“But the games I usually write about do not even include dumpstats!” was my first meek response. Luckily, I then got reminded of the following little gem:

SLA Industries’ FLUX stat

“How is that a dumpstat?” I hear the SLA Industries players ask (unless they had the same idea).

“What is FLUX?” I hear the the non-SLA Industries players ask.

(The question “What is SLA Industries?” we leave aside.)

Apart from all the usual character stats, SLA Industries also features an additional stat for those characters possessing Ebb powers (the setting’s equivalent to magic/psionics): FLUX. Nothing out of the ordinary so far. Now, Ebb powers are limited to certain species and like all species, they get the base values for their stats (including FLUX in case of the Ebb-wielding species) for free at the start of character generation. Those base values can then be increased or decreased as part of the point-buy character generation…

…which should be enough of a hint to see where all of this is going:

Possessing one stat more than everyone else, the Ebb species also possess one more stat to decrease. They can even decrease it down to 0 (losing access to their powers) – with a base value of 10 for FLUX and a “re-selling” price tag of 5 points per rank, this results in a hefty 50 extra points to spend on other aspects of character generation (in a game where the starting budget is 300 points total!).

As a player however, this is a far less obvious exploit than it might seem at first (at least it was to me and all the other SLA Industries players I talked to over the years). If I had to venture a guess, I would say that it comes down to a sort of blind spot – the key reason to select an Ebb capable species during character generation is, of course, to wield Ebb powers, and thus you look no further than the selection of said powers. After all, with the Ebb, such a character is merely a human with funny looking eyes… True enough! A human with funny looking eyes and an extra 50 character points!

(Personally, I first stumbled across this whole mess after reading a snippet of setting information mentioning that Ebb users who lost their powers would be cast out and declared dead by their families and people. Upon trying my hand at putting together such an outcast character, I had a revelation…)

If nothing else, then the date and location alone call for a The Red Star article with the obvious topic of choice being the Great Patriotic War.

The Red Star Campaign Setting already includes a short excourse on playing veterans of that struggle in a regular campaign (“The Last of Their Kind” to be found on page 166).

Building on that, here is an Immortal advanced class specifically for those who took part in the Great Patriotic War:

Those who gave their life to defend the Motherland and stem the tide against Krieger’s hordes of Lightning Guard.
But also those who survived to see their flags hoisted up in victory over the ruins of the Volksreich’s capital, only to die later in Al’Istaan, the Eastern Tundra or some other corner of the Lands of the Red Star.

Veteran of the Great Patriotic War

In life, the Veteran of the Great Patriotic War helped to turn defeat into victory during the darkest years of the URRS. In death, this spirit continues to refuse to be overcome by hardship and adversity, and from beyond the veil separating the mortal world and the spirit realm, he reaches out into the hearts of his living comrades and countrymen to inspire them to the same greatness.

Requirements:
Species: Immortal Template
Base Attack Bonus: +3
Feats: Great Fortitude or Iron Will
Special: Must have fought in the Great Patriotic War

Hit Die: 1d10
Action Points: 6 + one-half character level, rounded down, every time the character attains a new level in this class.

Class Skills
The Veteran of the Great Patriotic War’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are as follows.

Concentration (Cha), Hide (Dex), Kast (Int)*, Knowledge (History, Tactics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Navigate (Int), Profession (Wis), Read/Write Language (none), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (none), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Telekinesis (Wis)*, Treat Injury (Wis).
* only if the Immortal already knew the skill in life

Skill Points at Each Level: 5 + Int Modifier.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Veteran of the Great Patriotic War advanced class.

Bridge to the Living
A 1st level Veteran of the Great Patriotic War may talk to and be seen by any living characters whom he knew in life and with whom he shares at least one Allegiance. This allows the Immortal to let such characters benefit from his Living Inspiration ability (Campaign Setting, page 166). The Immortal can activate or surpress this ability at will and can even choose to be heard and/or seen by some characters, while he remains inperceivable to others.

The Meaning of Sacrifice
At 2nd level, a Veteran of the Great Patriotic War who performs a Soul Burn draws an additional 1d4 points of P.H.E. from the action, without incurring additional damage. Starting from 7th level, this increases to 1d8 points.

Bonus Feat
At 3rd, 6th and 9th level the Veteran of the Great Patriotic War gets a bonus feat. The bonus feat must be selected from the following list, and the Immortal must meet all the prerequisites of the feat to select it.

Alertness, Champion, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Diehard, Endurance, Energy Shield, Great Fortitude, Heroic Surge, Infuse, Improved Soul Burn, Iron Will, Living Influence, Mortal Coil, Read Destiny, Renown, Strength of the Damned, Toughness

Damage Reduction
A 4th level Veteran of the Great Patriotic War gains Damage Reduction 2/-. At 8th level, this Damage Reduction increases to 4/-. This Damage Reduction stacks with any other Damage Reduction the character may have from other sources.

Lightning Tamer
Starting at 5th level, a Veteran of the Great Patriotic War may spent 1 Action Point at the start of an encounter, to gain Energy Resistance against either Cold, Elecricity or Fire equal to twice his class level. This lasts until the end of the encounter.

Guiding Presence
A 10th level Veteran of the Great Patriotic War may freely use Aid Another, Tactical Aid, or any non-damaging protocol to assist living characters with whom he can interact due to his Bridge to the Living .

The artwork is taken from The Red Star: The Battle of Kar Dathra’s Gate and was used with kind permission of Christian Gossett.
The Red Star and all related characters are ™ and © Christian Gossett. Used with kind permission.
The Red Star Campaign Setting is © Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.
Die Grafik stammt aus The Red Star: The Battle of Kar Dathra’s Gate und wurde mit freundlicher Genehmigung von Christian Gossett verwendet.
The Red Star und alle verwandten Charaktere sind ™ und © Christian Gossett. Verwendet mit freundlicher Genehmigung.
The Red Star Campaign Setting ist © Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.

For the secretive magos of the Adeptus Mechanicus the very name Galvina Nullip is an irritant fit to provoke all too human feeling of fear and rage. After all, they are used to deal with this kind of heresy amongst their own swiftly, decisively – and most importantly – without outsiders noticing.

Genetor Nullip was a more than promising adept, projected to attain the highest ranks of her order in time. Her contempt for the flesh, that she crafted so skilfully, was honoured with an appointment to an remote Mechanicus research base. While dutifully delving into nearly forgotten bionic techarcana there, she first fell from orthodoxy. Her reports though gave no cause for alarm. On receiving message of a breakthrough in her work, her superiors dispatched a vessel to bring her home to the bossom of the forges. They waited to hear Nullips revelations with rapt attention. It was assumed that she would be commended and promoted for unravelling such mysteries. Instead, the tale of the returning survivors filled the magos with dread.

Nullips epiphany was firmly rooted in the accepted dogma of the weakness of the flesh. However, to her it was no longer the overabundance of the flesh itself that constituted man’s fall from grace, but rather the fact that this flesh was born.

Birth surely is the oldest and most powerful symbol of man becoming. Unborn, man never becomes that what is sinful about being organic. He remains pure. Uncluttered, unburdened, unborn.

Nullip came to these insights, working with and on her self. Alone in her lab, she impregnated herself time after time, discarding each fetus following genetic testing, until she found one close enough to perfection. As the child began to develop within her, she started to augment it with perversions of her own sacred implants and shaped the growing flesh. She modified her own womb, first to allow the ever more complex surgeries and alterations, then to indefinitely keep her from having to give birth, and finally to grant the thing within her access to the outside world. When Galvina’s techpriest honour guard arrived at the outpost to take her home, they were confronted with an unnaturally bloated figure still clad in the crimson robes of the priesthood of Mars. Additional mechadendrites spilled from her body and a horrid homunculus stared at the newcomers from beyond a viewplate in Galvina’s belly.

After the survivors’ flight, Galvina took what she needed from the base before destroying it and fleeing herself. Since then she has moved from world to world, using every means at her disposal to acquire more forbidden bioarcana, continue the education of her child, and perfect her process, always one step ahead of her pursuers.

Her current activities are centered on the hive-harems of Yazidon Primus. Here she passes herself off as a licensed bioadept, promising to assist the hive nobility in preserving their genelines and to surgically improve their slaves and concubines. That way, she plans to secure both influence and a base of operations with the prerequisite raw materials for continuing her experiments.

+++OMNISSIAH VULT+++

Galvina Nullip
The fetus’ stats are given in brackets.
Attacks to Galvina’s Body have a 50% chance to hit the fetus.
Armour protecting Galvina’s Body also protects all hit locations of the fetus.

Movement: 2/4/6/12
Wounds: 16 (5)

Skills: Chem-Use +20, Common Lore (Machine Cult) +10, Common Lore (Tech) +10, Forbidden Lore (Adeptus Mechanicus), Literacy +20, Logic, Medicae +20, Navigation, Pilot (Civilian Craft), Scholastic Lore (Chymistry), Secret Tongue (Tech) +10, Speak Language (Low Gothic), Speak Language (High Gothic), Tech-Use +20, Trade (Embalmer), Trade (Technomat) +10
(Common Lore (Tech), Drive (Ground Vehicle), Lip Reading +10, Pilot (Civilian Craft), Secret Tongue (Tech), Tech-Use +10)
Talents: Autosanguine, Basic Weapon Training (Las), Binary Chatter, Concealed Cavity, Double Team, Electro Graft Use, Luminen Charge, Master Chirurgeon, Mechadendrite Use (Medicae, Utility), Melee Weapon Training (Primitive, Power), Pistol Training (Bolt, Las, Plasma)
(Autosanguine, Binary Chatter, Double Team, Electro Graft Use, Energy Cache, Feedback Screech, Light Sleeper, Logis Implant, Luminen Blast, Mechadendrite Use (Ballistic, Manipulator, Optical, Utility), Melee Weapon Training (Primitive), Prosanguine, Total Recall)
Traits: Mechanicus Implants, Fear (1)
(Mechanicus Implants, Fear (2), Machine (1), Size (Puny))

Gear: Bionic Arm (Good), Bionic Eyes (Good), Bionic Respiratory System (Common), Hermetic Infusion, Medicae Mechadendrite, Utility Mechadendrite, Mind Impulse Unit (Common)
(Bionic Respiratory System (Good), Cortex Implants (Good), Hermetic Infusion, Ballistic Mechadendrite, Manipulator Mechadendrite, Optical Mechadendrite, Utility Mechadendrite, Mind Impulse Unit (Common))
Threat Rating: Hereticus Extremis

Games Workshop, Warhammer 40,000, Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay, Dark Heresy, and all associated marks, logos, names, and products are Intelectual Property of Games Workshop Limited and protected by Copyright. These items have been used unofficially and quoted exclusively as reference with no infringement on any associated rights intended and without implying endorsement by the copyright holder. Other contents of this articles are published without permission or license.

Games Workshop, Warhammer 40,000, Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay, Dark Heresy, und alle zugehörigen Marken, Logos, Namen, und Produkte sind Geistiges Eigentum von Games Workshop Limited und urheberrechtlich geschützt. Diese Elemente wurden inoffiziell und ausschließlich als Referenz zitiert ohne die Absicht damit verbundene Rechte anzufechten und ohne eine Billigung durch den Rechteinhaber zu implizieren. Andere Inhalte dieses Artikels werden ohne Genehmigung oder Lizenz veröffentlicht.

Now, this discussion on the German Tanelorn forum had the original poster asking for ideas for a more proactive and involved approach to integrating such a contagion scenario into a game. Born from that was the suggestion to model the outbreak – and the efforts to control and defeat it – via the use of a modified mass conflict mechanic – Savage World’s mass battle rules in this specific case.

For us, that translated into the chance to make good on our plan to contribute more to the Tanelorn Produktiv initiative (making this our first T6 – Productive Ideas article, directly inspired by the discussions on the board). It also meant a good opportunity for a first practical follow-up on our own Medical Systems examination.
(And, as a side effect, it also gave us a reason to finalise our first Savage Worlds article.)

Step One: Setup
In a contagion scenario, tokens are used to represent the affected population – the infected, sick and dying on one hand and the healthy people on the other. Otherwise this step is identical to the usual mass battle rules:

• Give the larger group 10 tokens.
• Divide the number of people in the group by 10 to identify the number of people per token.
• Give the second group a proportionate number of tokens, rounding up.

After determining the number of tokens, the so called Contagion Strength of the plague has to be set. This is the equivalent of a Trait and will be used to make certain rolls for the plague/infected population over the course of the outbreak. The higher the Contagion Strength, the more dangerous and persistent the plague.

Finally, the disease itself should be statted in the usual way, though this is only used when there is a chance of the heroes contracting the disease themselves. For determining the effects on the population at large this is not required.

Step Two: Modifiers
As in regular mass battles, modifiers resulting from the difference in tokens, character actions and other influence factors are totalled.

Characters
Obviously, characters can get stuck in with the battle against a plague just as well as in any other battle. And while there may be no bullets flying and swords clashing, the fight will be just as desperate and heroes just as needed.
Characters taking a direct hand in caring for the sick and dying and trying to stop the spread of the plague make their choice of either a Healing or arcane skill roll each round. Add or substract the number of tokens difference between the healthy population and the infected. Add +1 for each Rank the character has above Novice.
For characters using an arcane skill, they use up 2d6 Power Points each round as in a regular mass battle.
Characters using Healing instead use supplies, ranging from advanced cures and vaccines to things as simple as fresh bandages and clean water. Out of a predetermined amount of these supplies available, the character uses up 1d6 points worth each round. After the supplies run out, a character can continue to use Healing in subsequent rounds but will suffer a -2 modifier to his roll.

Character Results
Failure: The hero’s efforts are in vain, as victims of the plague die under his hands and people around him contract the disease. He has to make a Vigor roll to avoid contracting the disease himself, subject to a penalty of -4 in addition to the standard penalty for the disease.
Success: The hero is succesful in lending succor to those already affected by the disease. He adds +1 to the Contagion Roll but has to make a Vigor roll to avoid contracting the disease at an additional -2 penalty.
Raise: Many more of the hero’s charges recover than could be expected and through his tireless efforts the plague has a hard time to find new victims. He adds +2 to the Contagion Roll and has to make Vigor roll to avoid contracting the disease, albeit at no additional penalty.
Two Raises: The mere presence of the hero seems to cast off the pall of the plague and the sick and healthy alike take new hope as he strides through the wards or sits down besides their beds. He adds +2 to the Contagion Roll without suffering any negative effects himself.

Modifiers

Step Three: Contagion Rolls
After totalling the modifiers, both sides make rolls applying all modifiers. This is a Knowledge (Medicine) roll made by the leading healer/coordinator of the relief efforts for the side of the healthy, though another Knowledge might possibly be substituted depending on circumstances. For the plague, this roll is made using Contagion Strength. Alternatively, an engineered/steered plague uses a fitting Knowledge (such as Medicine or Occult) of their creator/controlling agent.
Each success and raise causes the other side to lose one token.

Step Four: Sustainability
At the end of each round in which a side loses one or more tokens, a roll must be made to check for the sustainability of the plague/the efforts at containing it. For the healthy side this is a Spirit roll made by the character coordinating the relief efforts. For the plague it is a roll using contagion strength.

The roll is modified by the following circumstances:

For the healthy side, a success means that the battle against the plague goes on – return to Step Two. Failure means that hope of defeating the disease is lost, but it might still be contained. Return once more to Steps Two and Three and then go to the Aftermath. (The leader of a battle against the plague may voluntarily choose this option and just let the disease run its course.) On a result of 1 or less, the upsurge in the disease lets despair settle in amongst healers and healthy alike – in the ensuing panic, all efforts at further treatment or containment break down completely and the plague continues to spread unchecked. Go immediately to the Aftermath.

For the plague, a success means that it continues to take its toll on the population – return to Step Two. Failure means that the disease enters its final stage, starting to burn itself out with few new infections but not releasing its grasp on those already infected. Return once more to Steps Two and Three and then go to the Aftermath. (The creator/controller of a plague may voluntarily choose this option and just let the disease run out.) On a result of 1 or less, the plague collapses in on itself, successful treatments and spontaneous recoveries marking an end to the contagion. Go immediately to the Aftermath.

Aftermath
When either the healthy population or the infected run out of tokens or fail their sustainability rolls, the battle comes to an end and the final toll of the plague can be resolved.

If the healthy side won, all their remaining tokens represent unscathed survivors of the contagion. For each of their lost tokens, those which succumbed to the plague over the course of the battle, roll 1d6. On a roll of 5-6, that tokens recovers and survives the plague. Also roll 1d6 for each of the tokens lost by the infected, as these represent people who were successfully treated or at least quarantined (preventing them from spreading the disease further), a roll of 4-6 means that they are amongst the survivors. Any remaining tokens on the infected side recover only on a roll of 6.

If the plague won, the chance of survival for both the original victims (remaining tokens on the plague side) and the newly infected (lost tokens on the healthy side) is equally slim: 6 on 1d6. For the treated (lost tokens on the plague side) it is marginally better at 5-6. The remaining healthy population still is unaffected – unless the battle ended due to the healthy side failing their sustainability roll with a result of 1 or less, in which case even the remaining healthy tokens only survive on a roll of 4-6 per token.

Finally, the number of tokens can be back transformed into population figures, as per Step One.

Special thanks to
killedcat for initiating Tanelorn Produktiv,
Boba Fett for allowing us to use one of the Tanelorn icons in the creation of the “T6″ logo,
and Skeeve for starting the thread on dealing with epidemics in Savage Worlds.

Skip Over/Blind Spot Reflex Programs
-

Manchurian Reflex Program
-

Throat Blade
The throat blade as a Damage Rating of 1. Use of a throat blade on an unsuspecting victim practically guarantees surprise. In intimate situations, the throat blade allows its user to reduce the penalty for called shots by 2.

Legality: Proscribed
Healing Time: 2 weeks
Cost: 10,000cs or more

Stomach Pump
Legality: Legal
Transformation Time: 3 weeks
Cost: 3,000cs

Chimera Genetic Scrambling
Legality: Restricted
Transformation Time: 1 month
Cost: 20,000cs or more

Berserker
Berserker Modifications
-1 Cognition
-1 Psyche
+1 Physique
+1 Endurance
+1 Toughness
-2 to task rolls involving social interaction

Legality: Proscribed
Transformation Time: 6 weeks
Cost: 20,000cs

In Marine Hybrids, we looked at additional hybrid species, originally bred for amphibious operations. See below for their revised stats:

Seals
Seal Modifications: 
+2 Physique
+1 Endurance
+2 Aquatics Skill
-1 to task rolls involving social interaction with non-hybrids
Hold Breath 30 minutes
Salt Tolerance
Cold Tolerance

Otters
Otter Modifications: 
+3 Coordination
+1 Endurance
+1 Aquatics Skill
-1 to task rolls involving social interaction with non-hybrids
Hold Breath 10 minutes
Salt Tolerance
Cold Tolerance
Require increased energy intake due to heightened metabolism

Marine Composites
Marine Composite Modifications: 
+1 Physique
-1 Coordination
+2 Endurance
+1 Toughness
+1 Aquatics Skill
+1 Swim Speed
-2 to task rolls involving social interaction with non-hybrids
Hold Breath 20 minutes
Salt Tolerance
Cold Tolerance

Freshwater Composites
Freshwater Composite Modifications: 
+1 Psyche
+1 Reflexes
+2 Endurance
+1 Aquatics Skill
-2 to task rolls involving social interaction with non-hybrids
Hold Breath 10 minutes

Blue Planet and all associated names are the Intellectual Property of Biohazard Games and protected by Copyright. These items have been used unofficially and quoted exclusively as reference with no infringement on any associated rights intended and without implying endorsement by the copyright holder. Other contents of this articles are published under the following license:
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License

Blue Planet und alle verbundenen Namen sind Geistiges Eigentum von Biohazard Games und urheberrechtlich geschützt. Diese Elemente wurden inoffiziell und ausschließlich als Referenz zitiert ohne die Absicht damit verbundene Rechte anzufechten und ohne eine Billigung durch den Rechteinhaber zu implizieren. Andere Inhalte dieses Artikels werden unter folgender Lizenz veröffentlicht:
Creative Commons Namensnennung-Weitergabe unter gleichen Bedingungen 3.0 Lizenz

The building momentum, the hope, the belief, and finally the inevitability of victory, where is it?

And where is the reverse of it? The sapping of strength, the demoralization, despair, disillusionment as the companions and harbringers of defeat, where are they?

In other word: What about long-term morale in a game (of The Red Star in particular)?

An immediate quick fix as a product of these rambling thoughts:

After winning (not merely surviving) a military adventure (e.g. a battle), characters gain a +1 morale bonus to all attack rolls during the first encounter of their next military adventure, provided they face off against the same foe. If they win multiple adventures in a row, this bonus is cumulative (up to a total of +5).

Contrariwise, after losing a military adventure, characters suffer from a -1 penalty to attack rolls during the first encounter of their next military adventure. If they lose multiple adventures in a row, this penality is cumulative (up to a total of -5). By spending an Action Point, a character can avoid the penality for the rest of the encounter.

The artwork is taken from the The Sword of Lies wallpapers and was used with kind permission of Christian Gossett.
The Red Star and all related characters are ™ and © Christian Gossett. Used with kind permission.
The Red Star Campaign Setting is © Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.
Die Grafik stammt aus den Wallpapers zu Schwert der Lügen und wurde mit freundlicher Genehmigung von Christian Gossett verwendet.
The Red Star und alle verwandten Charactere sind ™ und © Christian Gossett. Verwendet mit freundlicher Genehmigung.
The Red Star Campaign Setting ist © Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.

There’s a plethora of good advice around how to overcome that particular challenge. Still, I’d like to take the chance and add my own: A variation of a time honoured technique, the questionnaire.

Now, the way I see it, questionnaires have two potentially big problems associated with them: They have a tendency to get overburdened with lots and lots of items (yes, 20 is a lot, really) and all of these items dilute the actual information load.

Because of this, I settled on a version that strifes to jumpstart a character with just 3 short questions:

1) The first names of the character’s parents.

2) Which hand does the character use to hold his coffee cup at breakfast?

3) The most beautiful dream or the most terrible nightmare of the character.

That’s it.

But why these three questions, exactly?

Because they are eyecatching. They are at least somewhat unusual (more so the first time around, obviously) and as such should help to heighten the player’s alertness. Alertness being the key to our goal of “getting into” the character in the first place.

But there is a bit more to it than that.

The second basic idea is, that the answers are really secondary here. It’s the process – the train of thoughts – necessary to arrive at the answers we are most interested in. The questions, being unusual, hopefully help with getting the (alert) player to think a lot.

As for the first question, the purpose behind it is pretty obvious: We want to get the character out of the vacuum. And we are asking for the parents’ names (instead of “who are they?”) to provoke the player into thinking about them as persons first, instead of as functions (in the game world). More than that, names provoke images in turn. By naming them, we are creating these characters in our minds and here we get three (the character and his parents) along with their relations and all of the associated images and ideas for the price of one measly question. A maximum of (implied) information in a minimum of space, figurative, tangible – perfect.

The cup of coffee forces us to imagine the character in an entirely mundane situation. Who, what, how is he when he’s not slaying dragons, commanding space battles or compiling tomes of mind-shattering lore. Again we are using the extremely specific question (not “what does the character do after getting up?”, not even “what does he have for breakfast?”, but “in which hand does he hold his cup of coffee during breakfast?”) to pull (push!) the player right into the fray. He is meant to have a clear mental image of the scene to answer the question – whether by carefully constructing it in his head or by having a flash of inspiration does not matter.

The final question is a classic on the other hand. It does add the additional dimension of having to decide between dream or nightmare, however. Which of the two is more important for this character? Do you imagine him as a person who is driven by his good experiences or his bad ones? And of course the two previous questions (yes, the order they appear in is deliberate) should hopefully have already primed the player to answer this question from “within” the character – having already completed the initial steps of “getting into him”.

And that’s it for real.

Update them to the new rules.

In Blue Ops Gear, we focused on the equipment of special forces teams, terrorists and insurgents. For full descriptions of the items, please refer to the original article. Under the revised rules, the profiles of the presented items change as follows:

Composite Crossbow
Dimensions: 0.5 to 1.3 kilograms and 0.5 to 1 meters
Power Source: Varies, none or mini cell
Rigging Value: Standard (different tools needed for either manual or powered composites)
Durability: 0
Legality: Legal
Availability: Uncommon
Cost: 50 to 400cs
Ammo Capacity: 1 or more if belt fed
Fire Mode: S for manual load; S/B 2 for powered model
Range: P 4/S 10/M 18/L 95
Damage Rating: 6
Delay: 4 for manual load, 2 for powered model

EV Paste
A stealth check is needed to successfully apply the paste, modified by circumstance. Using just the paste without additional concealing measures will give a -1 to those trying to detect an intruder by heat emission. Combined with full camouflage and face protection this increases to -2 on attempts to find an intruder using heat sensors.

Form: Paste
Dosage: Once every 4 hours. Exact amount of EV paste depending on body surface area.
Legality: Legal
Availability: Common
Cost: 100cs per application for a typical human

Grenadier Remote
Dimensions: 2.5 kilograms and 5 liters
Power Source: Standard cell
Rigging Value: Standard
Durability: 0
Legality: Restricted
Availability: Scarce
Cost: 2,400cs

Peacekeeper “Hybrid”
The Hybrid is equipped with a targetting interlink system and interactive access chip.
The Hybrid has three settings (subsonic, standard and maximum). Subsonic firing results in a -3 modifier on checks to notice or locate the firer.

Dimensions: 1.2 kilograms and 1.2 liters
Power Source: Mini cell and binary propellant
Rigging Value: Standard
Durability: 2
Legality: Restricted
Availability: Scarce
Cost: 1,500cs
Ammo Capacity: 22 rounds/magazine
Fire Modes: S
Range: P 3-5-7/S 5-10-15/M 10-20-35/L 25-75-85 (subsonic/normal/maximum settings)
Damage Rating: 5/7/8 (subsonic/normal/maximum settings)
Recoil: 2/3/3 (subsonic/normal/maximum settings)

The Trickster
Basic tricksters give a +2 to hacking and a +3 to counter measures.
Standard types give a +3 to hacking and +1 to counter measures.
Fully advanced models give a +5 to hacking and no bonuses to counter measures.

Dimensions: Varies, depends on the object it is disguised as
Power Source: Mini cell
Rigging Value: Standard
Durability: See above
Legality: Proscribed
Availability: Uncommon (basic models), scarce (standard models) or rare (advanced models)
Cost: 5,000cs to 30,000cs

The eponymous Guppy Fighter-Sub boasts these revised stats:

Blue Planet and all associated names are the Intellectual Property of Biohazard Games and protected by Copyright. These items have been used unofficially and quoted exclusively as reference with no infringement on any associated rights intended and without implying endorsement by the copyright holder. Other contents of this articles are published under the following license:
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License

Blue Planet und alle verbundenen Namen sind Geistiges Eigentum von Biohazard Games und urheberrechtlich geschützt. Diese Elemente wurden inoffiziell und ausschließlich als Referenz zitiert ohne die Absicht damit verbundene Rechte anzufechten und ohne eine Billigung durch den Rechteinhaber zu implizieren. Andere Inhalte dieses Artikels werden unter folgender Lizenz veröffentlicht:
Creative Commons Namensnennung-Weitergabe unter gleichen Bedingungen 3.0 Lizenz

The number of pips shown corresponds with the number of ‘non-editorial’ (i.e. gaming content) articles we want to publish the following week. So much for that little secret.

Only problem: That has not been working out too well for the past eight weeks or so.

The first four, we simply lagged a bit behind in regards to this ‘the following week’ part. Which we then solved by getting a bit creative with assigning publication dates to the articles (bless WordPress for its ability to fake correct the date stamp).

The last four however, we simply did not deliver. And so we are missing a total of 6 articles at the present moment. And while we’d like to claim that this total will be reset to 0 immediately this very moment, I am afraid that it will probably still climb a bit for the rest of the year.

As an early New Year’s pledge, however, we promise to get it down right away in 2013.

But in the meantime, what is that stuff we have been dragging or collective feet on for so long, and what is it we will (try to)still put out this year?

Right at the top of that list have to be an article or two regarding our very own topic of choice for the month of December: Carnival.

The closest contender is a short series of articles to update the rules and stats included in all of our previous Blue Planet articles to the new standards of the revised edition of the game.

Our regular columns (both ‘What is …?’ and the Atlas) have languished for a while as well, and that despite the next installments of both just needing the smallest bit of final polish before being presentable.

And finally, a small homebrew game might make for a good Christmas present, but we are still struggling to chop that up into manageable pieces, so who knows…

Well, at least I am nearly done with all of my Christmas shopping!