a i inning la an tinnaaiaai ‘ ' oy Eouipment Guide : 7 Humanity’s' Tools For Survival i Lester W. Smith» 4Introduction i The 2300 AD Equipment Guide is an informative guide to the equipment avaliable in the role-playing setting of 2300 AD. In this book, you will find all sorts of gear, from resupply packages for a basic first ald kit fo the anagathic regimen, from simple mechanical lotks 10 sophisticated retina scanners. All ere described in detail (many with related tasks listed in the sidebars), and all are fully illustrated. i ' ‘This guide is designed to be an aid for play. For that reason, care has been faken to include those items that would be useful during an adventure. Essential statistics for their use ate given in standard format, Text descriptions focus qot only on how the equipment works, but also con how i fis inggthe world of te future. The equipment is divided into logical chapters so the reader can easly find the type of equipment that interests him, and an index is Included a5 wel so individual pleces can be located quickly. Finally, to prevent the reader irom having to switch back and forth between this guide.and the equipment listing in the Adventurer’s Guide, all of that equipment is listed here as well, much of it with expanded descriptions. ‘What you will not find in this gulde are vehicle listings and purely combat weapons, although many ofthe items described here can be pressed into service in one or another of these capacities, if necessary. 1 : The Equipment Guide is intended to be used by both player and referee. For players, the lucid descriptions and beautiful ilustrations will help to flesh out the world that is 2300 AD. For the referee, helpful information, such as where some of the items are available, new rules and task statements of how items are fo be used, and the basic statistics listed for each item, will aid in making edventures in 2300 AD run smoothly. And jt Is a sure bel thal many of the items lisied in this book will also serve as a spur to the referée's imagination, suggesting new adventures to be run, 1 This sourcebook is divided into the following chapters:+ © This “Introduction” which gives a brief description of the guide. © "Medical Equipment” lists various pidces of medical,gear and types of pharnrateyticals available fo the player characters, with information concerning the mechanics of their u8e during play. 7 Hl ‘@ "Security Equiprhent” describes locks, alarms, bugs, electronic countermedsures, and other equipment used to protect valuable tems and information, or to circumvent such ptotection. ‘@ “Exploratory Equipment" details survival gear, sentors, oceanographic equipment, and other ‘gear needed by research teams (and others) when exploring unknown geographical regions. ‘© "Computer Equjpment” lists equipment from starship computer stations to subdermal caleulaiors and computers. F © “Combat Walkers” includes hwo brand new versions and expanded kules for combat with these items. : ‘ ‘ ‘© "Space Equipment” describes of P-suits, EVA propulsion units, safety gear, repair equip~ ment, and escape pods. : 7 1 ‘© 'Pentapod Analogues" destribes all sorts of items, some of which are very useful, while ‘others are less So, that have been created by these masters of bioengineering, ! 1, © "Kafer Equipment" describes the enigmatic pleces of equlpment found among thé rernains of various Kafer forces, with explanations of thelr workings, if known, and guesses a5 1o what their purposes might be. (The releree is feferred to the Kafer Sourcebook for the full secrets of those ilems listed in this chapter.) ' @An “Index” makes each plece of equipment easy to find, 7 With this Equipment Guide, the releree will find it much simpler to run adventures In the world ofthe future (as always, the Feferee is free to adept the information listed here, where desired, Jo make it fit his own campaign perfectly). Playérs will better know what the technology of 2300. ‘AD is capable of. Player characters will be better equipped fo journey through space, visiting alien worlds, facing down the enemies of humankind, and firming humanity's fitst tenuous grip upon the stars. HOW TO USE 4 THIS SOURCEBOOK The 2300 AD Equip- ment Guide is organized into chapters, Separating the ‘equipment into logical blocks of information: Most equip ‘ment pieces are described in the main blocks of tex within those chapters, Rules, task statements, géheral informa: tion, and supplementary ‘equipment are all listed in the fidebers. Findlly, an alpha- betical index Is provided to make 'specifle pieces of ‘equipment very easy to find. It iS suggested that the reader browse through this book, chapter by chapler, reading whatever catches his eve. This will familiarize the reader,with the book's con- tents." A second, more thorough reacting wil fl in those gaps Iéit from the first reading. Afet tha, the reader need only réler to the index 10 ind specific tems when desired.= Task: To resuscitate a dead person: Difficult. Med- cal and aviomed. 30 seconds. — Referee: Requires surgical hospital and surgeon, or automed and operator. I the — fask is. instead performed with a Medkit, the task dif ficuly Ig increased one level, and the time roll is doubled. ~ Task: To stabilize a ser- fous wound: Routine. Med- al and Automed. 90 _conds. \ Releree: See referee's note 1 — wound and/or one shock point: Routine, Medical and’ automad. Absolute (7 day). ' _- _ Releree: Requires at least ‘one hour of attention per light wound and/or shock oint per day. Patient re- — quires bed rest and proper ‘meals. If the task is done with @ Meqkit instead of an ___ automed, the task dificuly is increased one level, and the time required is doubled. _ Task: To avoid the side ~" Yects of Bounce: Routine. eadurance. Instant. , Releree: If the character __ fils this roll, he sutters limb paralysis until the drug wears 1 off normally. For each dose ‘over twp taken In a 24-hour — period, increase the task dif + ficulty one level. | Task: To avoid the side "effects pf Herc: Diticult. En- durance. Instant. Releree: For each dose over one, increase the task ~ difficuly one level. I the roll Is failed, the character sufers ‘muscle spasms equivalent fo 106 light wounds per dose ~ taken. 1 Medical Equipment Technology Is a sword that cuts two ways. In the 24th century, it has given humanity more Jethal weapchs and the capability to reach new and dangerous worlds, but it has also provided advances in medicine to help combat those dangers. 1 Medkit: The Mediit isa portable first-aid kit containing limited diagnostic equipment, spray- fon bandages, and avtoinjectors of antishock, aiitoxi, antibiotic, stimulant, and anesthetic drugs. Given Medical or First Aid skill jhe Medkit confaing equipment needed to diagnose and treat minor injures and.stabllize serious conditions. (See the tasks in the sidebar.) A Medi contains ‘enough materials for 20 uses. Each light wound treated counts bs one use: each shock point feeated gounts as three uses, and each resuscitation counts as eight uses. Weight: 1 kg Price: Lv500 “Medkit Resupply Package: A Medkitresupply package is used to replace Medkit meterals {hat have been used up. Each resupply package replaces five uses worth of materials. Weight: 200 q Price: L100 Lightweight Automed: Portable and inexpensive, the lightweight! automed is popular with gmergency teams and is often used in large numberg for disaster relie. I! has all the capabilities ff a static automed (see below), but is intended only for temporary care. (See the tasks in the sidebar.) The medical supplies carried in a lightweight eutomed can maintain a palient for an gverage of 24 hours before resubply is necessary. The batteries run for approximately 10 hours of operation. lightweight automed’s batteries can be recharged wherever normal electrical power is available. {ts medical Supplies can be resupplied at any medical facility containing static automeds. Weight: 300 kg Med Skill 1 Price: Lv2000 Static Automed: The static automed Isa large, Immobile piece of equipment designed for long-term care of a patient and, 28 such, requires.permanent emplacement in a hospital ward {such as on a starship). With the stafic aujomed, a patient's condition can be accuralely diagnosed ‘nd treated over a long period of ime. (See the tasks in the sidebar.) This piece of equipment runs off the power supply of the faciliy in which i Is emplaced, but in the event of a power jputage, It does conidin 12 hours worth, of emergency battery power. Weight: 1000 kg Med Skill: 3 Price: Lv8000 1 Bounce: Bounce'is a drug used primarily by people operating in zer0-G environments. Is ¢ffect isto counteract the reduction{of dexterity experienced by those operating in a lower gravity than that of their native world. A character using Baunce treats each gravity level as if it were ‘pne higher than it is: Zero-G is trdated as if i were ow-G, low-G agit were normalG, and tnormal-G as if it were high-G. The effects of each dose last an avereq™ of 10 hours (roll 3D6 {or duration). eect : ‘Multiple doses of Bounce can be taken in a 24-hour period to further counteract the effects of gravity upon dexterity or fo extend the drug's duration, but side effects are not uncommon Insuch cases. The most common sie effec is a short-term paralysis, lasting until the drug wears ‘off, When taking more than one dose of Bounce in a 24-hour period, a character should roll the task in the sidebar. Weight: Insignificant Price: 20 for five doses (avalable only at the space facilities of major colony worlds) Here: Hert is a drug made popular by physical laborers, and it has also been used on occe sion by ground miltary forces. Each doseyof the dryg increases a characters strenath by live poinis for a period of approximately seven hours {rall 2D6 for duration) after which time the ser mus rest (do nothing more strenuous than walking unencumbered) for an equivalent period of time. For example, if the deug’s effect lasts for three hors, the character must rest afterwards for thee hours, : It the rest period is ignored, or f multiple doses of the drug are taken in a 24-hour period, the character risks bainful muscle spasms and possible permanent damage (roll lor the task in thé sidebar). Weight: Insignificant Cost: Lv100 per 10 doses Anagathic Regimen: The anagathic regimen is a series of chemical treatments that slowStatle Automed ' Lightweight Automed the physical eects of aging, In ost patients, the aging pracess s slowed one-half or ¢ven one- thid normal, theoretically doubling or pling the adult life span, But the procedure is néw enough {approved for public use in 2264) that long;term data does not yet exist. The anagathit regimen is very expensive; only the very wealthy can afford fo maintain it for long periods of time. Each anagathic treatment remains eflegtve for ah average of six months, during which time the subject ages approximately swo months, When a character undergoes his first anagithic treat: tment, roll 206~ 1 fod the number of months tha! the treaiment will remain in effec; then rol 1D6—1 for the number of months aged during that period. The effects of any future treatments: will be identical. (It should be nofed that in 0.5 percent of the population the apagathit regimen has no effect, and in 1.9 percent it actually speeds the aging process.) Once the duration of an anagaihic treatments eflects has expired, no further effects will occur unless another treat: ment is taken eee ‘Anagathic treatments are only available in major cles on Earth and Tirane. Price: Lv@5,000 per treotment 7 H : v , THE EFFECTS OF AGING Ht you are keeping track of the passage of game years in your campaign, you will twant 1 note the effect of ag- ‘ing upon characters. To do so, the following task roll should be made every 10 years, beginning at age 40. Task: To resist aging: Routine. Endurance. Insta. Releree: The difficulty of this task increases one level for each 10 years over age 40. Roll once for each physical atribute except size. If the task is failed, the at- Iribute in quéstion decreases ‘by one point. If an attribute reaches zero, the character dies of aging. For example, Mike Rush, + @ 50-year-old character with ‘an endurante of 16, is checking for aging effects on his strength of 6. His task is Difficult, He has an en- durance motiier of 4, and He rolls @ 5 for 2 total of 9, one point leSs than he need- ed: his strength drops to 5. If the réferee desires, Psychological atributes can be checked ih the same way, beginning at age 60. If edutation Is reduced, con- sider the reduction fo be the result 8 memory loss and redude one skill (player's ‘cho’ce) by one level for each point of education lost= seconds. — Task: To pick a methan- ‘cal logk (Unshilied): Var able. Securitys Systems. or one-half Mechanical. 3 Referee: To pick ‘mechanical lock, a character ~ must have a locksmith kit. A slim tap suchas a heavy ‘wire may be substituted, but t the tash dificully increases by — one level. ' ~Tasly: To break a me- = anical tock (Unskilled): Variable. Strength. 1 sec: ond. Referee: To break’ a ~ mechanical lock, a character ‘must have some sort of strik- ing or prying tool, such as a — hammar or erowbsr, at hand. Task: To pick an elec- Securit level onds. tronic lock: Variable. Securi- ~ ty Systems and Electronic. 5 seconds. Referee: If the character does mot have Electronic kil, inerease the dificuly by ‘one level: ithe does not have ‘Systems, increase + diffguly by two levels 39 pick the lock, the Ccharacier must have an elec- tronic security systems kit Other electronic tools may bbe substituted, but the task dificully increases by one | Task: To break open bn electronic lock: Variable. One-half Strength. 2 sec: 1 ' ' T Sécurity Equipment ‘_ Ithas been said that a locked door will keep an honest man honest but will not thwart a deter: mined thief. This is because as fast as techtology provides new means fo secure a door, other technology develops the mgans to citcumvent that protection. The equipment in this chapter covers bbth ends of that spectrum. 6ECURITY LOCKING SYSTEMS ‘One of,the primary uses of technology in the security field is the creation of various lock mechanists. . Mechanical Lock The most primitive method of securing an entrance fs to use ¢ mechanical lock. Mechanical locks vary widely in the durability oftheir materials and the sophistication of thelr workings, but all can be circumvenied with a jitle bit of skill or force. {2300 AD, mechanical locks are rated in terms of how dificult a task it Iso circumvent them. To open a mechanical lock withdut a key or combination, a character must either pick the locl or break it. To do ether ig a task, as stated In the sidebar. Because mechanical locks will open to anyone (authorized or unauthorized) who has the correct key or combination, they fre less secure than pther types of lock’, and therefore, codt less. The weight and price of a [pck depends upon the loch’ ificuly level. (Add 20 percent the price! the locks designed fo tip an alarm.) Weight: 0.25 kg (Simple), 0.75 kq Routine), 2. kg (Difcul), 7.0 kg (ror midable), 22.5 kg (Impossible), Price: L’1 (Simple), Lu3 (Routine), Lv450 (Difficul), Lv2500 (Formidable), Lvi2,000 (Impossible) Electronit Lock: An electronia|lock is opened by use of a number combination keyed into iis control pane! or by use of a mabnetic keycard. As with a mechanical lock, it is possible for {combination or keycatd to be possessed by unauthorized persons, and its also possible for fan electronic lock to be picked or' broken, but it requires greater skill or strength to do so. © Electronic locks in 2300 AD are ratedyin terms of task difficulty to open them by skill or force. To pick or break an electrotic lack isa task, as listed in the sidebar. The more secure {an electronic tock, the higher its cost, (Add 25 percent to the price of the lock if itis designed Ip trip an alarm.) Welght: 0.1 kg (Simple), 0.35 kg (Routine), 1.0 kg (Difficul), 3.0 kg (For- '" inidable}, 9.5 kg (Impossible) Price: Lv2.5 (Simple), Lv8 (Routing), Lv600 (Dilficul), Lv3000 (Formidable), Lv15,000 (Impossible) Handprint Analyzer: The handprint analyzer is one of the mos! common forms of security ystems available in the 24th century, In it simplest form, the device is an image-scanning plate ‘connected to a computer storage system. The Computer contains a limitgg number of prerecorded handprints. Most often, the analyzer is used as a doar lock. A perspr ishing access through {he door places his hand upon the plate, and if his print matches one in the computer's memory, the ddor opens. If his print does not match, the door remains closed, In many applications, {an alarm {5 also attached to call attention to unauthorized persons atlempting access. the Core worlds, where wide computer networks provide access fo multitudes of hand= rint files, handpring analyzers commonly serve as verifiers of purchases. A cusiomer “signs” Ris creat account by placing Ns hhgnd upon a screen after his purchases have been tallied into ‘shop's computer. The computer Is connected to a city-wide network and has access to other ‘gomputgr networks around the world. Poriable handprint anatzers also exist. They are used jo verily identification or to restrict access to such things 9s briefcases. It is possible to fool a handprint analyzer; see the task in the sidebar. Weight: 5 kg Price: Lv700 (Lv850 if designed {o trigger an alarm) | ‘ 1" Voige Analyzer: Voice recognition security units use a simple vocal input unit to obtain ‘a voice print of a person seeking access to a secured area. This voice print is then compared against a file of voice prints stored in a computer mamory system. If a maich is found, access 1 6 gfanted; if not, further security systems may be aetivated. Voice recognition technology is. ery accurate in the 24th century. To atlempl to bypass a voice analyzer, see the iask in the sidebar. Weight: 8 kg Price: Lv4500 (Lv4800 if designed to activate an alarm)Retina Scanner: The retina scanner is among the most advanced pieces of security equip: ment available. Like the handprint analyzer, it consists of an imager and a computer file, but in this case, the file contains images of the vein network on the retina of a human eye. A person wishing access to 4 room guarded by @ retina scanner plaees his eves agains! the canner’s visor, The scanner then compares his refinal pallens 10 thyse in is memory. they maich, access is allowed. If they do not match, access is denied, and further securjty measures (an alatm, for instance) may be initiated. ' H Because the human eye is constantly in motion, some retina scans wilt fail efroneously. Many. retina scanners are programmed Wo inform the subject that the scan has failed, and @ Second try may be allowed : Itis incredibly difficult to foil a retina scanner (see the task in the sidebar}. Only an exatt copy of the correct retina, or direct tampering with the scanning mechanism, will produce af ident- ification match result where none actually exists, Weight: 20 kg Price: Lv30,090 (Lv36,000 if designed to trigger dn alarm) ht Task: To bypass a hand- print analyzer: Difficult. ‘Security Systems or one-half Electronic. 6 seconds. Referee: This ask requires the use of ap Electronic Security Systein kit. A set of Electronic Repair Tools can be substituted a an increase in dificully of one level. Forgery sill cih also be add 6d 10 this task roll Task: To bypass a voice analyzer: Fornildable. Secur- ity Systems or one-half Elec- tronic. 5 seconds. ‘Releree: This task requires the use of an Electronic Security System kit. A set of Electronic Repair Tools can be substituted at an increase in dificult of one level. Disguise skill can also be added 10 this task rol Task: To Bypass a retina scanner: Impossible, Secur ty Systems or one-half Elec- tronic. 15 seconds Releree: This task requires the use of an Electronic Security Sysiétn bit, A set of Electronic Repair Tools can be substituted et an increase in dificulty of one level. One- * half Forgery skil can also be ‘added to this task roll.THE EFFECTS OF FORALINE GAS ~ Foaling gas produces a reaction af fear in its victims," 2 fear sq deblitating that + almost every sense sifmulus seems aft overwhelming threat. In few subjecs, the fear leads fo panicked fight ~and if this were ire of more people, Foraline would he useless as 9 method of crowd ~