX checks
ien species to the Star Frontiers or Fron- nature due to the imperial government involving movement and balance. Loss of
tier Space RPGs. that rules their society from their place of one antenna results in a -5% penalty and
To that end we present the Andellorians origin on the moon Andelloria in the Andel two antennae in a -10% penalty until they
and the Kellarites as a nod to some minor system. They are proud and honorable but grow back in 3 months.
species in one of our favorite sci-fi shows. can come off as pushy and aggressive. Situational Awareness: Andellorians
Their culture promotes the “uhlan” (liter- are keen observers. This allows them to de-

ANDELLORIANS ally “ice chopper” in Andellorian) as a per-


sonal weapon and honor blade. Those in
termine the weakness of an opponent
whether physical, emotional, intellectual
or situational. This ability starts at 5% and
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE AND martial cadres will settle disputes of honor
can be improved with experience points. It
in duels with the uhlan, either until first
STRUCTURE blood or death as the matter of honor de- also allows the Andellorian to spot the
Andellorians are a humanoid species av- mands. “tell” of an opponent with a successful abil-
eraging 1.9 meters tall with white skin, The Imperial cadre has been in ascend- ity check (LOG or INT; whichever is
blue hair, and antennae on their heads. ancy for decades and this has led to the col- higher). Once an Andellorian knows the
They are warm-blooded omnivores with onization of 5 other systems. Their aggres- tell of an opponent, he will forever have a
internal skeletons very similar to human- sive colonization program has also caused +1 initiative modifier against that oppo-
ity. They resist cold better than humanity friction with their nearest neighbors the nent. Rolling to learn the tell can only be
(+15% bonus when necessary) but have a Kellarites. done at the start of combat.
high metabolism that requires 1.5 times
the amount of sustenance that humans re- SPECIES ABILITY SCORE MODIFI-
quire and this causes them to fatigue ATTITUDES ERS
faster than humans do on average. They Andellorians can appear quite haughty -10 STR/STA, +5 LOG/INT, +5 LDR/PER
are also more susceptible to infection (-5% and self-righteous. They dislike the Kellar-
penalty to resist). ites due to past wars and the present cold EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY
Their white skin makes them very sensi- war. While willing to work with any of the
tive to harsh sunlight and they must cover Frontier races to advance their own THE UHLAN
up with brimmed hats and clothing or they agenda, they are fond of deriding humans The uhlan was originally a tool for dig-
will suffer a terrible sunburn in little less as pink skins. They hate the sathar as ging and mining ice. It has evolved into an
than 1 hour. Once sunburn occurs, they much as anyone else. honor blade in the marshal society of the
experience a pain penalty of -5% to all ac- Adellorian Imperium. It is a melee weapon
tivity until it heals in 3 days. SPECIAL ABILITIES more substantial than a knife and can be
Cold Resistance and High Metabo- used to aid in climbing ice (+10% bonus to
SENSES lism: Andellorians enjoy a robust re- climbing maneuvers).
Their vision, hearing, and sense of touch sistance to cold having evolved in a frigid Cost: 25 Cr. Mass: 1 kg
are comparable to humanity’s, but their
WEAPON DAMAGE MODIFIER DEFENSE MASS COST
antennae aid in balance and special aware-
ness conferring a +5% bonus to DEX The Uhlan 2d10 +0 Inertia 1 25 Cr

10 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


QUICK HEAL COMPOUND #5
THE KELLARITES SPECIAL ABILITIES
Quick Heal compound #5 is in all re- Tough to Subdue: +5 bonus against
spects identical to Biocort except that it
only works on Andellorians. Biocort at
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE AND stun effects and knock out effects, a mar-
tial artist nerve combat ability is halved
first contact will not work on Andellorians STRUCTURE against a kellarite.
although medical research may eventually Described as a cross between a dralasite,
Tough to Wound: -1 inertial type dam-
develop a version of biocort in the future a yazirian, and an ifshnit, the Kellarite is a
age point from blunt weapons and fist.
that will work on the Andellorians as well stout, hirsute, pig-snouted humanoid.
Tough to Poison: Kellarites have a high
as the “core 4” Frontier species. They have two thick fingers and an oppos-
tolerance to drugs and toxins. They don’t
Cost: 10 Cr. Mass: n/a able thumb. They have an internal skele-
get drunk and resist poison and toxins
ton and loosely resemble humans though
with a +10 bonus.
SKIN SALVE slightly shorter and usually heavier. Their
heavier gravity world has bestowed on
This medial ointment is a topical adap-
them a robust body and frame.
EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY
tion of quick heal compounds that will heal
an Andellorian’s sunburn in one day or
cure 1/2 an actual fire burn’s damage in
SENSE KELLARITE PROSPECTOR SHIP
Their eyesight exceeds that of humans HS: 4
one day. HP: 30 MDF: 3 MR: 1 DCR: 35
and their sense of smell is approximately
Cost: 10 Cr. Mass: n/a
x4 that of humanity. Weapons: RB (x4) LB
Defenses RH, MS (x1)
ANDELLORIAN SCOUT SHIP SPEECH
HS: 2 They are capable of speech similar to hu-
HP: 12 ADF: 4 MR: 3 DCR: 35 mans but use subsonic growls, snorts, and ANDELLORIAN AND THE
Weapons: Forward fire Laser equal to a LB whistles to add emphasis and shades of
Defenses: reflective hull meaning that tend to throw off members KELLARITE MINIATURES
The Andellorian scout ship class has of the “core four” trying to speak the Kel- Since the Andellorians and the Kellarites
been an exploration workhorse for the An- larite language. are converted to Star Frontiers from a pop-
dell Imperium for decades. It comes with a ular sci-fi franchise but “with the serial
full science station and two atmo-probes. SOCIETY AND CUSTOMS numbers filed off” it will be easy to locate
It has probed the depths of space and been Kellarites have a fractious society built suitable miniatures for these two species.
instrumental in their colonization of other on democratic principles. They believe Modiphius is the manufacturer of the Star
planets and moons. that ideas that cannot stand up to criti- Trek Adventures RPG and they sell a box
The Andellorian Scout Defender adds 2 cisms, scrutiny, and debate are stupid and set of miniatures with both andorian and
Assault Rockets and is primarily tasked inferior. They are very prone to argumen- tellerite crew members. The Modiphius
with system defense. tation and debate. They value intellectual figures are made from good quality plastic,
The Andellorian Scout Interdictor is a honesty. have great detail but cost more than the
Defender with a new defense: ablative ar- They have not been as active at coloniza- next option.
mor. Ablative armor will one time cut in tion as the Andellorians, choosing instead The Wiz Kids produces a Star Trek Hero-
half the damage of any non-beam type to establish temporary to semi-permanent clix Away Team blind box with five random
weaponry. mining missions on various worlds before miniatures. However, there seems to be a
returning to the comfort of their high brisk trade for them on auction sites like
ANDELLORIAN BATTLECRUISER gravity world, Kellar Prime. This policy has Ebay with prices as low as a dollar and I’ve
HP: 90 ADF: 2 MR: 1 DCR: 125 led to friction with the Andellorians when bought both andorian and tellerite minia-
Weapons: LB (x3), LC, Torp (x4), S (x2), that species colonizes a planet being tures for a dollar. I don’t recommend pay-
RB (x8) mined by the Kellarites. ing more than $3 per miniature on an auc-
Defenses: RH, MS (x4), ICM (x10), Abla- tion site unless you decide you really want
tive Armor (x2) ATTITUDES that one. You should also look for a seller
Parasite Warships: 1x Scout Defender or It is no surprise that Kellarites enjoy the with multiple listings of the Heroclix fig-
1x Scout Interdictor company of dralasites and when they are ures you desire and buy all of the figures
Larger than a UPF heavy cruiser the An- together there is usually endless debate. you’re looking for from that seller to save
dellorian Battle cruiser is the work horse of They strongly dislike the Andellorians due on shipping. The Heroclix figures, while
their battle fleet. to their shared history and find that yaziri- inexpensive and made with a more flexible
ans remind them of Andellorians, leaving plastic, are not that bad. Many of the
a bad taste for them metaphorically. To- Heroclix figures are useable with nothing
ward humans and vrusk they are neutral more than a custom wargaming base in
but like everyone else they hate the sathar. place of the Heroclix base.

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 11


THE ART OF THE CROSSOVER
BY RJ MCDONOUGH
I think my first exposure to the concept and a universe that was also light on detail the aid of your favourite search engine. I
of the gaming “crossover” would be at meant game referees had to get creative if use an old medieval tavern map as a ‘retro’
around the age of 12 or 13 when I first got they wanted their campaigns to last much building in a trendy part of Port Loren.
my hands on the Dungeon Masters Guide further than the Volturnus trilogy. Even For the characters I used mostly counters
from TSR. Lo and behold, hidden in the when Knight Hawks arrived, that expan- from the Alpha Dawn game and made ex-
middle of that wondrous tome was a sec- sion gave the playing community a bit tra counters from the images from
tion on converting AD&D to Boot Hill and more information on ships and space Zebulon’s Guide or Dragon Magazine arti-
Gamma World. It was a pretty clunky con- skills, a Second Sathar War Campaign, and cles.
version; I suspect included as cross promo- the Warriors of White Light scenario but
tion for other TSR games rather than a se- not much more. SETUP AND SPECIAL RULES
rious attempt at connecting the different With most Star Frontiers players already Three robots run the tavern, each with
game systems. But the seed had been exposed to D&D and a bunch of other their own unique programming.
planted and when I finally got my hands RPGs, those games became a wonderful Four ‘pirates’ are also NPC’s drinking in
on the first boxed set of Star Frontiers, I source of gaming material, either borrow- the tavern, just itching for a fight.
madly recreated Daleks and Cybermen and ing concepts to build new adventures, or All the other characters are potential
Cylons and any other bad guys that dared just converting adventures wholesale into players or NPCs, each with their own spe-
show their face on my TV or at the movies. the Star Frontiers system. cific motivations. To keep things simple,
The albedo suits those Stormtroopers After several years of not playing RPGs each character has been given a couple of
wear are next to useless in the movies but and finally coming back to the game I love, basic items/weapons and all have average
way too effective in Star Frontiers! I have once again entered the crossover statistics (STR/STA, PS, Move etc) for
My first attempt at a real crossover was universe. This time, however, I have taken their particular species.
converting a Boot Hill module so a group the Star Frontiers engine and built a brand The players are given their characters
of Star Frontiers characters could crash new game based in my favourite series of randomly (deal cards or roll dice). As this
land on “earth”. Weapon conversion was novels that brings together elements of is a ‘brawl,’ the only skills relevant are mil-
not too difficult, no energy weapons to the US Civil War, fantasy fiction, with me- itary skills and each player can choose two
worry about once the ammo ran out and dieval level technology and man-eating Military skills (except Demolitions) at
giving the players 6 guns instead of auto- monsters plus a touch of steam punk level 1 proficiency.
pistols worked out OK. On the language thrown in for good measure. The end re- The only beam weapons available in this
side of things, Pan Gal ended up coming sult is a totally new game that once again scenario are sonic stunners and electro-
out sounding a lot like Latin, so the local showed what an awesome system Star stunners. For the purpose of this scenario,
priest could be the translator. Just gotta Frontiers was/is and how flexible it could stun beams are blue and damage beams are
keep the non-humans out of sight to pre- be. red. The default setting for all electrostun-
vent a panic. I was a kid, you do whatever ners is blue, if anyone switches their
works to get the job done.
What I realised back then was that the BAR ROOM BRAWL AT weapon to the damage setting, everyone
else in the bar will know immediately, in-

THE HOLE IN THE WALL


percentile system that original Star Fron- cluding the Bouncer Bot. The Bouncer Bot
tiers is based on makes converting other will automatically engage any character us-
systems into SF pretty straightforward. Now for your gaming pleasure I present ing the damage setting on their electro-
All the other dice types can be easily con- an old favourite of mine, converted to Star stunners.
verted to percentages and with a bit of cre- Frontiers as a one-shot adventure for a Projectile weapons are banned; needler
ativity and imagination, character classes, single gaming session. The scenario that and gyrojet weapons are only allowed with
skills, even magic can be woven into a Star inspired this cross-over first appeared as non-lethal ammunition.
Frontiers scenario that suits your gaming Bar Room Brawl in White Dwarf Magazine Melee weapons are also banned from en-
universe. The AD&D module Expedition #11 and included a map of a tavern, a try however characters can (and will) use
to Barrier Peaks was also a great example handful of NPC’s to be run by the referee improvised weapons including chairs, pot-
of how to blend different types of games and around a dozen pre-rolled characters, ted plants, buckets of sand or water, and
into a thrilling adventure. each with their own particular motivations wooden torches/clubs.
Compared to many other RPGs, Star for the scenario. No screens or defensive suits can be
Frontiers was relatively light on the pre- I have not included any maps or artwork worn or taken inside the bar.
planned adventures side of things. Having here, there are plenty of tavern maps avail- The referee pre-places all character
only a handful of official modules available able online and can be found easily with counters inside the tavern, wherever

12 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


possible placing characters on the opposite try and take down the Mechanon and any- THE S'SESSU
side of the room to their intended target one who gets in his way or tries to prevent This patron came to this bar for a quiet
with the pirates in the centre of the room him from completing his mission. drink and a chance to observe all the many
where they can attack in all directions and and varied races of the Frontier. What he
create the most mischief. THE HUMAN FEMALE hadn't counted on was the Zuraqqor
If the situation seems to get completely She was once in a romantic relationship across the room. He had a particular dis-
out of control, feel free to introduce mem- with the Human Male however now she like for the Zuraqqor. As allies of the
bers of the local constabulary or even Star believes he has been having an affair and Sathar they were imprinted on his brain as
Law to settle things down or spice things she is here to settle the matter once and eternal enemies of his race. But why was
up, whatever works best for your enter- for all. There is no greater wrath than a that Saurian giving him the stink eye?
tainment. woman scorned!
THE SAURIAN
THE CAST AND THEIR MOTIVA- THE HUMAN MALE Saurians absolutely loathe Sathar and
TIONS He was once in a relationship with the this one hates them unconditionally. Un-
Human Female, however, he now believes fortunately, he can't tell the difference be-
THE BOUNCER BOT she has been unfaithful and he is here to tween a Sathar and S'sessu and he has been
Programmed to inspect ID's at the door deal with his romantic competition, by giving the S'sessu the stink eye ever since
to prevent underage drinking, restrict in- whatever means necessary! they spotted each other. It is only a matter
dividuals with lethal weapons from enter- of time before he takes action.
ing, and to monitor patron behavior inside THE HUMMA
the bar. The Bouncer Bot's Attack/De- He is a young male of the species on his THE VRUSK
fense program is trigger by lethal damage. first trip to a city with mixed races and his This patron was somewhat of a connois-
Melee combat (armed or unarmed) or non- hormones are now in overload. His entire seur of Frontier foods and the Zuraqqor
lethal firearms will not trigger any re- being is screaming for him to fight and over at the next table looked particularly
sponse from the Bouncer Bot. earn his place in Humma society, virtually inviting. None of the other beings of the
any action that might be perceived as a Frontier were likely to object were they?
THE BARTENDER BOT slight will set him off! And it's not like the local Zuraqqor hive
Programmed to serve drinks and tend was going to miss a drone?
bar. Only authorized personnel are per- THE IFSHNIT
mitted behind the bar. Any patrons who They have come to the bar to celebrate THE YAZIRIAN
manage to get behind the bar will be phys- after a successful negotiation with an ex- He has come to this bar in search of the
ically ejected from behind the bar (thrown otic weapons dealer that has resulted in new owner of his red zamra and an Ifshnit.
over the bar for 1d10 damage) the acquisition of a rare, red zamra, a His most prized possession was stolen
weapon of great significance to its Yazirian from his quarters several tendays past and
THE CHEF RAMSEY BOT owner. Unused to the effects of excess al- he will go to whatever lengths are neces-
Will defend his kitchen with maniacal cohol, he is now inebriated and in high sary to recover his property.
fervor. The sign over the kitchen door says spirits.
"Staff Only" and Chef Ramsey takes that THE ZETHRA
literally. He will use any potential missiles THE MECHANON This patron has come to the bar to expe-
(pots, pans, rolling pins, etc.) to defend his This robot has gone rogue and is here to rience the intriguing local custom known
territory before resorting to mechanical free all his enslaved and oppressed broth- as the "Bar Room Brawl". To his
arms. ers and sisters, whether they want free- knowledge, none of his race have ever ex-
dom or not. It targets non-robots, starting perienced such a phenomenon and he is
THE DRALASITE with anybody who 'owns' or abuses robots. eager to take part in the experience per-
Was earning himself a reputation as one sonally.
of the top foodies in his community and he THE OSAKAR
was here to try out some of the local deli- She is a member of a tiny, extreme cult THE ZURAQQOR
cacies. He never would have dreamed of that only wears pure white. Anything that Sent here on behalf of the local hive
finding a fresh Zuraqqor but here was one besmirches the color of her clothing will be looking for a particular delicacy for its
sitting at the next table. The dinner bell considered the most vile of insults and will Queen, the Zuraqqor had just discovered
couldn't ring fast enough! result in a violent, physical response to- one of the rarest creatures in the Frontier,
ward the offender. This will most likely re- a Zethra! He could not believe his luck,
THE EORNA sult in further besmirching of the Osakars’ this might actually elevate him from drone
Here to track down and capture a rogue clothing which will send her into an un- to supervisor!
Mechanon, he will use any opportunity to controllable fit of rage.

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 13


HANDLING RANDOM CREATURE ENCOUNTERS
BY JOSEPH CABADAS
A number of TSR games – well, I’m location and terrain can be decided on by and match the result to the type of crea-
thinking Dungeons & Dragons or Gamma the referee. ture being encountered – carnivores, om-
World – provided the game master with There is a chance that the creature(s) nivores or herbivores. The result can be
some basic rules for creating random en- may surprise the characters, requiring an modified by various factors found in the
counters with monsters. Intuition check. This check would be mod- Animal Reaction Modifier Table.
The modules in Star Frontiers gave spe- ified by the terrain and the creature’s nat- The referee should also consider the fol-
cific guidelines for random encounters. ural camouflage abilities (if any). See the lowing:
But if the referee is planning a quick ad- Animal Surprise Modifiers table for some
venture for the evening – let’s say it’s in possible modifiers. INTELLIGENCE
the “outback” of Morgaine’s World – the For example, a predator stalking a char- Intelligent creatures will not be fright-
game rules tell you how to create creatures acter will know how to move stealthily, but ened by a burning torch, clanging frying
but not how to handle encounters nor a giant, dinosaur-like herbivore with the pans, etc. Creatures with low intelligence,
when to check for them. bulk to defend itself may serenely munch however, might be easily startled or fright-
Many of the ideas for this story are on its food, ignoring the characters unless ened away by these actions.
based on a discussion on the StarFron- they approach too close or cause a disturb-
tiers.us website (http://www.starfron- ance. EXPERIENCE
tiers.us/node/9686) with contributions It is important for a referee to play the A creature is less likely to be afraid of
from users including ShadowShack, roles of creatures encountered in such a something it has seen before, unless the
KRingway, ExileInParadise, and Tom way to challenge the ingenuity of the play- previous experience was very painful or
Verreault (jedion357). ers. frightening.
When player characters enter areas
SIZE
keyed on the referee’s map that contain
beings or plants that are likely to respond CREATURE REACTIONS Large creatures often are harder to
to their presence, there will be an encoun- A creature's reaction to a character de- frighten then small ones. (Also see Target
ter. The results of this encounter will de- pends on the animal’s temperament and Size).
pend upon what is encountered and the what the character does. The creature may
referee’s discretion. be naturally timid, curious, or aggressive; TYPE
When players are traveling through it may be hungry, or it might have just Carnivores tend to be more aggressive
large areas of unexplored wilderness ter- eaten. A character can affect the creature’s and harder to frighten than herbivores,
rain – on a world that has flora and fauna, reaction by ignoring it, coaxing it with which usually are timid. Omnivores tend
the referee should check for random ani- food, or frightening it with fire, loud to be curious.
mal encounters once each day and night by noises, or flashes of light.
rolling a single ten-sided die. A roll of 1 or Since not all encounters result in com- TEMPERAMENT
0 indicates an encounter. bat, the Creature Encounter Reaction Ta- If a creature is naturally aggressive, it
If the adventurers are on the move and ble provides a generic base for whether or may attack creatures much larger than it-
covering a certain distance during the time not a creature will try to attack. Roll a d100 self with very little fear. Timid creatures
period when the encounter occurs, an ap- try to avoid fighting whenever they can.
ANIMAL SURPRISE MODIFIERS FOR
propriate die roll should be cast to deter- % Is the creature a loner or a pack/herd/
INTUITION CHECK
mine what time this happens at. The exact flocking animal? Is the animal hungry,
Creature is in its natural environment -5 thirsty, or sleepy?
Creature is out of its natural environment +10
Creature’s size is tiny -10 MOTIVATION
Any creature that fights has a reason for
Creature’s size is small -5
fighting. Even naturally shy and weak
Creature’s size is medium 0 creatures may fight savagely to defend
Creature’s size is large +10 their lair, their territory or their young.
Those that are cornered or wounded, sens-
IMAGE BY TOM VERREAULT

Creature’s size is giant +15


ing that they must fight or die, often fight
Creature stalks its prey -5
ferociously and without fear.
Creature lies in wait for prey -10 Some creatures are not territorial. Oth-
Creature is a herd/flock animal in a herd +15 ers have a large territory, or it changes

14 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


with the seasons, or its territorial area is
only its den or nest. Does it mark or patrol CREATURE ENCOUNTER REACTION TABLE
its territory? REACTION TIMID NEUTRAL AGGRESSIVE
How does a creature defend its terri- TYPE: FLEES RESPONSE RESPONSE RESPONSE ATTACK
tory? These factors could include: Roll: 01-20 21-40 41-55 56-75 76-00
• Only defends against its own kind?
Creature may
• Defense against one sex only? Creature may be Creature may
be visible at a Creature may Creature attacks
• Excludes one type of species or all in- visible at a dis- languish at a
distance but stalk characters; without warning
truders? tance, either spot at a dis-
Carnivore will slink may bark, bay or after lying in
walking a paral- tance. Possibly
• Only one sex defends the territory? away, even hiss; very likely to wait/silently
lel track or mov- feeding on a re-
• When attacking intruders, the creature leaving a kill attack. stalking.
ing away. cent kill.
is content to drive them away? behind.
• When it attacks intruders, it will try to Animal ambles
Animal may Animal may stalk Animal attacks
kill them? along, possibly
make a brief ap- characters; may without warning
• Will it defend its territory until dead? Animal hides coming close
Omnivore pearance before bark, bay or hiss; after lying in
in den. with curiosity
moving into very likely to at- wait/silently
OTHER FACTORS shelter.
but no apparent
tack. stalking.
A referee has to keep in mind a few other aggression.
factors when determining how a creature Animal puts on a Bulls charge, fe-
Animal visible
will react including: Animal Animal stays defense display by males
at a distance.
• A character is alone. This will make car- moves or runs put, grazing in hissing, snorting, kick/scratch/paw
Will keep dis-
nivores and omnivores even more curi- Herbivore away soon af- the open, but pawing dirt, etc. /bite, herd ani-
tance or move
ous and willing to attack. Large herbi- ter spotting keep a wary eye Bulls or females mals stampede
away from char-
characters. on characters. may charge at toward charac-
vores may be bolder as well. acters.
characters. ters
• A character is in a group. There can be
safety in numbers. ANIMAL REACTION MODIFIERS % ANIMAL REACTION MODIFIERS %
• A character is injured. Carnivores and
Smaller than characters -10 Character near den, hive, nest or young +10
omnivores will be more willing to go af-
ter an injured character – even if the Character disturbing or threatening den,
Larger than characters +5 +20
character is in a group. Herbivores may hive, nest or young
ignore or even trample an injured crea- Much larger than characters +10 Temperament: Timid/Skittish -15
ture. Territorial +5 Temperament: Predatory +15
• Day/Night factors: creatures more prev-
Carnivore Herbivore
alent in the daytime may be sleeping at
night and vice versa. The presence of a • Fed -15 • Has strong defenses/hide +0
campfire may keep creatures away, but • Hungry +15 • Herd animals with bulls or dominant +15
the presence of food in open or easy to • Character wounded/disabled +15 females that defend territory/young
reach containers will attract some ani- Omnivore Character actions
mals such as rodents or even bear-like • Fed -20 • Making loud noise, use of fire, etc. to
omnivores. scare creature away
• Hungry +10 -10
• Wilderness versus cultivated areas: +10 • Alone
• Character wounded/disabled +10
Creatures in a wilderness will be bolder
• In group -5
in their environments but more skittish
in regions that have been “civilized.” • In vehicle -10
• Creature’s previous experiences with Sathar Attack Monster +20
hunting/weapons/robots and vehicles. Note: These are sample modifiers to be used with the Creature Encounter Reaction Table.
• Characters are riding in a vehicle; the ve-
hicle is much larger or smaller than the
creature. While an animal like a Voltur-
Hopefully, these suggested rules will
help the referee handle those random crea-
REFERENCES
nus roller might stampede an explorer 1) Ward, James M. and Gary Jaquet,
ture encounters, offering a bit of variety
that gets too close to the herd, a sand Gamma World, 2nd printing; (TSR
for the players.
shark would probably ignore a character Games), August 1978, p. 21
riding on a hover cycle. 2) ExileInParadise. “Social Combat on the
Frontier,” http://www.starfron-
tiers.us/node/9592

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 15


FIELD EMITTER ARRAYS & COMMUNICATION DISHES
THE FRONTIER IN MINATURE
BY TOM VERREAULT

FIELD EMITTERS
This tutorial is a classic kit bash made I measured and cut a piece for each razor
with junk and repurposed materials. In and dry fit it before gluing it in place with
this tutorial I will suggest ways to make The cocktail sticks that I found may not super glue. I then glued the triangle racks
field emitters, communication dishes, and be available to you but the idea is to kit onto card stock and glued a scrap piece of
a third device that could be a mainframe bash something and repurpose it. Look for card stock to cover the holes in the fender
computer or power generator of some sort. something that suggests itself to you as washers I chose as bases (I use 7/8" fender
All of these items will function well as sci-fi equipment. I started by cutting the washers instead of 1" as the 1/8" savings
game objectives. triangle rack from its stick and cutting the can make a big difference on the gaming
I assembled a motley collection of dis- ends off the razors after removing the table although for bigger bases I use 1.5"
posable razors because the handles looked bladed head with pliers (they snap off). A washers).
sci fi -ish, a ping pong ball, and plastic 3/8 inch wide strip of cardstock fits the in-
cocktail sticks plus cardstock and basing side of the razor handle.
materials. The razors are the generic ver-
sion of the Bic razor bought at a Walgreens
Pharmacy. The cocktail sticks were a fortu-
itous find at a dollar store in that the stir-
ring end is a triangle rack filled with pool
balls and suggest a field emitter or solar
collector.

16 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


the size of the lens, tracing the end of the
razor handle, and cutting that out with a
hobby knife. The cardstock was slid onto
the razor handle and this was inserted into
the flashlight head. Glue the cardstock
into place where the lens would be.
Make a large base in the same manner as

Next trim the card stock around the tri-


angle rack flush to the edge. The triangle
nubs on the razor handle need to be
trimmed and the razor handle glued to the
back of the triangle rack. Mix two-part
epoxy sculpting compound (Greenstuff or
ProCreate) and apply to the small bases.
Smooth the epoxy sculpting compound
and press the base of the razor handle into for the previous projects and attach the
the epoxy. Remove the handle apply super- com unit. I embellished the base with a
glue to the indent grooves and press the miniature computer console that had bro-
handle into the grooves firmly. Set these ken off another piece.
aside for the epoxy and super glue to set. Next cut a ping pong ball in half (this

COMMUNICATIONS DISH
Cut a longer razor handle (so that the
com dish stands taller than the emitter process might be easier with a Dremmel
heads) and use a pin vice drill to drill a hole and cutting blade if you have one). Cut the
into the space where the razor blade head end of one of the cocktail sticks to a length
that has been clipped. of about 9/16" and drill down the center of
the stick with a pin vice drill making sure
to use a drill bit of the same diameter as a
paperclip.

PARABATTERY,
GENERATOR, OR
COMPUTER MAINFRAME Next glue in the 3/8" cardstock strip into
the handle.
Cut the rounded ends off the razor han-
I used the head of a small broken flash-
dles. Glue them back-to-back and then
glue two sets together. I just happened to Glue a length of straightened paper clip
have a specialty hole punch and used it to into the stick. Drill a hole in the bottom of
punch out a design from card stock and a ping pong ball half and insert the paper-
embellish the razor handles. Embellish- clip wire and glue to half ping pong shell to
ment is not required but can be done any the stick. Test inserting the paperclip wire
number of ways. Base the razor handles on into the hole originally drilled into the ra-
a large base the same way as for the field zor handle, trim the wire and glue it into
emitters. the razor handle.
light to be the "pedestal" for the com dish. Prime and paint.
This required cutting some cardstock to

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 17


SUPPORT THE FRONTIER EXPLORER VIA PATREON

18 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


IMAGE BY JERRY BOUCHER
ANAKALYPTO
BY ERIC WINSOR

Here at the Jurak Hangna Foundation invited us to join his dive into the Loka- perspective of the life of the oceans. With
we tend to overlook our own world, moan Deep. so many worlds being explored through-
Hakosoar. Dwain says that this is because out the Frontier, the oceans of these
as humans say, “The grass is always
greener on the other side.” I guess there is JURAK GU'KSTO worlds get overlooked or at best receive a
passing thought. Jurak Gu'ksto is deter-
some universal truth to bovine-themed I was down in the ice habitats with mined to change that. Dwain is sure he is
wisdom from the humans. If core four and Dwain checking on our new alzof pups well on his way. But why was Gu’ksto sud-
Rim citizens weren’t always seeking when we got the call that a yazirian by the denly here on Hakosoar?
greener grass, we would not have colo- name of Jurak Gu'ksto had arrived and
nized so many worlds. This is a common
desire that draws us together.
wished to meet with us. Several years ago
Dwain, Tik, and I sailed with Jurak Gu'ksto GATH’S VOYAGES
This greener truth was recently brought on New Pale to observe the sea dragon he Jurak Gu'ksto came to Hakosoar be-
to our attention by a sudden unexpected called Fat Max. Dwain took off at a sprint cause of the adventures of Gath.
visitor interested in the green right under with one of the alzof pups in hand. I Hakosoar is dominated by one large conti-
our feet that we have been overlooking as chased after him while we spouted ques- nent on one hemisphere (see the map on
we have ventured out into the far reaches tions to each other between gulps of air. I the following page). The remainder of the
of the Frontier. The Jurak Hangna Fourn- wanted to know why Gu’ksto would leave planet is one vast ocean. Because of this,
dation (JHF) is focused preeminently on his ship Alysse Maru on New Pale. Dwain ocean vessels travel predominately along
the creatures that roam the lands of the kept up a steady round of questions about the coasts and never circumnavigate the
worlds of the Frontier. While we have cov- what Gu’ksto might be hand delivering to globe as it is shorter and quicker to travel
ered a few ocean and sea dwelling crea- us. across land to get from one side of the con-
tures in the past, we have overlooked our Inspired by the long history of human tinent to the other.
own great world-wide ocean here on diving and oceanographic exploration, Ju- Gath is a local yazirian adventurer who
Hakosoar and the great creatures that rak Gu'ksto has dedicated his life to open- has become famous on Hakosoar for
dominate its deepest and remotest waters ing the wonders of the oceans to all yaziri- achieving many firsts exploring the won-
on the far side of the globe. ans and races of the Frontier. He has ders of Hakosoar. He has climbed the
Jurak Gu'ksto and his little ship Anaka- taken the role of ocean pioneer among highest peaks and traversed the longest
lypto came all the way from New Pale to yazirians. Working with his team of engi- rivers. Five years ago, he built a traditional
explore the Lokamoan Deep on the far side neers and explorers he has even adapted yazirian sailing ship and circumnavigated
of Hakosoar. The Lokamoan Deep is home diving technologies for dralasite use and the continent. This adventure served as a
to the Gath Sea Tree. Jurak Gu'ksto opened a new realm of exploration to dral- trial for his ship and his ship building
dropped in to introduce his crew and asites. He has brought the Frontier a new skills. Gath honed his sailing skills

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 19


Hakosoar World Map

circumnavigating the continent, then an- thwarted his second voyage. Gath’s sea Apparently only other sea trees can con-
nounced that he would captain his ship cir- monster is not unique, it is a species, and sume sea trees and this cannibalism may
cumnavigating the equator of Hakosoar. he called them sea trees. be the ecological mechanism that prevents
Gath’s route started on the west coast of these creatures from depleting the ocean
the continent and sailed north around the
peak of the continent then south across GATH SEA TREES of other creatures.
Gath avoided the sea trees on his third
the great bay back to the equator. There The Lokamoan Deep of Hakosoar is voyage by deploying robotic aerial surveil-
he set east into the vast ocean to complete home to giant free floating asteroidea with lance by day and sonar by night. He sailed
the circumnavigation. as many as thirty-two free floating arms around any sea trees he encountered. The
The vast ocean is wild and beset by great and a crown of as many as two dozen sen- only two that he ever encountered to-
storms unhindered by other continents. sory and reproductive organs. The arms gether where in an intertwined cannibalis-
When Gath reached the Lokamoan Deep at can reach a length of thirty meters and the tic death dance which churned the sea well
97.72O east latitude (left vertical red line main body crown a diameter of six meters. enough for him to spot the creatures visu-
on the map), he was hit by a great storm They sweep the oceans of all floating de- ally and avoid them.
that pushed him back west and eventually bris and comb the water below them for On his second voyage when a sea tree at-
wrecked his ship. any creatures that come within reach. tacked his ship and crushed it, Gath had
Three months after his rescue he had a During storms it is speculated that they not suspected such a large creature lived in
new ship ready and started his attempt on descend to the depths of the Lokamoan the ocean of Hakosoar. No Cephalopoda
the east coast with his route in reverse to Deep for protection and then return to the are known to exist on Hakosoar. No giant
travel with the equatorial winds. On the surface to sun and feed between storms. marine creatures were known to exist on
second attempt Gath’s ship reached all the The arms of the Gath Sea Tree are flat, Hakosoar prior to Gath’s second expedi-
way to 108.64O east latitude (the right ver- wide, and powerful. The sea trees will tion. The giant sea tree had risen up below
tical red line on the map), the opposite grasp any object, living or dead, within his ship and enveloped the bow with its
edge of the Lokamoan Deep. He was reach and curl around it crushing it. The arms. Gath escaped in a life raft and
blessed with fair weather to get so far. undersides of these arms are covered by watched as his ship was pulled into the
This time he was attacked by a sea mon- thousands of podia that suction to the sur- ocean by the creature. He was rescued
ster and sunk. Gath was rescued this sec- faces of objects and together create mas- tense hours later by aircar in response to
ond time and repeated the attempt a third sive holding forces upon their prey and any his distress call. His support team were
time on the same route and succeeded in other objects. The sea trees then transport quick to fly out from the continent.
circumnavigating the equator of Hakosoar this food to their radial mouth located in Little is known about the ecology of the
by sea. However, on this third attempt the center of their undersides. Gath Sea Trees. Few scientists on
Gath also succeeded in discovering and They lack natural predators because Hakosoar are studying the Lokamoan
identifying the sea monster that had their bodies are laced with tetrodotoxins. Deep of the ocean. Neither are there any

20 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


GATH SEA TREE, They brought their sea-worthy drop ship, Hakosoar. Yet, I was not at ease knowing
GIANT HAKOSOAR ASTEROIDEA the Anakalypto, and their submersible. that I would be underwater when the sub-
Jurak Gu'ksto is very proud of Anaka- mersible encountered a sea tree.
TYPE: Carnivore lypto and his visit to the JHF was his way The first sea trees were encountered at
SIZE: Giant: 10.0 m / 5,000 kg of introducing Anakalypto to the Frontier noon of our tenth day out. We circled
NUMBER: 1–5 and launching the odysseys of the Jurak them but Gu’ksto insisted on heading fur-
Gu'ksto Society. Dwain, Tik, and I, as well ther into the Lokamoan Deep after Gath
MOVE: Medium, 30 m/turn (18 kph)
as the entire JHF are honored to be part of announced that these first specimens were
IM/RS: 5/45 Anakalypto’s maiden off world voyage. just little ones. Towards evening we en-
STAMINA: 280 Anakalypto is a repurposed scout ship countered another “little one,” as Gath
ATTACK: 50 that has been modified to land at sea and kept calling them, but the sonar reported
sail. Her midsection has been added to in that there was a much bigger one below.
3d10+5 (bludgeoning, crush-
DAMAGE: order to create a sea worthy hull on one Gath checked out the sonar scans and ad-
ing, ripping)
side and a bridge on the other. This raises vised Gu’ksto that we keep our distance.
Pulls grappled victims under the spaceship drives out of the water. The The signals of the larger one were head-
SPECIAL ATTACK:
water exhaust ports of the drives also have ing toward the little one. We started a
SPECIAL DEFENSE: Dive into the deep weather covers that enclose them when at wide circle around the rising signature and
NATIVE WORLD: Hakosoar, Scree Fron sea. While at sea Anakalypto is propeller the little sea tree at the surface. Soon the
driven. little one started actively swimming north
Stored in the fore compartments of the and gained speed approaching 18 kph.
deep-sea going vessels on Hakosoar to bridge is Anakalypto’s submersible. Jurak Our wide circle became a wide oval as we
support such expeditions. What has been Gu'ksto’s expedition plan was for the Ana- kept the little one in our orbit. The sonar
observed by aircar and from Gath’s sailing kalypto to sail east to the Lokamoan Deep reported the bigger one still heading to-
voyage is that the sea trees drift with the and deploy her submersible for close ob- ward the little one and gaining.
east to west current at the equator and servations of giant Gath Sea Trees and tag Aerial robots were deployed to record
then return with the northern and south- them to track their movement. the events from above the little one. The
ern currents back to the east. The Anakalypto would remain a safe dis- creature was about ten meters below the
They remain close to the surface by tance from any sea trees and track their surface and at its full speed. The bigger
about a hundred meters or so during fair movement. The submersible would dart as one came into view from below and be-
weather, then drop to unknown depths many sea trees as possible with tracking hind. Just as the bigger sea tree was about
during storms. They seem to stay close to devices for long term study and tracking. to collide with the little sea tree, the little
the equatorial zone where the water is one arched up toward the surface erupting
warmest. Possibly, this allows for their
large size and food supply. THE ODYSSEY OF GATH’S from the water to perform a back flip. It
was a stunning and unexpected maneuver

SEA TREES
Whether or not there are populations in of evasion from a creature that we could
the northern arm of the Lokamoan Deep is only compare to asteroidea of other
unknown, but it appears that there are We traveled for nine days on the Anaka- worlds. Asteroidea of other worlds were
none. Studies of northern fish migrations lypto to reach the western equatorial edge not known to swim at these speeds or
around the northern polar cap have not in- of the Lokamoan Deep. Gath was also jump like this.
dicated any predation by sea trees. There along for the trip as an advisor. Dwain, The little one cleared the head of the big-
are no recorded incidents of sea tree sight- Tik, and I were a bit out of our element but ger one as it broke the surface as well. It
ings or attacks by the few ocean vessels the not inexperienced. We had conducted landed back in the water on the other side
traverse the routes around the northern ship-based observations before on Hum of the bigger one and began swimming
ice cap. No sea tree carcasses, living speci- and before that with Captain Gu’ksto on away as fast as it could. The bigger one be-
mens, or related species have ever been the Alysse Maru on New Pale, but this time gan flailing with its arms toward the escap-
found on the shores or coastal waters of we were further out to sea than we had ing prey and caught hold of several arms
the continent. ever been before. This time we were going which the little one quickly sacrificed to
under the water in Gu’ksto’s new submers- get away by swimming away in the oppo-

JURAK GU'KSTO’S ible.


The submersible and the Anakalypto
site direction down into the deep.
The bigger one lashed about a bit, then

ANAKALYPTO had completed sea trials on New Pale so we


knew that they were up to the task of Ju-
pulled the severed limbs below to be eaten.
As it presumably devoured its food, it
The Jurak Gu'ksto Society came to rassic waters. The Anakalypto and her slowly drifted towards us as we continu-
Hakosoar to make the first ever underwa- submersible had to be up to the task of a ously shifted our orbit away from the mas-
ter observations of the Gath Sea Tree. Gath Sea Tree. Nothing was Jurassic on sive creature.

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 21


We orbited the bigger sea tree for most direction. The view of this sea tree under Finding these would take a closer approach
of the night until it suddenly dropped back water was tremendous. from above.
into the deep and was lost from sonar The creature had six very long central Anna and Gu’ksto debated possible ap-
many minutes later. Gu’ksto orbited the arms that we measured visually as one proach paths to ride up over the sea tree
Anakalypto at this location until after hundred forty-five meters long. Some and look for the intakes. The sea tree was
breakfast and then we proceeded to head were a little longer. These arms swayed in presently poking its top above the water so
southeast toward another aerial contact the current almost at random. Gu’ksto this was not possible at this time but if the
spotted by one of the robots. was quick to observe that they were not ef- sea tree dropped or if another sea tree was
This next sea tree was a big one, bigger fecting any upward thrust so the creature found below, we would pass over.
than the last and possibly the biggest we was possibly neutrally buoyant at the mo- Then Gu’ksto had an idea. Maybe the
could hope to find. Gath kept repeating ment. We discussed the possibility that it photosensitivity of the creature could
that he had never seen any bigger. He said had bladders it could fill or empty to ac- cause the creature to dive. Gu’ksto got the
this one was as big as the one that de- complish this. Anakalypto on coms and worked out a plan
stroyed his ship. Gu’ksto instructed Anna to continue to for us to sit motionless off to the side wait-
This creature was measuring ten meters take us down below the reach of the long- ing for our pass over the sea tree while the
in diameter at the central body. It was est arms so that we could check for a down- Anakalypto orbited as fast as it could with
spreading some of its arms out so that it ward thrust of water to challenge our hy- as many spot lights directed on the circum-
covered a greater diameter of sixty meters. potheses. Anna took the boat deeper and ference of the creature as possible. This
Below the surface the longer arms were es- it became darker. She switched on lights was quite the clever idea from Gu’ksto and
timated to be one hundred thirty to one to continue our observations. it worked.
hundred fifty meters long. The moment the lights were switched on The sea tree started reaching for the
Sonar images suggested that these arms the sea trees arms fluttered in response to Anakalypto trading arms as the ship
were probing the depths and possibly the light. Dwain and I immediately an- passed from reach. Soon the futility of the
working to keep the creature floating at its nounced that the creature’s skin must be defense and the inability of the sea tree to
current position. The yellow eye stalks photosensitive. Gu’ksto responded that match its spin to the orbital rate of the
bobbed to and fro scanning the surface. As he would test that theory after a quick pass Anakalypto caused the sea tree to retreat
we orbited the creature’s eye stalks fol- under the creature to check for a down- into the depths.
lowed us in turn, but the creature did not ward current of water from the creature. The descent was sudden then slowed as
move towards us. Anna turned the boat directly across the the creature began to move to intercept
Gu’ksto orbited this sea tree for an hour center of our orbit on Gu’ksto’s command. the Anakalypto’s orbit. The Anakalypto
and it did not make any movements. Dur- Gu’ksto was focused on the instrument adjusted its orbit to compensate. Gu’ksto
ing this time we reviewed the video from panel watching for a downward current. took this as the opportunity to drive at full
the aerial robots. This sea tree was very ac- As we came right below the sea tree, we power across the top of the sea tree. All of
tive about an hour after dawn. We guessed were hit by pulses of water coming down us were glued to the observation bubble
that it had been feeding on something from the circumference of the creature and the monitoring instruments.
caught below the surface. Gu’ksto postu- just outside the ring of long arms. Appar- Fortunately, Anna was focused on driv-
lated that the creature was now dormant ently, the creature was expelling water ing the sub. We could clearly see a ring of
as it digested its meal and this would be a from some orifices between these inner orifices around the crown of the creature
good opportunity to take the submersible long arms and the outer short arms. just before the first arms. There were even
and attempt a closer approach and possi- Gu’ksto instructed Anna to take us back glimpses of gill structures inside. Then
bly even look for something that it may be into a conjunctive orbit with the Anaka- just as we were about to pass beyond reach
grappling below the surface. lypto while remaining at this depth and of the top arms one came thrusting up to
The submersible can fit four. Gath de- pulling our orbit out to try and see up be- block our pass. Anna rolled the boat to the
clined the first trip. Tik declined as well. tween the long and short arms. Several port, dived, and shot back up to avoid the
To be fair Dwain and I were pretty excited minutes went by as we orbited wider and arm and another lower arm that was also
to go and they were being kind to let us go wider. rising to smash us.
first. Gath and Tik took a trip a few days Dwain was the keen eye and jabbed his Gu’ksto hit the controls for all the sub’s
later. Gu’ksto, the submersible pilot Anna, finger at the observation bubble. “There lights and pointed them at the top of the
Dwain, and I climbed aboard the submers- she blows!”, he exclaimed. Sure enough, sea tree. The creature reacted reflexively
ible and were winched over the side and set there were orifices between each long arm by forcing itself down into the depths. The
free. that were pulsing open to eject water at top orifices jetted water up as the crea-
Anna started us into an orbit in conjunc- force. The sea trees employ water jets to ture’s body worked in reverse, gulping wa-
tion with the Anakalypto. She slowly low- propel their movements! Somewhere ter from the bottom orifices and pushing
ered us deeper and closer under Gu’ksto’s above the body must be intakes sucking in it out the top. We speed away at full speed.
water to be expelled from these jet orifices. A close call and enough to wet our

22 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


GM NOTES
appetites for further observations of the jutting into the throat. The scissoring pul-
Gath Sea Tree. sating motion of the maw as it sucked and
We spent the rest of the week cruising flayed its prey made short work of the fish The rumors Gath was investigating are
from sea tree to sea tree. No larger sea grappled in its arms. No fish escaped un- of an object observed in satellite and sonar
trees were found. Tik and Gath made scathed as it was ripped by the sharp scales scans that many believe resembles the
some great discoveries in the sub by diving of the arms and passed further and further shape of a pyramid. This object is in fact a
close to smaller sea trees where danger of from arm to arm and up the ring of arms Tetrarch pyramid of similar construction
the tree grappling the sub was managea- to the scissoring maw. Any escaping fish to the ones found on Laco. Gath and
ble. soon perished from their wounds and were Gu’ksto were not able to get the sub deep
The photosensitive nature of the sea grabbed back up and delivered mercilessly enough to add anything further to the pre-
tree was investigated from both above and to the maw. vious data other than to confirm there is a
below. The top side is less sensitive than The week was a great success and we pyramid shape at the deepest point of the
the under-side. The trees appear to need parted ways with the Anakalypto and her Lokamoan Deep, likely just a mountain of
some sun exposure on their top side but good captain Jurak Gu’ksto. Gath stayed the sea bed. Gath saw no further adven-
the underside never experiences much aboard to investigate rumors about the Lo- ture in it to pique his interest and returned
light so shining bright light up into the kamoan Deep. ashore to hike the length of the continent
maw of the creatures will cause them to re- Anakalypto has further voyages and od- in one year.
flexively pull all their arms in to shield the ysseys here on Hakosoar from pole to pole. Gu’ksto became bored with the lack of
skin between the arms and around the We wish her luck and fair weather before sea life at the depths reached and pursued
maw. she rockets back to space and the oceans of other more exciting waters on Hakosoar
Gath even caused a very small, one-me- another world. Dwain says the proper hu- producing many excellent documentary
ter diameter sea tree to jet out of the water man term is Bon Voyage. I give a yazirian holoshows.
by shining all the sub spot lights at full fair wind. Tik clicks steady strides.
brightness at its underside. He
rather enjoyed this triumph
over a minor life enemy. Sweet
justice for his lost vessel.
Tik had some barrels with a
range of wall strengths flown
out which we tethered and
baited sea trees to catch and
crush. By increasing the pres-
sure inside the barrels, we were
better able to control our exper-
iments. We learned a five-meter
crown sea tree can easily crush a
vessel like Gath’s if it gets a
grapple. Eight meter and larger
can succeed without grappling
first. Ten-meter crown sea trees
are even a threat to the Anaka-
lypto.
Tik also revealed the existence
of spiny scales on the under-
sides of the arms that muscles
can flex out at an acute angle to-
wards the body to rip and grab.
These scales are only three cen-
timeters in size on the largest,
long arms but their effect is
shredding.
Tik also got a robotic camera
up into the maw of a sea tree ex-
posing the circular rows upon
rows of sharp-edged teeth

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 23


24 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020
FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 25
DISARMING THINGS THAT GO BOOM!
TOOLS OF THE DEMOLITIONIST TRADE
BY JOSEPH CABADAS

It’s just me and my skeinsuit, thought Raye when they are defusing unexploded cannot be changed,” noted an Army Tech-
Veektum as he approached the unexploded bombs. Then there are Explosion Contain- nology article on bomb disposal.
bomb that had been planted by a sathar ment Vessels (ECVs) that can be used to A demolition expert could use a Techkit
agent. transport munitions or store suspicious to get by when arming and defusing
A few dozen meters away, Veektum’s com- objects. bombs, but assume they would have at
panions were busy evacuating the crowded least a -5 percent penalty for not having
monorail station. Not having any dedicated
tools of his own, he had borrowed the techkit STARTING EQUIPMENT the proper gear. Instead, the explosives
specialist needs an assortment of special-
that belonged to Klecton the Technician, one Although the original Alpha Dawn rules ized tools and devices available to help
of his companions. Klecton’s closest brush neglected to provide specific starting them with their tasks.
with danger thus far was hot wiring the equipment for characters with military
ground car that they used to get here. skills, the fan-remastered version of the BASIC DEMOLITION KIT
rules had offered the following option: Like other tool kits, the basic demolition
Sweat began dripping from his brow as he
contemplated his chances of success. “A character with a Military PSA should be kit weighs only 12 kilograms and can be
Oh why didn’t I splurge on that Demoli- able to start off with the tools of his trade, carried in a backpack. It includes the fol-
tions-CAS when I had the chance? Veektum just as those in the less militant profes- lowing:
wondered before he began. If I fail to disarm sions… Only equipment from the core Al- • Minimal Blast Suit
the bomb, will the skeinsuit be enough to pro- pha Dawn game is shown in the table be- • Ceramic knife – the knife’s shell and in-
tect me? low. Referees may substitute equipment ternal parts are constructed of rugged
After several moments of examining the from their own campaign settings, as long engineering grade plastic to reduce con-
detonator, Veektum began working on defus- as it sums up to 500Cr.” ductivity
ing the bomb when suddenly a flash of light For the Demolitionist, the starting • Can of marking paint
blinded him as a wave of heat enveloped his equipment would be: 1 Military Skeinsuit, • Disposable gloves – 4 packages (one for
body… 6 Variable Timers, 3 kilograms of Torna- each of the Core Four races) with 20
dium D19, and 2 fragmentation grenades. gloves
Technicians can purchase techkits. • Dual cap crimper – a high quality non-
Characters with the robotics skill can buy …From across the monorail platform magnetic, non-sparking tool that offers
a robocomkit. Medics get medkits, while where Raye Veektum had been working on de- a dual crimp in one stroke. Manufac-
an environmentalist can pick up an envi- fusing the bomb, Klecton the Vrusk was ush- tured from high-strength, lightweight
rokit to assist them with their tasks. But, ering bystanders away. Half-turning to look plasteel
except for the Demolition-CAS (Computer at Veektum, he saw the initial flash of the • Socket wrench – adjustable from 5 mm
Analysis Scanner) that was introduced in blast. Throwing himself in front of a mother to 10 cm. Manufactured to reduce con-
Zebulon’s Guide, the demolition specialist Vrusk and her children, he hoped to shield ductivity
has very little specialized equipment pre- them. He also trusted that his skeinsuit was • Pry bar – 1-meter plasteel rod, collapses
sented in the Star Frontier game to en- enough to protect him from the explosion’s to 10 cm
hance their skills. fragments.
• Hammer – large ballpeen high-impact
In actuality, the Core Four races would Later, recounting the events to Star Law,
head
have developed a variety of tools to defuse Klecton logically concluded that Veektum
• Magnegrips – electromagnetic vice grips
and dispose explosives. should have used the proceeds from their re-
“The art of bomb disposal itself is a trade- cent adventure to purchase some proper bomb
craft kept secret from public dissemination squad equipment. To have done otherwise
and for good reason too. By limiting access to was irresponsible…
knowledge of bomb disposal techniques, the
BOMB DISPOSAL TOOLS
IMAGE BY BRIAN PHONGLUANGTHAM

enemy is deprived of technical procedure in-


formation,” noted the website Army Tech-
nology in a January 2011 article.
Some of this gear in this article of course
AND KITS
mimics reality, including blast suits, which “Actual handling of the bomb only oc-
are designed to protect demolition experts curs in extreme circumstances, such as
when the IEDs proximity to civilians

26 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


• Spray waterproofing – will insulate cir- DEMOLITION EQUIPMENT COST (CR) WEIGT (KG)
cuits, cloth, etc., from moisture; five ap-
Starting Equipment 500 4
plications
• Labels – 5 sheets with 100 labels each Basic Demolition Kit 700 12
• 2 rolls electrical tape, 1 roll duct tape, 1 Elite Bomb Squad Kit 2,900 28
roll breaches tape, 1 tube of epoxy Coil of Insulated Wire 10 1
• Plastic tube and fuse cutters – both tools Coil of Uninsulated Wire 50 3
feature durable, lightweight plastic han-
Demining, Landmine Probe 10 5**
dles and ceramic blades (non-sparking)
• Cord/cutter punch with replaceable ce- Electrical Tape, 5 pk 3 N/A
ramic blade Probes (3) 10 N/A
• Telescoping, lighted inspection mirror, Search Mirrors, Disposable 5 Pk. 1 N/A
plus shears and scissors
Search Mirror, Compact Pocket 40 0.25
• Plastic powder punch
Search Mirror, Deluxe Inspection 150 1.2
• Plasteel digging knife
• Waterless hand wash – bottle, 40 uses Search Mirror, Collapsible 5-Section Pole 400 2
• And 1 non-conductive probe, small Search Mirror, Vehicle Inspection 500 3.2
Sensi-Feeler 50 0.5
ELITE BOMB SQUAD KIT
The elite bomb squad kit is housed in a Mini Sensi-Feeler 25 N/A
stackable, tough, plasteel tool case that is Spray Lubricant, Can 4 N/A
airtight and water resistant up to 30 me-
Self-Driving Spike 50 1
ters at 1G. It contains all the gear of the
basic demolition kit along with the follow- Water Disruptor, “Mini Can” 200 0.5 empty/1.5 loaded
ing additions: Mini-Can Replacement Charges (5 pk) 50 N/A
• Two dozen hardwood sticks Water Disruptor, “Water Buster” 500 2 empty/22 loaded
• Two C-clamps Water Disruptor Replacement Charges (5 pk) 75 0.25
• Chisels, 1 federanium, 5cm, for metal
work; 1 plasteel for woodwork • Tweezers – 1 metal, 1 plastic being 0.25 meters long and made of ce-
• Cordless drill with 36 federanium- • Three wrenches – adjustable up to 10 ramic.
tipped drill bits cm, adjustable up to 20 cm, pipe wrench Electrical Tape. Replacement packages
• Collapsible hacksaw up to 40 cm come in single, double, or five or more
• Wall board jab saw rolls.
• Disposable gloves – 4 boxes (one for
• 15 cm titanium probe Probes. Made of plasteel, a package in-
each of the Core Four races) with 200
• Parts box, organizer cludes one straight, one curved, and two
gloves
probes with hooked tips.
• Marker sticks – 20 numbered, 10 with • Magnifier, 5x
Search Mirror, Disposable Pack. Set
arrows, 10 with letters • Ten punch pins, ranging from 1-10 cm
of four 5 cm plastic mirrors set at a 25-de-
• Mini laser solder/welder – powered by a • Hex key set, 12 pc. gree angle and attached to a 25 cm handle.
2 SEU microdisc, good for 20 uses
• Hammer, claw SUPPLEMENTAL GEAR Search Mirror, Compact Pocket. This
A variety of other equipment will be use- tool comes with a handle that can extend
• Two hemostats, 1 straight, 1 curved, 15 out to 1.25 meters. It has two interchange-
ful for a demolition specialist. While indi-
cm able 8 cm mirror heads – a round convex
vidually, some of these items may not have
• Inspection mirrors, 1 rectangle, 1 round, mirror and a flat, magnified mirror for en-
much weight, the referee should keep in
1 plastic hanced visibility. It is for use in small ar-
mind that when a character starts accumu-
• Penlight lating things, it will begin weighing him eas.
• Pry bar – made of federanium, 500 cm down and count against his carrying capac- Search Mirror, Deluxe Inspection.
long ity. Incudes a 3-section, telescoping, non-rota-
• Ten pliers of various sizes including Coil of Insulated Wire. Length of 10 tional aluminum pole that extends out to
long, needle type, slip joint, needle type meters. 120 cm with a 20 cm convex mirror on a
with wire cutter, locking, etc. Coil of Uninsulated Wire. Length of 5 swivel base. The base includes an adjusta-
• Scalpels – 1 metal blade, 1 laser, 1 sonic meters; can support 2,000 kg. ble lighting emitter that can be set from
• Ten handheld screwdrivers of various Demining, Landmine Probe. Overall deep twilight to sunlight levels (from 1.08
types length, 0.75 meters, with the probe head to 107,527 Lux or 0.1 to 10,000 foot-can-
dles).
FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 27
Search Mirror, Collapsible 5-Section exponentially. To remove the spike, the The mother and child he had shielded looked
Pole. With light illumination at the end, operator needs to press the button five like they had survived the explosion, but oth-
this mirror pole can be extended out to times in rapid succession. It has enough ers were not so fortunate.
250 cm and maneuvered to view areas that power for five uses. The spot where his compatriot, Veektum,
are far-removed or difficult to access, such Water Disruptors. Water disruptors had been was a charred mess of twisted plas-
as attics and false ceilings. It is balanced to can be used to neutralize an improvised teel supports. The human must have been va-
peer around corners using one hand while explosive device (IED) without causing it porized, he thought. Then he heard the moans
leaving the other hand free for personal to detonate. Using a shaped charge, it es- coming from the smoking wreck of flesh that
protection. It has a 20 cm convex mirror sentially fires jet of water into the IED, was lying on the monorail track nearby…
with swivel base and an adjustable light which cuts the detonator cord, rendering
the explosive useless. A drawback of this
bar with 15 hours of run time and a quick-
change 2 SEU microdisc at the base of the device is that it needs to be very close to COMPUTERIZED SUPPORT
pole. Its components are watertight and the explosive to be effective. This might Demolition specialists can purchase a
corrosion resistant. risk setting off bombs that have proximity, variety of support devices including com-
Search Mirror, Vehicle Inspection. motion, or similar style detonators while puterized analysis scanners (CAS) and spe-
The vehicle search mirror offers the demo- the demolition expert – or a robot – sets cialized bodycomps. Each CAS has a num-
lition expert a way to view the undercar- the water disruptor in place. ber of microswitches, small gauges and
riage of a vehicle. It has a large (30 cm) These devices come in different sizes, lights, and can accept voice commands and
convex mirror along with the aid of a such as the “mini-can” that can be used offer audio replies.
bright light illuminator, offering the oper- against small suspected explosive pack- Unless otherwise stated, the CAS must
ator an easy and quick view. The light can ages, up to 5 kilograms; or the “water be within one meter of the object that will
be adjusted from 1.08 to 107,527 Lux and buster,” which fires an omnidirectional jet be scanned. Only a character with the ap-
has a run time of 15 hours. It is powered of water and can be set under a vehicle propriate skills can interpret the data pro-
by a 2 SEU microdisc. The telescoping pole where an IED has been placed. A water dis- vided by a CAS. For example, only some-
extends from 60 cm to 170 cm. ruptor will work faster than any fuse or one with a demolitions skill use the Demo-
Sensi-Feeler. This is a highly sensitive anti-tampering device can react. litions-CAS.
feeler consisting of a telescoping pole and The operator loads the mini-can disrup-
protective storage case. Extending to 3.5 tor onsite with a combination of a 10- CAS OPERATIONS
meters and collapsing to 0.5 meters, it is gram, shaped charge of TD-20, water, and Although Zebulon’s Guide does not pro-
perfectly balanced to ensure the quickest salt. The water buster uses 20 liters of wa- vide statistics on power use, assume that
response and the lightest touch possible ter and a 50-gram, shaped charge of TD- all computerized analysis scanners are
when encountering a tripwire. 20; again it is typically loaded by the oper- powered by a 20 SEU clip. They use 1 SEU
The case cap is hard mounted to the ator onsite. Both systems are reusable and per hour of operation. A CAS can also be
feeler, which aids in balance, and prevents are sold with five explosive charges and plugged into a belt or power backpack or
inadvertent loss during an operation. salt packets. even by an extension cord to a wall outlet
Mini Sensi-Feeler. This unit sports all Game use: The character would still or generator, if necessary.
the benefits of the Sensi-Feeler but is more need to make a successful defuse explosive If a character purchases a Duo-CAS,
compact and designed for ease of opera- check with a 5 percent bonus. A suspected which combines the operations of two
tion in restrictive terrain, e.g. jungle or explosive will detonate at full strength if scanners into one, the cost is 20 percent
other dense foliage areas. It extends to 1 the character misses his roll by more than more than each individual unit, but they
meter and contracts down to 25 centime- 20 percent – or rolls an automatic failure. provided better scanner range and added
ters. The mini-can is good against bombs up to capabilities.
about 5 kg of TNT equivalent while the wa-
Spray Lubricant. A can with 10 appli-
ter buster can be used against artillery
DEMOLITIONS-CAS
cations of pressurized synthoil. This device can analyze explosives,
Self-Driving Spikes. These devices shells, mines, and aerial dropped bombs.
bombs, or mines that are up to two meters
have federanium-tipped plasteel spikes. It Drawbacks: Water disruptors cannot be
away. Its sensors can penetrate through
consists of a driver base, powered by a 2 used in an extremely cold or hot environ-
most materials, except for federanium,
SEU microdisc. With the press of a button ment nor in a vacuum or near vacuum con-
and then tell the operator what type of ex-
– which is on top of the base – the spike ditions.
plosive material is present, what detona-
can be driven into most surfaces without tion devices are attached, and it provides
the use of a hammer. It will make a loud …Stunned for several moments, Klecton
suggestions on how to defuse it. This CAS
popping sound when doing so. found himself lying on his back, his legs grants the character with a +15 percent
Depending upon the surface, the spikes splayed around him. Acrid smoke filled the air modifier when defusing explosives and
can hold up to 1,000 kg of weight. Multiple and he heard the moans of the wounded. will alert the operator if any anti-handling
spikes may increase that holding power When he could, he rolled and got onto his legs. devices (booby traps) are present.

28 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


DEMOLITIONS-ELECTRO DUO-CAS COMPUTERIZED SUPPORT GEAR COST (CREDITS) WEIGHT (KG)
This device is good for characters who Demolitions-CAS 300 2
also have the Technician skill. The scan-
Demolitions-Electro Duo-CAS 660 3
ning range is boosted to 10 meters –
though it will only penetrate the ground Demolitions-Chemical Duo-CAS 540 3
up to a depth of 4 meters. Not only does it Demolitions-Geological Duo-CAS 600 3
have the capabilities of the Demolitions- Demolitions-Magnetic Duo-CAS 540 3
CAS but it can scan electrical circuitry and
power sources. Basic Demolitions Bodycomp 6,900 5
It will display how a machine – or bomb Bio-Center Progit-B 1,500 N/A
– is wired. It will indicate any breaks in wir- Robo-Link Progit-B 1,300 N/A
ing and suggestions on how to repair it.
This device is useful for repairing or rewir- bonus to the Set Charge subskil and+15 Next the basic model has a type B pro-
ing bombs, mines, etc. along with other re- percent bonus for Analyze Demolition cessor pack and a tenpack for power. The
pairs. This CAS provides the character with Site. progits that come with this model include:
a +15 percent bonus for the following Audio-Act (A), Calc-All (A), CAS-Interface
Technician sub-skills: Detect Alarms/De- DEMOLITIONS-MAGNETIC DUO- (A), Comp-Talk (A), Diz-Viz (A), Helm-
fenses, Deactivate Alarms/Defenses and CAS Link (A), and Comm-Link (B). This leaves
Open Locks (if it is an electronic lock). This computerized analysis scanner the processor and power pack with enough
combines the functions of a demolition space to install up to three more type A or
DEMOLITIONS-CHEMICAL DUO- and magnetic CAS into one unit. Along B progits. Other recommended progits
CAS with the normal functions of the Demoli- could include a Bio-Center (B) if the demo-
Combining the demolitions and chemi- tions-CAS, this CAS can scan a metallic lition specialist wishes to use a bio-robotic
cal CAS units into one device. It will scan structure up to one metric ton in density. prosthetic; along with a Robo-Link (B).
an object – up to a metric ton in It will show the character what metals and The Robo-Link would allow the character
weight/density – and indicate what natu- metal alloys are present. The CAS will re- to control a specialized demolitions robot
ral and synthetic chemicals and com- veal structural weak points, strong points, or drone directly from his bodycomp ra-
pounds are present. If a character has an how a structure may react to certain ther than a separate control unit.
Environmental Skill, it will provide a +15 stresses, etc. The scanner can also indicate …Though still dazed, Klecton realized
percent bonus for Analyze Samples and whether there are any sources of electro- whomever the victim was laying on the track
Ecosystems. But it can be used by a charac- magnetic radiation within 10 meters of – most likely a human – was badly injured. He
ter who just has the Demolitions skill. This the CAS, including the strength, and likely saw his party’s medic, emerging from the
duo-CAS provides the demolition special- source. stairwell where she had been protected from
ist with a +30 percent bonus for disarming If using the expanded demolition skill most of the blast.
mines, bombs, charges, and other unex- presented in Part 3 of the “Things that go “Jill! Over here!” He gestured to her before
ploded munitions. boom!” series (Frontier Explorer issue 27, jumping down on the track to see what he
p 8), this unit will provide a character with could do to help the injured being…
DEMOLITIONS-GEOLOGICAL DUO- a +15 percent bonus for Analyze Demoli-
CAS tion Site to determine where to place a
This scanner is useful for a character charge for maximum impact. This device is BLAST SUITS
who has the Demolition and Environmen- also very useful for detecting mines and Early bomb disposal soldiers lacked any
tal skills. The geoscanner functions will ex- bombs with magnetic, motion, and prox- type of specialized outfits. They either suc-
amine up to a metric ton of geological sam- imity sensors before entering their range. ceeded at defusing a bomb or failure often
ples. It will indicate what minerals are pre- It improves the character’s mine detection came with fatal results. Blast suits – also
sent including whether or not any valuable rate by 30 percent. called bomb suits – were developed to pro-
minerals, gases, or oil deposits are nearby. tect the bomb defusers.
It will provide a warning if there are any BASIC DEMOLITIONS BODYCOMP Many of these outfits are heavy body ar-
nearby dangerous elements or geological While a character can purchase and cus- mor. Made to withstand the blast pres-
hazards. tomize any bodycomp, a basic design ex- sures and fragments that are produced
Providing a +15 percent bonus for the ists for demolition specialists. It first during an explosion, this armor can pro-
Analyze Samples subskill, this CAS is use- starts with a battle bodycomp belt – also tect a character during combat too, but
ful for mining operations. When setting called a “battle comp” for short. With a that is not their intended purpose. A char-
explosive charges for mining (or even con- synthsteel overlay, the device can with- acter wearing a blast suit into combat
ducting a controlled avalanche), the demo- stand most explosions at close range. It would suffer at least a -2 penalty to any in-
lition specialist receives a +20 percent has a level 5 hand-print security lock. itiative rolls.

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 29


BLAST SUITS & ACCESSORIES COST (CREDITS) WEIGHT (KG) LIFE X-DISPOSAL SUIT
This is a more advanced version of the
Minimal Blast Suit 400 5
plastic armored blast suit. It includes lay-
Plastic Armored Suit 1,000 30 ers of blast and thermal absorbent gel, bet-
Life X-Disposal Suit 3,500 50 ter cushioning to reduce damage if a char-
AdXO Disposal Suit 8,500 80 acter is knocked over by a blast, and a 5-
hour air supply. Again, the demolition spe-
Bio-Robotic Prosthetics 5,500 4
cialist’s hands are exposed so the character
skeinsuit. It can be worn over and in con- can perform complex bomb defusing oper-
REGARDING HANDS/PSEUDO- junction with a skeinsuit. ations. It takes 5 minutes to properly “suit
PODS Drawbacks: The character suffers a -15 up.”
Bomb suits leave the wearer’s hands (or percent penalty to Reaction Speed checks; The Life X-Disposal Suit will absorb the
pseudo-pods) unarmored so it will not im- IM -2. Dexterity checks for actions other first 200 points of any explosive blast and
pact the character’s DEX when performing than defusing an explosive suffer a -5 per- then the half of the next 50 point of blast
complex operations. This of course leaves cent penalty. Because the suit is made of damage before it is rendered useless. With
the hands and forearms especially vulner- heavy materials, a character wearing it will some flame-resistant capabilities, it will
able to gruesome blast injuries. These suits start suffering heat stress after 30 minutes trim any fire damage that the character
come with a pair of gloves and wrist guard of use, which results in an additional -5 suffers by half.
attachments, which provide some protec- percent penalty to all skill and ability This outfit will act like a normal
tion against any environmental factors checks. skeinsuit against other inertia attacks. Af-
while averting cross contamination of any ter absorbing 50 points of non-explosive
trace evidence – such as fingerprints – that PLASTIC ARMORED SUIT inertia damage, it will be rendered useless.
might be found on an explosive. This is an early outfit made with ballistic This suit will insulate a character against
most electrical attacks – unless the charac-
DEFENSIVE SCREEN LIMITS material (Kevlar-like) with reinforced fi-
ber-plastic plates. The suit includes a hel- ter’s hands are struck! Because it has an air
A character cannot have an active defen- supply, the wearer is also protected against
sive screen up while working on a bomb. met and face shield and offers protection
to the torso, legs, and arms. This armor most gas weapons unless there is a type
They certainly could have one on when ap- where a chemical can be absorbed by the
proaching a bomb or attempting to flee an will fully absorb the first 100 points of any
explosive blast and then half of the next 50 exposed skin. It does not offer defenses
area, though some bomb fuzes might be from sonic, laser, maser, rafflur, etc. at-
triggered by the electric emissions of a points of the blast before being rendered
useless. Against other inertia attacks, it tacks. It provides limited protection from
nearby inertia screen! radiation – up to 15 rads per hour.
acts like a normal skeinsuit. It will be ru-
BLAST SUIT TYPES ined after it takes 50 points of non-explo- A visocom, a hands-free chronocom, can
sive inertia damage. be installed for 55 Credits. The suit is de-
signed so the character can use a variety of
MINIMAL BLAST SUIT While the plastic armored suit will insu-
late a character against most electrical at- Demolition-CAS units along with a special-
This blast suit consists of a jacket,
tacks – unless the wearer is struck in the ized demolitions bodycomp.
apron, and helmet. All told, the outfit
hands – it offers no protection against fire, Drawbacks: The character’s movement
weighs 5 kilograms and takes one minute
to put on. It will protect a character from sonic, laser, gas, rafflur, maser, tangler, rate is cut in half. Reaction Speed checks
the first 50 points of explosive blast dam- etc. attacks. The plastic armored suit pro- suffer a -15 percent penalty; IM -2. Dexter-
age. After that, it will absorb half of the vides limited radiation protection – it is ity checks for actions other than defusing
next 50 points of blast damage before be- rated at 5 rads per hour. It will take a char- an explosive suffer a -10 percent penalty.
ing rendered useless. Against all other in- acter about 5 minutes to suit up, though The suit has a limited cooling system, pow-
ertia attacks, it acts like a 40-point with a successful Dexterity check, they can ered by a 2SEU microdisc that will last for
shave 2d10 turns off of this time. one hour. After that, the wearer will start
Drawbacks: The character’s movement suffering heat stress, resulting in an addi-
rate is cut in half. Reaction Speed checks tional -5 percent penalty to all skill and
suffer a -15 percent penalty; IM -2. Dexter- ability checks.
ity checks for actions other than defusing
IMAGE BY BRIAN PHONGLUANGTHAM

an explosive suffer a -10 percent penalty. ADVANCED EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE (ADXO)


Because the suit is made of heavy materi- DISPOSAL SUIT
als, a character wearing it will start suffer- This is a heavy outfit of polyplate armor,
ing heat stress after 30 minutes of use, along with federanium chainmail and exo-
which results in an additional -5 percent skeleton capabilities. It is designed to pro-
penalty to all skill and ability checks. tect the wearer from the pressure and

30 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


fragments generated by large bombs. It These artificial limbs have tactile sen- escaped the explosion with only minor
takes a person ~10 minutes to “suit up.” sors that transmit the feeling to the wounds, "called the police, but we knew
Designed with overlapping plates of ar- user. They are also mounted with minia- they might not arrive in time. So, Raye
mor for maximum protection, it also has ture cameras and lights. The image cap- borrowed my techkit and went to investi-
layers of energy absorbing gel, foam, and tured by the cameras can be transmitted to gate it himself…”
plastics to shield the character from an ex- a character’s visocom or helmet heads-up
plosion’s blast wave. It offers the wearer
defenses against laser, sonic, incendiary,
display (Dis-Viz). At the demolition spe-
cialist’s option, the image can also be USING LASERS TO
EXPLODE AND
electronic discharge, maser, rafflur, and transmitted to a nearby support team.
gas warheads along with limited radiation Although a demolition specialist re-
shielding (up to 30 rads per hour). quires no special skills to operate a bio-ro-
The AdXO suit will absorb the first 800 botic prosthetic, in order to use it, the NEUTRALIZE BOMBS
points of any explosive blast and then half character must have a bodycomp that is Under the Demolitions skill, an explo-
of the next 100 points before being ren- equipped with a Bio-Center (type B) progit sive charge can be set off by weapons fire.
dered useless. Against all other attacks, it and have the appropriate surgically im- “Demolitions experts also can set off a charge
acts similar a suit of full polyplate armor. planted brain transmitter! with a laser. If the expert hits the charge, it
The AdXO suit will take 250 points of non- When using the bio-robotic prosthetic, explodes,” notes the Alpha Dawn Expanded
blast damage before it stops protecting the the demolition specialist’s own hands are Game rules. Other than that, the mechan-
wearer. While the suit is intact, the wearer fully protected from a bomb blast and ics are a bit vague.
only takes one-fourth damage. most other negative environmental condi- Will a simple 1 SEU laser beam be
The suit has a 10-hour air supply, a body tions. enough to set off a given explosive?
temperature regulation system that ne- These prosthetics are used in pairs. Each Can other characters use laser fire to set
gates any heat stress, and a built-in viso- individual unit is powered by a 2 SEU mi- off a bomb?
com, which is the hands-free version of the crodisc and can operate for 20 hours con- One could argue that the rules don’t an-
chronocom. The suit is designed so the tinuously. swer those questions. However, the U.S.
character can use a variety of Demolition- military is currently fielding vehicle-
CAS units, a specialized demolitions body- “…Yes, officer,” Klecton answered. He was mounted lasers to neutralize landmines
comp, and bio-robotic prosthetics. down on street level, about a half block away and unexploded ordnance. Called the
Having exoskeleton-like capabilities, the from the blasted monorail station. All around Zeus-HLONS – or HMMWV Laser Ord-
AdXO is powered, which eliminates all the were dozens of emergency vehicles and a block nance Neutralization System – it uses a
normal penalties that a character receives farther away a crowd was gathered behind 10-kilowatt solid-state laser to heat an ex-
from wearing a blast suit. When powered the police barricade. “My full name, trans- plosive to the point of causing it to ignite
up, the AdXO will not count against a char- lated into Pan-Galactic is Kk’ll’ecc T’oo’Nt ikc and burn. It will cause a low-level explo-
acter’s carrying capacity. Other than these Technician on-lease from Trade House sion that minimizes damage to the sur-
features, it does not offer any other exo- Vrr’Rk’l of the Hondo Province, Triad, Cas- roundings.
skeleton benefits. sidine.” Clearly, a referee could choose to rule
An AdXO is powered by two 20 SEU The Dralasite officer looked at him with that any character can fire a laser at an ex-
powerclips and can operate for 20 hours those eyespots that never betrayed an emo- plosive, which may cause it to explode – at
continuously. tion, but it answered, “Well, that’s a mouth- full force. But only a demolition expert
ful. Couldn’t you give me the shortened ver- should have the skill to precisely use a laser
BIO-ROBOTIC PROSTHETICS sion? Do you go by Toont? Or Ik the Tech or to neutralize an explosive.
Since the most vulnerable parts of a what?”
demolition specialist are his hands and “Well, officer, it is proper etiquette to give GAME USE
forearms, Eversafe Enterprises has worked your proper name to authorities. But I go by First, the character must have a clear
in combination with other companies in- Klecton to the average citizen.” line of sight to fire at a bomb.
cluding Pan-Galactic, Tachton Instru- Although Klecton tried to put in as much in- The chance of causing a bomb to explode
ments, and even several Vrusk trade dignation in his tone and gestures as he could, with a laser equals 20 percent per SEU
houses to develop a line of bio-robotic the Dralasite seemed unaffected. “Just give used, while a demolition expert receives an
prosthetics, me the facts about how you and your friend extra 20 percent bonus. Thus, if a charac-
These units operate as extensions, ra- found the bomb.” ter without the demolition skill fires a 1
ther than replacements, of a character’s “We had just defeated Bonger – he was a SEU laser bolt at an explosive, he only has
forelimbs, whether it is for a human, sathar terrorist that we had been pursuing – a 20 percent chance of causing it to ex-
yazirian, vrusk, or dralasite. The bio-ro- and learned that he had planted the bomb plode, while the demolitionist has a 40
botic prosthetics are controlled by the here. Jill – Jill Lucky over there," Klecton percent chance. Thus a 5 SEU shot by a
movements of the user’s own hands (or pointed at the human woman, who had character – or a 4 SEU shot by the demoli-
pseudo-pods when it comes to dralasites). tion expert – will cause a bomb to explode.

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 31


An automatic miss (96-00) will mean that fourth strength – which could be deadly BOMB BASKET
the bomb did not explode, no matter how with large weapons! An automatic failure The bomb basket is made up of non-
many SEUs were used. on the defuse charge check would cause fragmentation ballistic composite materi-
If a demolition expert wants to use a la- the bomb to explode at full strength. als. It can be used as a safety ring, to mini-
ser to neutralize a bomb, the procedure is
similar. The character must take careful DRAWBACK – GAS MUNITIONS mize the impact of the fragmentation and
A laser can be used against a gas war- sonic blasts. Each basket is mostly spheri-
aim, can only fire one shot at a bomb per cal shaped with a 1-meter diameter and
turn and may not perform any other ac- head, but this will cause it to explosively
release its contents as if it went off! has a fire-resistant, non-metallic holding
tion. If his shot strikes the bomb, perform net suspended inside. It is rated so it can
a Defuse Charge check with a 5 percent bo- After a careful examination of the forensic deal with repeated explosions resulting
nus per SEU used, up to a maximum of 5 evidence, Star Law Sergeant Dray Phii the
from 200 grams to 1.2 kilograms of TNT.
SEUs. Dralasite concluded that the bomb that Raye This type of ECV is typically rendered
A successful check means the bomb’s ex- Veektum had tried to defuse had been
useless if the explosion exceeds its maxi-
plosive material burns, causing 1 point of equipped with an anti-lifting fuze. If that
mum containment level
damage per kilogram of the bomb’s weight poor human had simply had some better tools,
up to a maximum of 500 points. Any he might have stood a chance…
BOMB BASKET ACCESSORIES
bomb/explosive under 5 kilograms will
Bomb baskets can be outfitted with spe-
have a blast radius of 3 meters. Note, such
a blast may cause a fire that will burn and BOMB DISPOSAL cialized energy screens – such as inertia or
sonic projectors – that are designed to ab-
cause damage to nearby objects long after
the initial low-level explosion. EQUIPMENT sorb damage coming from inside the field
rather than from outside. The field gener-
Explosives under 50 kilograms will have What does one do with unexploded
ators cost the same as a normal defense
a primary blast radius of 5 meters and a bombs or suspected packages that cannot
screen and are typically powered by a 50
secondary radius of 8 meters. After that, be easily defused, but may be moved to a
SEU beltpack or a 100 SEU backpack.
assume that for every 100 kilograms of ex- safer location for detonation?
plosive, the primary blast radius would ex- There are a variety of bomb disposal THE VIDAR SERIES
tend by 1 meter up to a maximum of 50 equipment ranging from fairly simple The Vidar and Ladon lines are made by
meters. Calculate the secondary blast ra- bomb baskets to explosion containment Eversafe Enterprises; they represent of the
dius accordingly, which is 1.5 times the vessels (ECVs) that may contain a blast. types of ECVs available in the Frontier.
primary radius. There will not be a third or Refer back to the article “Things that go They can contain all manner of explosions,
fourth blast radius. Boom! Part 3: Expanding the Demolition including fragmentation and sonic blasts.
If the character misses his defusing Skill” for more information about TNT Vidar ECVs have tiny vents to allow pres-
check by less than 20 percent, the bomb equivalent explosives. For example, Torna- sure to escape in the event of an explosion,
does not explode. If he misses it by 21 per- dium D-19 is four times as powerful as so they will not contain a gas or foam war-
cent or more, the bomb explodes at one- TNT, so a 250 gram charge is the equiva- head explosions
lent of 1 kilogram of TNT. Named after the Norse god of mythol-
ogy that survived the apocalyptic Ragna-
BOMB DISPOSAL EQUIPMENT rök, the Vidar Series of ECVs is rated to
TNT EQUIVALENT contain a blast up to a certain TNT equiva-
ECV TYPE GAS TIGHT COST (CR) WEIGHT (KG) lent weight. For example, the Vidar 3 is
(KG)
rated to handle an explosion up to 3 kilo-
Bomb Basket 1.2 No 360 20
grams of TNT.
Vidar 0.03 0.03 No 300 10 It takes 5 seconds to open or close the
Vidar 0.5 0.5 No 1,500 150 unit. The ECV can be equipped with locks.
Vidar 1 1 No 2,000 200 To break open the vessel from the outside,
it a level 3 security lock and its exterior
Vidar 3 3 No 7,500 750
(the weakest point) can take 200 structure
Vidar 10 10 No 25,000 2,500 points of damage.
Vidar 15 15 No 37,500 3,750 Detonations that exceed the container’s
rating risk cracking it, allowing blast dam-
Vidar 50 50 No 95,000 9,500
age to leak out. The Vidar may be able to
Ladon-5GT 5 Yes (2.5 kg) 4,900 1,900 withstand explosions up to double their
Ladon-8GT 8 Yes (8 kg) 30,000 3,050 rating, but they are not guaranteed to do
Ladon-10GT 10 Yes (10 kg) 37,500 3,800 so. Most Eversafe units can withstand
multiple internal blasts and still be usable.
Ladon-50GT 50 Yes (50 kg) 142,000 14,000

32 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


VIDAR 0.03 VIDAR 50 kilograms. It has a circular hatch that is 75
This square-shaped unit is for transport- The Vidar 50 vessel offers a convenient cm in diameter.
ing small, suspect electronics. It also pro- and cost-effective solution for an in-house
vides a Demolition specialist a safe way to storage location of explosives and small LADON-8GT
store and transport explosives and detona- caliber ammunition. Or it can store large This ECV contains repeated blasts of up
tors/blasting caps. The container is 40 cen- suspicious objects. Its dimensions are 284 to 8 kg (17.64 lbs.) of TNT equivalent. The
timeters (cm) long and wide plus 115 cm cm long, 386 cm tall, and 250 cm wide. The gas-tight feature of the Ladon- 8GT per-
deep. It weighs 10 kilograms. unit weighs 9,500 kg and its hatch is 110- mits responding demolition specialists to
by-60 cm. deal with explosives that might contain ra-
VIDAR 0.5 diological, chemical, or biological agents.
This ECV is often used by laboratories THE LADON-GAS TIGHT SERIES The vessel is equipped with an air sam-
for transporting pyrotechnic chemicals or Named after a legendary serpent dragon pling system. It is a 250 cm sphere and
by police officers for storing small suspi- from Human mythology, Eversafe’s Ladon weighs 2,300 kg. It has a circular hatch
cious objects. It is 71 cm long, 81 cm wide Series of ECVs will contain all types of ex- that is 75 cm in diameter.
and 61 cm deep with a 24-by-17 cm rectan- plosions and comes with air sampling
gular opening. It weighs 150 kilograms. It equipment. LADON-10GT
can be a stationary unit, or set on heavy- These containment vessels are rated as This detonation chamber contains blast
duty caster wheels, or mounted on a vehi- gas tight (GT), meaning that they will not effects of up to 10 kg (22 lbs.) of TNT
cle or robot. allow any potential nuclear, biological, or equivalent. The Ladon-10GT’s gas-tight
chemical agents to escape as long as the ex- capability allows responding characters to
VIDAR 1 plosion does not exceed the blast rating. mitigate bombs that might contain radio-
This ECV is often used at airports, space- Landons can withstand repeated explo- logical, chemical, or biological agents. The
ports, or other major transportation ter- sions. They can be operated by a remote vessel is equipped with an air sampling
minals for security officers to store suspi- control, robot, or manually. system. It is a 250 cm diameter sphere and
cious objects. It is 93 cm long, 57 cm high, weights 5,500 kg. It has a circular hatch
and 53 cm wide while weighing 200 kilo- LADON-5GT that is 90 cm in diameter.
grams. Its opening hatch is 50-by-20 cm. This containment vessel confines explo-
sions of up to 5 kg (11 lbs.) of TNT equiva- LADON-50GT
VIDAR 3 lent. It further has a gas-tight capability of This chamber contains blast effects up
This containment vessel is designed to up to 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs.) of TNT equivalent. to 50 kg of TNT equivalent. Capable of
safely remove or store large suspect pieces The Ladon-5GT withstands repeated deto- withstanding repeated blasts, it has gas-
of luggage. The Vidar 3 is ideal for space- nations. The vessel has air sampling capa- tight capability and can be equipped with
port and public safety applications. It is bility and is available with a trailer. It is a an air sampling system along with supple-
177 cm long, 150 cm wide, 172 cm tall, and 200 cm diameter sphere and weighs 1,700 mental energy fields to help contain explo-
weighs 1,600 kilograms. Its hatch is 76-by- sions greater than 50 kg TNT.
55 cm.

VIDAR 10
This vessel often is used as an in-house
storage locker for explosives and small cal-
iber ammunition. The Vidar 10 also serves
as a way to store large suspicious objects.
It is 223 cm long, 216 cm wide, and 200 cm
tall and weighs 2,600 kg. Its hatch is 95-
by-50 cm.

VIDAR 15
The Vidar 15 ECV offers a convenient
and cost-effective solution for an in-house
storage location of explosives and small
caliber ammunition. It can also be used to
store large suspicious objects. It is 270 cm
long, 315 cm tall, and 230 cm wide. It
weighs 5,800 kg and has a hatch that is 95-
by-50 cm.

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 33


MAINTENANCE OF EXPLOSION EXPLOSION CONTAINMENT VESSEL ACCESSORIES COST (CREDITS) WEIGHT (KG)
CONTAINMENT VESSELS Bomb Basket Containment Inertia Screen 4,000 2
After any explosion, an ECV should be Bomb Basket Containment Sonic Screen 4,000 2
inspected for structural cracks and compo-
Vidar/Ladon Containment Inertia Screen 2,000 + 10% of wgt 2 + 0.5% of wgt
nent failures. They will also need to be
cleaned out. Assume this process takes Vidar/Ladon Containment Sonic Screen 2,000 + 10% of wgt 2 + 0.5% of wgt
about an hour for the Vidars and Ladons Winch, Manual 85 8
that are rated for 5 kilograms or less. Add Winch, Powered 250 40
an extra hour for the larger units.
Cycle Utility Trailer, Ground (40 kg cap.) 250 20
Roll a d100. A result of 01-94 means that
nothing significant is wrong with the ECV; Cycle Utility Trailer, Hover (40 kg cap.) 500 25
cleanout costs were 3d10 Credits. A result Ground Car Utility Trailer (300 kg cap.) 750 60
of 95-98 means that a major repair is
Hover Car Utility Trailer* (200 kg cap.) 1,500 70
needed. The cost would be 2d100 + 200
Credits, taking 2d10 hours – if the charac- Ground Truck Utility Trailer (20,000 kg cap.) 2,500 4,000
ter has access to repair equipment. Hover Truck Utility Trailer* (20,000 kg cap.) 5,000 5,000
A 99-00 indicates that the contain vessel Explorer Utility Trailer (4,000 kg cap.) 1,600 1,000
suffered a major structural failure. It can-
Trailer Drive Systems (Ground) Double cost 1.5 times weight
not be safely reused. It can be scrapped,
however, allowing the owner to recoup 10 *Hover trailers have their own hover fan systems. They also need a separate power source that must be pur-
percent of its purchase cost. chased separately.
percent to a vehicle’s cargo carrying capac- has two gears and has 10 meters of cable a
VIDAR AND LADON ACCESSORIES ity. It will reduce the towing vehicle’s ac- 1.25 metric ton capability. It can be
Owners of ECVs may also want to pur- celeration and turn speeds by -10 meters mounted to cycles.
chase a number of accessories, including per turn while also cutting its braking (de-
energy screens that will allow the vessel to celeration) speed by -20 meters per turn. VEHICLE WINCH, POWERED
handle explosions that are larger than Vidar and Ladon ECVs can be built on A heavy-duty powered winch, this model
their rating. Other accessories include trailers, though there would be a 10 per- must be mounted on trailers and vehicles
larger bomb squad tool chests, electric cent mounting fee. A separate drive sys- that are larger than cycle size. With remote
winches, generators, and trailers. tem is available for the trailer, which will control capability, the standard model has
double the price, but eliminate the move- 20 meters of cable and with a 6 metric ton
CONTAINMENT INERTIA/SONIC SCREENS ment penalties. The separate drive sys- pulling capability. It uses 1 SEU per minute
These units are designed to absorb a tem also allows the unit to be easily ma- of operation.
blast originating from within an explosion neuvered by a character or robot, travel-
ing up to 22 meters per turn. It is pow-
HEAD OF THE CLASS
containment vessel rather than from dam-
age coming from outside the unit. These ered by a 100-SEU backpack (sold sepa-
supplemental screens will double the rately) and is good for 100 hours of op- “Thanks to the miracles of modern bionic
unit’s TNT equivalent. eration. prosthetics, I have been able to lead an almost
The cost of a containment screen is a Hovercraft Trailers: Hover cycles, normal life,” Veektum said as he extended his
minimum of 2,000 Credits plus 10 percent hover cars and hover trucks can also pull two bionic arms outward so the students
of the ECV’s weight, while the weight of special hover utility trailers. These trail- could get a good look. “But it took a small for-
the screen’s projector is a minimum of 2 ers have their own hover fan system and tune – much of my share from the famed Al-
kilograms plus 0.5 percent of the ECV’s are powered by a separate parabattery, cazzar mission,” he continued, gazing steadily
weight. For example, a Vidar 15 weighs which is of equal size to that of the vehi- through his bionic eyes at the half dozen of
3,750 kilograms. The city Point Glass on cle. A hover cycle trailer needs a type 1 would be explosives experts taking the class.
Laco wants to install a supplemental iner- parabattery, a car needs a type 2, and a “I don’t know how much more I can stress to
tia containment screen. The screen will truck needs a type 3. you the importance of having the right tools
cost 2,375 Credits while the projector (The information for the utility trailer is with you when you attempt to disarm a bomb.
equipment will weigh 20.75 kilograms. based on a posting on the starfrontiers.us Otherwise, you risk ending up as a warning
website by Richard “Shadow Shack” Rose.) example to others…”
VEHICLE TRAILERS
Characters can purchase utility trailers VEHICLE WINCH, MANUAL
for most ground and hover vehicles. Com- Various winches exist in the Frontier.
ing in various sizes, the most common is This is just an example of one type that is
the utility trailer. This model adds 200 available. With a crank handle, this winch

34 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


GYROJET WEAPONS – “HISSERS” higher than other projectile weapons.
Since the length of the barrel of gyrojet
weapons has no effect on the effectiveness
AN ALTERNATE FRONTIER of the ammunition, they tend to have a
shorter overall weapon length.
BY RICHARD “GREYMYST” FARRIS

This article gives a look at the expanded


weapons in “An Alternate Frontier”. An
practical enough to supplement standard
projectile weapons. In the Star Frontiers WHY HISSERS SUCK
Alternate Frontier will look at the people,
places, and things in a different, but very
universe, these hardships were overcome
and they are a popular sidearm across the (DISADVANTAGES)
similar setting of the Star Frontier Uni- Frontier. Gyrojet ammunition suffers from most
verse. This is the second article in a series of the same disadvantages as Electrochem-
on the weapons of an alternate frontier.
The first section will detail the history of DESCRIPTION ical ammunition, with non-reusability and
ease of detection being the most signifi-
the weapon class. This delves into where Gyrojet weapons fire miniature rockets cant. While Gyrojet weapons are shorter,
the technology came from. A description of a standardized caliber. Gyrojet ammuni- they are bulkier and heavier when loaded.
of the weapon class follows, detailing tion has slightly angled nozzles directing With gyrojet ammunition being large,
briefly how the class works. The next two the trust to cause the rocket to spin during weapons carry less shots than other weap-
sections go into some reasons why a per- flight. Their simple construction does not ons.
son might want to carry this kind of require heavy construction as the reaction
weapon, or why they may want to avoid
the class. Next comes specific rules that
is not completely in the weapon. Gyrojet
weapons have gained popularity with po- SPECIFIC RULES
apply to this class of weapon. Then comes lice and special forces because of their ver-
a list of generic representations within the satility. Gyrojet weapons use the Gyrojet STAR FRONTIER AND FRONTIER
class. Finally, in the simple rules comes Weapons skill. Effectively recoilless, they SPACE
specific ammunition types that can be are not silent as the rockets make a loud Gyrojet weapons are not effective at
used in the weapon class that may alter the hissing noise (hence the nickname) and very short range, because the rocket is still
statistics in some way. These will allow the the rockets create a small sonic boom accelerating. Damage is at -2 per die at
weapon some versatility in dealing with when passing the sound barrier. point blank range
specific threats. Gyrojet weapons are available in differ-
If you wish to stop there, the generic list
is perfectly playable as is. Use them and
ent configurations, but the different
weapon types only affect the weapon's COMMON WEAPON
have fun. The next sections expand upon
the weapon class and explain how the sta-
ammo capacity and weight; damage and
range of a Gyrojet weapon depends on the DESCRIPTIONS
tistics and features came into being. The ammunition being used.
“Nuts and Bolts” section explains how the Gyrojet weapons are a common ship- GYROJET PISTOL
base weapons (generic pistol and rifle) can board weapon, as their lack of recoil makes This weapon is a large handgun firing
be modified by applying templates to cre- them excellent zero-gravity firearms. small rockets. Essentially just a tube with
ate new weapons. The accessories section Their short barrel lengths also make them a loading and ignition mechanism, it is
allows further customization to a shooter more maneuverable in the corridors of a very simple and rugged. It uses standard
granting bonuses or penalties when ap- spaceship. gyrojet ammunition.
plied to a weapon. The specific weapons Skeinsuits and Inertia screens absorb
section takes just a few generic versions of half the damage from a gyrojet rocket.
GYROJET RIFLE
Similar to the gyrojet pistol, this stubby
a fully modified weapon and gives it con-
rifle carries more ammunition. It uses
text with the campaign world. This is
where a weapon can “come to life”, with a WHY HISSERS RULE standard gyrojet ammunition.

HOLD-OUT GYROJET
manufacturer, history, and possible uses
within the campaign. (ADVANTAGES) This derringer-sized gun breaks open to
Gyrojet weapons have effectively no re- fire single shots. For double cost, these can

HISTORY coil and have a longer range than typical


projectile weapons. They are capable of
be disguised as drug inhalers, pneumatic
hypos, pens, wallets and so on. It uses
Gyrojet weapons were tried in our his- utilizing multiple munitions, making them standard gyrojet ammunition.
tory, but the advantages that were prom- very adaptable to changing situations.
ised were never achieved. Due to numer- Since the ammunition has more mass, due UNDER-BARREL GYROJET
ous reasons, gyrojet weapons were never to higher calibers, damage is slightly An alternative to grenade launchers,
this pump-action Gyrojet launcher must

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 35


RANGE
SNAP RE- RELIA-
STAR FRONTIERS DAMAGE PB S M L EX AMMO CONCEAL ROF DEFENSE WEIGHT COST
SHOT COIL BILITY
GyroJet Pistol By Ammo 10 -10 -5 0 100 2 By Ammo 1Kg 200
Hold-out Gyrojet By Ammo 2 -25 -5 0 100 2 By Ammo 0.5Kg 100
GyroJet Rifle By Ammo 15 +20 -10 0 100 2 By Ammo 3kg 300
Under-barrel Gyrojet By Ammo 4 +5* -5* 0 100 1 By Ammo 1Kg 200

Rocket Launcher By Ammo 1 N/A -20 0 100 1 By Ammo 3Kg 700

Heavy Rocket Launcher By Ammo 1 N/A -25 0 100 1 By Ammo 25Kg 5000
* = Adds bonus/penalty to the mounted weapon

STANDARD GYROJET
be attached under the barrel of any reason- causing fires. Like the explosive above, it
ably large gun. The Gyrojet launcher is is a heavier round with less propellant to
fired using its own statistics. The Gyrojet's make room for chemicals. An incendiary
trigger is located next to the slide action AMMUNITION TYPES round causes 2d10 points of damage on
for the pump. In a given turn, a shooter the turn it hits. The burning liquid sticks
can fire either the Gyrojet or the host
SLUG ROUNDS to the victim, causing an additional 1d10
weapon, or both. If both are fired, it counts Slug rounds are essentially just large bul- points of damage on the second, third, and
as shooting with two weapons. It uses lets. fourth turns after the explosion. Anyone
standard gyrojet ammunition. EXTRA RANGE (ER) in a spacesuit takes no damage from an in-
These rounds sacrifice some of the slug’s cendiary round.
ROCKET LAUNCHER
Even simpler than a gyrojet pistol, it is
mass for extra propellent giving them STINGER ROUNDS (ST)
longer range than slugs These rounds carry a small, highly-
tube with only an ignition mechanism.
This type of weapon is generally issued to ARMOR-PIERCING (AP) charged capacitor that shocks the target
infantry to give some effectiveness against These rounds have ultra-dense cores stunning them. A stun can knock a crea-
armor. It uses rocket ammunition. that will penetrate armor and skiensuits. ture unconscious for d100 turns. Anyone
Inertial screens affect damage as normal hit by a stingray round can resist the stun
HEAVY ROCKET LAUNCHER (reduce to half). by rolling a number less than or equal to
Just a larger version of the Rocket its current Stamina. Anti-shock implants
Launcher above. It is used as a vehicular or HIGH-EXPLOSIVE (HE) will negate the effect.
emplaced weapon. It fires Heavy Rocket These rounds carry a small amount of
Ammunition. explosive. They explode on impact causing TANGLER (TA)
concussive force and fragmentation dam- These rounds carry a small glob of
strong, sticky polymer threads that wrap
STATISTICS age. It is a heavier round with less propel-
lant to make room for explosives. around the target. An entangled individual
For game statistics of the various weap- cannot move until the threads decay (in 30
ons in Star Frontiers and FrontierSpace
INCENDIARY (IN) minutes) or until solvaway is spread over
These rounds carry a small amount of the threads. Any creature with more than
see the tables on this page. Tables for the
reactive chemical. They burst into flames 100 stamina points can break out of tan-
ammunition are on the following page.
on impact causing burn damage and gler threads in one turn.
RANGE CON- SNAP RE- RELIABIL-
FRONTIER SPACE DAMAGE AMMO ROF DEFENSE WEIGHT COST
INC CEAL SHOT COIL ITY
GyroJet Pistol By Ammo 10 -10 -5 0 100 2 By Ammo 1Kg 200
Hold-out Gyrojet By Ammo 2 -25 -5 0 100 2 By Ammo 0.5Kg 100
GyroJet Rifle By Ammo 15 +20 -10 0 100 2 By Ammo 3kg 300
Under-barrel Gyrojet By Ammo 4 +5* -5* 0 100 1 By Ammo 1Kg 200

Rocket Launcher By Ammo 1 N/A -20 0 100 1 By Ammo 3Kg 700

Heavy Rocket Launcher By Ammo 1 N/A -25 0 100 1 By Ammo 25Kg 5000
* = Adds bonus/penalty to the mounted weapon

36 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


STAR RANGE CON- SNAP RE- RELIA-
DAMAGE AMMO ROF DEFENSE WEIGHT COST
FRONTIERS PB S M L EX CEAL SHOT COIL BILITY
GYROJET AMMUNITION
Slug 3d10 10 30 60 120 240 By Weapon Type Inertia - 1
Extra Range 5d5 15 50 100 200 400 By Weapon Type Inertia - 2
Armor Piercing 2d10 10 30 60 120 240 By Weapon Type Inertia - 2
High Explosive 4d10/1d10 5 15 30 60 120 By Weapon Type Inertia - 5
Incendiary 2d10/1d10 5 15 30 60 120 By Weapon Type Albedo - 5
Stinger N/A 5 15 30 60 120 By Weapon Type Gauss/AS - 3
Tangler N/A 5 15 30 60 120 By Weapon Type None - 3
ROCKET AMMUNITION
Extra Range 10d10 25 75 150 300 600 By Weapon Type Inertia 2.5kg 25
Armor Piercing 10d10 20 60 120 240 500 By Weapon Type Inertia 2.5kg 25
High Explosive 12d10 15 50 100 200 400 By Weapon Type Inertia 2.5kg 20
HEAVY ROCKET AMMUNITION
Extra Range 3d10X10 70 200 400 800 1600 By Weapon Type Inertia 10kg 150
Armor Piercing 3d10X10 50 150 300 600 1200 By Weapon Type Inertia 10kg 150
High Explosive 4d10X10 50 150 300 600 1200 By Weapon Type Inertia 10kg 100

RANGE SNAP RELIABIL-


FRONTIERSPACE DAMAGE AMMO CONCEAL RECOIL DEFENSE WEIGHT COST
INC. SHOT ITY

GYROJET AMMUNITION
Slug 3d10 30 By Weapon Type Inertia - 1
Extra Range 5d5 50 By Weapon Type Inertia - 2
Armor Piercing 2d10 30 By Weapon Type Inertia - 2
High Explosive 4d10/1d10 30 By Weapon Type Inertia - 5
Incendiary 2d10/1d10 20 By Weapon Type Albedo - 5
Stinger N/A 20 By Weapon Type Gauss/AS - 3
Tangler N/A 20 By Weapon Type None - 3
ROCKET AMMUNITION
Extra Range 10d10 100 By Weapon Type Inertia 2.5kg 25
Armor Piercing 10d10 75 By Weapon Type Inertia 2.5kg 25
High Explosive 12d10 75 By Weapon Type Inertia 2.5kg 20
HEAVY ROCKET AMMUNITION
Extra Range 3d10X10 500 By Weapon Type Inertia 10kg 150
Armor Piercing 3d10X10 400 By Weapon Type Inertia 10kg 150
High Explosive 4d10X10 400 By Weapon Type Inertia 10kg 100

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 37


GENERIC
ROCKET AND HEAVY
the same principal, are almost separate
classes. The use of this term is just to help Cheap – Made from inferior materials
differentiate the classes of gyrojet/rocket
ROCKET AMMUNITION ammunition. In addition, a bewildering
or craftmanship, these weapons cost less
at the expense of reliability.
array of sizes and payloads could be
TYPES mounted on rockets and gyrojet ammuni-
Very Cheap – Made of absolute junk or
hastily thrown together with shoddy
tion, some were left out or simplified to
EXTRA RANGE (ER) keep this from becoming too complicated.
craftsmanship. Generally, these weapons
are made for individuals who cannot oth-
These rounds sacrifice some of the Standard Gyrojet – a very small rocket erwise acquire better weapons (such as
rocket’s payload for extra propellent giv-
that propels itself through the use of criminals or subjects in authoritarian re-
ing them longer range than other rockets.
chemical reaction. It is different than elec- gimes) or are used weapons that were not
ARMOR-PIERCING (AP) trochemical weapons in that it releases the maintained well.
These rounds have ultra-dense cores propellent force over an extended time in-
stead of all at once. Rounds are approxi-
SPECIFIC WEAPONS
that will penetrate armor. Inertial screens
affect damage as normal (reduce to half). mately 20mm in diameter. For reference,
that is about the diameter of an average in-
HIGH-EXPLOSIVE (HE) dex finger.
This section uses the above statistics to
create specific named weapons to use in an
These rounds carry an explosive charge. Rocket – A larger projectile with more individual’s campaign. The generic
They explode on impact causing concus- payload than standard gyrojet ammuni- weapon above can be used with no prob-
sive force and fragmentation damage. It is tion. Approximately 65mm in diameter, lems, so use of named weapons is purely an
a heavier round with less propellant to this ammunition usually plays more of an option depending on the personal tastes of
make room for explosives. anti-armor role. It is also use by some sad- the GM. The following weapons are stat-
ted for the Star Frontiers RPG.
ists who just want to see things blow into
NUTS AND BOLTS pieces. For reference, this is about the di-
ameter of an average aluminum can. H&K PROTECTOR GYROJET PIS-
This section will delve into the way I cre-
ated the statistics above and how to use
Heavy Rocket – Weapons firing this
TOL
size rocket are generally firing at vehicles Hahne-Kedar introduces a new pistol for
templates to create new weapons. All Gy-
or emplacements being fired by a vehicle law enforcement. Able to change ammunition
rojet weapons were created from the first
or emplacement. This represents about a to suit different situations, the Protector will
two weapons: the Gyrojet pistol and rifle.
150mm diameter. Any larger leaves the send a powerful message to criminals and cit-
By placing templates on those weapons,
realm of infantry combat. izens alike, that the law can adapt to any cri-
new weapons can be created for your uni-
sis that presents itself. Officers typically have
verse. If this is not your style, feel free to one magazine loaded with standard rounds,
PISTOL TEMPLATES
disregard and use the weapons provided. one with AP rounds (for those armored crimi-
Hold-out – A small sized weapon de-
Due to most of the statistics coming from nals or vehicles), and one with stinger rounds
signed for concealment. It trades ammo
the ammunition, there are not as many (when the suspect needs to be taken alive).
capacity for concealment.
templates for Gyrojet weapons. Officers can rest assured that the weapon will
Compact – In between the hold-out and not be used against them as a special glove
TEMPLATE DESCRIPTIONS a standard pistol is the compact pistol. It must be worn to operate the weapon.
Statistics for the various templates are also trades ammo capacity for conceal- This unique weapon has three 6 round
given in the table at the bottom of the ment and lighter weight. magazines that are effectively each a bar-
page. rel. Individual rounds or preloaded tubes
RIFLE TEMPLATES can be loaded from the back. This allows
“CALIBERS” All rifles are considered short. No other different ammunition types to be carried
The term caliber doesn’t really apply as rifle templates make sense. in the same weapon. Switching between
each series of weapons, while all based on magazines lowers the ROF to 1 for that

DAMAGE NOTES AMMO CONCEAL SNAP SHOT RECOIL RELIABILITY ROF DEFENSE WEIGHT COST
PISTOLS
Hold-out -66% -20 +5 -0.5kg --
Compact -33% -5 -- -0.25kg -50
GENERIC
Cheap -5 to Attack -1 -50
Very Cheap -10 to Attack -2 -100

38 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


Damage: 3d10
Range: 10/30/60/120/240
Ammo: 15
Conceal: +15
Snap Shot: -5

IMAGE BY JERRY BOUCHER


Recoil: 0
Reliability: 100
ROF: 2
Defense: Inertia
Weight: 3kg
Cost: 350Cr

ELANUS RISK CONTROL BLACK-


JACK WRIST-MOUNTED GYROJET
BRACER
A favorite of explorers, this weapon gives
turn only and must be announced before Defense: Inertia piece of mind that it cannot be dropped in ad-
taking the shot. Weight: 1.25Kg (The extended maga- verse conditions. Included are other items of
zine adds 0.25Kg and the security does not use to a rugged adventurer.
Templates: None affect weight) This item is a large bracer worn on the
Accessories: Extended Magazine, Se- Cost: 325Cr (The extended magazine wrist with built in accessories. These ac-
curity adds 25Cr and the security adds 100Cr) cessories are a compass, a flashlight, a
Attack Modifier: None (There are no toxy-rad gauge, and a chronocom.
templates or accessories that affect attack
rolls) ARMAX ARSENAL VIPER GYROJET Templates: Hold-out
Damage (Standard ammo): 3d10 RIFLE Accessories: Flashlight, compass, toxy-
(There are no templates or accessories that Armax Arsenal brings you the premier rad gauge, chronocom
affect damage) weapon when you cannot tolerate recoil. Damage (Standard ammo): 3d10
Damage (AP): 2d10+2 (skeinsuits only Used by space forces everywhere, it really Range: 10/30/60/120/240
protect 1/4) (There are no templates or ac- packs a punch and doesn’t cause you to spin Ammo: 2
cessories that affect damage) out of control. More versatile than a laser, Conceal: +25 (to notice the gyrojet
Damage (Stinger): Stun (STA check or different ammunitions can allow more flexi- weapon, bracer is noticeable)
be stunned for 1d100 turns) (There are no bilities when possibly facing opponents in ar- Snap Shot: -5
templates or accessories that affect dam- mored spacesuits. A laser sight is added to Recoil: 0
age) make those shots count. Reliability: 100
Range (Standard and AP): This weapon is a standard weapon for ROF: 2
10/30/60/120/240 (There are no tem- shipborn and spaceborn forces. Defense: Inertia
plates or accessories that affect range) Templates: None Weight: 3kg
Range (Stinger): 5/15/30/60/120 Accessories: Laser Sight Cost: 235Cr
(There are no templates or accessories that
affect range)
Ammo: 18 (3 magazines of 6 rounds)
(The extended magazine increases ammo
by +100% which would normally be 20, but
was reduced to 18 because of the weapon’s
design)
Conceal: +10 (The extended magazine
accessory add 10, making the weapon
more easy to detect)
Snap Shot: -5 (There are no templates
IMAGE BY JERRY BOUCHER

or accessories that affect SnapShot)


Recoil: 0 (There are no templates or ac-
cessories that affect recoil)
Reliability: 100 (There are no tem-
plates or accessories that affect reliability)
ROF: 2 (only ROF of 1 during a turn
that the magazines are switched)

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 39


PIMP MY NEEDLER
BREATHING NEW LIFE IN TO AN OLD FAVORITE
BY OSCAR RIOS

We followed the janitor from the next car of our civilian skeinsuits. An excellent invest- I stood up to run, but my legs were weak,
the monorail, keeping a close eye on the purple ment on our part. my head was spinning. Anesthetic needler
dyed dralasite. It had taken us three days to We had no cover, so we knelt down and be- ammo… but how… my skeinsuit...
figure out how someone was sneaking blue- gan returning fire. The quick Vrusk darted As I fell to the dirty alley floor, the last
prints out of Streel’s southern regional head- back behind the dumpster. Jik sprayed the thought I had before I passed out was that my
quarters. I was with Serislee, my partner, a dumpster with automatic fire, keeping their skeinsuit wasn’t the sure-fire investment I’d
female yazirian with a gift for close quarters heads down. I fired my electrostunner at the thought it had been.
unarmed combat. The target got off the train, dralasite and hit them. They went limp, but
and entered the maze of neon and holovids of
the vice district. Our chronocoms went off,
were quickly pulled into the waiting car and it
started speeding away. Serislee charged the ENHANCED NEEDLER
“We may have been spotted, so keep your an- dumpster, drawing her electro-sword, intent This illegal upgrade to a standard
tenna up.” This was Jik’Til-Vee, the Vrusk on on making quick work of the vrusks. She needler goes by many names, such as a
our team and an exceedingly fast draw with yelled, “Come on guys, their needlers are use- Hot, Assault, or a Tactical Needler. There
an auto pistol. less!” are no production models of this weapon,
We followed the dralasite through the We heard a clicking sound, followed by a and each one is unique as they are hand
crowded streets, desperately trying to keep low hum as the vrusks popped up with their crafted by talented gunsmiths who heavily
eyes on them without giving ourselves away. needlers. They fired again, twice each, the modify existing weapons with this danger-
We spread out, trying to look inconspicuous, sound different now, a sharp snap. We were ous upgrade. Unfortunately, these weap-
while keeping in touch via our chronocoms. all struck, and this time, somehow, the nee- ons are illegal on most worlds, with
After a few blocks the dralasite made a call on dles penetrated our skeinsuits! I felt blood
his chronocom as it walked, and when the flowing down my arm, a half dozen needles
transmission was over quickly changed direc- clustered around my left shoulder. The
tions. Serislee radioed us, “They aren’t going yazirian called out, “What the hell… and
to make a drop, we’ve been made.” pitched forward unconscious. Jik screamed
“Do we back off, or take them down. We can out, “Get her and fall back. I’ll cover you!”
still charge them with theft. Maybe they’ll
give up the buyer if pressured with…”
Jik cut in, “They just ducted down an alley-
way and started running! I’m after them,
back me up!”
Serislee and I ran, electrostunner and gyro-
jet pistol drawn, just catching sight of Jik
turning into an alley. We all ran in, and at the
far end saw the dralasite jump into a waiting
groundcar at the far end. Before we could re-

IMAGE BY BRIAN PHONGLUANGTHAM


act a pair of Vrusk stepped out from behind a
dumpster and opened up on the three of us,
catching us flat footed. We heard night soft
coughs, as Needler pistols discharged, sending
thing darts our way. Each of us was hit at
least once, but the needles couldn’t penetrate

RANGE
WEAPON MASS COST PB S M L E
Enhanced Needler Pistol (Type I) 2 kg +100 0–4 5–8 9 – 15 16 – 30 31 - 60
Enhanced Needler Carbine (Type II) 3 kg +150 0–6 7 – 12 13 – 24 25 – 45 46 - 90
Enhanced Needler Rifle (Type III) 4 kg +200 0–8 9 – 16 17 – 30 31 – 60 61 – 110

40 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


penalties for possession being confisca- hands of the weapon’s creator. determining when these weapons fail, and
tion of said weapon with a stiff fine Even when perfectly crafted and com- the chances for a dangerous failure (stand-
(1D100*50 credit), and even jail time in pletely safe, these weapons only function ard failure causes the weapon to stop
some places. for 100 enhanced shots. At that time the working without harming the wielder).
Enhanced Needlers are equipped with a magnets seize up, the harmonic destabi-
higher power secondary firing mechanism, lizer fries, and the drained minipowerclip LOW QUALITY
a powerful electromagnetic accelerator, fuses itself into the body of the devise. (50% discount – 50cr / 75cr / 100cr)
and a harmonic destabilizer. Both up- This renders it not only inoperable but ir- Weapon system fails after 25 + 5D10
grades are powered by a mini-powerclip reparable as well. shots
(good for the life of the weapon system). Dangerous failure 50% (explodes caus-
ing 2D10 points of damage)
All this extra hardware makes the existing
needler weapon a bit heavier. Enhanced BUYER BEWARE AVERAGE QUALITY
needlers have a switch allowing them to Game Masters must decide the quality (standard cost)
toggle between firing in either standard or of the construction, and when (if ever) the Fails after 50 + 3D10 shots
enhanced mode. system should fail. The seller could be an Dangerous failure 20% (shakes apart or
When fired in enhanced mode the nee- arms dealers peddling the weapons of a bursts into flame for 1D10 points of dam-
dles fired from the weapon are projected at barely competent hack, a conman looking age)
a much higher speed. They also vibrate as to make a buck, or a master craftsman who
they travel, making them a bit less aerody- values his reputation for quality work. HIGH QUALITY
namic. This makes shots louder than a Game Masters can vary the cost of the up- (50% more expensive – 150cr / 225cr /
standard needler shot, going from some- grade wildly, doubling and even tripling 300cr)
thing like a cough to something like the the listed price above, depending on the Fails after 70 + 3D10 shots
loud snap of one’s fingers. It also reduces skill and reputation of the arms dealer. Dangerous failure 5% (delivers a nasty
the weapon’s range considerably (see be- We’ve listed three methods for electric shock, user stunned for one round)
low) and lowers its
rate of fire to two
shots per combat
round. However, these
needles gain the ability
to penetrate inertia
screens and skeinsuits
as effectively as other
projectile weapons
(causing ½ damage).
Since each En-
hanced Needler is a
one of a kind creation
there are no safety
standards between
gunsmiths. If the elec-
tromagnetic accelera-
tor fails, the weapon
jams, if the harmonic
destabilize is out of
balance the weapon
should shake itself
apart, and if the power
system is faulty the en-
tire thing could ex-
plode once the en-
hanced mode is turned
on. The user is putting
their trust, and possi-
bly their life, in the

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 41


NEW EQUIPMENT: PROTECTIVE GEAR
BY JOSEPH CABADAS
Star Frontiers offers an abundance of uncommon practice among these insect- Wearing this suit will reduce a charac-
defensive suits and screens for all sorts of like beings. ter’s water intake requirements by up to 1
occasions. Wearing the mask for long periods of liter per 20 hours GST due to high temper-
This does match real world experiences. time is uncomfortable for those who have atures.
We don't have one protective suit for all not received extensive training in their Typical civilian models come in a variety
kinds of conditions. use. Effects: a 1 point penalty to the char- of lighter colors, some with reflective
What follows are some new pieces of acter’s Initiative Modifier (-1 IM), and -5 strips – to help in search and rescue efforts
protective gear for characters. Though in to Dexterity and Reaction Speed checks. – while others offer a military-style desert
the cases of the Asbestos Suit and the Training can be considered the cost of a camouflage scheme, but no real military
Breathing Mask/Bag, these items were level one Military PSA/Enforcer skill in benefits other than being able to blend
mentioned in different modules, but they “Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus.” into the environment.
are presented here with some more infor- This skill only needs to be purchased once Because of their nature, normal civilian
mation. and it eliminates any penalties. 2 Desert Survival Suits (DSS) are not de-
Cost: mask – 100 Credits; bag – 400 signed to be worn with military suits – i.e.

ASBESTOS SUIT Credits; tank – 50 Credits; tank re-fill – 10


Credits.
skein, albedo, maser mesh, grid, etc. – and
can be made to act as an Explorer’s Vest.
This is a fireproof garment – it is not re- Mass: mask/bag – negligible; tanks – 5 Yet, different grades of armor-enhanced
ally made from asbestos but rather from kilograms each. outfits can be bought that are the equiva-
advanced materials – that covers a charac- lent of a skeinsuit or a gridsuit (other ar-
ter’s entire body, including the head and
extremities. DESERT SURVIVAL SUITS mored suit materials are incompatible
with the DSS).
An asbestos suit is often used by fire- To protect desert travelers and explor- Since its creation by PGC, this outfit has
fighters but protects against incendiary ers, the Pan-Galactic Corporation (PGC) been licensed out for manufacturer to sev-
weapons, though a character would also first developed a series of desert survival eral companies that adapt them to local
need a breathing mask to receive full pro- gear – for marketing purposes, these are conditions, while other mega corpora-
tection from heat and smoke inhalation. also called desert adventure gear. tions, such as Eversafe Industries and
It offers 200 points of fire damage pro- Often nicknamed by hikers as the “cool Streel, have made similar versions. Ver-
tection. For every 10 points of fire/heat suit,” the Desert Survival Suit is designed sions sold on Kraatar are compatible with
damage that the suit absorbs, the wearer to be worn during the daytime. The gar- using a breathing apparatus and have cam-
takes one point. If the wearer does not ment has an outer coating that reflects ouflage colorations to match the planet’s
have a breathing mask, the wearer suffers light in a diffused manner to reduce heat terrain.
a -15 percent penalty to all Dexterity and absorption; however, it is not so shiny that Three versions are listed below. All are
Reaction Speed checks and reduce Initia- it can reflect laser fire nor reduce or en- powered by a 10 SEU microdisc and use 1
tive Modifier (IM) checks by -2. 1 hance a person’s infrared (IR) signature. SEU every two hours.
Cost: 500 Credits The inner layer is designed to whisk per-
Mass: 3 kilograms spiration away from the wearer’s skin – in BASIC CIVILIAN DSS
the case of Humans, Yazirians and Drala- This can be bought in a variety of colors,

BREATHING MASK/BAG. sites (see Vrusk suit below) – to keep the


wearer cool and dry. Vrusk tend to loose
with or without reflective strips, including
the so-called desert camouflage version.
This is a mask with a small oxygen tank moisture through their breathing spicules Cost: 200 Credits
to protect characters in thin or poisonous on their abdomens, so suits designed for Mass: 2 kilograms
atmospheres. Dralasites receive an envi- them come with filters to help keep dust
ronmental like bag suit, while the “mask” particles out while keeping their clothing EXPLORER DSS
is a bag-like apparatus for a Vrusk’s abdo- from becoming damp. This model has the capabilities of a
men. The middle layers contain a number of standard Explorer’s Vest built-in (see
The Vrusk “breathing mask” also per- microfans powered by a standard 10 SEU Zebulon’s Guide, page 92) and provides a
mits them to swim, which is a fairly microdisc. variety of patch pockets, inside zipper

1 2 The module “Mutiny on the Eleanor Moraes” fea- are to wear but doesn’t provide any provisions on
Williams, Skip. “Sage Advice,” Dragon Magazine,
tures a breathing mask as does the module “Dark Side how this should effect characters, so the negative IM
July 1988, p. 68. And house rules regarding damage.
of the Moon.” In the “Eleanor Moraes” adventure, and DEX/RS modifiers are a house rule.
referees are to stress how uncomfortable the masks

42 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


pockets, Velcro strips, rings and snaps for three hours during the daytime and about Modifier (IM) by -1 point and cut Reaction
maximum item attachment. It comes with 1 liter every six hours at night. The charac- Speed (RS) by 5 points.
the removable plastic backpack to store ter can drink the water from a straw-like Cost: 500 Credits
breakables. tube that is stored near the neck (the Dral- Mass: 3 kilograms
Cost: 300 Credits asite version operates similarly, though it
Mass: 2 kilograms is set up for their unique physiology). MILITARY SKEIN/TACTICAL ADSS
The suit comes with a hood and Created for the military, it is basically a
MILITARY SKEIN/TACTICAL DSS sungoogles. An optional breathing mask is military skeinsuit with tactical vest and
Created for the military, it is basically a available, which traps moisture exhaled Advanced Desert Survival Suit capabilities.
military skeinsuit with both tactical vest from the nose and mouth – or a Vrusk’s This outfit is also equipped with IR bafflers
and desert survival suit capabilities. breathing spicules; the mask is useful on but also provides easier movement (no
Cost: 450 Credits planets such as Laco which have even negative modifiers for a character’s IM or
Mass: 4 kilograms harsher conditions than many in the Fron- RS scores).
tier. A character wearing such an outfit will Cost: 600 Credits

ADVANCED DESERT not suffer damage from sandstorms.


The heat exchange and water purifica-
Mass: 4 kilograms

OPTIONAL MASK FOR ADSS


SURVIVAL SUIT (ADSS)
tion systems are powered by a 20 SEU
3
powerpack – though it can also be hooked This accessory captures the moisture
About the time of Laco’s War, the Pan- up to a beltpack or a backpack battery – that a character exhales, adding up to an
Galactic Corporation began selling Ad- and uses 1 SEU per hour during the day or additional half-a-liter of water for drinking
vanced Desert Survival Suit (ADSS). Mili- 1 SEU every two hours at night. The chem- along with providing some additional pro-
tarized versions of this suit gave the PGC ical filters must be changed once a month, tection against sand storms. However,
and Galactic Task Force an initial edge at a cost of 50 Credits. many people find wearing the mask re-
over Streel and Merco. Other companies, stricting.
including several Vrusk trade houses BASIC CIVILIAN ADSS Cost: 100 Credits
quickly copied the design. This can be bought in a variety of colors. Mass: 4 kilograms
The ADSS is two garments in one, offer- It is very reflective, meaning the character

SHIMMER SCREEN
ing daytime and nighttime protection. It would have a hard time sneaking up on an-
has many of the same features as the De- yone during the day, though that helps
sert Survival Suit such as an outer coating with search and rescue operations. It also This type of screen is available after the
to reduce heat absorption with the inner has a high IR signature. It is also bulkier Second Sathar War for public purchase.
layer designed to whisk away perspiration. than more advanced models, reducing a This specialized, power-hungry shield pro-
Instead of microfans, the suit’s middle lay- character’s Initiative Modifier (IM) by -1 tects a character from all types of damage
ers features a circulatory heat exchange point and cut Reaction Speed (RS) by 5 for short periods of time. The screen shifts
system that operates to help keep the per- points. between albedo, gauss, inertia, sonic, and
son cool during the day and warm during Cost: 400 Credits simp defenses.
the night. Miniature radiators are located Mass: 3 kilograms There is a small chance that a hit pene-
along key locations on the suit’s exterior as trates the shield during the instant it
part of the heat exchanger. EXPLORER ADSS shifts from one defensive type to the next.
The problem for civilian models is that This model has the capabilities of a Any hit roll of 01-05 ignores the shimmer
this makes the suit’s wearer very obvious standard Explorer’s Vest built-in (see shield’s effect. Although this screen offers
to infrared (IR) scanners; military units Zebulon’s Guide, page 92) and provides a the best protection, no weapons can be
have IR baffles to reduce the character’s variety of patch pockets, inside zipper fired out of the shield when it is activated.
heat signature. pockets, Velcro strips, rings and snaps for It uses 5 SEU per minute of operation and
Another feature of the ADSS is that the maximum item attachment. It comes with each hit drains 5 SEU.
wearer’s perspiration – and urine – is the removable plastic backpack to store Cost: 5,000 Credits
trapped by micro condensers and then fil- breakables. It also suffers from being Weight: 4 kilograms 4
tered through several chemical filters. The bulky, highly reflective and with a high IR
purified water is then stored in pouches signature. It provides limited ballistic and
along the front of the outfit, supplying the inertia protection, acting as a 25-point
wearer about one liter of water for every skeinsuit. Reduce the wear’s Initiative

3 4 Moore, Larry. “Non-Civilian Duty Vehicles,” Star


Note: the Advanced Desert Survival Suit listed
Frontiersman, issue 15, p. 28. The shimmer screen
here is inspired by the desert survival suit listed on
appears here as a power-hungry, vehicle defense
the Traveler RPG wiki site plus the stillsuit from the
screen; this is a downsized version.
Dune series.

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 43


PERSONAL RESTRAINTS FOR STAR FRONTIERS
BY OSCAR RIOS
With the abundance of stunning (Elec- narrow diameter, such as around a pipe or Hydrotape is applied it simply needs to be
trostunner, Sonic Stunner, etc.) and seda- through a steering wheel. These devices do doused with water to activate the 6-hour
tive weapons (anesthetic Needler ammu- not work on dralasites. dissolving. Otherwise it takes 24 hours for
nition, doze grenades, etc.) players will the body heat of the captive to dissolve the
likely up either with prisoners to deal with
or as captives themselves. What’s to be ADHESATAPE adhesive. Hydrotape is only activated by
water; biological fluids, such as blood,
done with such captives is obvious - disarm These 15-meter-long and 10 cm wide urine, or saliva have no effect on them.
and secure them, so that when they regain rolls of adhesive tape are designed to se-
consciousness they’re unable to pose a
threat. A secure captive is unable to fight,
cure the limbs of most Frontier races, with
the exception of dralasites. They are easily TANGLER SPRAY
flee, or raise an alarm. carried rolls of adhesive tape, much like This long can, with a pump action trig-
To secure a captive their appendages the Ion Bonding Tape used by technicians ger of spray, is filled with the same sub-
cannot be free to be used for locomotion or across the Frontier when performing stance found in tangler grenades. Each can
manipulating objects (especially weapons). quick, makeshift repairs. The difference is holds six uses and sprays outward, but
Premade, cheap, effective, and if possible, these tapes are more durable and nearly with a range of only 0.2 meters. Typically,
reusable devices are required, especially by impossible to break or unravel with sheer captives are positioned with their limbs
security and law enforcement personnel. force. The tape must be cut with a sharp crossed before being blasted with a shot of
In the Frontier designing such systems is object to free a captive, and have 5 STA tangler spray. These threads then pin the
not a simple matter. With multiple races, structural points. target’s limbs together and secures their
whom have drastically different physical They are designed to be temporary. bodies to their surroundings, such as the
forms, a single universal design just isn’t Body heat dissolves the adhesive after floor, wall, the sides of a vehicle, a trees, or
feasible. This article details a variety of re- about 24 hours, allowing those secured by another prisoner.
straint systems developed for securing these tapes to easily free themselves. After The cans are awkward to handle and fire
prisoners of all four of the major Frontier 36 hours the adhesive completely dis- so slowly that they are unsuitable for use
races in a humane and effective manner. solves and the tape simply comes unstuck. as a close-range weapon. What they can do
They vary from simple single use items to These tapes are used by those intending to is fire a small, localized blast of tangler
reusable high-tech systems. release captives after having achieved threads at a specific point, enough to bind
their objectives and departed the area. For a single target for about 30 minutes. Much

PLASTEEL ZIPS example, a captured guard is secured in a


seldom used shed. It could be days before
like tangler grenades, these threads can
also be dissolved with Solvaway.
A variation on the zip-ties used by tech- they are found, a dangerous proposition
nicians everywhere to bind together bun-
dles of cables, these wide, durable, plasteel
and a terrible way to die (starvation, dehy-
dration). This way they are automatically RESTRAINTS
zip ties are specifically designed to hold released long after the person who secured
prisoners. Once secured they cannot be them are long gone. HUMAN & YAZIRIANS
loosened or reused. To be removed they The amount of tape needed to bind a vic- With similar forms a single system is
must be carefully cut off captives with a tim varies by the number of limbs bound, usually employed for the restraint of both
sharp object (they have 1 STA worth of typically requiring a meter of tape per pair humans and yazirians. These reusable and
structural points). A special device, much of limbs. For example, just binding a Hu- low-tech systems, called restraints, con-
like pair of hand clippers, can sever Plas- man’s arms requires 1 meter, binding a sists of a pair of wrist cuffs, ankle cuffs,
teel Zips without danger to the captive. Yazarian’s hands and feet require 2 me- large mid-torso cuff, and a left and right
One such device, along with ten Plasteel ters, and completely binding a Vrusk’s side cuff. The straps, cords, and cuffs are
Zips, comes with every package. Each Plas- arms and legs require 5 meters! Such de- all made from a semi-flexible woven fiber
teel Zip is long enough to secure one pair vices are infective when used on dralasites. with the strength of steel. The writs cuffs
of limbs together or to an object with a can be secured in front of the torso or be-

HYDROTAPE hind the back. The ankle restraints are sep-


arated by a length of short lightweight
A variant of Adhesatape, Hydrotape is cord, allowing the secured prisoner to take
designed to come undone 6 hours after be- short shuffling steps. All these restraints
coming wet. This tape is favored by those are secured with a mechanical key.
who wish their prisoners to become freed The mid-torso restraint is applied differ-
after a short period of time. After the ently for humans vs yazirians. In humans
44 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020
the mid-torso restraint secures around the ITEM COST MASS (KG)
waist and the left and right side cuffs are
Plasteel Zips (set of 10 w/ opener) 5 --
looped together to stay out of the way. In
yazirians the left and right torso cuffs are Adhesatape, roll of 5 --
used to secure both glider membranes, Hydrotape, roll of 10 --
preventing them from unfurling. This pre- Tangler Spray, can of 75 0.5
vents yazirians from gliding.
Restraints (Human/Yazarian) 10 0.25
Restraints (Vrusk/Dralasite) 15 0.5
Electro Restraints 200 0.5
Sonic Restraints 200 0.5
with the ball bearings, allows for a captor immune to the stunning effects (but not
to move a restrained dralasite about with the pain) of an activation.
relative ease.
The restraints are designed to automat- SONIC RESTRAINT
ically adjust to become as compact as pos- Much like the electro restraints sonic
sible, making it impossible for a dralasite shackles have vibrating filaments woven
to maintain any projected limbs for either into them. When activated the restraints
manipulation (arms) or transportation hum with a paralyzing frequency when ac-
(legs). (For example, a dralasite with three tivated. This causes a stunning effect in
VRUSK legs and two arms is put into restraints, the wearer lasting for 1D10 X 10 minutes,
This system has a long strip of flexible which immediately beings constricting all a duration identical to the Electro Re-
woven fiber with an abdomen strap and around him. This triggers a biological re- straints. Victims stunned in this way don’t
five pairs of cuffs, a collar, and a long cord. flex for the dralasite to withdraw its limbs fall unconscious but are rendered helpless
Four of the cuffs are for ankles while the into its body. Within 15 minutes the dral- and immobile as they’re wracked with
remaining one is for wrists. The strip is asite has assumed a spherical form, caus- waves of nausea, vertigo, and dizziness.
meant to be secured around the vrusk’s ab- ing the restraint to cease its constriction.) Captives protected by an active sonic
domen, with their legs secured under them screen are immune to these effects.
and their wrists secured behind their back.
The cuff goes around the vrusk’s neck and POWERED RESTRAINTS FREEING A PRISONER
is secured to the far end of the restraint There are two typed of upgraded, pow-
system at the base of the abdomen by a ered shackles, Electric and Sonic. Both Unlocking restraints without the proper
long cord. This keeps the vrusk’s torso at a come with an electronic key fob with a 3- key requires an Opening Lock roll. Re-
secure 90-degree angle to its abdomen, meter range. Each system is powered by a strains are considered level 2 locks, while
preventing it from having much freedom 10 SEU micropower clip. These systems their powered versions come with level 3
of movement. Captors wishing for the can be unlocked or activated via the re- locks. If the individual attempting to un-
vrusk to be able to walk can simply use two mote. These systems activate when put lock the restraints are the ones currently
of the four ankle restraints. This allows the under stress, when their locks are tam- bound by them the lock difficulty level is
vrusk to walk, albeit in a slow clumsy shuf- pered with, or when the wearer attempts doubled (to level 4 and level 6 respec-
fle, using just four of its eight legs. to move faster than 5 meters / turn. Pow- tively). Alternately, restraint can be
ered restraints drain 1 SEU per activation opened by damaging them with a sharp ob-
DRALASITE and are more robust than their non-pow- ject. The woven fibers of a restraint system
These restraints appear as a large mesh ered low tech version (see Freeing a Pris- have 10 STA structural points, while their
sack with a lockable, adjustable top, and oner). more durable powered versions have an
mesh holes too small for a dralasite to STA of 20.
form an appendage through. The holes are ELECTRO RESTRAINTS Damaging the restraints with ranged
large enough for dralasites to breathe These restraints have conductive fila- weapons, such as a pistol or rifle, almost
through and even eat small morsels of ments woven into their fiber mesh and a certainly result in the captive being seri-
food through, although they would need to small electric capacitor. This allows the re- ously injured. Game masters can allow
be hand fed. On the side opposite the straint to deliver a mild but painful shock. this, but should impose stiff penalties (-
opening is a section of the restraints con- which stuns victims for 1d10 x 10 minutes 20% or more) and dire consequences for
taining tiny ball bearings woven into the per activation. Captives with an anti- failure (the shackled individual taking half
fabric. On top of the restraints, near the shock implant or active Gauss Screen are damage from the attack).
lock, is a retractable handle that, combined

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 45


IMAGE BY AARON O`BRIAN
FOOD TRUCKS ON THE FRONTIER
AND EXPLORING CORE FOUR CUISINE
BY TOM VERREAULT

These were conceived as food trucks in Korzan (yazirian male) goes by the mon- Krik, beef, chicken, peckin, wyvole and
Port Loren but could be placed on any iker Kebab King. He is a skilled chef and alligator kebabs are popular with humans
planet as the referee requires. The original specializes in kebab style cuisine for the and yazirians and reflect both of their cui-
purpose of the article is to add a little fla- core four species of the Frontier. His dral- sines.
vor, pun intended, to the Frontier but the asite and vrusk vegetarian and insect ke- Ool and Jung kebabs are dralasite cui-
proprietors of the different food trucks babs are considered good but the human sine.
can be used as a source of rumors or as an and yazirian barbeque offerings are all the Cricket, grub and “k-pedes” are vrusk
NPC contact for the player characters. Al- rage. Any enquiry as to where to eat will al- cuisine.
ternatively, they might have a meeting most inevitably draw a recommendation Sauces: Buffalo, Teriyaki (H), Blood
with a prospective employer at a bench to try Kebab King. Sauce (Y), Ool Sauce (D), Zizzzz Sauce (V)
near the food trucks because he wants the He wears a tough krik leather apron that
interview to appear like a chance meeting functions as a 10 point skeinsuit from the RUMORS
while enjoying a quick bite. Any of the front and has 1d5 knife-sized, yazirian Korzan is surprisingly affable for a
trucks might also have an electronic screen kha'dan-type blades within reach that he Yazirian unless you insult his food. He
flashing ads and classifieds for help uses for food prep, and a zamra dangling knows all his customers by name and their
wanted that the player characters just hap- from a chain on his belt. As the former typical order. He also has his finger on the
pen to notice as they are waiting for their planetary knife throwing champion of pulse of what's going on around town,
order. Morgaine’s World, he is lethal with thrown whether politics, news, crime, or expedi-
weapons (level 6 & 80 DEX). tions heading into the black of space. Basi-
cally, he’s well plugged into the rumor mill.
KEBAB KING'S CORE 4 MENU He will know the best rumors.
a single skewer kebab 3 Cr, a double
KEBABS skewer kebab 4 Cr, a triple skewer kebab 5
Hover food truck Cr.

46 FRONTIER EXPLORER FALL 2020


Ool fruit, fried pudding and fried veggie
paste dumplings cater to the dralasite mar-
ket.
Sauces: Buffalo, Plum, Teriyaki (H),
Blood Sauce (Y), Ool Sauce (D), Zizzzz
Sauce (V)

RUMORS
There’s been a run on dralasite cuisine,
there must be more dralasites in town
then normal, perhaps there is an event at
the Dralasite Sensorium?

ROSIE'S SLUSH

IMAGE BY AARON O`BRIAN


Rosie’s Slush is a robot operated push-
cart selling slush in a myriad of fruit fla-
vors catering to humans and dralasites.
Rosie is a level 5 service robot with an ade-
VIHM-A-TONI SOUP & housing arcologies. quate personality for her level and can
She is concerned about the poor and un- carry on small talk by using her internal
SANDWICH derclass in town and if quizzed for rumors chronocom and computer link to access
or adventure opportunities will recom- the public information nets for the current
Ground food truck
mend poor and downtrodden individuals news on sports, politics, entertainment,
Zixx (vihm female) is awkward and
in desperate need with little ability to pay. and culture to engage with her customers.
oblivious to social cues. Her cooking skills
are passable but on a bad day the quality
MENU
will slip.
She tries to offer core 4 cuisine but her
JOHAN'S DUMPLING Slush: small 2 Cr, medium 3 Cr, large 4

WAGON
dralasite menu items are universally bad. Cr.

MENU Hover food truck RUMORS


Sandwiches: 5 Cr, cup of Soup 3 Cr, bowl Johan's cuisine is based on an ancient Chatting with Rosie won’t really gener-
of soup 4 Cr. Human ethnic menu item but adapted to ate any rumors other than publicly availa-
Soup of the Day: whatever was on hand the modern Frontier and multi alien spe- ble information from the net. In other
whipped into a soup cies palate. He offers what was known as words what the game master really wants
Sandwiches: Chicken, Chinese style dumplings but filled with the players to know that is common
Peckin, Krick and the stuffings developed from cuisine of the knowledge.
Surprise Special core four Frontier species.

RUMORS MENU
Gangs are a problem Large orders are 12 dumplings for 5
in the Rook Hill neigh- Cr. and small orders are 6 dump-
borhood as well as lings for 3 Cr.
other lower in- Cricket Dumplings - while crick-
come ets are technically a human food
item the cricket dumpling is popu-
lar with the vrusk. Only the rare
human will eat them and yazirians
and dralasites pass on them alto-
gether.
Grub dumplings are strictly a
IMAGE BY AARON O`BRIAN

vrusk cuisine.
IMAGE BY AARON O`BRIAN

Krik, pork, chicken, and


peckin dumplings- very popu-
lar with humans and yazirians
representing both of their cuisines.

FALL 2020 FRONTIER EXPLORER 47

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