Vehicles

Across the Astrabound galaxy, people do not just cross star systems. They cross shattered colony roads, acid marshes, frozen plains, storm oceans, station interiors, desert glass fields, and the ruins of forgotten wars. From Commonwealth patrol skiffs and corporate hover limos to naval destroyers and atmospheric strike craft, vehicles are the machines that keep worlds connected and contested.

The following rules expand the use of land, air, and water vehicles in your adventures and provide tools for building custom rigs for frontier explorers, planetary militias, syndicate smugglers, corporate security teams, and wandering crews trying to survive the long road between safe harbors.

In Development Level terms, Astrabound vehicles span a much wider range than power armor, walkers, or starships. Simple motorized and industrial vehicles appear well below the interstellar threshold, but the machines most often used in play are usually Dev 5-8. Dev 5-6 covers competent industrial and planetary transport. Dev 7 brings mature off-world and frontier expedition vehicles. Dev 8 adds the sealed, networked, high-performance military and specialist craft most associated with the Commonwealth, the Alliance, and other major powers.

BASICS

Here are the basics common to all the vehicles described in this chapter.

• AUTOMATED SYSTEMS: Vehicles have automated systems that can manage simple functions via voice command such as driving on autopilot over known (mapped) roads, operating their doors and luxury features, and other basic tasks that do not require decision-making. If needed, its skill with any of these tasks is a d6.
• COCKPIT & CREW QUARTERS: Vehicles of Size 7 or less have dedicated seating for a number of crew listed on the Vehicle Frames table. Size 8+ vehicles have basic quarters for their crews, and depending on Size, small sick bays, galleys, and communal meeting rooms.
• MANEUVERING SKILL: Maneuvering skills are Driving for all land-based vehicles, Boating for watercraft, and Piloting for air vehicles.
• SAFETY SYSTEMS: Modern vehicles have safety systems such as air bags, seat belts, or safety harnesses (see Collisions in Savage Worlds).

Example: Flynn’s colony rover can follow preloaded survey paths across mapped badlands while he studies sensor data, but the moment the road disappears into a sandstorm and broken basalt, he has to take manual control.

PROFILES

Vehicles have the following statistics.

• SIZE: Large vehicles have four Wounds, Huge craft have five, and Gargantuan vessels have six.
• HANDLING: The vehicle’s maneuverability, which is added to the operator’s maneuvering rolls.
• TOP SPEED: The vehicle’s maximum Speed Rating.
• TOUGHNESS: The Toughness of the vehicle with its Armor in parentheses, already figured into the Toughness.
• WOUNDS: The number of Wounds the craft can take before it is destroyed.
• CREW: How many people it normally takes to operate the vehicle. Any crew listed after the + may operate other systems or are simply passengers.
• ENERGY: The vehicle’s maximum fuel capacity, measured in days of use.
• MODS: The number of Modifications that can be made to the vehicle based on its Size, with any unused slots in parentheses.
• COST: The vehicle’s price listed in thousands ($K) or millions ($M).

SAMPLE PROFILE

HOVER LIMOUSINE (CLASS I)

A deluxe ride for corporate executives, senior Commonwealth officials, media icons, and the sort of celebrity whose arrival needs to be seen from half a district away.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
5 (Large)	0	8	12 (2)	4	1+4	5	15 (0)	$385K

Locomotion: Hover. Mods: Armor, Crew Seating, 2× Increased Speed, Luxury Features.

Example: Michaels once had to pose as a transport contractor just to get Astrid inside a governor’s arcology. The hover limousine’s luxury cabin fooled the guards long enough to get them through the first checkpoint.

CUSTOM VEHICLES

The easiest way to create a custom vehicle is to take any of the stock vehicles presented at the end of this chapter or another Savage Worlds setting and look at the number in parentheses in the vehicle’s Mods column. This is the number of unused Modification slots you can use to add additional armor, weapons, or other systems.

You can also replace existing Mods you do not want with those you do. Even a few simple changes can make two slight variants of the same vehicle feel completely unique and make them a more memorable part of your stories.

If you want to build a vehicle from scratch, start with a concept, determine the Size, choose its form of locomotion, then use the Vehicle Frames table to determine its starting statistics. From there you can add Modifications to customize the rig and determine its final profile.

In Astrabound, this is a simple way to distinguish a Commonwealth patrol vehicle from a corp security export, a frontier hauler patched together out of salvage, or a pirate skiff rebuilt three times with stolen parts and bad intentions.

Note that a vehicle may have more than one form of locomotion. Buy the cheapest first, then additional forms require Mods equal to half the vehicle’s Size and cost double the normal price. A third uses the same Mods, and is triple the normal cost, and so on.

Vehicle Frames

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Toughness (Max Armor)	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
Normal (Vehicles 6’ to 12’ long)	+1	*	5 (20)	3	1	3	Size ×3	Size × $10K
Large (Vehicles 15’ to 30’ long)	0	*	10 (30)	4	3	5	Size ×3	Size × $30K
Huge (Vehicles 36’ to 75’ long)	-1	*	15 (40)	5	5	15	Size ×3	Size × $50K
Gargantuan (Vehicles 100’ to 600’ long)	-2	*	20 (50)	6	50	30	Size ×4	Size × $1M

Notes:

• Normal: Drones, compact cars, motorcycles, hover bikes.

• Large: Commercial vehicles, trucks, boats, aircraft.

• Huge: Airliners, ships, train cars.

• Gargantuan: Jumbo airliners, ships.

• Speed Rating is based on the vehicle’s form of locomotion, below.

Locomotion

The table below shows the base Speed Rating and cost for each type of land, air, and water craft.

Modification	Top Speed	Cost
Aircraft, Jet: The aircraft uses jets or another thrust system that does not allow hovering. Minimum speed is 120 MPH or they go Out of Control.	13	$500K × Size
Aircraft, Turboprop: The aircraft uses propellers or another thrust system that does not allow hovering. Minimum speed is 60 MPH or they go Out of Control.	11	$100K × Size
Aircraft, VTOL: The vehicle uses fans, rotors, ducted jets, anti-gravity, or another system for lift and propulsion. In atmosphere it can perform VTOL, hover, or fly.	8	$100K × Size
Hover: Uses fans or anti-gravity levitation to move across surfaces, ignoring most low obstacles and water.	6	$10K × Size
Tracked: The vehicle has tracks instead of wheels. It ignores all effects of Difficult Ground.	4	$5K × Size
Water, Jet: The vessel is a boat or ship.	5	$5K × Size
Water, Turboprop: The vessel is a boat or ship.	3	$2K × Size
Wheeled: The vehicle has wheels.	5	$1K × Size

Vehicle Modifications

Mods is the number of slots the Modification requires. Round fractions up. A negative value means the Mod gives the vehicle additional slots back. Max is the number of times a Mod may be taken. U means unlimited.

• CARGO SPACE: Each unused Mod is empty cargo space that can hold up to 125 cubic feet of materials.

NEGATIVE QUALITIES

Modification	Mods (Max)	Cost
Battered: The vehicle has been through numerous battles and hard use. Reduce its base Toughness by 2 each time this is taken.	-2 (2)	- $10K × Size
Drone: The vehicle has no on-board pilot, and requires Remote Control or AI to operate. Crew drops to zero.	-2 (1)	- $5K × Size
Exposed Crew: The vehicle is open-topped or leaves its crew and passengers exposed to atmospheric conditions. They may be targeted individually and get no Armor bonus. Cannot be taken with Sealed.	-2 (1)	- $10K × Size
Finicky: The vehicle requires more time and effort to fix than usual. Repair rolls made to fix its systems, attachments, or Wounds are made at -2, or -4 if taken twice.	-2 (2)	- $10K × Size
Fragile: The vehicle’s Frame is particularly fragile for its mass. Reduce its Wounds by 1 each time this is taken.	-2 (2)	- $10K × Size
Inefficient: The vehicle uses more energy than usual. Double the amount of fuel it uses each day. If using the Supply Levels rules, roll a die whenever energy would go down a level. If the result is odd, it goes down two levels instead. This may not be combined with a Reactor.	-2 (1)	- $10K × Size
Manual: The vehicle is mostly mechanical with limited or no electronics or displays. It has no automated systems and cannot have any Modifications that require significant electronics.	-2 (1)	- $10K × Size
Reduced Crew: The vehicle does not support as many crew members as others of its size. Reduce its Crew value to the next lowest Frame category.	-Half Size (1)	- $10K × Size
Reduced Handling: Subtract 1 from the base Handling of the vehicle each time this is taken, to a maximum penalty of -6. This cannot be taken with Handling.	-2 (6)	- $10K × Size
Reduced Speed: The vehicle sacrifices speed for lower cost and more space. Reduce its Top Speed Rating by 1 each time this Mod is taken.	-2 (3)	- $10K × Size
Rough Ride: The vehicle’s Unstable Platform penalty is -4 instead of the usual -2. Passengers routinely get sick, so pack extra barf bags.	-2 (1)	- $10K × Size
Unsafe: The vehicle does not have adequate safety measures, or perhaps they have been ripped out to make room for other systems. Passengers take full damage from collisions. They have no equivalent to Air Bags & Safety Harnesses as described in the Vehicles section of Savage Worlds.	-2 (1)	- $10K × Size

Example: Zayko’s gang might run stolen desert skiffs with Battered, Rough Ride, and Unsafe because they care more about speed and cargo room than surviving a crash.

CORE SYSTEMS

Modification	Mods (Max)	Cost
X Artificial Intelligence (AI): The vehicle has a true artificial intelligence that takes over for the automated systems and can now drive, fire weapons, and otherwise act like an allied character with a d6 skill and a Wild Die. If taken a second time the skill die increases to d10, and if taken a third time it can ignore 2 points of Multi-Action penalties each round. The GM might consider giving the AI a personality as well.	1 (3)	$5K × Size
AV System: The vehicle contains a light-enhancing camera and viewscreen that provide 50× magnification and negate up to 4 points of Illumination penalties and add +2 to the user’s Notice rolls when used as an action. The camera contains a microphone and sound system that can detect sound as low as a whisper up to 200 yards distant (+2 to hearing-based Notice rolls).	1 (1)	$10K
Command Suite: A suite of HUD apps securely connects the user to any linked allies within comms range. This allows the commander to see and hear through her troops’ biolinks, monitor their vitals, and extend her Command Range to all those in contact.	1 (1)	$10K
Comms: The vehicle has a built-in communications suite that can connect to other receivers within 20 miles. The range extends to 100 miles if taken a second time.	1 (2)	$5K
Y Entangled Comms: The vehicle has audio and video communications quantum entangled with one, and only one, other paired set anywhere in the universe. Its range is unlimited, and it cannot be blocked or jammed.	1 (U)	$50K
Remote Control: An operator with the proper access codes and a transmitter of some kind, such as a mobile device, can control the vehicle from afar, using Electronics at -2 in place of the usual maneuvering skill.	1 (1)	$10K
Scanner: The vehicle has sensors that can sense the composition of known matter or energy up to 50 yards distant. The target does not have to be visible, though certain types of matter or energy may interfere (GM’s call).	1 (1)	$1K
Sensor Array: The vehicle has an extendable satellite dish that can scan heat, light, gravitational forces, electromagnetic waves, radio waves, and any other significant amounts of known matter or energy up to one light year away in space or line of sight planetside. If the accompanying mini satellite is launched, or there are other satellites to connect to, the system can scan a planetary hemisphere instead. Deploying or using the array takes a full round, during which the vehicle cannot move and is Vulnerable.	4 (1)	$25K

DEFENSIVE SYSTEMS

Modification	Mods (Max)	Cost
AM/ECM: Anti-Missile and Electronic Countermeasures are integrated systems of electronic jammers, flares, and radar decoys that eliminate 2 points of penalties when making Evasion rolls against Guided Weapons.	1 (1)	$5K × Size
Y Anti-Teleportation Tech: Electronic scramblers prevent people or materials from being teleported into or onto the vehicle.	4 (1)	$10K × Size
Armor: Increase the vehicle’s Armor by +2 each time this is taken, up to the maximum allowed on the Vehicle Frames table. Vehicles Size 4 and larger have Heavy Armor.	1 (See Text)	$5K × Size
EMP Shielding: The vehicle’s critical systems are protected from electromagnetic attacks by special metals, fast reboots, or other technology. The crew ignores 2 points of the -4 operating and Repair penalty when resetting after an EMP attack.	2 (1)	$5K × Size
Escape System: This system adds ejection seats for vehicles Size 7 or smaller and exits or escape pods for those Size 8 or larger. When a vehicle is Wrecked, passengers may make an Agility roll to activate their ejection seat or a Smarts roll to make it to an escape pod or exit before the vehicle explodes. Escape pods hold 10 human-sized occupants and provide 30 days of food, water, oxygen, and power. The pod’s distress beacon has enough power for one year, and beams a signal that reaches 1,000 miles, further if relayed by satellites.	Half Size (1)	$1K × Size
Repair Drones: The vehicle has drones that can attempt to fix Wounds and Critical Hits using the usual rules for Repair and the vehicle’s automated systems. Critical Failure means the repair is beyond what the drones can do and they may no longer attempt that repair.	Half Size (1)	$25K × Size
Y Repair Nanomachines: Nanobots may attempt Repair rolls as a limited action once per round, using the vehicle’s automated systems. Each success and raise removes one Wound. After three Wounds are repaired, the nanobots are spread too thin and provide no further benefit until they replenish themselves 24 hours later.	3 (1)	$50K × Size
X Shields: The vehicle is protected from incoming attacks by a powerful energy field. The shield has a number of charges equal to half the vehicle’s basic Wounds, before any Modifications, rounded down. A crew member, or the vehicle’s AI, must spend these charges anytime the vehicle takes damage by making a Soak roll using Electronics. This is a free action, and the character must continue to spend charges until all Wounds are negated or the field runs out of charges. Shields recharge in 10 minutes outside of combat, but in an emergency, a character can shunt power from locomotion and weapons to make an Electronics roll. Success restores half the vehicle’s usual shield charges, rounded up, and a raise restores them all.	Half Size (1)	$50K × Size
Sloped Armor: Sloped armor deflects direct-fire energy and kinetic attacks. Enemies subtract 2 from their Shooting rolls. It has no effect on bombs, flame weapons, missiles, or torpedoes.	Half Size (1)	$5K × Size
Stealth System: Radar-absorbent materials, heat baffles, scramblers, and visual distortion devices make the vehicle less detectable by vision or sensors. Rolls to spot or lock onto the vessel with Electronics while the system is active are made at a -4 penalty. At Dev 8, rolls to scan or attack the vehicle with direct-fire weapons are made at -2, or -4 at Dev 9. Activating and deactivating stealth mode is a limited action, and is negated any round the craft fires weapons or makes an active sensor scan.	Size (1)	$50K × Size
Toughness: The vehicle’s hull is reinforced, adding +1 to its inherent Toughness each time this Mod is taken.	1 (5)	$5K × Size

LOCOMOTION & POWER

Modification	Mods (Max)	Cost
Amphibious: The vehicle may enter water, or other liquids, without sinking. While in water its Handling is reduced by 1 and its Top Speed Rating is 2 (8 MPH). If taken a second time, Top Speed increases to Speed Rating 3 (16 MPH).	2 (2)	$1K × Size
Boosters: Nitrous oxide, afterburners, or other types of propellants give the vehicle a temporary burst of acceleration and speed. Once per encounter, each booster may be triggered to increase the vehicle’s Top Speed Rating by 1 for the round. Effects of multiple boosters do not stack.	1 (4)	$1K × Size
Energy Pod: Each energy pod adds double the vehicle’s Energy rating in fuel or power to its maximum capacity.	Half Size (U)	$5K × Size
Four-Wheel Drive: Wheeled vehicles only. On the tabletop, treat each inch of Difficult Ground as 1.5" instead of 2".	1 (1)	$1K × Size
Handling: Each time this Mod is taken increases the vehicle’s Handling by +1, to a maximum of +4.	Half Size (2)	$10K × Size
Increased Speed: Each time this Mod is taken increases the vehicle’s Top Speed Rating by +1.	Half Size (5)	$10K × Size
X Reactor: The vehicle has a nuclear reactor or other super efficient generator. This multiplies its Energy capacity by 10, but if the Vehicle Critical Hits table indicates a hit to Locomotion, roll a die. Odd, the reactor explodes for Xd10 damage, where X is the base number of Wounds for the vehicle’s Frame, in a 10" (20 yard) blast radius, automatically Wrecking the vehicle.	Half Size (1)	$10K × Size

OFFENSIVE SYSTEMS

Modification	Mods (Max)	Cost
Stabilizer: The vehicle has a weapon stabilization system that negates the Unstable Platform penalty for all attached direct-fire weapons. It does not aid in the firing of guided weapons.	1 (1)	$5K
Targeting System: The vehicle has an integrated targeting and tracking system that reduces 2 points of direct-fire Shooting penalties from Called Shots, Cover, Range, Scale, or Speed. The system works with all the vehicle’s direct-fire ranged weapons. It does not aid in the firing of guided weapons.	1 (1)	$25K

PERSONNEL

Modification	Mods (Max)	Cost
Crew Seating/Quarters: This Mod adds additional seating (vehicles Size 7 or less) or quarters (Size 8+) to the vehicle. Each time it is taken adds extra accommodations for a number of individuals equal to the vehicle’s Crew rating.	Half Size (U)	$10K
Luxury Features: At Size 7 or less, the vehicle has enhanced entertainment systems for passengers, food and drink dispensers, or other luxuries. At Size 8 and higher, the vehicle is large enough to include community rooms, mess halls, and other communal spaces. The more times this Mod is installed, the more spacious or extravagant the features become.	Size (U)	$10K × Size
Passenger Pod: Size 7 or smaller vehicles only. This Mod is generally for small transports. It adds seats with safety harnesses and video screens to accommodate ten passengers on short trips, usually 24 hours or less.	2 (U)	$50K
Professional Bay: Contains the tools and equipment to ply a specified skill, chosen at installation. This could represent medical facilities, an engineer’s workshop, a signal-processing suite, a science laboratory, and more. Those working within get a free reroll when attempting relevant Trait rolls.	4 (U)	$100K
Sealed: The vehicle is hermetically sealed to protect against cold, heat, pathogens, bacteria, gas, and radiation. It has its own airlocks and life support. As long as it has power, it provides heating, cooling, and oxygen and protects the crew from all but the most extreme environmental effects.	2 (1)	$5K × Size

STRUCTURAL

Modification	Mods (Max)	Cost
Hangar: A hangar or garage that can carry up to 10 Size points of ships, vehicles, or walkers, none of which may be more than half the vehicle’s Size. Includes mechanisms to launch and refuel the vehicles within. Each additional time this is taken adds a new hangar, or increases its capacity by +10.	5 (U)	$500K
Superstructure: Some vehicles are so large they have massive compartments dedicated to passengers, cargo, or even entire factories. Only Size 10 vehicles or larger may take these superstructures.	20 (U)	$5M

Superstructure Options

• ARTIFICIAL GRAVITY SECTION: Massive vehicles operating on planets with low or no gravity can generate it artificially. At lower technological baselines this may require a rotating chamber or other bulky mechanical solution. At Dev 8+, the vehicle has true artificial-gravity generators instead, and gravity can be set to acclimate the crew to specific gravity conditions. This may be combined with other superstructures for no additional Mod cost.
• BIOSPHERE: This area may be set up for agricultural purposes or to mimic a completely different atmosphere than the rest of the vehicle. If agricultural, provisions are effectively unlimited for up to 50 people per Biosphere.
• BULK CARGO: These are massive, open hulls for hauling bulk cargo equivalent to 18 train boxcars or shipping containers, each roughly equivalent to 50 cargo spaces, and can handle up to 80,000 cubic feet of cargo, but no more than 1,800 tons. Halve the cost if the storage area is not airtight.
• FACTORY: The vehicle contains processing and manufacturing facilities that can take in raw materials and create new goods, usually those necessary for extended expeditions, military operations, or colonial survival. Assuming labor and raw materials, the factory can generate 2d6 × $100K in goods a month in an average environment. Add or subtract a d6 for a sparse or rich environment. A factory may produce fuel for Energy, but if a Critical Hit strikes it the entire vehicle explodes in a catastrophic chain reaction.
• HANGAR, LARGE: A large, dedicated bay that holds up to 50 Size points of other vehicles, each no larger than half the vehicle’s Size. This includes additional fuel storage, maintenance bays, and small briefing areas for those vehicles. The facilities require 50 additional crew members.
• MERCANTILE: This might be restaurants, theaters, malls, retail stores, or specialty shops. Each generates 2d6 × $5K a month for the vehicle, and the same for the business’s owner, and improves crew morale.
• PASSENGER, CIVILIAN: Luxury accommodations for long-term travelers, including hydroponic gardens, gyms, cafeterias, and lodging for 450 passengers and 50 support crew. Passengers typically pay an average of $50 per day for economy rooms, and substantially more for luxury rooms.
• PASSENGER, MILITARY: Spartan barracks, training facilities, armories, and a few multi-purpose recreational areas for 450 military personnel and 50 support crew, cooks, techs, and similar staff supported by the troops on rotating duties.
• SPECIALTY: A massive segment that can function as a hospital, prison, corporate offices, and so on. The specific function determines details. With the GM’s approval, the superstructure may also be used as an Outpost.

Example: A Commonwealth expedition crawler might include a Professional Bay for survey science, a Hangar for bikes and rovers, and a Sealed hull for toxic worlds. A syndicate smuggling barge might swap all of that for Bulk Cargo and hidden mercantile compartments.

Stock Vehicles

These vehicles are built around practical progression and slightly advanced technology, making them easy to place in Astrabound as Commonwealth issue, colonial civilian craft, corp-produced imports, or old military surplus still earning its keep on the frontier.

CIVILIAN VEHICLES (LAND)

HOVER BIKE (CLASS I)

A small, light cycle common to crowded city towers, station corridors, and wealthy colony districts.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
1 (Norm)	+3	11	7	2	1	3	3 (0)	$70K

Locomotion: Hover. Mods: Exposed Crew, Fragile, 2× Handling, 5× Increased Speed, 2× Toughness, Unsafe.

EXPLORATION ROVER (CLASS I)

A sealed all-terrain scout vehicle used by survey teams, prospectors, and small colonial science crews. Two people can crowd into the airtight cabin with some discomfort.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
3 (Norm)	+1	6	7	3	1	3	9 (0)	$100K

Locomotion: Wheeled (4WD). Mods: Amphibious, Four-Wheel Drive, Increased Speed, Rough Ride, Sealed, 2× Toughness.

HOVER LIMOUSINE (CLASS I)

A deluxe ride for corporate executives, politicians, and celebrities.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
5 (Large)	0	8	12 (2)	4	1+4	5	15 (0)	$385K

Locomotion: Hover. Mods: Armor, Crew Seating, 2× Increased Speed, Luxury Features.

HOVER TRUCK (CLASS I)

A common cargo hauler on civilized worlds and better-funded colonies. The empty Mods are for cargo space.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
6 (Large)	0	9	14	4	1+2	5	18 (5)	$540K

Locomotion: Hover. Mods: 3× Increased Speed, 4× Toughness.

EXPLORATION CRAWLER (CLASS II)

The preferred mode of transport in hazardous wastelands, irradiated badlands, and worlds where losing the vehicle means losing the expedition. Crawlers are reliable and have enough space for a working lab, a rover, and hover bikes for the crew.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
8 (Huge)	-1	5	24 (2)	5	5	15	24 (0)	$1.3M

Locomotion: Tracked. Mods: Amphibious, 2× Armor, Hangar, Increased Speed, Professional Bay, Scanner, Sealed, 2× Toughness.

CIVILIAN VEHICLES (SEA)

MINI SUB (CLASS I)

These small watercraft are built to withstand the pressure of deep water, but not much else. They are best suited for exploration, salvage scouting, and luxury tourism on ocean worlds.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
3 (Norm)	+1	3	13 (4)	3	1	3	9 (0)	$142K

Locomotion: Water (Turboprop). Mods: 2× Armor, Scanner, Sealed, 4× Toughness.

CIVILIAN VEHICLES (AIR)

VTOL SPORTS CAR (CLASS I)

Flying cars are common on core worlds and wealthy colonies. This model represents personal fliers, taxis, police cruisers, news VTOLs, and similar craft.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
4 (Large)	+1	12	12	3	1+2	5	12 (2)	$720K

Locomotion: Aircraft (VTOL). Mods: Fragile, Handling, 4× Increased Speed, 2× Toughness.

MILITARY VEHICLES (LAND)

COMBAT HOVER CYCLE (CLASS I)

Two ground-effect jets carry the cycle over nearly any terrain. The Gatling laser is usually deployed as a swivel mount when the bike stops, but the driver can still fire it straight ahead while moving.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
2 (Norm)	+2	11	10 (2)	2	1	3	6 (0)	$168K

Locomotion: Hover. Mods: Armor, Exposed Crew, Fragile, Handling, 5× Increased Speed, Targeting System, 3× Toughness, Unsafe. Weapons:

• Gatling Laser (Pintle Mount): Range 50/100/200, Damage 3d6+4 (I), AP 4, RoF 4, Cauterize, Overcharge, Reaction Fire.

HOVER SKIFF (CLASS I)

A favored vehicle for special operations teams, pirate raiders, and law-enforcement patrols. Police variants often have an auto-tinting bubble canopy and a stun projector added to the laser.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
3 (Norm)	+1	9	9 (4)	3	1	3	9 (0)	$179K

Locomotion: Hover. Mods: 2× Armor, Exposed Crew, 3× Increased Speed, Scanner, Targeting System. Weapons:

• Gatling Laser (Pintle Mount): Range 50/100/200, Damage 3d6+4 (I), AP 4, RoF 4, Cauterize, Overcharge, Point Defense, Reaction Fire.

HOVER JEEP (CLASS II)

A hardy carry-all designed to get small teams anywhere they need to go. Its weaponry is an afterthought, best used as a defensive deterrent.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
4 (Large)	0	8	20 (8)	4	1+2	5	12 (0)	$368K

Locomotion: Hover. Mods: 4× Armor, EMP Shielding, Exposed Crew, 2× Increased Speed, Targeting System, 2× Toughness. Weapons:

• Gatling Laser (Pintle Mount): Range 50/100/200, Damage 3d6+4 (I), AP 4, RoF 4, Cauterize, Overcharge, Point Defense, Reaction Fire.

WHEELED APC (CLASS II)

An armored personnel carrier deploys from dropships to move squads into combat and support them with its autocannon. The interior is notoriously cramped and uncomfortable, especially once everyone is in sealed gear.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
5 (Large)	0	6	18 (8)	4	3+10	5	15 (0)	$385K

Locomotion: Wheeled (4WD). Mods: 4× Armor, EMP Shielding, Four-Wheel Drive, Increased Speed, Passenger Pod, Rough Ride, Sealed, Stabilizer. Weapons:

• Medium Cannon (Turret): Range 75/150/300, Damage 4d10 (III), AP 10, SBT.

HOVER TANK (CLASS III)

Hover tanks are an uncomfortable marriage of ground-effect propulsion and the armor and main gun of a battle tank. The result is faster and more flexible, but lacks the heavier protection and weaponry of its tracked cousins.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
8 (Huge)	-1	6	29 (10)	5	5	15	24 (1)	$1M

Locomotion: Hover. Mods: AM/ECM, 5× Armor, EMP Shielding, Sealed, Scanner, Sloped Armor, Targeting System, 4× Toughness. Weapons:

• Gatling Laser (Pintle Mount): Range 50/100/200, Damage 3d6+4 (I), AP 4, RoF 4, Cauterize, Overcharge, Point Defense, Reaction Fire.
• Medium Laser (Turret): Range 150/300/600, Damage 3d10 (III), AP 20, Overcharge.

MAIN BATTLE TANK (CLASS IV)

Even in the battlefields of the Astrabound galaxy, the main battle tank remains relevant. Its design philosophy is timeless: pile on armor and mount a devastating gun in the turret.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
8 (Huge)	-2	4	42 (22)	5	5	15	24 (0)	$1.1M

Locomotion: Tracked. Mods: AM/ECM, 11× Armor, EMP Shielding, Reduced Handling, Targeting System, 5× Toughness. Weapons:

• Gatling Laser (Turret): Range 50/100/200, Damage 3d6+4 (I), AP 4, RoF 4, Cauterize, Overcharge, Point Defense, Reaction Fire.
• Heavy Cannon (Turret): Range 100/200/400, Damage 5d10 (IV), AP 20.

MILITARY VEHICLES (SEA)

PATROL BOAT (CLASS II)

These swift attack craft guard coastlines, rivers, and archipelago trade routes on wet worlds.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
8 (Huge)	-1	6	23 (8)	5	5+5	15	24 (3)	$351K

Locomotion: Water (Jet). Mods: 4× Armor, Crew Quarters, Increased Speed, Scanner, Sloped Armor. Weapons:

• Medium Autocannon (Turret): Range 50/100/200, Damage 4d8 (II), AP 6, RoF 4.
• 2× Minigun (Turret): Range 50/100/200, Damage 2d8+1 (I), AP 2, RoF 4, Point Defense, Reaction Fire.

NAVAL DESTROYER (CLASS VI)

Destroyers are the workhorses of major navies, screening larger ships, escorting convoys, and hunting smaller threats that could endanger the fleet.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
12 (Gar)	-2	5	60 (40)	6	50	30	48 (0)	$13.8M

Locomotion: Water (Jet). Mods: AM/ECM, 20× Armor, Scanner, Sloped Armor, Targeting System. Weapons:

• 2× Dual Linked Heavy Laser (Turret): Range 150/300/600, Damage 4d10 (V), AP 30, Overcharge.
• Missile Launcher (Turret): 8× Heavy missiles, Range 200/400/800, Damage 8d6 (V), AP 32, LBT.
• Missile Launcher (Turret): 24× Light missiles, Range 100/200/400, Damage 6d6 (III), AP 16, RoF 4, Guided, SBT.

ATTACK SUBMARINE (CLASS IV)

An attack submarine hides under the surface and launches surprise strikes against other watercraft, coastal installations, and in some theaters even orbital targets during launch windows.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
16 (Gar)	-2	5	45 (20)	6	50	300	64 (0)	$23.5M

Locomotion: Water (Jet). Mods: AM/ECM, 10× Armor, EMP Shielding, Entangled Comms, Reactor, Scanner, Sealed, Stealth System, 4× Toughness. Weapons:

• 2× Torpedo Launcher (Fixed Front): 10× Heavy torpedoes total across both launchers, Range 300/600/1200, Damage 8d12 (VII), AP 40, Guided, LBT.
• 2× Missile Launcher (Turret): 20× Medium missiles total across both launchers, Range 150/300/600, Damage 7d6 (IV), AP 24, RoF 2, Guided, MBT.

BATTLESHIP (CLASS VII)

A floating fortress with immense firepower and thick armored plating. Though unfashionable beside cheaper multi-role platforms, a battleship is still one of the most intimidating sights on any ocean horizon.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
16 (Gar)	-4	5	68 (48)	6	50+50	30	64 (0)	$18.8M

Locomotion: Water (Jet). Mods: AM/ECM, 24× Armor, Crew Quarters, 2× Reduced Handling, Scanner, Targeting System. Weapons:

• 2× Dual Linked Super Heavy Cannons (Turret): Range 150/300/600, Damage 8d10 (VII), AP 40.
• 3× Quad Linked Gatling Laser (Turret): Range 50/100/200, Damage 3d6+4 (I), AP 4, RoF 4, Cauterize, Overcharge, Point Defense, Reaction Fire.
• Missile Launcher (Turret): 6× Heavy missiles, Range 200/400/800, Damage 8d6 (V), AP 32, Guided, LBT.

LIGHT CARRIER (CLASS IV)

The terror of the seas carries 12 stealth fighters or fast attack VTOLs into battle. Its own weapons are primarily reserved for point defense and discouraging lighter attackers.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
20 (Gar)	-6	5	40 (20)	6	150+50	300	80 (0)	$30.5M

Locomotion: Water (Jet). Mods: 10× Armor, Command Suite, Crew Quarters, Reactor, 4× Reduced Handling, Scanner, 2× Superstructure (Hangar, Large). Weapons:

• 4× Quad Linked Gatling Laser (Turret): Range 50/100/200, Damage 3d6+4 (I), AP 4, RoF 4, Cauterize, Overcharge, Point Defense, Reaction Fire.

MILITARY VEHICLES (AIR)

VTOL PATROL CRAFT (CLASS II)

This two-person craft hovers on the edge of battlefields or hunts lighter enemy ground vehicles. Outdated or surplus versions often end up in private security fleets or local law enforcement hangars.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
6 (Large)	+1	10	16 (6)	4	1+2	5	18 (0)	$1.1M

Locomotion: Aircraft (VTOL). Mods: 3× Armor, Handling, 2× Increased Speed, Targeting System. Weapons:

• Dual Linked Light Lasers (Turret): Range 150/300/600, Damage 2d10 (II), AP 10, RoF 3, Overcharge, Reaction Fire.
• Missile Launcher (Fixed Front): 24× Light missiles, Range 100/200/400, Damage 6d6 (III), AP 16, RoF 4, Guided, SBT.

FAST ATTACK VTOL (CLASS II)

This light aircraft mounts powerful omni-directional jets at the end of wing struts for excellent maneuverability. It carries solid firepower but is vulnerable to return fire from hardier opponents.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
8 (Huge)	-1	10	23 (6)	5	5	15	24 (0)	$1.7M

Locomotion: Aircraft (VTOL). Mods: AM/ECM, 3× Armor, 2× Increased Speed, Scanner, Targeting System, 2× Toughness. Weapons:

• Gatling Laser (Turret): Range 50/100/200, Damage 3d6+4 (I), AP 4, RoF 4, Cauterize, Overcharge, Point Defense, Reaction Fire.
• Quad Linked Medium Laser (Turret): Range 150/300/600, Damage 3d10 (III), AP 20, Overcharge.
• 2× Missile Launcher (Fixed Front): 24× Light missiles total across both launchers, Range 100/200/400, Damage 6d6 (III), AP 16, RoF 4, Guided, SBT.

ATMOSPHERIC STEALTH FIGHTER (CLASS I)

This high-speed jet uses electronic cloaking and aggressive thrust to slip into protected airspace, strike high-value targets, and, with luck, survive the trip back.

Size	Hand.	Top Speed	Tough	Wounds	Crew	Energy	Mods	Cost
8 (Huge)	0	15	15	5	3	15	24 (0)	$5M

Locomotion: Aircraft (Jet). Mods: AM/ECM, 2× Boosters, Handling, 2× Increased Speed, Reduced Crew, Scanner, Stealth System. Weapons:

• Dual Linked Medium Laser (Fixed Front): Range 150/300/600, Damage 3d10 (III), AP 20, Overcharge.
• 2× Missile Launcher (Fixed Front): 24× Light missiles total across both launchers, Range 100/200/400, Damage 6d6 (III), AP 16, RoF 4, Guided, SBT.

NEW or CHANGED VEHICLE RULES

Astrabound adventures often lean heavily on vehicles, whether that means colony rover expeditions, grav-skiff chases through arcology traffic, tank duels across blasted moons, or strike craft diving through flak to hit a fortress shield generator. The following rules help support those encounters and can be added to all your Savage Worlds games.

VEHICLE STATES

Vehicles can be rocked by heavy fire, jostled by rough terrain, tricked by enemy maneuvers, or forced into sharp turns that throw off their crews. Failing to resist a Test or going Out of Control can make a vehicle Distracted or Vulnerable.

• DISTRACTED: When a vehicle is Distracted, skill rolls with any of its weapons or systems are made at -2. If an engineer on a Distracted destroyer makes a Soak roll for its shields, for example, he subtracts 2 from his total as wiring shorts out, the engineer is shaken out of his seat, or his crew is knocked to the floor while rushing to patch together the system’s networks. Distracted states on the vehicle or its crew do not stack, so a Distracted character firing the weapons of a Distracted hover tank subtracts 2 from her rolls, not 4.
• VULNERABLE: Attacks made against a Vulnerable vehicle or its crew are made at +2. Even Tests, such as Taunting a patrol craft’s commander over open comms, gain the bonus as the enemy takes advantage of the target’s precarious position.

OUT OF CONTROL

The operator of a vehicle must make a maneuvering roll anytime a vehicle takes damage equal to or greater than its Toughness, whether it takes a Wound or not. If failed, the vehicle must roll on the Out of Control table. Roll only once per attack. A pilot would roll only once if hit three times by a weapon with a Rate of Fire of 4, for example.

WOUNDS

Wounds reduce a vehicle’s Handling by a like amount, to a maximum of -3. A starship with three Wounds and a starting Handling of -2 has a Handling of -5.

EVASION

Vehicle operators use their maneuvering skill, Boating, Driving, or Piloting, at a -2 penalty when they must make Evasion rolls. This most often comes into play when attempting to dodge Guided Weapons.

FIRE

Incendiary weapons can set a small vehicle on fire, or start fires in the compartments of larger craft. Anytime a vehicle takes a Wound from an incendiary weapon, roll a d6. A roll of 6, or 5 or 6 for plasma weapons, indicates a fire has broken out and causes an immediate Critical Hit. This is in addition to any caused by the attack itself. After the Critical is resolved, anti-fire systems or crew put out the flames and there are no further effects from that attack.

VEHICULAR SOAK

In science-fiction settings, anyone operating a vehicle can attempt to Soak damage for vehicles they control or command, using the appropriate maneuvering skill at -2 instead of Vigor. The Ace Edge negates this penalty.

Example: Astrid is piloting a patrol craft when it takes a missile hit. Instead of rolling Vigor, she rolls Piloting at -2 to try and Soak the damage.

HEAVY METAL

Calculating the damage of Heavy Weapons, their Armor Piercing value, and targets with high Armor can slow down fast-moving vehicular encounters. To simplify that process, all the weapons and vehicles in this book are given a Class. When an attack successfully hits a target, simply compare the weapon’s Class to the target’s Class and consult the table below to see the effects.

HEAVY METAL DAMAGE

Comparison	Wounds
Weapon Class is two or more levels below Vehicle Class	No Effect
Weapon Class is one level below Vehicle Class	0*
Weapon Class is equal to Vehicle Class	d3*
Each level Weapon Class is above Vehicle Class	+1 Wound*

• Note: The operator must make a maneuvering roll or go Out of Control.

Raise: A raise on the attack roll increases the number of Wounds caused by +1. This can take a 0 result to 1 unless the base result is No Effect.

Collisions: When vehicles collide, treat each one as a weapon with a Damage Class equal to its vehicle Class. A raise on a roll to ram increases the Wounds caused to the target by +1.

WARHEADS

Some warheads work differently when using the Heavy Metal rules:

• ARMOR PIERCING: Reduce the target’s Class by one if it has at least 10 points of Armor.
• EMP: If the target takes any Wounds from this attack, its electronics are knocked out but any Wounds that would be taken are reduced by two.
• HIGH EXPLOSIVE: Reduce any Wounds caused by one, but if any Wounds are caused, roll one additional Critical Hit.
• NUCLEAR: All targets within a half-mile radius take 10 Wounds.
• PHASE: Increase the weapon’s Class by one. The target’s shields add +4 to their Soak rolls.
• PLASMA: A raise on the attack causes two additional Wounds instead of one.

CALCULATING CLASS

If you create your own weapons and vehicles, or import them from another setting, and need to know their Class, use the values below.

For weapons, use the average damage plus its Armor Piercing value, rounded up. A weapon that does 4d6, AP 10 damage, for example, has a value of (4 × 3.5 = 14) + 10 = 24, which makes it a Class II weapon.

Note that only Heavy Weapons have a Class value, and you do not count bonus damage from Linked weapons.

Vehicle Class is simply a vehicle’s total Toughness, including its Armor. A Toughness 18 (4) walker, for example, has a value of 18 and is a Class II walker.

VEHICLE & WEAPON CLASS

Class	Avg. Weapon Damage	Vehicle Toughness
I	1-20	1-15
II	21-30	16-25
III	31-40	26-35
IV	41-50	36-45
V	51-60	46-55
VI	61-70	56-65
VII	71+	66+

TACTICAL VEHICULAR COMBAT

Savage Worlds normally operates at a scale of 1" equals 2 yards for humanoid encounters, but that is impractical when you are racing hover tanks across a battlefield or bringing gunships in low over a ruined city.

You can always use the Chase or Clash rules to resolve vehicle encounters, but when you want to put miniatures on a tabletop, simply divide movement in MPH and weapon ranges by 10, rounding up. A vehicle that moves 60 MPH, for example, can move up to 6" on a vehicle-scale map, and a weapon with a Range of 200/400/800 has a Range of 20/40/80.

If it matters, this makes 1" equal to 20 yards on the tabletop since every inch at regular scale is two yards.

Assume there is more room to maneuver at vehicle scale, so you can ignore the rules for Vehicles on the Tabletop described in Savage Worlds.

Example: Flynn’s hover tank has a Top Speed Rating of 9. On the Speed Rating table that equals 120 MPH, so the tank can move up to 12" per turn on a vehicle-scale battle map. Its medium laser with a Range of 150/300/600 becomes 15/30/60 on that same map.

SPECIAL RULES

Whether a fight takes place on a tactical map, in the theater of the mind, or using the Clash rules, the Game Master can make a vehicle fight more interesting and memorable by tying dramatic narratives to a few simple rules.

A grav-skiff duel through a derelict dockyard might threaten collision with drifting containers. A crawler race over an ice moon might feature cracks opening beneath the tracks. A sea pursuit on a storm world might add lightning towers, rogue waves, or giant native predators rising from the deep.

These are the details players remember. They help focus the narrative on the high-energy action these rules are meant to emulate rather than getting bogged down in dry procedure.

SPEED RATINGS

Vehicles in this section list their Top Speed as a Speed Rating, so use the table below to find the equivalent in miles per hour.

Rating	MPH	Rating	MPH
1	4	16	1K
2	8	17	1.2K
3	16	18	1.6K
4	25	19	2K
5	40	20	2.5K
6	60	21	4K
7	80	22	6K
8	100	23	8K
9	120	24	10K
10	160	25	12K
11	200	26	16K
12	250	27	20K
13	400	28	25K
14	600	29	40K
15	800	30	60K

Divide a vehicle’s Top Speed in miles per hour by 10 to get its movement in inches per turn at the vehicle scale discussed above.

Speed & Cover: Vehicles hiding behind Cover do not get their standard Speed penalty. They must choose one or the other.

Vehicle Tables

The following tables reprint the Out of Control and Vehicle Critical Hits tables from Savage Worlds for convenience, with slight updates to better fit the high-tech vehicles used in Astrabound and a more specific Systems subtable.

OUT OF CONTROL

2D6	Effect
2	Major Collision: Everyone in the vehicle is Distracted. It takes d4 Wounds.
3-4	Minor Collision: The vehicle takes a Wound.
5-9	Distracted: Ground vehicles spin out or skid. Airplanes or starships stall, slide, flip, or roll unexpectedly. Everyone on board is Distracted until the end of their next turn.
10-11	Vulnerable: The vehicle and everyone on board is Vulnerable until the end of their next turn.
12	Glitch: Something is jarred loose or breaks from rough handling. Roll on the Systems Table below.

VEHICLE CRITICAL HITS

2D6	Effect
2	Superficial Damage: The attack just scratches the paint or passes clean through the body without hitting anyone or anything vital. There is no permanent damage.
3	Guidance/Traction: The wheels, tracks, sails, thrusters, and similar systems have been hit. Reduce Handling by 1 each time this occurs, to a maximum penalty of -6.
4-5	Locomotion: The engine, mainsails, boiler, legs, and similar systems are hit. The vehicle’s Top Speed Rating drops by 1. This can reduce a vessel to 0.
6-8	Hull: The vehicle suffers a hit in the body with no special effects.
9-10	Crew: One random crew member, or d4 crew members for area effect attacks, takes d4-1 Wounds.
11	Weapon: A random weapon is destroyed. If there is no weapon, this is a Hull hit instead.
12	System: The vehicle loses an electronic system, its airbags, or some other system determined by the GM or rolled on the subtable below. If the vehicle does not have any special features, treat this as a Hull hit instead.

SYSTEMS TABLE

D6	System
1	Breach: If the vehicle is sealed, it is breached. Crew who are not in sealed suits must deal with whatever environment they are exposed to. If a breach has no effect on this vehicle, treat this as Electronics instead.
2-3	Electronics: The GM chooses a dramatically appropriate electronic system relevant to the current fight, FTL if the heroes are trying to jump away from their foes, comms if they require coordination, electronic countermeasures if guided missiles are in play, AI if the crew rely on it, and so on. The hit should not be trivial. It should have a dramatic effect on the situation and require the party’s engineers to attempt hasty repairs.
4	Propulsion: The vehicle’s Top Speed Rating drops by 1. This can reduce a vessel to 0.
5-6	Weapons: The GM rolls randomly among weapons crewed by player characters. If there are not any, roll randomly among NPC gunners. If the vehicle has no weapons, treat this as Propulsion instead.

CLASHES

The following rules use the Dramatic Task system with a few changes to create fast, exciting vehicular battles that prioritize cinematic action over fine tactical detail. This variant is called a Clash.

There are two main differences from a standard Dramatic Task:

Objectives: Success is not determined by accumulating Task Tokens but by the encounter’s objectives, such as destroying the enemy force, bombing a manufactorum, escaping a blockade, defeating a certain number of enemies, or surviving long enough for extraction.

Clash Tokens: These are still gathered by player characters who are piloting a vehicle, but instead of tracking success they are used to help themselves and their crewmates destroy foes, avoid damage, and accomplish mission goals.

Number of Rounds: Clashes last five rounds for quick strikes, raids, or encounters with short narrative time limits. Extend a Clash to ten rounds for protracted battles, patrol actions, running engagements, or dogfights where the heroes cannot easily withdraw.

SETUP

The Game Master starts the encounter by explaining the situation, defining the party’s objectives, telling them how many rounds the Clash will last, five or ten, then dealing Action Cards as usual.

TAKING ACTIONS

Player characters, named foes, and allies may take all the usual actions during a Clash, including firing weapons, Supporting allies, and Testing foes. Assume unnamed crew are fulfilling their usual duties and cannot provide Support or Test enemies.

ATTACKS

Attacks take place at Short or Medium Range, player’s choice, if the pilot of the attacker’s vehicle has a higher Action Card than the target’s pilot. Otherwise the attack takes place at Long Range.

The attacker rolls the appropriate attack skill and adds or subtracts all the usual modifiers except Speed. Speed and Handling are relative in a Clash, and use the following modifiers:

• HANDLING: Subtract 2 from attack rolls if the target vehicle’s current Handling is higher than yours. Remember that Wounds reduce Handling.
• SPEED: Subtract 2 from attack rolls if the target vehicle’s Top Speed Rating is higher than yours.

If the attack hits, resolve damage normally. Using the Heavy Metal damage rules is strongly recommended with Clash encounters.

• REACTION FIRE: Targets may use Reaction Fire when attacked from Short Range, after the acting character’s attack is resolved.
• FIXED WEAPONS: Fixed weapons may not fire at targets whose pilot has a higher Action Card than their own vehicle’s pilot.
• CONCENTRATING FIRE: Vehicles with many weapons may choose to concentrate fire. Choose the vehicle’s target and roll the attack for one weapon, usually the one with the highest damage Class, though another weapon may be chosen for its special benefits. Add a +1 bonus to the Shooting roll for each additional weapon concentrating fire on a single target, to a maximum of +4. This stacks with any Linked bonus from the main weapon, and applies to each die if the main weapon has a Rate of Fire of 2 or more. Secondary weapons must be within two Classes of the main weapon to add a bonus.

Vehicles acting on the same Action Card may also combine fire as a Group Roll. A group of fast attack craft or armored skiffs can use this to make massed volleys much more dangerous.

Only weapons that use Shooting can Concentrate Fire, and vehicles that do so may not designate attacks at other targets even if some of their weapons are not used. Player characters may use Concentrated Fire if they wish. This option may also be used outside of Clashes to speed up larger engagements.

COMPLICATIONS

If a pilot’s Action Card is a Club, she faces a Complication of some kind. She may have pushed her craft too hard, her skiff must avoid wreckage, or her aircraft must dive through crossfire.

At the start of her turn, the pilot must first make a maneuvering roll at -2 as a free action, or -4 in a truly hazardous environment. If she succeeds, she may take her turn as usual. If she fails, the Clash does not end but she loses a Clash Token, or two with a Critical Failure, and must roll on the Out of Control table.

NPC vehicles cannot try for Clash Tokens but must still deal with Complications when their Action Card is a Club.

Hold: Pilots with a Complication can go on Hold, but must take their action by the end of the round.

CLASH TOKENS

Player characters who are operating vehicles have an additional option on their turn.

Anytime their Action Card is a Joker, Heart, or Diamond, they may attempt to gain Clash Tokens by making a maneuvering roll. This is a limited action, and uses the operator’s Boating, Driving, or Piloting skill as appropriate, plus the vehicle’s Handling as usual. A success grants one token, and a raise grants two.

For all maneuvering rolls:

• SPEED: Subtract 2 if the fastest enemy vehicle’s Top Speed Rating is higher than yours.

Planning: If the heroes have time to plan before a Clash and have a solid plan or similar advantage, allow one of the party to make a Battle roll, or another appropriate skill roll. Success grants a Clash Token that can be given to any allied player, and a raise grants two.

USING CLASH TOKENS

Clash Tokens represent positioning, momentum, and tactical advantage. They cannot be shared once gained. Every player maintains their own pool.

• DAMAGE (Free Action): The pilot may spend a Clash Token to increase the number of Wounds caused by an attack by one. The attack must originate from her vehicle, and cannot increase a No Effect result to a Wound.
• ESCAPE (Limited Action): A pilot may spend three Clash Tokens to attempt to escape the encounter by making an opposed maneuvering roll against an enemy of the other side’s choice, usually the enemy with the best Handling or another Wild Card. If the escape fails, the pilot gets the Clash Tokens back.
• EVADE (Free Action): A Clash Token may be spent to automatically negate a vehicle’s Wound as it is taken. Multiple Clash Tokens may be spent in this way, and it can be done before or after any Soak rolls for shields, the Ace Edge, and so on.
• INTERCEPT (Limited Action): A pilot may spend three Clash Tokens and make an opposed maneuvering roll to force another vehicle to stop. How this occurs is up to the GM and the environment. The target may be cornered, disabled, grounded, or forced into an impossible position. If the interception fails, the pilot gets the Clash Tokens back.
• OBJECTIVE (Limited Action): This is a catch-all category for objective-based missions, and should generally require three Clash Tokens and a successful maneuvering roll. This might include dropping bombs on a shield node, reaching a jumpgate before it closes, or slipping away from the main body of enemy forces.
• REPLENISH SHIELDS (Limited Action): The pilot may spend a token to replenish all her vehicle’s shield charges.

CLASH EXAMPLE: THE SHATTERED CAUSEWAY

A Commonwealth listening post on the storm-wracked colony world of Nemea Verge has gone dark. Recon images reveal the culprit: a rogue syndicate strike force has seized the causeway connecting the post to the shielded settlement of Vesper Reach. If the raiders hold the bridge, relief forces cannot reach the settlement before the next ion storm.

Astrid and Flynn are sent in with armored vehicles to break the blockade.

The GM decides to use the Clash and Heavy Metal rules. The heroes must smash through six enemy hover tanks guarding the cracked ferrocrete span before reinforcements arrive from an offshore carrier group. The GM sets the Clash at five rounds.

ROUND ONE

The GM deals a Nine of Hearts to Flynn, a Six of Diamonds to Astrid, and a Five of Spades to the raiders.

Flynn acts first. Since his Action Card is a Heart, he decides to go for Clash Tokens. He makes a maneuvering roll, adds his vehicle’s Handling, and subtracts 2 because the enemy skiffs are faster than his crawler.

Flynn: “I’m taking the broken maintenance lane under the main bridge span, using the debris for cover so I can come up on their flank.”

The GM agrees. Flynn rolls a success with a raise and gains two Clash Tokens.

Astrid also has a card that would let her try for Clash Tokens, but she decides to attack instead. Her card is higher than the raiders’, so she chooses to attack at Medium Range, staying outside some of their Reaction Fire options.

She fires her cannon at multiple targets, hitting two vehicles, one with a raise. Her weapon is the same Class as the targets, so she rolls d3 Wounds against each. One raider explodes outright. The second is crippled and fails its control roll, slamming into the side rail of the bridge and going over into the surf below.

The raiders fire back next. Because Astrid and Flynn both have higher Action Cards, the enemy attacks are resolved at Long Range. The GM decides several enemy vehicles will Concentrate Fire on Flynn’s crawler while one takes a long shot at Astrid.

Flynn takes a hit good for multiple Wounds. He tries to Soak with his vehicle systems, reduces some of the damage, then spends both Clash Tokens to negate the rest.

Flynn: “No chance. This rig has gotten me across worse than this.”

Astrid takes a punishing hit as well, but her defensive systems manage to keep her in the fight.

ROUND TWO

Astrid draws the Ace of Hearts, the raiders get a Jack of Clubs, and Flynn gets a Six of Clubs.

Astrid’s shields are strained, so she decides to make a maneuvering roll to gain a Clash Token.

Astrid: “I’m cutting through the wreckage cloud and riding the edge of the support struts. If they want a clean shot, they’ll have to earn it.”

She succeeds and gains a token.

The raiders go next on a Club, forcing a Complication. The GM decides the enemy vehicles must race across sections of the causeway that are beginning to collapse under accumulated damage. They fail their maneuvering roll, become Distracted, and one nearly skids into a burning wreck.

Two of the raiders Concentrate Fire on Astrid and hit hard. She spends her Clash Token to block one Wound but still takes the others, leaving her vehicle damaged and harder to handle.

Flynn also has a Club, so he must deal with a Complication of his own. The GM rules that a falling span cable whips across his path, forcing a Driving roll at -2. After spending a Benny, he succeeds, keeps control, and still takes his action. He lines up a clean shot and destroys another raider tank.

ROUND THREE

Astrid draws the Joker, the raiders get a Ten of Diamonds, and Flynn gets a Five of Hearts.

Astrid decides to multi-action. First she makes a maneuvering roll for Clash Tokens and gains two. Then she opens fire at Short Range.

One enemy vehicle is destroyed outright. Another takes enough damage that Astrid spends a Clash Token to push the attack over the edge and finish it. The last surviving tank attempts Reaction Fire, but misses.

Flynn acts next, gains another Clash Token from his Heart, then uses the opening Astrid created to finish off the last vehicle on the bridge.

The heroes have taken damage, burned resources, and nearly lost control more than once, but the causeway is clear. The settlement can be reached before the ion storm hits.

The GM smiles and says the same thing every crew hates hearing:

“As the smoke clears, long-range sensors pick up incoming contacts from the sea. A carrier group is launching fast attack VTOLs. The second Clash begins now.”