Aliens RPG

RESOURCES
It is my intent to create an extremely detailed game system / universe based on the Alien movie series. However, upon constructing the outline, I asked myself one question: Who the hell owns this story? Technically, the origin comes from Dan OBannon and adapted by Ronald Shusset. The franchise is owned by Twentieth Century Fox but the original Alien was created by HR Giger. Who is to say what is official and what is not? Dark Horse has made most of the detail in the last few years. And what of LeeBrimmicombe-Wood, the writer of many books including the often ripped off USCM Tech Manual? The problem is, the consensus seems to point to several sources as being official when there is no legal binding for that to be true. Legally, the only truly official media are the four movies. It is surprising to note than the famous USCM TM is not official. In fact, it was only until this book came out that Colonial Marines were identified as being from United States when in the Leading Edge Games and in the second film, they are identified only as the CMC (Colonial Marine Corps). SoI have deiced to use all the specific information presented in all media. However, some things might surprise you being included and not.

MOVIES: Everything that could be named is present. Most of the information from the USCM Tech Manual appears. And Yes, Alien 3 is included. Alien Resurrection is present as a plug-in (see later) THE NOVELS: Most of the published material is actually adapted from the Dark Horse Comics. I have not read enough of them to use them. DARK HORSE: The major addition, what sets this conversion from he rest, is the inclusion of Dark Horse material. The following publications were utilized: Outbreak, Nightmare Asylum, Earth War/Female War, DHP Aliens, Genocide, Hive, Rogue, Labyrinth, Music of the Spears, Stronghold, Beserker, Colonial Marines, Alchemy, Salvation, Kidnapped, Pig and everything else that comes along the way... UNITED STATES COLONIAL MARINE TECHNICAL MANUAL: A major resource but the with the big change is that I do not consider it the bible. You will notice that I do not enforce their name. Refer to the chapter on them for more information. ALIENS RPG: I finally acquired it. It wasn't as usefull as I had hoped but I at least got some insight. INTERNET: A large chunk of information comes from people who fill in the missing pieces but I only refer to respectable sources for this info. Translation: I took text from other sources instead of typing it out myself. TOY LINE: I decided against using these becausewellmost are somewhat immature. COLLECTOR CARD GAME: I don't have all the cards, but I have a lot, and I promptly took
advantage of it all.

ALIENS ADVENTURE PC-CDROM: The computer game was written by Dark Horse but it really isn't a very good game. Besides that, there is not much info continued within it. It has been avoided. ORIGINAL: Some material is from yours truly but there are names or descriptions for items or places already created for the series. Like the Combat Buggies in Aliens: Colonial Marines. They don't have a name but they are centrepoint in the last issue, so I decided to add them.

THE STORY, CONSPIRACY, AND TECH LEVELS

The Alien mythos traverses generations and hundreds of Light years. Unfortunately, some of these collide. If every single technology came crashing together, why would the PCs bother walking around with M41A Pulse Rifles when they could all have Full power armor. So, in my ONLY real inspiration, I separated the story and technology in six levels.

CONSPIRACY LEVELS (CL)

CLs are only used by the GM to denote the setting at the beginning of the game. This really just reveals what is available in the setting at this point. The prime reason for the Conspiracy Levels are for what impact the corporations have, how much power the USCM have, but mostly, how many Aliens are out there. This is a simple guide and they can be broken up at any time. The course of events can either be descending or ascending. You can start with the Alien War (like the Dark Horse Comics) or reverse

them like I did for a course of events that fits in with the Film series. The GM, before hand, should organize the CLs as he sees fit. I suggest simply following the course from 1 to 6. Therefore, the PCs can progress through the CLs for a very fulfilling gaming experience. CL is only used in further chapters for story development. (EG: Grant Corp needs Royal Jelly at CL 3 but operates its own hives in CL 4). CONSPIRACY LEVEL 1: A VISITOR CL1 takes course around the time of the movie. A Narcissus Shuttle is towed from Outer Reaches to Gateway station. On the basis of the report from the survivor, a CMC Cruiser was sent to a planet on the Outer Rim. The Aliens are only known by that survivor. This setting is a pre-threat scenario. Marines usually don't even consider any non-human threats in known space. The human quotient is another story. The Aliens still exist in deep, deep space, and on the planet Acheron, quarantined after the Atmospheric Processor there went critical. EG: Aliens CONSPIRACY LEVEL 2: ITS ON A NEED TO KNOW BASIS In CL2, stories have leaked about some alien life form on the rim. The PCs still don't know anything but their superiors may not be revealing everything. Weyland Yutani and several other corporations are committed to a secret agenda. Meanwhile in deep space, in the deepest of the deep, several ships and colonies are found abandoned, destroyed, or they simply have gone missing. PCs may encounter trace evidence of somethingdeadlysomething someone is trying to hide. EG: Alien 3 CONSPIRACY LEVEL 3: WHAT ARE THEY? CL3 reveals them finallybut who will believe you? The PCs would have to be in deep space to encounter them. Outer Colonies are fighting for their very survival. Meanwhile, on Earth, no one knows a thing. Rumors have leaked through the systems about strange infections on the rim colonies. Corporations are directly fighting for control of the Xenomorphs biotechnology. The CMC (or USCM) funds a secret brigade of forces sent into the rim to keep the infestation from swarming out of control. This is a great start for some basic action and plot development. CONSPIRACY LEVEL 4: MY MOMMY ALWAYS SAID In CL4, the Xenomorphs have replaced the boogey man for those night time camp stories. Adults know better. The ones in the deep fear for they very lives. Chances are someone knows someone who knows of someone who has been killed by these creatures. The marines are now dedicated to their extermination. Several corporations and even the military have funded research stations, some even live life specimens and maybe even an operating hives. The Alien Homeworld has been found. Many fear this fight is doomed. Most on Earth are blind to the threat. Life continues as normal. PCs here are one of many groups fighting to keep the infection to a minimum. EG: Genocide, Hive, Rogue, Labyrinth, CONSPIRACY LEVEL 5: THEY'RE EVERYWHERE Its war. No one is safe. Chances are, everyone knows someone who has fallen victim. The fight seems hopeless. Religious cults have cropped up. The Aliens are on Earth. Marines fight to keep the peace. Bureaucrats and politicians are the real enemy. Lock your doors. Arm yourself. The Human race smells it own extinction. Marines here struggle, trying to fight off, grabbing every chance they get. EG: Outbreak., Music of the Spears SPECIAL LEVEL 5.5: WE NEED A GOOD WAR Yeahits war. The aliens are on Earth and it is being turned into a wasteland. Upper classmen witness from sealed ships as the human race falls apart. The PCs are alone. They fight a loosing fight. They seek out help but find little. The infrastructure is crumbling. Its all or nothing. EG: Nightmare Asylum, Earth War, CONSPIRACY LEVEL 6: A TERRIBLE PRICE Earth is a wasteland. A couple dozen hives still function on the globe. Nuclear weapons have washed the planet clean. Nothing lives. Mankind rebuilds. Marines are now rescue personnel. They are either trying to find survivors or they have been given the ugly duty of clean up. Others have been forced to hunt down and completely exterminate all remnants of the alien presence.

TECH LEVELS
Tech levels should be enforced. They introduce technology in a step-by-step basis. It is recommended that you follow them with the appropriate Conspiracy Level but exceptions can be made. Earth War, for example, is CL5 and TL1. However, it is not recommended that you flip then (CL1, TL5) since that gives the PCs a severe advantage. The GM should start with a low TL and work his way up as the game progresses. It isn't that much fun when the PCs get everything at the start. TLs are used frequently to denote when technology is introduced and when a GM should and shouldn't use them. If a game uses TL2, you can leak TL3 technology on occasion but introducing an Anti-Alien Combat Synthetic or a Beserker suit may be unwise. TECH LEVEL 1: STANDARD TECHNOLOGY These are all technologies from the start of the series. Everything from the Aliens movie is present. All technology is considered TL1 unless stated otherwise. EG: M41A Pulse Rifle, M51 Smart Gun

TECH LEVEL 2: ENHANCED Basically, TL2 are weapons and devices which are just slightly better. No anti-Xenomorph technology is available just yet. EG: M41A Mark2, Duchamp Blaster TECH LEVEL 3: HOSTILE Heavier weapons are introduced to combat high quality armors. The best defense for Aliens are more and more armor. A Spray that counteract the acid is available. EG: Alphatech Shivas, Polymer armor TECH LEVEL 4: BUG HUNT Grant Corp makes fortune from its nutra-gel technology designed to counteract the alien acid. This allows close combat capability. Knowledge of the alien increases. Royal Jelly and all of its fantastic properties is ravishly utilized by the masses. EG: Anti-Acid Technology, Xeno-Zip, TECH LEVEL 5: OFFENSIVE No longer are we making defensive technology against the Xenomorphs, now, we are taking the fight to them. Anti-Acid technology has reached a pinnacle but newer capabilities for it is being developed weekly. EG: Beserker Suit, Mark II Xenomorph Synthetic. TECH LEVEL 6: PINNACLE We have reached as high as we can go with the alien threat. Combat Synthetics specifically designed to take on whole hives have been designed. Genetic Engineering has created viruses. ButA newer threats abound EG: Liston type Combat Synthetic, Dean type Combat Synthetic.

A FINAL NOTE ON CONSPIRACIES AND TECH LEVELS

The final word is always with the GM. Please note that they don't have to be the same number. I just recommend they are. To see how this form actually fits into Foxs timelines, you will have to read the last chapter. Many comic, books, and films have taken alternative forms of each TL and CL. Earth War, for example has a TL of 1 but a CL of 5, then the story continues raising the TL but lowering the CL. Course, the aliens would never be fully forgotten. A long game could start with CL1, progress all the way to 6 then retract back to one, as people recovered and forgot about their past. The last chapter also talks about how the GM could use these to make a very good and long action-orientated game with a plot.

WHAT IS NEEDED TO PLAY

It is vital that you have the FUZION rules from RTG. You can purchase one of their game systems for the full rules. You can then implement the special rules those games suggest. The best example is the Votoms RPG which has a really cool mecha construction system if you want to make power armor in the game (something I only touch on). I use a d6 system for FUZION but d10 is easy to convert. I tried to make the game as independent as possible. You can grab and print the pics for visual references. For GMs, nothing beats the Dark Horse comics for some great story idea. You shouldn't need anything else!

THE THEME AND THE 2020 CONVERSION

Alien FUZION is not designed to be a blood/violence/gore-fest although it can be. I designed the game to offer several different themes. It can be total war or a more subtle X-File-ish type conspiracy story. The scale of damage and weapons might surprise you. I tried to be as realistic as possible. There are no mecha or huge vehicles so I apologize that you think a dropship should take more than 4 kills before getting wasted. I tried to be realistic. And as for the popular 2020 conversion on the web. I think it is great, but it approaches it from an entirely different angle. If you just want a totally war, there isn't much more offered here except for a lot more weapons and the inclusion of the vehicles I am offering an actual full long-term game where a group can grow and experience a long story and be active e participants on the mythology. The scale is also different. Aliens are less powerful. With that.ENJOY!!!

RULE

MODIFICATIONS

There aren't very many, I have just added on the existing FUZION rules to increase game enjoyment. Other rules are just to make my life easier and to seal up holes in my own conversion. A lot of these rules might not make sense unless you read what they pertain to. The MV penalty to spacecraft and vehicles effect all shooting and dodging. Thankfully, we have turrets. All weapons on turrets always add +3 to their existing WA to hit. The Star Map has distances for each jump. The number given in ship's FTL range is the maximum range the FTL drive can go in a single jump. When the range is used up, the ship must drop to sublight and recharge its jump drives. This delay is what make travel time so long. The FTL speed is how fast the ship goes when jumping. However, between jumps, a ship reduces it to low power and must move on sublight as it charges the drive. Unfortunately, drive recharge rates are high. A ship that jumps from system to system is cheap and easy but long trips require these charges. A fully stocked spaceport can charge a drive at 2 ly per day. A major military base, however, can charge a ship at 2 ly per six hours. In the deep and dark of space, a ship can charge its own drive to full capacity in one week. This is a good lesson to those who run out of gas on the road. Rolling Astrogation is easy for jumps to colonized planets if the ships computer is working (DV10). The computer requires two rounds to calculate the jump and another to initiate the engine. A human calculating the jump will take one round per DV +1 to initiate the engine DV MODIFICATIONS: If the computer isnt working: +3 Random cosmic phenomenon: +3-5 To an uncharted system: +5 Into deep space: +2 Precision jumps: +3-10 depending how close the ships want to jump to. In a combat situation: +3 A failed roll is the GMs discretion. A ship can fry is generator, forcing the ship to recharge from scratch to dropping the ship up to twice its jump range in another direction. A failed roll should never result in death.

TURRETS:

FTL DRIVES

GUIDED AND AUTOMATIC SYSTEMS:

Guided Missiles aim themselves and can make multiple attacks if they miss the first time. For The initial shot, the user, can use his/her firing skill or the depend on automatic systems. Whatever the user chooses, if there is a miss, the rocket can attempt another attack next round (allowing another round of anti-missile fire). The weapon's skills must be used for the following rounds. Guided Missiles can fire initially with their own skill. However, it must be "locked-on" before firing. Locking on takes one round of the target being in the weapon's range. The next round allows firing. If the weapon is dumb-fired by the user without locking-on, the missile has a 50% chance of not locking on at all. Even if the user is using his/her skill, they should allow a lock before firing to ensure a second pass is a miss occurs. The skill of the weapon and its number of possible additional attacks depend on each weapon. "Unique" weapons (see Weapons) cannot be dumbfired and must "lock-on" or else they will almost always miss (-8 to hit). The Missile MUST then use its skill or else still have the -8 penalty. If one missile locks on, they all lock-on so any number of missiles in that hardpoint (up to half its capacity--see below) can fire with a lock.

Automatic weapons are considered unlimited in the time that they can operate. They can be programmed to fire at anything (Heat, improper PDTs, Movement) and have a base skill to hit. They can never use someone else's skill. They only use their own.

HARDPOINT ROF
A weapon with a set ROF (Like Railcannons and Lasers) keep that ROF but Missiles don't have that. For Spacecraft, the missiles can be loaded over multiple hardpoints or filled with only a half capacity of weapons. Generically, the ROF of a missile pack is selectable with any number but not more than half the capacity of the hardpoint (something from Mekton I borrowed).

SHIP FIRING:
A pilot can fire any number of weapons when he pulls the trigger. He can link any of his weapons up with his trigger. The Weapon's Officer on a spacecraft can do the same. The only exceptions are turrets, which can be automated but never linked together. One roll is made for the linked weapons but the damage and hit locations are done separately. An UD-4 Cheyenne Dropship pilot can fire both 150mm missile packs on each of his Hardpoints and make one roll for each salvo coming from the Hardpoints. The weapons must be of the same type. A Pilot or Gunner can switch weapons instantly without a sacrifice in time. Remember: Guided weapons need a round to aim. For simplicity sakes, the rules are the same as the Shadow Imagery in the Mekton Z rules. A ship can deploy half is ballutes in one round. Every Ballute deployed adds a +1 to the ship's dodge. If the roll to hit still strikes, then damage is done directly to the craft. If it fails to strike even the unmodified dodge, the weapon goes wide. If the roll fall between the unmodified dodge and the modified dodge, then a Ballute is hit and instantly destroyed (each has a capacity of 1k). The Dodge bonus is dropped by one because one ballute has been eliminated. These Drones only operate in space. They work similar to Decoy Ballutes but actively seek out weapons. They can be deployed one at a time. They don't usually let themselves be hit. They have a base skill of 10 to hit and dodge and are simply armed with a basic laser (0.25K) which is designed to only take out missiles. See Anti-Missile fire below. Each Drone can fire once to one missile per round. Two drones can take shots at one missile. Minefields in space operate like their ground counterparts. If a ship comes within 500 m, the Mine will home in and detonate with a base skill of 8. Connected fields cannot be navigated through. If hit, the mine strikes directly and the ones connected to the detonated one, close in around the ship for the kill. Missiles take time to reach their target, especially in the vast distances of space. Any missile can be targeted. Since missile fire in FUZION is assumed to be instant, anyone with an anti-missile weapon can make a free attack on that incoming warhead. Some of these weapons are already automatic so the pilot never has to worry. Some are done by turret gunners. The difficulty to hit an incoming missile is 15. Only one weapon can fire on one missile. Two laser turrets can attempt to fire on two missiles. The TSAM missiles on the UD4 are an exception. They fire instantly like a chaff or a flare. The pilot can launch as many as he has missiles to any number of missiles coming to a maximum of the number fired. Anti-Missile weapons with an ROF can spread their fire over multiple incoming missiles. As many know in the Mekton Rules, every time armor is hit, one point of armor is removed. This applies to personal armor. When the armor reduces to zero, it is useless. Spacesuits with an armor if penetrated will puncture and leak unless stated otherwise

DECOY BALLUTES Large Spacecraft can deploy these to confound sensors.

MANEUVERING DRONES

MINEFIELDS

ANTI-MISSILES:

ARMOR AND SHOOTING

(special armor have special rules). NO personal weapons do less than one point but some spacecraft weapons do. In Mekton, 1 kill will remove 1 armorany weapons above 1 kill will still only remove 1 kill of armor. However, fraction damage will only remove fraction armor (eg: 0.25 k will remove 0.25 armor instead of 1. But 4 K will only remove 1kill of armor). Any weapons that do not have a kill capacity listed will not damage kill armor. The standard difficulty for repairing ships is 22 to finish the repair in one hour (unless reconstructing an engine, then it is one day). That may seem high but how many engineers do you know can patch a fusion core in one hour with no tools. This number varies radically.

REPAIRING SHIPS:

MODIFIERS
With every additional hour spent on the repair* With Advanced Tool Kit With Mechanics Tool Kit With each additional Technician assisting** With each Engineer assisting*** With each non-skilled help assisting For every kill inflicted beyond 0 defenses**** With every successful previous roll*****

DV
-1 -1 -2 -1 -2 -1 +2 -1

*For hourly repairs only. **With at least +1 Engineering skill or Electronics for an Electronics roll. Can work indipendantly and roll indiependantly but offers not bonus then. ***With at least a +3 Engineering skill or Electronics for an Electronics roll. Can work indipendantly and roll indiependantly but offers no bonus then. ****For rolls required on combat damage. *****For damage needing compounding rolls. Cannot offer more than a -5 bonus.

RESULTS
ARMOR PATCHING: Every successful roll will patch one kill of structure or armor. Please note, this material must come from somewhere. All Spacecraft have enough spare materials for HALF their structure and armor. Anything beyond that must be taken from somewhere, whether is be from vehicles or other aerospace craft or whatever. ELECTRONICS: A succesfull roll will activate or repair the electronics system. The GM has descretion as to how long it will take for the system to Warm Up. Sensors fall into this category. WEAPON REPAIR: The repair time depends on the complexity of the weapon. Each sucessful roll will recover 1000 meters of range and 1k DC of damage. Of course, most ships have massive ranges so a huge weapon like the Particle Beam will take up to two weeks of repair without a drydock. Think about itthat is a huge weapon. It stretches almost 50 meters in length. Usually, several Engineers can work indipendantly to restore at a quicker rate instead of teaming up. Only when the gun is totally restored, will it work again. If absolutely needed, if the DC the weapon inflicts is restored but the range is still crippled, an Engineer or team may attempt to splice the weapon into working. A DV of 22 is required (with no bonuses for previous successes) to patch the weapon. A success will allow the weapon to fire with its current range. An hour must be spent removing the patch before repairs can start again. Weapons that have ammunition loose it all and, unless the ship carries extra ammo in a cargo slot, is useless unless reloads can be found. A weapon considered damaged (see below) will be repaired in one hour after a single repair check. PROPULSION / DRIVE: A success Vehicle Drivewill recover 10 kmph per hour of work done. If it is destroyed, at least a full day must be spent to reconstruct the engine for every 20 kmph of the Max Speed. If vaporized, reconstruction is not possible. Atmospheric / Orbital Engineswill recover 10 MOVE and 1 ORBIT (if it has an ORBIT) per hour of work done. If it is destroyed, at least a full day must be spent to reconstruct the engine for every 10 MOVE/1 ORBIT of the Max Speed.

This time increases by day for ships from 5 000 20 000 tonnes 1 day for ships from 20 000 40 000 tonnes 1 days for ships from 40 60 000 tonnes 2 days for ships from 60 000 80 000 tonnes 3 days for ships 80 000 tonnes and above. A ships Mach rating is only restored when the engine is fully functioning. Engineers really dont like pilots pushing a ship into Mach with a patched engineit just might explode. If MOVE or ORBIT is restored before the other, repairs must continue until completed. If vaporized, reconstruction is not possible. A reconstructed engine will not operate until half its speed at least is restored. After that, it must still be reconstructed until completion FTL Drivewill recover one LY per hour of work done. If destroyed, reconstruction is possible but a full day must be spent per 1 LY of the engines capacity. This time increases by six hours per 10 000 tonnes of the ships mass (obviously this only applies to Dreadnaughts). After that, the engine still must charge up. If vaporized, reconstruction is not possible. A reconstructed engine will not operate until half its range at least is restored. After that, it must still be reconstructed until completion. NOTE: Any fuel lost as a result is still lost Example: Lets take a Conestoga. It just been shot and its Orbital engine was destroyed. The team consists of one Engineer and three techs. Being a Conestoga, it has a fully stocked repair bay. To get that engine moving again requires 15 days at 16 DV the three days with a 1 each additional three days. The Conesotoga weighs 78 000 tonnes, meaning instead of one day per repair job, it requires 3 days. As for the DV: DV 22 1 (Tool Kit) 2 (Mechanics Kit) 3 (three Technicians assisting). The ship only moves at an ORBIT of 5. Ships and vehicles reduced to zero are not destroyed. Oh nothey cannot fire or move, but the ship is not destroyedrestoration is possible. Batteries still run gravity and life support. With a clever Engineering role, he might even get a nonenergy weapons functioning. What follows are a series of tables for damage to vehicles and spacecraft. Once any craft or vehicle is reduced to below twice its total capacity, the craft or vehicle breaks in two. Crewmembers have 75% chance of dodging a DC8 hit at a DV of 17. 1D6 Cargo bays gutted. All engines and weapons destroyed. Aerospace craft in an atmospheric crumble. Spacecraft will disintegrate in 1d6 minutes. Tables are rolled on whenever armor on vehicles or craft are punctured. If the damage is not applicable (cargo bay gutted on an APC), no damage is applied. The requirements are listed below. You first must know what class of vehicle/craft it is.

INFLICTING DAMAGE:

DAMAGE CLASSES (based on Body of the craft / vehicle)

Light Body = 1 5 Kills Medium Body = 6 10 Kills Heavy Body = 11- 20 Kills Massive Body = 21 kills and above

DAMAGE TABLES
LIGHT DAMAGE: Roll once every time a Medium Body loses 1 kill of BODY Heavy Body loses 2 kills of BODY Massive Body loses 5 kills of BODY MEDIUM DAMAGE: Roll once every time a Light Body loses 1 kill of BODY Medium Body loses 2 kills of BODY Heavy Body loses 4 kills of BODY Massive Body loses 10 kills of BODY HEAVY DAMAGE: Roll once every time a Light Body loses 2 kills of BODY Medium Body loses 4 kills of BODY Heavy Body loses 8 kills of BODY Massive Body loses 20 kills of BODY

CRITICAL DAMAGE: Roll once every time a Light Body loses 1 BODY below 0 Medium Body loses 2 BODY below 0 Heavy Body looses 4 BODY below 0 Massive Body loses 10 BODY below 0

LIGHT DAMAGE TABLE (Roll 3d6)

35 67 89 No additional effects Ship / craft shaken. 1 to all piloting and gunnery rolls for 1d6 rounds. Sensors damaged. SR cut in half.

10 13 Random light weapon (DC 4 and under) damaged. Will only fire on a roll on a 4+ on a D6. 14 15 Drive engine damaged. MOVE / ORBIT / Max Speed reduced by 30%. 16 17 Random heavy weapon (over DC 4) damaged. Will only fire on a roll on a 4+ on a D6. 18 Roll on the next damage table.

MEDIUM DAMAGE TABLE (Roll 3d6)

34 56 78 9 10 No additional effects. Ship / craft shaken. 3 to all pilot and gunnery rolls for 1d6 rounds. Fuel Leak. One fuel cell wasted. Lose 10% of remaining fuel mass (if fuel is present). Random light weapon (DC 4 and under) damaged. Will only fire on a roll of 5+ on a D6.

11 13 Internal Shrapnel. Every crewmember has 30% chance of dodging a DC5 hit at a DV of 15. 14 15 Drive engine damaged. MOVE / ORBIT / Max Speed reduced by 50%. 16 17 18 Random heavy weapon (over DC 4) damaged. Will only fire on a roll on a 5+ on a D6. Roll on the next damage table.

HEAVY DAMAGE TABLE (Roll 3d6)

3 45 67 89 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 No additional effects. Locked systems. Craft / Vehicle can do nothing for 1d6 rounds. Aircraft should pray. Major fuel leak. Several fuel cells wasted. Loses 50% of remaining fuel mass (if present). Random light weapon (4 DC and under) destroyed. Communications Cut. Electronics roll required to restore. Hull Breach! 1 room decompresses. Crewmembers have 50% chance of dodging a DC5 hit at a DV of 15. Random heavy weapon (over DC 4) destroyed. Drive engine Destroyed. Eject!! Reconstruction or replacement required. Random cargo bay (if present) gutted and destroyed. OH NO! Critical Damage. Roll on the table below

CRITICAL DAMAGE TABLE (Roll 3d6)

34 56 78 9 10 Random light weapon (4 DC and under) vaporized. Artaficial Gravity Systems Destroyed. All crew members are in free fall. Life Support Systems destroyed. Temperature will drop 5 degrees every hour. Air supply will run out in 1d6 hours. Major Hull Breach. 1d6 rooms decompresses. Crewmembers have 60% chance of dodging a DC6 hit at a DV of 16.

12 13 Random heavy weapon (over DC 4) vaporized. 14 15 Specific Damage. Tail / turret blown off, 1 Drop / Craft slot gutted, or 1d6 Cargo slots gutted. 16 17 18 Drive engine or FTL vaporized . Eject!! Craft / Vehicle breaks in two. Crewmembers have 75% chance of dodging a DC8 hit at a DV of 17. 1d6 Cargo bays gutted. All engines and weapons destroyed. Atmospheric craft crumble. Spacecraft will disinetrate in 1d6 minutes.

NOTE: Whatever CL the GM decided to endorse, read until it is shown, then STOP there. Reading past that may lessen enjoyment. The closing years of the 20th Century saw a fading of the great Nations and a rapid increase in the power and influence of multi-national Corporations. These Corporations were not restricted to a single field; their interests were vast, covering all aspects of industry and economics, as they diversified into every field that held profit. They were also not defined by country, society, or ideology. In industry, in business, and in the media, the multi-nationals became more powerful and more visible. The first planet to have a scientific colony on it was Mars. The moon followed thereafter. Needless to say, Earth's space exploration was not united; many different countries have established colonies in space. The major colonizers are: The United Americas (USA, Canada, parts of South America), China, Japan, The European Federation and Russia. Though rare, conflicts have occurred between countries in space. The most significant cases are between the UA and China, because of the differences in government between these two powers; diplomatic unrest has occasionally turned into war. China is believed to back the notorious PRA, a communist extremist group that has been responsible for numerous communist takeovers. As the corporations grew, they wove together the economic interests of the Nations of the world, and the specter of large-scale warfare was reduced. With head-to-head warfare economically unacceptable, the advanced states settled for venting their hostilities and waging wars in Third World nations. This trend continued through the following decades, as the corporations prospered and the interdependence of the major Nations of Earth grew. Tensions did not end, but were kept under control and released in ways that did not damage anyones ability to make money. Thus humanity entered the age of Space in an atmosphere of controlled tension but not outright war. The Age of Space came in the wake of two tremendous technological breakthroughs. The first was the reactionless Displacement drive, which allowed Humanity to travel quickly and cheaply within the Solar System. The Jump Drive soon followed, expanding on the principles behind the Displacement Drive and taking Humanity out into the stars. As technologies were perfected, exploration craft went out from Earth. The search for minerals and other raw materials was only a secondary goal of the explorers; those things were available within the Solar System itself, in amounts that would keep humanity supplied for many years. The most important things the stars held were knowledge, the potential of new habitable planets to ease the population pressures of Earth, and the opportunity to study new life forms.

The greatest value for the corporations lay in the life forms. Each world is like a gigantic laboratory, where the forces of nature have experimented on for billion of years. The creatures produced in those laboratories, and the complex chemicals contained within them, possess abilities far beyond those available to Humanity. Many of these abilities are nearly miraculous. The expansion into Space had been a slow progress, since useful systems were rare and the effort involved in establishing colonies was great. Still, at least six Earth-like worlds have been found, and dozens more that are at least habitable. On other worlds, the process of terraforming is underway, as hostile environments are slowly changed into places where Humans can live. On every habitable world, colonies have been established. They have expanded at varying rates, depending on the corporate support they have received and the qualities of the worlds. Shiploads of people and equipment are sent to each Colony, and eventually the colonies begin to send items of value back to the rest of Humanity; unusual life forms and mineral combination, the product of local industries, and after a generation, skilled workers. These skilled workers are part of the rapidly growing populations of the colonies, and the corporations have developed many techniques for managing them successfully. Colonists have developed many techniques for making them successfully. Colonists are taught to live active, disciplined lives, to maximize their economic value and reduce the risks of living in the colonies. Good educations are available for those who are not. By contrast, the disorganized state of the population of Earth means that there are relatively fewer people who are well disciplined and well-educated, as the quality of life diminished on Earth. The value of trained, energetic, and obedient workers from the colonies increase. In addition to the above aspects of corporate life, a major part of each corporations management approach has been the establishment of a corporate military force. These forces are not large, but they are well trained, and have the best equipment their Corporation can afford. With Colonies on many worlds, the power and influence of the Corporations rose rapidly. As they became more powerful, they became more of a threat to the Nations of Earth. The situation was a very delicate one; the nations had far larger armies, but the Corporation controlled space and vital high technology. The same economic interdependence, which prevented war among the Nations now, prevented the Nations from harming the Corporations. Tensions between the increasingly wealthy Corporates and the Governments of Earth increased. The governments felt threatened. They saw the fabric of society changing and thought they might not be a part of the future of humanity. Every political weapon was used, including diplomacy, bribery, blackmail, and economic pressure. Separatist movements were created to destabilize Nations, which responded by seeing corporate property. Finally, one small crisis got out of control and erupted into warfare. Dozens of other small wars began within weeks, and the Earth spun into chaos. Fortunately, the wars remained limited; few nuclear or biological weapons were used. The wars lasted for five years. The war concluded with the formation of a joint council to oversee the affairs of both Corp and government for the betterment of humanity. Out of violence came the Interstellar Commerce Commission (ICC), a coalition of Corporation and Nations which united Humanity. This organization was in charge or regulating activities among its members, and the Colonial Marine Corps was created as its military arm under the charter that they did not have to answer to any single corporation. The wars had taught everyone that it would be valuable to have some sort of police force to discourage them from using violence to solve their problems. Throughout the wars, the colonies strongly supported the Corporations. They wanted to remain free from the nations, and many believed they would receive status as independent entities with increased control over their own affairs. When the ICC was formed, it became clear this would not be the case; the Colonies were treated as corporate property. Another cycle of hostility, tension, and intense diplomacy began, an eventually several Colonies rebelled. The Colonial Marine Corps, supported by corporate forces was given the job of bringing the rebels back under control. The cause of the Colonies was in danger from the beginning. The tremendous financial and military resources available to the ICC meant that their losses could be quickly replaced, while the colonies were very weak in technology, industry, and population. One by one, the Colonies were defeated militarily and economically. There are still underground rebel movements on most Colonies, but they pose little threat to the ICC at present. The colonies, having supported the Corps in the war, thought they would win more independence from external rule. The creation of the ICC confirmed society's view that the colonies were nothing more than Corporate property. Many colonies rebelled. They were always going to lose. The ICC, Corporate forces and the CMC waged economic and military warfare and overpowered all but one corner of resistance. The rebel system of Alexandria sealed itself off from the rest of humanity. Soon after, the Union of Progressive People formed from several rim colonies and set up a military border. Their size is small but

fortified. Attempts to retake their territory proved fruitless. Alexandria acknowledges the UPPs independence but the ICC does not. The Colonial Marine Corps was created at the same time as the ICC. The intent was that the Colonial Marines, funded by coalition of all the space-going Nations, would be an independent force that would resolve disputes among the Nations and Corporation, and keep the peace in the Colonies as well. Each nation had its own portion of the force made up of its own citizens, but they shared equipment, training, and doctrine. They were led by the Colonial Marine Corps High Command, which included representatives from several nations. Most of the power belongs to the Corporations, however, and the Nations have little influence among the stars. Their only tool is the Colonial Marine Corps, and its power is dwindling. Every year, the Colonial Marines fall a little further behind in technology; their weapons are not upgraded, their supplies and other equipment fail to incorporate the latest improvements, and their ships are faced with the improved designs available to the Corporations. The shortage of personnel is also a growing a problem for the Colonial Marines. They have not replaced the losses suffered during the wars against the rebel colonies, and the additional drain imposed by the current turmoil has made the problem even worse. For the Colonial Marines, the loss of a single Strike Team can mean that large areas will remain un-patrolled and unmonitored for months or even years. It wasnt until later, from secret grants from corporations which believed the ICC to be corrupt, did they manage to compete again. 2122 - First contact with Aliens creatures on LV-426. The freighter "Nostromo" made landfall on the planet, one of the crew members was infected and subsequently the crew and the ship was destroyed by the drone that emerged. Sole survivor, Ellen Ripley, escaped in a Capsule, the "Narcissus" and floated homewards towards Earth (we assume). Between 2155 and 2160 - Colony set up on LV426, which was subsequently known as "Acheron." Due to a sheltering mountain range and the dire meteorological conditions, the colonists failed to find the "Jockey ship." 2179 - The Narcissus was found floating by a remote mining vessel with Ellen Ripley on board. She was brought back to gateway station in orbit around Earth where it was learned that she was been in hypersleep for 57 years. Her story was not believed by the ICC and she was stripped of her rank and duties. One corporate executive, Carter Burke, believed enough of the story to ask the colonist on LV-426 "Acheron" to go and have a look at the grid references provided by Ripley. Earth subsequently lost contact with the colony. Burke, Ripley and a strike team of Colonial Marines made their way to Acheron and had a bad time of it all. The survivors; Ripley, Rebecca "Newt" Jordon, Corporal Dwight Hicks and a synthetic Bishop headed back towards earth in their vessel the Sulaco. 2179 or 2180 - The Sulaco had some of the Alien eggs left on board (Ripley apparently failed to check before she went into hypersleep) and the emerging face-huggers caused an electrical fire on the Sulaco which then jettisoned the sleep capsules in an escape pod. The pod found its way to the nearest inhabited planet "Fiorina 161 - Fury" a corporate penal colony. Newt and Hicks failed to survive the landing and Bishop was scrapped carelessly by the inmates. Ripley found she was carrying an Alien queen inside her, lost more people to yet another drone that infected a local dog and ended up arguing the loss with a corporate bigwig who resembled her beloved Bishop. She threw herself into a boiling vat of molten lead

In 2185, the CMC secretly funded its own group to investigate the reports concealed from them events on LV-426, or Acheron. The organization goes without a name and doesnt officially exist. Not even Weyland-Yutani knew of their existence. The group was ordered to investigate the reports on the rim and return in a year with a full report. The report returned was alarming. The aliens somehow, were not exclusive to LV-426. It was very possible they either escaped or there was another source the infestation was originating from. That location had yet to be found. Colonies had vanished and several life specimens had been examined. Life specimens had yet to survive to reach a major laboratory. After the devastating fall of the Anchorpoint station on the UPP border, the CMC realized it had a major problem. The sub-division of the CMC was given a name (the Silver Twin) and sent back with an arsenal. No longer were they to retrieve information. Now they were to control the problem. Backlash was felt from the Corporations but CMCs newfound independence with rival corporates kept their power base stable. The CMC even managed to recover the lost Sulaco and finally managed to settle a party on LV-426, quarantined from the critical processor disaster years earlier. The Alien craft there was destroyed to prevent the technology from being recovered by approaching UPP forces. Several groups like Grant Corp funded research in the alien technology and even funded a trip to the Alien Proteus, a planet with the largest infestation and which could also be, the homeworld. (Alien: Genocide) Research into the aliens physiology uncovered a royal jelly secreted by queens that can turn humans into supermen, athletes, or homicidal warriors! Billionaire Daniel Grant wanted to get his hands on the purest form of the jelly, and headed a military expectation to this distant world inhabited by not one, but two separate hives, each at war with the other. Armed to the teeth with specially designed alienkilling battlesuits and ready for anything, even these well trained marines ended up getting caught in a barrage of blood and tactical nukes! To counteract the alien threat, several rival labs were set up to investigate their capabilities. Most are shut down by the ST because of bad conduct. One such incident was on the Inomminata run by Dr. Paul Church. His desire to understand and conquer the aliens was fueled by his own nightmare from long ago, during which he was trapped in an alien hive where the drones and queen were slowly rotting from an unknown disease that kept them from reproducing. He uncovered new information about the aliens (they die in captivity), and we witnessed the first alien autopsy. Unfortunately, it is uncovered he crossed the line in his experiments, and the future of his research was brought into question. (Alien-Labrynth) Not learning from their mistakes, another corporation attempted to open a laboratory on a planet with a known hive, thus not worrying about stock for experiments. This time, the real monsters are the humans, especially project leader Ernst Kleist, who ignored the extreme greed that ran through his staff. He concentrated on taming his children--the swarm of aliens that infested the bowels of the installation. But even as the body count rose and more and more people became victims of accidents in the bugridden lab, Kleist revealed a threat that will force every sentient being in the place, synthetic or note, to stand together: A king alien! And this monster was more twisted, lethal and voracious than any other xenomorph ever encountered The Silver Twin do benefit and are soon the only force against the infestation and start clearing out one hive after another, having more and more technology at their disposal. They realize that the aliens cannot be controlled and start shutting down all but the most needed of alien labs. Even some of the ones deemed controlled, like the station run by Casper Nordling turns do dust when corruption is revealed. Not even a super advanced station crewed only by synthetics (including the high priced alien-xenomorph synth and the anti-alien combat synth) with a sealed, self-enclosed hive could be controlled. The ST charter expands to complete extermination. Soon the CMC sub-division is directly opposing the corporations and their funding is cut. This doesnt stop their progress. They soon became the powerful anti-alien force around. Help from the UPP and Alexandria pushed back the infestationbut in the future, mans greatest enemy is still himself. Years after the initial encounter on LV-426, the population of Earth was plagued by nightmares, dreams and visions of the arrival of aliens on Earth. Stranger still, there were many people who wanted the aliens to arrive, and who formed a religious cult, sacrificing themselves as willing hosts to the facehuggers. The Earth was soon overrun with hives. Mankind witnessed a dying Earth, only to discover a third alien species: The advanced race that first brought the aliens to our Galaxy.

Earth was now utterly overrun with the bugs. A small band of survivors hid and hoped from help from abovein the skies. The fight continued. Gateway station soon became the home of the resistance. Most corporations crumbled. The CMC stood in the way of mankinds extinction and soon led a daring strike against the aliens from the orbiting platform, armed with information garnered from an envoy to the home planet of the aliens. Earths defenders faced a strain of even deadlier aliens that dwelled deep within the bowels of the hives. Planting a series of linked bombs at the largest hives, the CMC succeed in killing the queen and stemming the alien infestation, but the advanced race that brought the xenomorph to LV-426 seemed to have its own interest in planet Earth. As the CMC cleaned up the planet and mankind started to rebuild, an unstoppable alien monstrosity orbited. It soon started terraforming the planet for its own colonization. Somewhere in deep space, A fleet of these ships approached to inhabit this new world. Soon, man was drawn into a new fight. The CMC came across the species that created the aliens as well as cleaning up the mess they left for us. Our greatest fight was still yet to come

BACKGROUND
The National Security Act of 2101 established the Colonial Marines structures as four combat divisions and four aerospace wings, plus the support services organic to these formations. At present the Colonial Marine Corps strength stands at 165,000 Marines. Reserve manpower stands at around 50,000, comprising a fifth division and aerospace wing. The Colonial Marine Division is the basic ground element of the Marine Space Force. It is essentially a balanced force of combat, support and service elements. Organized around three infantry regiments, the division is especially designed to execute the orbital assault mission, and is capable of sustained surface operations. The Colonial Marine Aerospace Wing is the aerospace combat element of the Marine Space Force. Designed for aerospace support and the air mobility mission, the aerospace wing is essentially an administrative formation, since much of it's fighting strength is directly attached to the Colonial Marine division. Typically, a Marine aerospace wing operates some 300 dropships, 30 heavy-life shuttles and 100 strikeships. The challenge to Marine logisticians is immense; they must approach their missions with the same aggressive execution as the infantrymen in the assault. They have finite quantities of supplies at hand, yet have to operate a 'push mode' system, anticipating the needs of the forward units and moving loads to them even before they realize the need for it. Inevitably, this can lead to wastage when supplies are pushed forward to units who, for whatever reason, no longer need them; however, such waste is preferable to the disaster that can occur if supplies are not forwarded until after the need has arisen. Because, even in a 'hot' conflict, Colonial Marine units are often dispersed in small units across continental distances, the USCM logistic prime movers are the ubiquitous UD-4 Cheyenne dropship and the N-1 Snakefighter. In the field, the M570 all-terrain transport is the land based prime mover, with powerloaders often used on-site to offload cargoes.

UNITED STATES COLONIAL MARINE CORPS AEROSPACE WING COMMAND

The Colonial Marine Aerospace Wing is an administrative formation responsible for the operation of all aerospace craft within the Marine Space Force to which it is attached. Wing tasks include air superiority missions, reconnaissance, close air support, dedicated strike, forward supply, transport, casualty evacuation and search and rescue. Aerospace operations are also an integrated part of the standard Marine Infantry. A particular division is divided into three groups. Drop Groups ferry and

support invading Marine Infantry. Tactical group is tasked with recon, and attack missions. Finally, the Support Group is assigned CasEvac, search and rescue, psyops, special forces insertion, and like tasks. The major workhorse of the Colonial Marine Corps is the UD-4 'Cheyenne,' compromising a majority of all three groups.

COLONIAL MARINE ASSAULT UNIT

The building block of the Colonial Marine operating forces is the Marine Assault Unit, a reinforced battalion combat team designed to operate independently in areas of deep space, far from reinforcement or logistical support. The key to the MAU is it's mobility and flexibility; an MAU incorporates it's own dedicated starlift capacity, capable of deploying the entire unit swiftly to any trouble-spot planet. This starlift capacity, which varies in size according to the mission, is tasked to supply logistics for a minimum of 30 days of ground combat operations. USASF fleet units are usually attached to the MAU to perform space control, reconnaissance and orbital bombing missions. The line strength of an MAU is formed from two to four line infantry companies. An aerospace Drop Group and some Attack Group elements accompany the infantry complement. Each line company will usually incorporate support assets which may be attached down to the line platoons, including additional UA-571 remote sentries, M402 multiple-launch fire support mortars, HIMAT anti-tank missiles and the SIM-118 Hornet and LIM-417 Phalanx Surface-toAir Missile systems. If sufficient starlift capacity is available, an armor company of fourteen tanks may be attached to the MAU's line strength. The MAU is commanded by a headquarters platoon that co-ordinates the command, communication, intelligence and logistics functions of the unit. Attached to headquarters are a number of non-combat subunits, including a logistics platoon, maintenance company and medical unit. Additional combat sub-units include a reconnaissance platoon, scout-sniper squad, combat engineering platoon and a heavy ordnance company which provides the battalion's heavy fire support and artillery guns, M201 multiple launch rockets, HIM-122 Lancer anti-ballistic missile systems and HIM-78 Sprint ground launched space weapons.

COLONIAL MARINE LOGISTICS

The challenge to Marine logisticians is immense; they must approach their missions with the same aggressive execution as the infantrymen in the assault. They have finite quantities of supplies at hand, yet have to operate a 'push mode' system, anticipating the needs of the forward units and moving loads to them even before they realize the need for it. Inevitably, this can lead to wastage when supplies are pushed forward to units who, for whatever reason, no longer need them; however, such waste is preferable to the disaster that can occur if supplies are not forwarded until after the need has arisen. Because, even in a 'hot' conflict, Colonial Marine units are often dispersed in small units across continental distances, the USCM logistic prime movers are the ubiquitous UD-4 Cheyenne dropship and the CS-14 Briareos heavy lift shuttle. In the field, the M570 all-terrain transport is the land based prime mover, with powerloaders often used on-site to offload cargoes.

COLONIAL MARINE CORPS INFANTRY

USCM doctrine stresses the need for small, autonomous infantry units capable of operating with or without higher level support on the non-linear battlefield. Given the fluid nature of battle at the small-unit level, the rifle unit must be capable of moving great distances rapidly using it's own transport, must carry its won heavy support weapons and sensors, and be able to apply great concentrations of firepower rapidly. The current organization of the Colonial Marine rifle squad and platoon reflect the ultimate development of this doctrine. A rifle squad consists of four Marines, including a Corporal, a Lance Corporal, and two Privates / Privates First Class. Each squad divides into two-man fireteams: the Rifle Team and Gun Team. The Rifle team consists of a pair of riflemen assigned together on the 'buddy' system, both equipped with the M41 pulse-rifle. The Gun Team is made up of rifleman with an M41 and a machine gunner carrying the automatic M56 Smart Gun.

Two squads, led by a Sergeant and riding with a driver in an M577 Armored Personnel Carrier, make up a section. In a drop operation, a UD-4 dropship is attached to the section from the aerospace company team. Two sections, led by a lieutenant, form a rifle platoon, for a total paper strength of 25 Marines including the APC and dropship crews - though in practice this is often less. Platoons commonly carry one or two synthetic humans in a technical or scientific advisory role, and to assist as medics or backup drivers/pilots. Organic support weaponry available to the platoon usually includes eight M240 flamethrowers, eight UA-571 remote sentry guns, two M78 PIG phased plasma guns or M5 rocketpropelled grenade launchers, eighteen M83 SADAR anti-tank smart rockets, and a single M402 multiplelaunch fire-support mortars. Sufficient sensor equipment to establish an overlapping detection matrix with a frontage of 1,000 meters is also carried.

RANKS
You must achieve a certain Reputation...then be endorsed by a higher-ranking official (at least two ranks higher. PCs will never meet some positions, but they are all listed so that everyone knows where they stand in the food chain: Listed from low to high:

RANK
ENLISTED

REPUTATION RECQUIRED
0 4 4 8 15 10 10 10 10

Private (Aeroman)* Private 1st Class (Aeroman)* Lance Corporal (Aeroman First Class)*

NON COMMISIONED
Corporal (Senior Aeroman)* Sergeant Staff Sergeant Gunnery Sergeant First Sergeant Sergeant Major

COMMISIONED
Second Lieutenant 32 First Lieutenant 12 Captain 12 Major 40 Lieutenant Colonel 15 Colonel 15 Brigadier General N/A Major General N/A Lieutenant General N/A General N/A Admiral N/A This is not a cost value. When your reputation reaches this number, you are eligible. To get the rank, you must be sponsored by either another character three ranks higher or by a NPC of higher rank. It is GM's discretion depending on if the PC has gotten someones attention. The Character will continue to earn Reputation but the GM should have a very good reason if the requirement for promotion is half than the PCs current reputation. When the new rank is achieved, the Reputation is set to zero (Remember your MEMBERSHIP in the CMC increases as ranks get highersee Character Generation) and the PC must start earning again.

Remember than if a Career Non-Com want to pursue a Commissioned rank, he/she bust be busted downall reputation is lost when this happens. GMs can award Reputation points for acts of bravery or for volunteering for hazardous duty. Most rewards should hover around 2 to 5 for REALLY amazing acts of loyalty or bravery. You CANNOT trade Reputation for OP but you can trade OP for reputation on a 1:1 basis. After each adventure, the GM should award REPUTATION. The average should be 1 or 2or even 0. Not every fight needs an award. Some secret missions are so black-bordered that it doesnt technically exist. No credit can be awards. Also, the GM is more than allowed to award or even points for small advances. Single sortie missions arent much but can add up after a while.

COMMENDATIONS

LISTS:
Navy Cross: This is the highest Medal that can be awarded by the Department of the Navy / Headquarters Marine Corps. To get a Navy Cross, essentially you must do something, during a war, that is recognized as a completely selfless and life threatening act. It must involve saving others as well. This should be SUPREME heroism on the level with the Congressional Medal of Honor. The difference between the Cross and the CMH is purely political. Most crosses are awarded posthumously. Defense Distinguished Service Medal: A medal awarded to individuals that preform above and beyond the call of duty in a defensive position, rather than an offensive one. Silver Star: Extreme heroism. One notch below the Cross. The Silver Star is still a very rare and highly regarded medal. Bishop (do synthetics get medals?) could have been nominated for a Silver Star for crawling out to the uplink and bringing in the other drop ship. Defense Superior Service Medal: Similar to the DDSM but of higher importance.

The Medal of Honor: See the Navy Cross. The CMH is the highest medal awarded in the CMC. A medal of honor winner is accorded courtesies normally reserved for Generals. Everyone must salute a CMH winner, regardless of rank. The Commandant of the Marine Corps (4 Star) would salute a Private if he somehow managed to win the CMH. Normally takes years to be awarded. The Medal of Honor (Congressional) is the highest decoration conferred by the Marines. The Medal is awarded for gallantry and intrepidity in combat, for risk of life, and/or performance above and beyond the call of duty (a) while engaged in actions against hostile forces; (b) while engaged in military operations involving conflict with opposing foreign force; or (c) while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in high the U S. 's not a belligerent. (d) To justify an individual receiving this award, an individual must conspicuously and undeniably render behavior above comrades by acts so outstanding that it clearly distinguishes gallantry above and beyond the "call". The act will be recognized above lesser forms of bravery the type of deed for which there will be no justified criticism without detriment to the mission or the command. Legion of Merit: This is much lower than the stars. A legion of merit can be awarded in peacetime for a job well done. Therefore a Legion of Merit won in combat is distinguished by a combat "V". The Legion of Merit might be awarded a Gunny at the end of a 13 month tour in for performance exceeding the normal. Distinguished Flying Cross: The DFC is essentially a silver or bronze star awarded to pilots. Involves combat heroism involving aviation. Bronze Star Medal: The lowest of the combat heroism medals, this is still a significant achievement. Vazquez would rate a Bronze Star for her coolness under fire in Aliens. The Bronze star is often awarded for a less specific action. If she had managed to cut off the alien advance when she squeezed the grenade, that specific act would have elevated her to possible Cross level and certainly Silver Star level. As it was she probably would have gotten the Silver Star, had anyone survived to nominate her! Purple Heart: Anyone wounded in any way in a combat environment is eligible for the purple heart. One embarrassed Ranger was awarded the purple heart when he broke a leg jumping out of a slick too soon during the initial moments of the Panama invasion of '89. Never saw the enemy, but he wears the heart. Joint Service Achievement Medal: The medal is for exceptional results and process improvements to your Department. It is not uncommon for officers and senior enlisted to be awarded a JSA upon completing a tour of duty. More junior enlisted will more often get it for a specific accomplishment. Prisoner of War: If you get captured and survive, you get the POW medal. Marine Good Conduct Medal: Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal recognizes enlisted men and women who have served with good behavior and have provided faithful service in the Corps for a period of three years, and is gained when (a) there are no convictions by court-martial; not more than one nonjudicial punishment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Article 15; and no lost time by reason of sickness-misconduct or injury-misconduct. (b) a second nonjudicial punishment or court-martial which voided creditability of "good" service has been removed by meeting an approved new good conduct period. date for the good conduct period. (c) a confinement as a result of conviction by court-martial has ended, and a new period has begun with the date of restoration to duty, even though in a probationary status. (d) When the foregoing requirements have been met but it is evident that the individual is not deserving of the Good Conduct Award due to events which preclude receipt, such as: repeated record of letters of valid indebtedness; conviction by civil court for major offense(s); and/or other acts which are not in keeping with the high moral standards required of all Marines, it is required that the commanding officer make appropriate recommendations, with justifications, to the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Marine Expeditionary Medal: Complete 90 days service in the Fleet Marine Force during a qualifying mission, you get the expeditionary medal. Humanitarian Service Medal: Perform non-combat humanitarian service, you get this one. Outstanding Volunteer Medal: Like humanitarian service but for volunteer work. Defense Meritorious Service Medal: Usually an end of career medal awarded at your retirement. Sometimes awarded after 20+ years of continued service... Meritorious Service medal: Ditto, slightly lower than the DMS... Joint Service Comm Medal: See JSA. The JSC would be one level higher.

Marine Commendation Medal: Same as a JSC National Defense Service Medal: Be on active duty during a war! Awarded to everyone on active duty during wartime. Medal For Humane Action: See humanitarian service medal. Colonial Defense Service Medal: See national defense service medal. Organized Marine Reserve Medal: See national defense service medal, awarded for being in the organized reserves during a war...

BACKGROUND:
Marine Corps awards fall into three classes: personal and unit decorations; commemorative, campaign, and service medals; and marksmanship badges and trophies. Personal and unit decorations a) Personal awards are conferred upon the individual for his or her act of heroism, specific act of gallantry, or for meritorious service during military or non military feats. b) Campaign or service medals are issued to "all hands" who take part in particular campaigns or periods of service for which a medal is authorized. In addition to campaign and service medals, certain commemorative medals have been struck to commemorate noncombatant but noteworthy achievements such as polar and arctic expeditions or pioneer space flights. Marksmanship Badges and Trophies Badges are awarded to individuals who qualify because they have demonstrated some special proficiency or skill. Marksmanship badges are worn to indicate the individual's prowess with specific weapon(s), pistols and/or rifles, during specified competitions, matches, or practice exercises. The trophies are awarded at the various levels to include: United States and international distinguished shooter competitions, Marine Corps rifle and pistol championships, national trophies for rifle and pistol matches, interservice rifle and pistol matches, regional practices, combat exercises, division and inter-division contests. Each Medal can be accompanied by one or several points of Reputation.

ARMS AND MISSIONS OF THE CMC

RAPID DEPLOYMENT PARASITE ELIMINATION PLATOON (RDPEP)
Most Marine force is maintained below effective Domination Kill Power, and Marines simply improvise, overcome and adapt to the battle conditions. The exception is RDPE Platoon of Echo Company. The RDPEP is maintained at 500% Domination Kill Power, and contains an active Bio-Weapons lab onboard their ship. The RDPEP is dispatched in response to dangerous extraterrestrial activity, from three story tall lizards to microorganisms and viruses. The most recently founded branch of the Marines, they maintain the best equipment and personnel. The RDPEP is currently investigating the disappearance of the Sulaco, on a recon mission to LV-426. The RDPE Platoon 'Bug Hunters' are the most notorious active war unit in the universe. They are tasked with eliminating hostile alien life forms. Officially commissioned seven years ago, the RDPEP is composed of the best Marines the Corps has, with one requirement. Before a soldier can apply to join the RDPEP, they must have extraterrestrial combat experience. Enrollment in the RDPEP is strictly voluntary, while officers must apply and be elected by the Federal Council of War. The RDPEP is a Rapid Deployment Parasite Elimination Platoon, the only one in existence. The 'Bug Hunters' are called into duty for numerous situations involving extraterrestrial parasites that threaten colonists. From virus epidemics to reptilian infestations. The Bug Hunters raise hell on any battlefield they grace. Wild and reckless, the RDPEP is the most decelerated and penalized platoon in the Corps. They have the only recorded air to air collision of the UD-4 during a planetary drop, due to

their ongoing disregard to regulations against dual 'pipe race' drops. The 409th has also never left the remains of a soldier behind. They are one of two platoons ever to recover a Marine's body from the GZ of a thermonuclear detonation. TEAM SIZE: The crew totals 30: 4 pilots, 2 drivers, 16 infantry, 2 Sergeants, a weapons officer, 4 bio-weapons specialists, and a commanding officer. The Deterrent has 3 UD-4 gunships, and a AD-17A strikeship. SHIP TYPE: Stationed aboard the USS 'Deterrent', the Bug Hunters control the only ship with an active bio-weapons lab. The crew totals 30: 4 pilots, 2 drivers, 16 infantry, 2 Sergeants, a weapons officer, 4 bio-weapons specialists, and a commanding officer. The Deterrent has 3 UD-4 gunships, and a AD-17A strikeship.

CONSPIRACY LEVEL:
3--Only the USS Deterrant 4Three more additional ships 5More than 15 ships. By 5.5, half the CMC is dedicated to Parasite control. ADVENTURE TYPES: Lots of variety. Almost every type is available. The RDPEP is sent in first in TL3 and 4 whenever an Alien presence is detected.

THE BESERKER TEAMS

Beserker teams appeared when the Alien threat needed a fast solution to the increasing infestation of the Outer Veil Colonies. The losses of Standard Marine Battalions were increasing. Casualties ran into the thousands. When some tech in the R&D of the CMC came up with a powered armor, the answer seemed clear. The immediate problem was the lack of acid resistant armor (which was still a rarity). A further problem occurred when the suits designed appeared uncontrollable. Then costs went up so the initial design was scrapped and the Beserker was born (Of course, the flaws were redefined and the Racks were created). The teams would be small: One ship and one small crew designed only for extermination, not for experimentation: One Beserker and a Technician, one Doctor , one Point man, At least two Heavy Gunners and a Team Leader are standard. The Beserker team is only used for the purpose of eliminating the Hive corethe Queen. The Mission profile is almost always as follows: 1: A Nuclear Failsafe Mine is armed outside the Hive for a preset time. If the Beserker team fails in its mission, the Mine will finish the job. Only the Beserker Team can arm or disarm the weapon. 2: The Heavy Gunners clear out the perimeter to make room for the Point Man. Heavy Gunners are always equipped with the heaviest weapons from the TL available. 3: The Beserker suit is prepped and secured with its personal technician in tow. 4: The Point man infiltrates the Hive. There he/she allows himself/herself to be captured and taken into the Hive. Point Men are equipped with weapons only to eliminate border aliens and facehuggers roaming around. When the aliens come in force, he/she is trained to go docile and allow to be captured. Point Men MUST have WILL of at least 8 to keep his/her cool. The Point Man is equipped with a special Head guard that prevents embryo implantation by a Facehugger. The PD of the mouth guard is 40 and, at TL5, is equipped with NutraGel. This gives almost a full ten minutes after the facehugger has attached before it fully takes over the host. The Point Man also carries a high powered transmitter with a 100 km range only used by the Beserker Unit.. 5: The Beserker is activated and let loose. It goes straight into the hive, through walls and all defenses, until it homes in on the transmitter, which is always very near the Queen. The Queen is immediately killed. The Beserkers weapons automatically shutoff 3 meters from the Beacon (the Point

Man). The Suit remains on until the alien infestation is reduced to only a few stragglers. The unit is then flushed and shut down. 6: The Heavy Gunners move in and eliminate the stragglers. The Eggs are flamed and the Point Man is released. 7: The hive is abandoned to await the PXL and / or the ERT to remove the Hive and restore the location to its old status. 8: The Beserker team moves to the next Hive. TEAM SIZE: Seven--One Beserker and a Technician, one Doctor , one Point man, at least two Heavy Gunners and a Team Leader SHIP TYPE: One Bougainville Class Frigate. No Fighters, TSAPC is Standard.

CONSPIRACY LEVEL:
4Only a few teams. 5More than 10 are in operation. ADVENTURE TYPES: Mostly extermination missions. GMs can consider the Character taking a Beserker tour (ten sweeps) for some added action. NOTES: The Beserker is not a PC is should be GM controlled. There are lots of character stories that can run parallel with the Beserker missions but if the game centers on these very linear battle, the game can get tiring quickly. It is up to the GM to make it interesting.

PLANETARY XENOBIOLOGY SURVEY (PXS)

The First appearance of the PXS is surprisingly early on. Weyland Yutani operated their own funded teams but their selfishness of the information resulted in almost every coprasti0on and group creating their own version of the PXS. For the CMC, the PXS dates back even before the Xenomorphs appeared, being sent in to investigate possible infections by hostile organisms. However, the difference between the PXS and the RDPEP is that the PXS crew is mostly science, with the military only playing a supporting role in the operation of the mission. The PXS ships are comprised of 50% laboratories and 50% Defense. The commander is often a military scientist. The Marines dedicated to armed services usually knock heads with the sciences division. They usually end up complying with their scientific priorities. PXS teams do not exterminate hives wholly but often ride in with the assault teams as the R&D arm of a strike force. They are the first to use the Xenomorph Synthetics when mass-produced (See Synthetics) and use them with other units to infiltrate Hives to study them. They are the first team in after a Beserker cleaned up an infected area. TEAM SIZE: 50% are various scientists (mostly xenobiologists). Instead of the standard one synthetic per ship, PXS craft can have up to ten. Total crew per ship can be up to forty. SHIP TYPE: Usually one ship, a Conestoga or a Bougainville. Full crew compliment. CONSPIRACY LEVEL: CL1 and up. ADVENUTRE TYPES: These are great starting missions and PC put pieces together about the alien mythos but fighting is down. These adventures usually throw a handful of aliens but no major infestations. If running a full campaign, CL to CL, it is a good idea for the PCs to start here.

MARINES SPACE FORCE:

Basically these are the main strike forces of the CMC. Usually, sent in numbers, the MSF provide the brunt punch in planetary bombardments. They send Dropships planetside in the hundreds. Most frigates carry a full payload in troops. No scientific cargo. Each Battle Fleet is led by a Major, Colonel, or Captain. A Battalion is usually led by a General. These flanks of weaponry and troops dont often get called in to fight Aliens and only start migrating into that field in CL5. A MSF often breaks up into its individual battle groups and sent off on smaller duties. An MSF patrols the hostile borders of Alexandria and the UPP. The force includes every type of technology in the CMC--Battlecruisers, fighters, dropships, and armor are all carried on board. Marine Space Force, Sol 1st Colonial Marine Division 1st Marine Aerospace Wing 1st Marine Brigade 2nd Marine Aerospace Wing 2nd Marine Brigade 2nd Colonial Support Group 3rd Marine Brigade Marine Space Force, Eridani 3rd Colonial Marine Division 3rd Marine Aerospace Wing Marine Space Force, Herculis 4th Colonial Marine Division 4th Marine Brigade 4th Marine Aerospace Wing 1st Colonial Support Group TEAM SIZE: 3-12 battleships in a combat group flanked by at least one Reliant Cargo Hauler per Frigate. Up to 12-24 Combat Groups in a brigade. SHIP TYPE: Various. CONSPIRACY LEVEL: CL 1 and up. ADVENUTRE TYPES: Large scale warfare. At CL5, The MSK were dedicated to exterminating the alien threat as they approached Earth. If the GM wishes to start a full-scale war, this is where the fight is, on these huge massive fleets roaming across the universe.

ERT (EMERGENCY RESCUE TEAM)

ERT teams are exclusive to the CMC. Their charter expands beyond the normal requirements for a basic marine corps. They are needed to meet the demands of the colonies they serve. This expands beyond the need to protect their borders. Often, the CMC is called in for rescue duty, usually because they have the fastest ships with the longest range. To combat these demands, the ERT was formed. They are sent in to rescue people from a variety of conditions. TEAM SIZE: Any. SHIP TYPE: Usually one ship. Conestoga usually. CONSPIRACY LEVEL: CL1 ADVENUTRE TYPES: Any type of rescue mission. A good way to add variety to a campaign by sprinkling in some Non-Alien action.

BIOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT CONTROL

BMC teams are generically planet based. These jobs are high pay and high risk. Marines, usually with spotty records, are sent, funded by corporations to monitor and control Hive infestations. Thats right. Monitor and Control. Many corporations including GrantCorp, ZCT, and Weyland Yutani start to operate their own Hives for the purposes of experimentation. They offered large amounts money for the need of control. It wasnt until CL 5.5 that the CMC shut down these operations.

However, the need to study the alien resulted in these necessary evils. The CMC offered their assistance for many reasons 1: Management. This prevented the corporation from illegal use of the aliens for purposes other than research. 2: Control. Only a dominant CMC presence can prevent the aliens for overrunning their keepers. TEAM SIZE: At least 30 troops. Usually equipped with heavy armor but no major offensive weaponry. Tazer Webs are standard. SHIP TYPE: NoneGround based. CONSPIRACY LEVEL: CL4 to CL 5 ADVENUTRE TYPES: The GM can consider giving the PCs a tour on a Corporation run Hive. Of course, after a while, something goes wrong. The Corporation head at the lab (Ernst Kleist, I presume) can turn on the CMC or the Aliens may run, out of control

RECOVERY AND SALVEAGE

A horrible duty. No one wants, but it is inevitable The Aliens have overrun our words. Oronas bombs have wiped out the major hives. The CMC travels Earthside to walk among the ruins, searching for survivors and straggling aliens. There are still more than 30 hives operating on Earth by the end of CL 5.5. Cleanup crews work day and night. Beserker teams are not used because of the Nuclear Failsafe device considered standard equipment with those teams. The CMC, when landing, usually scouts for survivors, check for infestations, eliminate every alien presence, then do a standard body count. The latter occupies most of the mission. Hives are burnt to the ground. Large fleets of fighters and dropships hover above the planet, strafing large areas of jungle, city, and desert in an effort to stop the alien threat. The major casualties in this business come from demoralized troops who refuse to go to planet side. Most troops that venture on planet usually need a high humanity or the gruesome effects of the Earth War might get the best of them. TEAM SIZE: Various. Ground teams or large volleys of dropships. SHIP TYPE: Dropships, Snakefighters. CONSPIRACY LEVEL: CL6 ADVENUTRE TYPES: Your typical apocalyptic tale as the CMC tries to rebuilt humanity after the Alien threat

MILITARY JUSTICE
A. UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE
A code that applies to all members of the uniformed services. 1. Its purpose is to ensure order and to provide a means of adjudicating infractions of the law. 2. The obedience to military law is the responsibility of every Marine.

B. PUNITIVE ARTICLE
The following list contains the descriptive title and general provisions of selected punitive articles of the UCMJ. 1. ARTICLE 86 -- Absent without leave. Any Marine who, without authority a) fails to go to hit appointed place of duty at the time prescribed; b) goes from that place or c) absents himself or remains absent from his unit, organization or place of duty at which he is required to be at the time prescribed shall be punished as his commanding officer or a courtmattial may direct. 2. ARTICLE 89 -- Disrespect toward a superior commissioned officer. Any Marine, who behaves with disrespect toward his superior commissioned officer, shall be punished as his commanding officer or a court-martial may direct

3. ARTICLE 90 -- Assault on or willfully disobey a superior commissioned officer. Any Marine, who a) strikes his superior commissioned office b) draws or lifts up any weapon against his superior commissioned officer c) offers any violence against his superior commissioned officer. or d) willfully disobeys a lawful command of his superior commissioned officer while that superior commissioned officer is in the execution of his office, shall be punished as his commanding officer or a court-martial may direct. If the offense is committed in time of war, a court-martial may direct that the Marine be punished by death. 4. ARTICLE 91 -- Insubordinate conduct toward a warrant officer, noncommissioned officer, or petty of ricer. Any Marine, who a) strikes or assaults b) willfully disobeys; or c) in language or deportment toward a warrant officers noncommissioned officer, or petty officer while that officer is in the execution of his office, shall be punished as his commanding officer or court-martial may direct 5. ARTICLE 121 -- Larceny and wrongful appropriation Any Marine who wrongfully take, obtains, or withholds (by any means) any money, personal property. or article of value of any kind a) with intent permanently to deprive or defraud another person of the use and benefit of property or to appropriate it to his own use or the use of any person other than the owner, steals that property is guilty of larceny; or b) with intent temporarily to deprive or defraud another person of the use and benefit of property or to appropriate it to his own use or the use of any person other than the owner is guilty of wrongful appropriation shall be punished as his commanding officer or a court-martial may direct. 6. ARTICLE 128 -- Assault. Any Marine, who a) attempts or offers with unlawful force or violence to do bodily harm to another person, whether or not the attempt or offer is consummated, is guilty of simple assault; b) commits an assault with a dangerous weapon or other means or force likely to produce death or grievous bodily harm is guilty of assault consummated by battery; or c) commits assault and intentionally inflicts grievous bodily harm with or without a weapon, is guilty of aggravated assault; and shall he punished as his commanding officer or court-martial may direct 7. ARTICLE 134 -- General article. Any Marine, who become involved in a) all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces, b) all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces, or c) crimes and offenses not capital, shall be punished as their commanding officer or a court-martial may direct

C. FORMS OF PUNISHMENT
The following are the forms of punishment which may be imposed for violations the of the UCMJ. All forms of punishment are subject to restrictions specified in the UCMJ. The UCMJ provides limitations of sentences based on the nature of the crime, the form of adjudication (nonjudicial punishment or courtmartial), and the position/rank of the individual assigning the punishment or the type of court-martial which convicted the Marine. 1. REPRIMAND. The convening authority of a court-martial or a commanding officer may punish a Marine by censure. A reprimand is a severe form of censure that adversely reflects upon the conduct of the person addressed. A reprimand my be presented either orally or in writing; however, it is normally delivered in the written form. 2. FORFEITURE OF PAY AND ALLOWANCES. A forfeiture deprives the individual accused, of all or specific amount, of money to be accrued (earned in the future) as a result of service in the armed forces of the United States. 3. FINE. A fine makes the accused immediately liable to the United States for the entire amount of money specified in the sentence. A fine may only be adjudged by a court-martial, and it may be adjudged instead of or in addition to a forfeiture. However, a fine is normally used only as a sentence in cases when the accused has been unjustly enriched as a result of the offense convicted. 4. LOSS OF NUMBERS, lineal position, or seniority. This form of punishment is reserved for commissioned officers only. 5. REDUCTION IN PAY GRADE. A reduction in pay grade causes the accused to be of the rank and pay grade to which reduced. 6. RESTRICTION TO SPECIFIC LIMITS. Restriction deprives the accused of normal liberty privileges. The sentence will specify the physical and geographic locations in which the individual is

allowed, how long the restriction shall last, and when that individual must be present at specific locations. A Marine who is being punished by restriction is not exempt from performing normal duty requirements. 7. HARD LABOR WITHOUT CONFINEMENT. The hard labor is performed in addition to regular duties. 8. CONFINEMENT. Confinement deprives the Marine sentenced of normal liberty privileges and is a form of physical restraint which provides for the assignment of quarters at a specific location - usually a correctional facility. Additionally, unless specified in the sentencing, the performance of hard labor is also required. 9. CONFINEMENT ON BREAD AND WATER OR DIMINISHED RATIONS. This form of physical restraint is confinement to specific quarters (normally the ship's brig) while enduring a specific reduction of rations (normally bread and water only). This form of confinement may only be assigned while the Marine sentenced is embarked aboard Naval vessel and may not exceed 3 days. 10. PUNITIVE SEPARATION. This form of punishment results in the convicted Marine being removed from the service and given either a dishonorable or bad-conduct discharge. 11. DEATH.

D. COURTS-MARTIAL
The three types of courts-martial are summary, special, and general. The differences among the three types of courts-martial are based on their composition, level of authority, and severity of punishments authorized. 1. A summary court-martial is composed of one officer with the rank of Captain or higher. a) The lowest level of authority to convene a summary court-martial is normally a battalion commander or the equivalent; however, under special circumstances, a commanding officer of a separate or detached command may be granted the authority by his superiors. b) A summary court-martial may adjudge any punishment not forbidden by the UCMJ, except death dismissal, dishonorable. discharge bad-without confinement for more than 45 days, restriction for more than 2 months, or forfeiture of more than I months pay. In the case of sergeants and above, a summary court-martial may not award a reduction of rank of more than one rank, hard labor without confinement, or confinement. c) A summary court-martial may not try a commissioned officer, warrant officer, cadets, midshipmen for any capital offenses. However, no Marine can be compelled to accept a summary court-martial. Since a summary court-martial is less formal than the other two types of courts, a Marine may refuse to accept trial by summary court-martial and may request a special court-martial. However, he should be aware that conviction by a special or general court-martial constitutes a felony conviction. 2. A special court-martial can be composed of a military judge alone, not more than three impartial active duty armed service personnel, or a military judge and not more than three armed services personnel. The impartial personnel; can be commissioned officers, warrant officers, or enlisted personnel. If the accused is a commissioned officer, no member can be a warrant officer or enlisted person. If the accused is a warrant officer, no member can be an enlisted person. If the accused is an enlisted person, he may request that at least one third of the members of the court be enlisted. a) The lowest level of authority to convene a special court-martial is normally a brigade or regimental commander or the equivalent. However, under special circumstances, a commanding officer of a separate or detached battalion may be granted the authority by his superiors. b) A special court-martial may adjudge any punishment not forbidden by the UCMJ, except death, dismissal, dishonorable discharge, confinement for more than 6 months, hard labor without confinement for more than 3 months, or forfeiture of more than two-thirds pay for more than 6 months. c) Normally, a special court-martial may not try any capital offense where there is a mandatory punishment beyond the maximum punitive power of a special court-martial. 3. A general court-martial can be composed of a military judge alone or a military judge and not more than five impartial armed services personnel. The impartial personnel can be commissioned officers, warrant officers, or enlisted personnel. Of the accused is a commissioned officer, no member can be a warrant officer or enlisted person. If the accused is a warrant officer, no member can be an enlisted person. If the accused is an enlisted person, he may request that at least one third of the members of the court be enlisted. a) The lowest level of authority to convene a general court-martial is normally a division, wing, or base commanding general, or the equivalent. However, under special circumstances, a commanding officer of a separate or detached unit may be granted the authority by his superiors. b) A general court-martial may adjudge any punishment not forbidden by the UCMJ.

E. RIGHTS
The rights of the accused before judicial and nonjudicial proceedings are based on the laws of this country and specified in the UCMJ. 1. Your rights before judicial proceedings include but are not limited to: being considered innocent until proven guilty, a) being considered innocent until proven guilty, b) remaining silent and to being informed that if you do make a statement it can be used against you in a court-martial, c) being represented by a lawyer, d) being protected from double jeopardy, e) calling witnesses on your behalf, f) having your sentence reviewed, g) having a speedy trial, h) being informed of all charges against you, i) having the assistance of an interpreter, j) protection against illegal searches and seizures, k) challenging members of the court, l) having enlisted representation on special and general courts-martial, m) being tried by a military judge, and n) being tried by court-martial vice nonjudicial punishment 2. Your rights before nonjudicial proceedings include but are not limited to: a) appearing before all boards and fact-finding bodies: b) examining, objecting to, and challenging She introduction of all physical and documentary evidence; c) examining, cross-examining, and challenging the testimony of all witnesses; d) introducing evidence on your behalf; e) testifying on your behalf; and f) making a voluntary statement for the official records.

F. REQUEST MAST
You can use this procedure to discuss any matter with your commanding officer in your chain of command. The procedures are designed to allow for timely and appropriate responses to your request. If you are following the proper procedures for requesting mast, no one may prohibit you from speaking with your commanding officer at the proper time and place. This includes any commanding general who is located in the same geographic area as you. 1. The procedural points for request mast below the commanding general level are contained in the following a) You may submit your request at the lowest echelon and have it forwarded via the chain of command to the commander with whom you wish to speak. c) You do not have to state the matter of concern, either orally or in writing;. to anyone in the chain of command until you have reached the officer to whom you originally requested mast. c) You should not have to wait more than 24 hours between levels of the chain of command whenever possible. d) You may request mast without fear of prejudice to your interest. e) Upon completion of request mast, you must make a written statement regarding the degree of satisfaction you had with the outcome of your request. f) If your request mast to a higher commander is resolved by a lower commander. you must make a written, witnessed statement indicating the degree of satisfaction you have had and your willingness to withdraw the request to higher authority. g) Your request mast will be conducted at the earliest reasonable time and not later than 72 hours after submission whenever possible. If your request is of an emergency nature, it should be heard within 24 hours if at all possible. 2. The additional procedural points for request mast with your commanding general are contained in the following a) You must prepare a complete written, statement indicating the reasons for the request mast. It must include a list of witnesses with a summary of the expected testimony of each. b) You must, if applicable, attach any documents that support your request. c) Your statement must also include a list of persons in your chain of command that you have already seen and any action that they have taken.

G. JUDICIAL PUNISHMENT
The purpose of nonjudicial punishment is to provide an essential and prompt news of maintaining good order and discipline to your unit's commanding officer. It also promotes positive behavior changes in Marines without the stigma of a court-martiat conviction. 1. If you are the accused Marine, you have the option of either demanding trial by court-martiat or accepting nonjudicial punishment. 2. Once your commanding officer has passed judgment and sentenced you, if you feel that the punishment awarded to you is unjust or disproportionate to the offense, you may appeal all or part of your sentence to the next higher authority. He may set aside, decrease, suspend, or let stand any portion or all of the original sentence. However, he cannot in any way increase the original sentence.

H. DISCHARGES
As a Marine, you may be given one of five different discharges. The type of discharge you are awarded is based on the method by which it is awarded and the character of your service. TYPE OF DISCHARGE Honorable General, under honorable conditions General, under conditions Bad-conduct Dishonorable other then honorable CHARACTER SERVICE Honorable Honorable Other than honorable Other than honorable Dishonorable OF METHOD OF AWARD Administrative Administrative Administrative General or special courtmartial General court-martial

1. To receive a dishonorable discharge. a Marine must be convicted by a general court-martial of an offense of a dishonorable nature. These are offenses generally recognized by the civilian courts as being serious felonies. However, a Marine may also be awarded a dishonorable discharge if he his been convicted by court-martial of three or more offenses in the last year, regardless of whether any of the charges were severe enough to result in a dishonorable discharge by themselves. 2. For a Marine to receive a bad-conduct discharge, he must have been convicted by a general or special court-martial of an offense under the UCMJ which was serious enough to warrant this form of discharge. A Marine may also receive a bad-conduct discharge from a court-martial for a minor offense W he has previously been found guilty of repeated offenses in a combination of judicial and nonjudicial proceedings. Additionally, a Marine may be awarded a bad conduct discharge if he has been convicted by court-martial of two or more offenses in the past 3 years even if none of the previous or current charges are severe enough to warrant such a discharge. 3. A Marine may receive a general discharge under other than honorable conditions if his service has been characterized by conduct that was a significant departure from the conduct expected of a Marine. This usually involves illegal acts or comission of acts that are characterized by violence that result in serious bodily injury, breech of special trust, disregard for the normal superior-subordinate relationship, drug abuse or trafficking, or endangering the security of the Marine Corps. Under these conditions, the discharge is awarded in lieu of court-martial. 4. A Marine may receive a general discharge under honorable conditions if his service was characterized by significant negative aspects reflected in his performance or conduct. This type of discharge is normally awarded to Marines whose average proficiency or conduct marks fall below 3.0 or 4.0 respectively.

I. LAW OF WAR
Discipline in combat is essential. Disobedience to the law of war dishonors the Nation, the Marine Corps, and the individual Marine, and far from weakening the enemy's will to fight, it strengthens it. The following principles require the Marine's adherence in the accomplishment of any mission. Violations have an adverse impact on public opinion both national and international and have on occasion served to prolong conflict by inciting an opponent to continue resistance and in most cases constitute violations of the UCMJ. Violations of these principles prejudice the good order and discipline essential to success in combat.

1. Marines fight only enemy combatants. 2. Marines do not harm enemies who surrender. They must disarm them and turn them over to their superior. 3. Marines do not kill or torture prisoners. 4. Marines collect and care for the wounded, whether friend or foe. 5. Marines do not attack medical personnel, facilities, or equipment. 6. Marines destroy no more than the mission requires. 7. Marines treat all civilians humanely. 8. Marines do not steal. Marines respect private property and possessions. 9. Marines should do their best to prevent violations of the law of war. They must report all violations of the law of war to their superior.

SEA SERVICE TERMINOLOGY FOR MARINES

Many Corps customs are derived from the many years of service afloat. Even ashore Marines customarily use nautical terms. Floors are "decks," walls are "bulkheads," ceilings are "overheads," ands corridors are "passageways". The order "Gangway" is used to clear the way for an officer ashore, just as it is afloat. Among other terms commonly used: "two-block" is to tighten or center; "square-away" is to correctly arrange articles or to take in hand and direct an individual; "head" is the bathroom, and "scuttlebutt" is a drinking fountain or an unconfirmed rumor. In the Marine Corps, the nautical expression, "Aye, aye, sir" is used when acknowledging a verbal order. "Yes, sir" and "No sir" are used in answer to direct questions. "Aye, aye, sir" is not used as this expression is reserved solely for acknowledgment of orders. Some of the other terms inherent in Corps tradition and history are: ADRIFT Loose from towline or moorings; scattered about; not in proper stowage AFT Referring to or toward the stern (rear) of a vessel ALL HANDS All members of a command ASHORE Any place outside of a naval or Marine Corps reservation AS YOU WHERE Resume former activity AWEIGH Said of the anchor. As soon as the anchor has broken away from and is no longer fastened to the bottom BELAY To make fast or to secure, as in "belay the line;" to cancel or to disregard a statement just made BELOW To go downstairs BREAKOUT Take out of stock or storage: to prepare for use BRIG A place of confinement; a prison BROWN BAGGER A married man BOW The front portion of a ship BRIDGE The portion of a ship's structure from which it is controlled when underway BROW A portable walkway from the pier or jetty the ship's quarter deck BUTTKIT An ashtray CARRY ON The order to resume previous activity CHIT A receipt or authorization; a piece of parer FANTAIL The main deck of a ship ar the stern FIELD DAY Barracks cleanup FIELD SCARF Regulation Marine Corps uniform neck tie FORECASTLE The upperdeck at the bow on which the ground tackle is located GALLEY Shipboard kitchen; kitchen of a mess hall; mobile field mess GATOR An amphibious ship; one who serves in the amphibious Navy GEEDUNK The place (aboard ship) where candy, ice cream, soda, and smokes can be purchased HATCH Door or doorway LADDER Stairs LIBERTY Absence of enlisted from the ship or command for less than 96 hours for purposes of rest and recreation which is not charged as leave POLICE To straighten or to tidy up PORT Left QUARTERDECK The ceremonial location on board ship when the ship is moored or at anchor (It is located close to the brow or accommodation ladder and is the watch station for the Officer of the Deck.) SEABAG The bag used to stow personal gear SECURE Stop; finish; end; make fast put away in storage SHIPPING OVER Reenlisting

SICK BAY Hospital or dispensary SKIPPER Commanding Officer SKYLARK Goof-off; to loiter STARBOARD Right STERN The blunt end (rear) of a ship SWAB A mop TOPSIDE Upstairs TURN TO Begin work; get started WARDROOM on board ship, the officer's used to signify all of the officers serving on the ship

living

room

and

dining

area;

also

GENERAL LEADERSHIP
A. OBJECTIVES OF MILITARY LEADERSHIP
Leadership has passed from Marine to Marine since the founding of the Corps. It is the art of influencing and directing men and women to accomplish the mission of keeping our country free; to obtain their obedience, respect, confidence, and loyal cooperation; and to maintain the sense of accomplishment. In essence, leadership boils down to three fundamentals: Know your "stuff" and yourself; be a role model, and set the example; know your people, and look after them. Concern for and attentiveness to troop welfare not only means providing the basics of survival (food, water, shelter, and rest), but it also means attending to the numerous other details that make a unit effective. It means training and critiquing so that "lessons learned" do not have to be relearned. It means talking with military members as if they are members of the family. It means looking out for Marines as they instinctively look out for their leader and for each other. 1. The Primary Objective of Leadership -- Mission Accomplishment a) Military discipline. A moral, mental, and physical state in which all hands respond to orders or to the will of the commander or leader, whether or not he or she is present. (1) Self-discipline is the basis of discipline. (2) Effective discipline is the sense of accomplishment of a goal. (3) Sound discipline is a matter of consistency and firmness. b) Efficient performance in battle. The ultimate objective of military discipline: Overcome fear and replace it with action c) Standards of good discipline. Deportment attention to duty, example, and decent behavior which enable men and women to accomplish and to give their best, d) The results of a well-disciplined unit are clearly observable: (1) All assigned missions are accomplished. (2) Marines are confident and maintain a sharp appearance. (3) Marines are proud of their unit; they believe it has a good reputation (esprit). (4) Weapons and equipment are available and well-maintained. (5) Marines at all levels are actively engaged in doing their duties they place value on the things that they do. (6) Marines cooperate and willingly helping one another. (7) Training is well planned, well conducted, consistent, and thoroughly evaluated for individual and unit strengths and weaknesses and feedback, for the individual and the group, is immediately provided (8) In hostile situations, the unit fights successfully under stress. 2. The Secondary Objective of Leadership -- Troop Welfare a) Counseling, as a leadership tool, is used to improve performance and to aid in solving problems or circumventing potential problems. The types of counseling are: (1) performance, (2) personal, (3) professional, and (4) career. b) Keys to constructive performance counseling are: (1) Accurate evaluation of performance,

(2) Clear and concise communication of the evaluation to the subordinate, (3) Mutual agreement concerning performance areas where improvement is required, (4) Active subordinate response, and (5) Concrete suggestions for improvement. c) Keys to effective personal counseling are: (1) Suggestions and advice are offered only after learning all of the pertinent facts. (2) Advice on professional matters is left to the professionals. (3) Problems that are not solved are referred to someone who can handle the problem. d) Keys in conducting professional counseling include (1) Finding out what the problem involves and then setting up an appointment for the Marine to talk to the proper specialist (e.g., medical or drug and alcohol officers, 1st Sergeant, Sergeant Major. or the chaplain); and (2) Using the chain of command to match a Marine to the proper specialized expert. e) Keys to career counseling are: (1) Knowing and understanding the Marine (their motivations, skills, and attitudes), (2) Knowing the advantages of a career in the Marine Corps and the opportunities and alternatives that are available, and (3) Knowing the basic qualifications required for reenlistment.

THE NINE COMMON ELEMENTS FOUND IN THE COMBAT ENVIRONMENT

1. Violent, unnerving sights and sounds; 2. Casualties; 3. Confusion and lack of information; 4. Feeling of isolation; 5. Communications breakdowns; 6. Individual discomfort and physical fatigue 7. Fear, stress, and mental fatigue; 8. Continuous operations; and 9. Homesickness.

THE FIVE STRESSES A MARINE CAN EXPECT IN COMBAT

1. Extreme risk and fear; 2. "Fog of War" - literal fog (dust, smoke, and debris on the battlefield) and mental fog (confusion, uncertainty due to lack of knowledge of the enemy, chaotic noise, mental and physical fatigue, and fear; 3. Discomfort and fatigue; 4. Casualties; and 5. Boredom.

OFFICER RANKS FOR THE NAVY

O-1 Ensign O-2 Lieutenant, Junior Grade O-3 Lieutenant O-4 Lieutenant Commander O-5 Commander O-6 Captain O-7 Rear Admiral O-8 Rear Admiral O-9 Vice Admiral O-10 Admiral

CHARACTER GENERATION
Please refer to the FUZION rules for the following information:

LIFEPATH:
Unchanged. Characters must be at least 18.

NO ORIGIN PATH CHARACTERISTICS

Character Points: Option Points:
55 points. The GM can consider up to 65 but I feel it might lower game enjoyment. All Optional Derived Characteristics should be used. 50 points. The GM can consider up to 60.

COMPLICATIONS
The GM should avoid hefty problems since the CMC is an elite force.

CHARACTER TEMPLATE --NEW RULE-Each Character chooses a path every two years of service. The first choice MUST not by career. The templates labeled Career are paths the PC have taken because he/she has decided on a future in the Marines. No other paths may be chosen. All following paths will be this one. After the character has gone through three paths, the fourth must be a career OR the Player must choose his last one again with no increase in rank. Each template has special rules unique to its own. There are skills listed that the character gets as a bonus as well as skills the Player must spend OP on. Money is allotted for each path chosen. Every NonCareer option has a Career mirror (Aerospace Starship, Infantry--OCC). The PC can dabble in a variety of fields but should choose a final path dependant on the characters history. A tank pilot can switch to OCC but has very few skills useful going in. Also listed in each template is a rank structure. Every year the PC is in this path he has a chance to go up in rank (ranks are listed in the USMC/CMC section and below. All players start at the bottom. The Rank listed in the non-career template is the highest rank available in that path. Career paths have a starting rank but no ceiling rank. When you move into a career path for the first time, you take this immediate rank. Each year requires a Leadership roll (Uses PRE + skill). If above the DV, the new rank is established. If not, the rank is carried over the next year. The DV then drops by 2 and then an additiona two every following year. Only when the Character's Rank reaches his current ceiling can he roll to get the jump to a career OR stay and keep pumping points in what the character has, but promotions are no longer available. Promotions can alwasy be refused, of course. Also, if you choose a career but decide against it later, you have to bust yourself back down the ceiling rank or yur career mirror rank, spend a year in the mirror of the new career, then roll for promotion in the new career. However, no PC can take more than three different careers. The third is IT. The PC is stuck there unless he/she wants to be discharged. (eg: An NCO At Sargeant wanting to be a Starship Commander must be busted to Corporal, and then spend a year at Aerospace at Corporal and then roll to go into Starship Commander)

RANK DV:
INFANTRY: 15 HEAVY WEAPONS: 15 NCO: 18 OCC: 20 AEROROSPACE: 16 STARSHIP COMMAND: 20 MEDICAL: 15 SCIENCES CAREER: 18 XENOBIOLOGY: 20 ARMOR: 15 TECHNICIAN: 16 ENGINEER: 18

Ranks during gameplay are run using experience (see CMC section for details).
The PC stops choosing paths when he/she has run out of OP or has run out of life (Age). If the Character runs out of life, he/she is considered an up and coming officer. Running out of OP means the character hasnt done much in his/her career since. You cannot choose a path if you do not have the OP to spend on its skills. After all your templates are done and have OP leftover, you can spend those are your usual skills or on any of the skills you have already chosen. The only military skills available are the ones you already have. You cannot take APC pilot if you have never taken the path. However, if you have three OP leftover, you have one point in APC pilot, then you can jump it up to four if you want. Any OP you spend before choosing your first path can be spent on life skills but no military ones. Military skills are those listed in the templates below (with an M beside them) All life skills are listed after the templates. Some M skills are not military but since all PCs will be in the Marines (or assumed, there are exceptions), these are skills they can only develop through military channels. The GM should consider a maximum number of templates for each character. I recommend 6 or 8. This also caps a maximum age. A maximum starting skill for a player should be 7. Leave some room for improvement later. The path the Character has taken the most is his/her position. If they are all equal, choose one and keep it.

TEMPLATES
INFANTRY
BACKGROUND: Infantry are the basic troops of the CMC. They released are in numbers and are often indistinguishable from each other . Usually, most people start in Infantry because of its general purpose skills they offer. MIRROR: OCC CEILING RANK: Lance Corporal BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Autofire Weapons (M), Firearms, Hand to Hand O.P. SKILLS (3 OP points must be spent in any of the following): Surveillance, Survival, Melee Weapons, Melee Evade, Heavy Weapons (M), Hand to Hand, Hand to Hand Evade, MONEY: 100 cr.

HEAVY WEAPONS
BACKGROUND: These people start right from the start, right into training of the heavy weapons of the CMC. Although many of their skills are similar to the base infantry, they have less training in close combat, and more in the use of Heavy Weapons, specifically the M51 Smart Gun MIRROR: NCO CEILING : Lance Corporal BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Smart Gunner (M), Firearms, Hand to Hand O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on any of the following): Survival, Demolition(M), Heavy Weapons (M), Gunnery (M), Hand to Hand, Autofire Weapons (M), Hand to Hand Evade, Pilot Power Armor (TL6) MONEY: 80 cr.

NCO (Non Commissioned Officer) --CAREER-BACKGROUND: This is the path for people who want to stay on the front line but have some form of authority. This is the usual path for people who dont want to pursue a command unless it is just a squad. MIRROR: Heavy Weapons STARTING RANK: Corporal CEILING RANK: Sgt. Major BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Autofire Weapons (M), Firearms, Hand to Hand O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spend on any of the following): Demolitions (M), Heavy Weapons (M), Gunnrey (M), Leadership, Tactics (M), Interrogation, Survival. MONEY: 100 cr.

OCC (Officer Command College) --CAREER-BACKGROUND: Officer from the infantry or even from the Heavy Arms who wish to put on nicer clothes move to the hefty training and long hours of the Officer Command College. Here, an trooper, learns the details of command and will soon go up in ranks to command squads, units, even battalions. MIRROR: Infantry, Armor STARTING RANK: Second Lieutenant CEILING RANK: None BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Firearms, Leadership, First Aid. O.P. SKILLS (3 Op must be spent on any of the following): Tactics (M), Demolition/Disposal (M), Interrogation, Survival, Burocratics, Teacher, Perception. MONEY: 120 cr.

AEROSPACE
BACKGROUND: The rough men and women of the Aerospace division (sometimes nicknamed Starlight) are trained to operate the Shuttles, Dropships, and Fighters of the CMC. They are trained in both operation of the flight systems and the weaponry armed on these air and space craft. These troops are also used for astrogation and maneuvering of the massive starships the Marines utilize. MIRROR: Starship Command CEILING: Corporal BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Astrogation (M), Pilot Space-Interceptor (M), Pilot Dropship (M). O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on any of the following ): Pilot Starship (M), Firearms, Navigation, Zero-G Maneuvering, Mechanics, Pilot-Atmospheric Interceptor (M), Gunnery (M) MONEY: 90 cr.

STARSHIP COMMAND --CAREER-BACKGROUND: These people are on the path to commanding their own ship. They may still pilot ships but are being trained in the command structure. High ranks could earn command of a squadron, a starship, or even a fleet. MIRROR: Aerospace STARTING RANK: Second Lieutenant BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Leadership, Astrogation (M), Pilot Starship (M). O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on any of the following): Pilot Space-Interceptor (M), Pilot Dropship (M), Firearms, Engineer Aerospace, Engineer Starship, Perception, Tactics MONEY: 120 cr.

MEDICAL
BACKGROUND: These are ground medics basically trained to patching holes. They are not bound by protecting life, these are marines. They will fight to save their comrades. They are armed with bullets and bandages. MIRROR: Sciences or Xenobiology CEILING RANK: Corporal

BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): First Aid, Firearms, Survival. O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on any of the following): Paramedic (M), Autofire Weapons (M), Perception, Tracking, Deduction, Research, First Aid. MONEY: 100 cr.

SCIENCES CAREER
BACKGROUND: Expanding on their career, some marines choose to serve the corps in a support position. One of these is the sciences. Basically, these are marines that have either trained before as doctors or were trained in the corps. They are often sent in large numbers for medical relief and can often be placed in command of missions of military aid. Science Officers are trained in both medicine as well as all the sciences. MIRROR: Medical STARTING RANK: Second Lieutenant BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Paramedic (M), Sciences (Choose two or give one +2), First Aid. O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Research, Perception, Forensic Medicine, Criminology, Survival, Sciences, Teacher, Enginee--Synthetic MONEY: 140 cr.

XENOBIOLOGY --CAREER-- (CL3 and higher required)

BACKGROUND: This is a special path for those specifically designed to the study of alien life forms. Courseeventually, most of these personnel are geared to the study of ONE specific life form. They are very similar to Sciences except they are more geared towards the study of alien life forms. They are also trained to combat these threats. Doctors in this category have been hired for corporations bio-weapons division. MIRROR: Medical STARTING / CEILING RANK: 1st Lieutenant / Colonel BONUS SKILLS (All at +2): Xenobiology (M), Paramedic (M), Sciences (Choose one) O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Research, Perception, Forensic Medicine, Criminology, Survival, Sciences, Teacher. MONEY: 50 cr.

ARMOR
BACKGROUND: These are the drivers of the Tanks, Buggies, and APC of the CMC. They can also operate the weapons of those vehicles as well. MIRROR: OCC CEILING RANK: Corporal BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Gunnery (M), Driving (choose either APC, Tank, or Buggy) (M), Firearms O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Engineer Armor (M), Autofire Weapons (M), Driving (the other two types) (M), Survival, Pilot Power Armor (TL6) (M), Navigation, Hand-to-Hand MONEY: 80 cr.

TECHNICIAN
BACKGROUND: Technicians are assistants to large starships, and mechanics for smaller vehicles. Most pilots and drivers attribute their success partially to these miracle workers. Being Marines, they often ride as passengers in large armor as a field repairman. MIRROR: Engineer CEILING RANK: Corporal BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Engineer (choose one at +2 or two and +1): Armor (M), Aerospace (M), Starship (M), Firearms, Mechanic. O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Engineer (the two not chosen) (M), Weaponsmith (M), Electronics, Computer Programming, Autofire Weapons (M), Demolition (M). MONEY: 70 cr.

ENGINEER --CAREER-BACKGROUND: Engineers command whole teams and run and keep whole battalions of starships from falling apart. They are so trained, they not only can repair but modify and create their own designs. MIRROR: Technician CEILING / STARTING RANK: Captain / Second Lieutenant BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Engineer (Choose one at +2 or two at +1): Armor (M), Aerospace (M), Starship(M), Mechanic, Leadership O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): The other two Engineer skills not chosen, Weaponsmith, Inventor, Electronics, Security Systems, Computer Programming, Engineer: Synthetic MONEY: 100 cr.

TALENTS
No restrictions.

PERKS & PRIVELEGES

Membership
Every two ranks a marine has gains him +1 Membership in the CMC. This is the only way to gain Membership in the CMC.

Reputation
-- ALTERED -See "Ranks" in the CMC. Do not invest any points here.

No License

MENTAL POWERS PLUG-IN (Optional)

Certain skills should be banned: Mental Attack Mental Defense: Telepathy No one should have a skill above +1 at the beginning of their character. This should be enforced by the GM. Only one PC should have these skills and also consider not allowing it until later in the game.

MARTIAL ARTS PLUG-IN

Martial Arts are common

MARINE HAND TO HAND

(Optional Rule)

ACTIONS AVAILABLE: ("*" indicates a new manuever) Basic Strike (+1d6 to STR-based damage, +2 Dex) Breakfall (Take 1/2 normal falling damage, regain feet as a free action) Defensive Strike (Strike, Adds +1 REF, +3 DEX) Wristlock (A hit totally incapacitates the opponent. To escape, the opponent must beat the attacker in a STR roll -5) * Nerve Strike (Does 2D6 damage, no Stun Defense, -2 REF) Offensive Strike (Adds +2D6 to basic strike, at -2 RED, +1 DEX) POINT COST: 12

Standard Equipment is discussed in Gear and Weapons

RANKS
NON COMMISIONED Sergeant Staff Sergeant Gunnery Sergeant First Sergeant Master Sergeant Sergeant Major Master Gunnery Sergeant Sgt. Major of the Corps ENLISTED Private (Aeroman)* Private 1st Class (Aeroman)* Lance Corporal (Aeroman First Class)* Corporal (Senior Aeroman)*

COMMISIONED Second Lieutenant First Lieutenant Lieutenant Commander Commander Captain Major Lieutenant Colonel Colonel Brigadier General Major General Lieutenant General General Admiral *Aerospace

SKILLS
MILITARY SKILLS
Astrogation (INT) Autofire Weapons (Pulse Rifles, Machine Guns)

(REF)
Demolition / Disposal (TECH ) Driving: APC (REF) Driving: Tank (REF) Driving: Buggy (REF) Engineer: Armor (APC/Tank/Buggy) (TECH) Engineer: Weapons (use Weaponsmith) (TECH) Engineer: Aerospace (Dropship, Interceptor)

(TECH)
Engineer: Synthetic

(TECH)

Engineer: Starship (TECH) Heavy Weapons (RPG, HIMAT, Sentry Guns, Flame-thrower) (REF) Gunnery (Mounted Weapons) (REF) Paramedic (TECH) Pilot: Dropship (DEX) Pilot: Interceptor (Space-borne) (DEX) Pilot: Interceptor (atmospheric) (DEX) Pilot: Starship (DEX) Pilot: Power Armor (TL 6 only) (DEX) Smart Gunnery (REF) Tactics (INT) Weaponsmith (TECH) Xenobiology (INT) Inventor (TECH) Languages (INT) Leadership (PRE) Lip Reading (INT) Local Expert (INT) Lockpicking (TECH) Mechanics (TECH) Melee Weapons (DEX) Melee Evade (DEX) Mimicry (PRE) Navigation (INT) Oratory (PRE) Perception (INT) Persuasion (PRE) Pilot: Civilian Aircraft (DEX) Pilot: Powerloader (DEX) Professional (INT) Ranged Evade (DEX) Research (INT) Riding (DEX) Science (INT)

LIFE SKILLS
Acrobatics (DEX) Acting (PRE) Animal Handler (INT) Athletics (DEX) Bribery (PRE) Bugging (TECH) Bureaucratic (PRE) Business (INT) Climbing (STR) Computer Programming (INT) Concealment (INT) Concentration (WILL) Contortionist (DEX) Conversation (PRE) Cooking (INT) Criminology (TECH) Cryptography (INT) Dancing (DEX) Deduction (INT) Disguise (TECH)

Driving: Bike (REF) Driving: Automobile (REF) Education (INT) Electronics (TECH) Expert (INT) First Aid (TECH) Firearms (REF) Forensic Medicine (TECH) Forgery (TECH) Gambling (TECH) Hacking (TECH) Hand to Hand (REF) Hand to Hand Evade (DEX) High Society (PRE) Interrogation (PRE)

Security Systems (TECH) Seduction (PRE) Shadowing (INT) Sleight of Hand (REF) Stealth (DEX) Streetwise (PRE) Survival (INT) Surveillance (INT) Teacher (PRE) Tracking (INT) Trading (PRE) Ventriloquist (PRE) Wardrobe and Style (PRE) Zero-Gravity Maneuvering (DEX)

WEAPONS
WA: The modifier when shooting. The Smart Gun has special rules. RANGE: Max range of the weapon in meters. DC: Damage Capacity. ROF: The Maximum firing rate of the weapon. Refer to autofire rules in FUZION. Also the
weapons can be shot in smaller bursts. Tell the GM how many rounds the PC is firing before rolling. The standard ROF is a third of the number listed. SHOTS: All the rounds in the clip of the weapon. BR: Blast Radius EV: The penalty to Dexterity for carrying the weapon. Not firing. CAP: The distnguising feature of the tip of a grenade. DEPLOYMENT: The procedure to deploy the weapon on the battlefield. TARGET: What the weapon can fire at. Anti-missile is a special rule. 'Any' means any target except missile. CLASS: What type of Hardpoint can this weapon load into and whether or not it is guided or not. COST: Black Market cost.

COLONIAL MARINE LIGHT FIREPOWER

______________
VP 70 M4A3 ATM-2 Medina ATM-1 Sabot-Pistol Basic Stunner

WA RANGE DC
0 0 +1 +3 0 50 m 100 m 200 m 80 m 25 m 3 3 3 2 8 <STUN>

ROF SHOTS EV COST

2 2 2 3 1 11 12 16 16 6 0 0 0 0 0 400 400 900 800 400

COLONIAL MARINE MEDIUM FIREPOWER

______________
M41A1 Pulse Rifle PN 30mm Grenade Launcher M42A Scope Rifle M41AE2 Pulse Rifle Mk. 2 M21A Shotgun L96 Sniper Rifle Duchamp Blaster M42A3 Light Rifle ATM-3 Shiva Mk. 1 ATM-4 Sabot-Stick *See Below

WA RANGE DC
-1 -1 +5* 0 -1 +3 -2 0 -1 0 900 100 3 800 900 50 2 500 500 700 900 600 7 7 7 6 6 8 6 8 5

ROF SHOTS EV
45 1 30 1 2 50 30 60 30 95-100 3 12 95-300 8 12 300 90 120 120 0 0 -1 0 0 -1 -1 0 0 0

COST
2 000 n/a 2 300 3 500 1 000 2 000 2 300 1 800 4 000 1 000

Grenade 1

COLONIAL MARINE HEAVY FIREPOWER

____________
M56A2 Smart gun M240A1 Flamethrower GC20 Plasma Rifle M-199 Mk2 Smart Gun ATM-5 Shiva Mk.2 M-23 "Thumper"

WA
0 0 +2 / +3 0 -1

RANGE DC
7 6/6** 8 7 9 3-50 1000 1500 1500 50

ROF SHOTS EV COST

60 3 30 60 30 300 60 500 500 270 12 -1 0 -1 -2 -3 0 10 000 4 000 8 000 15 000 10 000 2 500

+1 / +2* 1500

Grenade 1

*See below **6 DC is automatically done next round if it hits the first round.

COLONIAL MARINE ASSAULT FIREPOWER

____________
Plasma Cannon M5 RPG M78 PIG M83A2 SADAR@ SIM-118 Hornet@ ATM-1 Bolter M80 LP-Cannon

WA RANGE DC ROF SHOTS EV COST TARGETS

-2 0 0 +1 0 -1 -2 2 000 2 000 1000 1000 5 000 10 000 1 500 3 000 2k 3k 1k 4k 6k 4k 1k 3k 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 20 1 30 1 3 1 20 9 0/15 000 5* -1 -1 -1 0** -1 -3 -2 2 000 7 000 4 000 8 000 4 000 4 000 5 000 Any Any Any Ground only Ground only Air only Any Any

M112 HIMAT***@ +1

*: -5 if not on a tripod **Cannot be fired unless deployed ***Can be linked with other units. Automated (see below). @: Guided (see below)

COLONIAL MARINE MISCELANEOUS FIREPOWER (These are weapon systems. See below)
___________
UA 571-C Sentry UA 571-D Sentry UA 571-F Sentry LIM-417 Phalanx @ HIM-122 Lancer@ HIM-78 Sprint@

WA RANGE DC
+1 +1 0 0 +1 0 800 1 200 100 80 000 120 000 540 000 7 8 4k 5k 6k

ROF SHOTS COST TARGETS

55 45 1 1 500 500 30 6 4 60 000 70 000 Any Any

Grenade 3

65 000 Any 120 000 Air only 240 000 Air only 350 000 Air & Space only

1/10* 1

*: One Missile breaks into 10 and can assign different targets for each missile. All can be linked with other units. Automated (see below). @: Guided (see below)

MINES
_____________
Nuclear Failsafe M760 Antipersonnel M862 anti-armor M5A3 Bounding M20 Claymore mine

BR
1km 2m 3m 2m 3m

DC SHOTS COST DEPLOYMENT SPECIAL

40k 1 9 10 9 10 1 1 1 1 1500000 Personnel 900 1200 1 000 1 000 Air / Armor Air / Armor Infantry Infantry See Below None Armor Can be linked Remote det.

GRENADES
_______________
M40 High-Explosive Fragmentary* M38 HEAP M108 Canister (Buckshot) M230 Baton (Rare in USCM)

CAP DC_ BR USE

Red 9 3m Anti-personnel Anti-tank Small-Charge Close-in Fighting Civil Disturbances Green 13 (1k) 1m 10 1m 0 Black 9 N/A

SPECIAL
Armor double dam stun

COST
100 250 120 70 20 50

M51A Bounding Fragmentary Blue

10stun 0

M60 Phosphorous* Incendiary White 0 M72A1 Starshell* "S" on 0 top

15m Smoke Screen 10m Flare

45 seconds, 50,000 70 candles

*: Can be thrown. The detonator can be set to a 6 or 12 second fuse.

COLONIAL MARINE AEROSPACE FIREPOWER MISSILES

_______________ WA RANGE DC BR COST TARGET CLASS/SPECIAL
AGM-204A TSAM AGM-220C Hellhound AIM-90E Headlock XIM-28A Long Lance Mk. 16 Banshee M451 Mk. 16 Banshee M597 Mk. 16 Banshee M598 Mk. 10 Zeus NIC-79 Captor STG Ballistic +3 +1 +1 0 60 000 70 000 24 000 120 000 12 000 12 000 12 000 12 000 7 000 2 000 85 000 450 000 1k 5k 5k 7k 2k 4k 3k 1k 1k n/a 8m 0 n/a 4m 3m 1m 6m 1m 70 000 Missiles Unique, Guided Unique, Guided Unique, Guided Unique, Guided 150mm 150mm 150mm, armor 150mm 150mm armor 150mm, Guided Unique, Guided Unique, Guided 120 000 Ground 150 000 Air / Space 450 000 Space 10 000 15 000 13 000 12 000 5 000 10 000 Any Any Any Any Any Any

Mk. 16 Banshee M18 -2 -2 -2 -2 0 0 0

Mk. 88 120mm SGW 0

1.5k 2m 10k n/a

550 000 Space

20k 200m 950 000 Any

CANNONS
_______________
30mm Railcannon 800 MV Particle Beam Orbital minefield

WA RANGE DC
13000 100 000 250 000 30 000 0 0 -3 n/a

ROF SHOTS COST BR TARGET

300 100 n/a n/a 1 75 000 0 Any. Any, Missile Any, Missile 120 000 2m 350 000 3m 50 000

25mm Gargoyle Gattling 0

11(.7k) 20 14 (1k) 12 10k* 1.5k 1k

1
3 1

1550000 40m Any. 10m Any

80 MW Infrared Laser** 0

*: NO real damage--20k of sufficient electronic damage. Destroying the ship means the ship shuts downsee below. **This is the weapon one spacecraft laser turrets.

COLONIAL MARINE ARMOR FIREPOWER

________________ WA RANGE DC_ ROF SHOTS BR COST TARGET
Tri-Barrled Particle Beam 20mm Gattling Cannon Phased Plasma Cannon* Free-Electron Laser* 0 0 -1 +2 2 000 1 000 4 000 3 000 3 000 10 (.5k) 10 (.5k) 14 (1k) 14 (1k) 1.5k 6 30 300 1700 500 200 100 0 0 2m 0 1m 75 000 65 000 50 000 65 000 Any. Ground Ground Any

Charged Particle Beam* +1

100 000 Any, Armor

*These weapons are found in pairs on the M577 Turret.

HARDPOINTS:
Hardpoints are areas where weapons can be placed. Each area must be of the same weapon class. You cannot have missiles and laser in the same Hardpoint but can have different types of missiles in one area. Weapons not listed below cannot be placed and are permanent mount are craft. Other can be placed anywhere. Armor (Tank) weapons are too heavy to be placed on Aerospace craft. However, Aerospace craft can be mounted on Armor vehicles if the weapon as a Ground, Any, or Air Targeting capacity. No Space can be used. Weapons on a craft of the same type can be linked to fire at the same target. All weapons in a Hardpoint are automatically linked. Missiles are the exception. Guided missiles fire normally since they are not aimed. Any number in each Hardpoint can fire. Dumbfire missiles (unguided) can fire one to the maximum in the Hardpoint. Each missile is considered 1 ROF. Firing all 16 150mm rockets in a Hardpoint has a 16ROF.

WEAPON
AGM-204A TSAM AIM-90E Headlock Mk. 16 Banshee Mk. 88 120mm SGW 30mm Railcannon Tri-Barrled Particle Beam Phased Plasma Cannon Charged Particle Beam

SPACE
0.34 (3 per point) 0.34 (3 per point) 0.062 (16 per point) 0.062 (16 per point) 1 1 0.5 0.5

WEAPON
AGM-220C Hellhound XIM-28A Long Lance Mk. 10 Zeus 25mm Gargoyle Gattling 80 MW Infrared Laser 20mm Gattling Cannon Free-Electron Lasers

SPACE
0.25 1 0.062 (16 per point) 1 1 0.5 0.5

AMMUNITION:
A full clip of a weapon costs %10 of original cost. With the exception of the RPG, weapons with one shot are disposable. Reloads for Spacecraft does not technically exsist since all the ammunition is linked to the weapon so the maximum ammunition is listed already. However, the GM may consider loading up a ship by taking up one Cargo slot for two full reloads of a weapon. Two different weapons may be held (one reload each weapon for one slot) but one full slot will be occupied regardless if totally full or not. Each reload has the number of shots equal to the weapon's regular capacity.

SPD OF WEAPONS:
What follows is how much damage a weapon can take before being rendered inoperable. This is done by direct fire or by acid spray.

WEAPON TYPE
Marine Light Firepower Marine Heavy Firepower Marine Miscellaneous Firepower Grenades Marine Aerospace Firepower (Cannons)

SPD WEAPON TYPE

10 30 35 5 2k Marine Medium Firepower Marine Assault Firepower Mines Marine Aerospace Firepower (Missiles) Marine Armor Firepower

SPD
20 35 20 1k 3k

DESCRIPTIONS (Not all weapons are described):

COLONIAL MARINE LIGHT FIREPOWER
VP 70 PISTOL: The VP 70 'PREDATOR' by Ventrel is a 9mm semi automatic sidearm crafted entirely of composite materials making it light, rugged and dependable. The PREDATOR project was started over 30 years ago by Ventrel to create a firearm for the modern soldier. Originally created from

150 separate parts, this has been reduced to 6. The main feature of the PREDATOR is the simplicity. With a safety latch built into the trigger and a concealed hammer, the VP 70 has an extremely low chance of jamming or misfiring, even under high levels of heat and pressure. The VP 70 can fire after 72 hours at 700 degrees and a combined weight of 7 atmospheres. The VP 70 contains an insulated magazine that will prevent ammunition 'cook off' at temperatures up to 500 degrees. The PREDATOR holds 11 rounds of 9mm ammunition with 1 in the chamber, and accepts both Military combat effective munitions and civilian shells. The simplicity of the VP70's firing mechanism is one of its most notable features, resulting in an extremely reliable, accurate weapon in the harshest conditions. When carried as a conventional weapon, the VP70 fires with a standard blowback mechanism linked to a unique trigger configuration. The trigger is a double action mechanism that requires substantial pressure when first pulled back. If this pressure is continued, the trigger bar slips from a springloaded firing pin to fire the chambered round. This safety-in-trigger design negates the need for any additional safety catch. The optional shoulder stock latches into grooves on the back of the pistol's receiver and butt. Single and burst fire is available when this unit is attached. Use: Since the VP70 uses the inherently accurate, low powered 9mm Parabellum round, it proves to be an easily controlled pistol when fired. Range is increased by the accuracy of the round, and even in three round burst mode the pistol provides surprisingly accurate, directable fire. In the years since the introduction of the original design, the VP70 has undergone little in the way of substantive change. More commonly, new, lighter, stronger plastics and alloys have gone into the pistol's parts, providing an even more reliable and more compact sidearm.

M4A3 SERVICE SIDEARM: The M3A3, with its older variants, has been the USCM standard sidearm for the past sixty years. It is a 9mm automatic, recoil operated, magazine fed hand weapon. The working mechanism is made of steel alloy with some plastic parts and the outer casing is machined from lightweight alloys. The entire weapon, including a full 12 round magazine weighs no more than 0.95 kg. The cartridge is a 9mm ball rimless straight round with a bullet weight of 126 grain. ATM-2 MEDINA (TL2): The Medina is a zerorecoil shell weapon designed for CMC units in zero-gravity environments. Alphatech designed it for the military but found demand in the CMC who needed more weaponry in the hostile dangers of space. ATM-1 SABOT-PISTOL (TL2): Alphatechs cheap and small Sabot pistol is a holdout weapon used by police groups as a standard side arm. It is also used as a good backup weapon in the CMC. It uses the same small Sabot rounds used in Sabot Sticks.

COLONIAL MARINE MEDIUM FIREPOWER

M41A1 PULSE RIFLE: The Armat M41A is a 10mm pulse-action air-cooled automatic assault rifle, which over the last decade has become the basic rifle of the US Colonial Marines and the US Army. The standard service variant has an over-and-under configuration incorporating a PN 30mm pump-action grenade launcher. Lightweight and rugged, the M41 is constructed largely from ultra-light alloy precision metal stampings. The outer casing is made from titanium aluminide alloy and many internal parts are molded from highimpact, temperature resistant plastics. Layout is conventional, and a spring loaded retractable stock allows the rifle to be used either in carbine format (with stock retracted) or as a rifle, with the 'in-line' stock extended for greater stability during automatic fire from the shoulder. Sighting is made down a groove in the carrying handle, with an adjustable tangent leaf backsight positioned in the rear slot. A 3x power AN/RVS-52 CCD television sight can be optionally fitted to the carrying handle for accuracy at great range and under low-light conditions.

The M41 fires the standard US M309 10mm x 24 round. This ammunition comprises a 210 grain projectile embedded within a rectangular caseless propellant block of Nitramine 50. The propellant content is small but highly efficient, generating muzzle velocities on the order of 840 meters per second. The round is steel-jacketed and explosive tipped, with impact fusing that is preset during manufacture. Terminal ballistic characteristics have been optimized for maximum lethality against infantry wearing personal armor. The round is designed to penetrate the armor, exploding just after impact to inflict lethal internal damage. The standard M41 ammunition clip will hold up to 100 M309 rounds in a 'U' bend conveyor that feeds the rounds mechanically into the rotating breech mechanism. However, in practice the clips are only filled to 95% capacity in order to reduce the autoloader's tendency to jam.

The M41 uses electronic pulse action to fire, controlled directly from the trigger. The internal mechanism, including the rotating breech, is mounted on free-floating rails within a carbon-filter jacket. This assembly is recoil dampened to reduce the effects of muzzle climb during burst and full automatic fire. From the thumb selector, the weapon can be set to four-round bursts, or full automatic fire, the latter allowing a rate of fire up to the weapons cyclic rate of 900 rounds per minute. An LED display situated just below the receiver indicates the ammo remaining in the clip. This display can be dimmed for night operations. A Lithium battery in the carrying handle provides electrical power for the guns motor mechanism. This battery is good for 10,000 rounds and can be recharged either from a rifle rack or a portable power clip.

The M41 is a robust weapon, fully sealed against corrosion, dirt and moisture, yet easy to disassemble and maintain. The solid state electronics are hardened against TREE and background radiation, and the weapon is perfectly usable in a vacuum environment. However, it is not sufficiently stabilized or recoil dampened for use in free-fall combat operations

M42A SCOPE RIFLE: The M42A is a 10mm pulse action semi-automatic rifle employed as the primary sniper weapon of the USCMC. This rifle is a key component of battalion operations; it's long range and precision extending the tactical zone of control by up to a kilometer or more, subject to local terrain. The rifle is issued on a scale of one per company, though it is normally held for use in a battalion controlled pool of up to four Scout-Snipers.

The internal mechanism of the M42 is designed to have a high degree of commonality with the M41 using the same rotating breech and feed - though it is chambered for the match-standard 10mm x 28 caseless round such as in the M56. The barrel is free-floating with a right-handed twist and is contained within a protective shroud and receiver housing. Ammunition feed is from a 15 round Match Rounds magazine inserted beneath the stock of the rifle, behind the thumbhole of the pistol grip. The match-standard batched M252 HEAP round has a maximum effective range of 2,950 meters. A long-range stabilized ball round is also available, with an effective range of 3,800 meters. The factory standard M250 smart gun round can be used with no adaptation, though it has an effective range well under 2,000 meters. Fusing for the M250/M252 ammunition is controlled from a separate selector switch. A combined, multi-spectral twenty power passive sensor scope is mounted over the receiver. the scope display shows a composite image based on visual, infrared and electromagnetic emissions. The scope display can be augmented by input from the local sensor matrix via a digital comms broadcast or direct optic cable link. Motion trackers, ground radar, lidar and IR sensors may all be linked into the rifle; furthermore, the optical PARGET control system - exact details of which are classified - is apparently able to connect the rifle into the local sentry gun matrix, allowing the Scout-Sniper to redirect sentry gun firing arcs when in hot contact. Instead of adding +1 for every additional round, the Scope rifle adds +2.

M41AE2 (TL2): The M41AE2 is built on the same basis as the M41A1but with and a slightly lower ROF. Optional L clip contains 300 rounds.

M21A COMBAT SHOTGUN: The shotgun has a length from the barrel to the stock is about three and half to four feet long. However, during the Vietnam war, the soldiers had modified them so that they would be about two and half feet long. To be used in jungle combat, they would prove to be one of the most versatile weapons used. The maximum range for a "sawed off shotgun" would be approximately 2 and a half feet.

The shotgun is really easy to load, there's a stainless steel fork that is located underneath the pumpaction barrel. There, you would put the shell up at a slight angle, and feed it right in. And then when you are done putting the shell into the weapon, the fork closes and from there, you can hold up to three shells plus one in the barrel, which would make the total ammunition count to four total rounds (Modifications were made on these weapons so they could take more than three rounds. Sometimes four to five shells were in the shotgun tube). The shotgun is made out of tempered steel that is molded to become the top and lower barrel, while the trigger is made also from the tempered steel. The wood for the pistol grip and the hand pump are both hardened and weather proofed so to avoid rotting and getting moldy.

L96 SNIPER RIFLE: The L96A1 is made by a firm called Accuracy International. In sniper try-outs, the L96 beat the Parker & Hale M85. The rifle was built under supervision of a top UK rifle shooter. It has an unusual set-up, the stock is of two piece design and the two pieces bolt onto a subchassis. The action is both glued and screwed to this sub-chassis. The barrel is SS and there are few variants of the rifle, a heavy bull barrel (newest), an anti-terrorist model (long barrel, no iron sight, a muzzle break), the regular L96A1 (iron sight, hence front post, no muzzle break, in 308).

There is also a silenced model with full length silencer. It is a very accurate rifle, typical groups are sub 1/2 MOA at 100 yds and just over that at 200 yds. Well designed and built with a very nice stock .The syntech stock has very nice lines, it has adjustable length of pull (done with spacers), a thumbhole design. All in all a very nice and accurate rifle. I was supposed to test fire one of these rifles, however, the company is very reluctant to send any rifle to individuals, they like to deal with agencies, governments and such.

DUCHAMP BLASTER (TL2): 500 round MAG with two in-board clips. Medium Recoil, Piss poor at distance. The Duchamp was an attempt to scale up the existing Pulse Rifle design. The result is a hardly used heavy rifle that was scrapped by the CMC in favor of the M41AE2 Mk.2 Pulse Rifle. The Duchamp still found use from civilian groups and budget minded corporations.

M42A3 LIGHT RIFLE: The M42A3 is a smaller variant of the M41 Pulse Rifle. This weapon is lighter, easier to use and more robust. The servicing cost of the M42 is so low, the weapon became the

Rifle of choice for colonies in the outer veil as well as deep space CMC scouts. Light armor urban squads and jungle militias often use the M42A3 in replacement of the heavier M41A.

ATM-3 SHIVA Mk. 1 (TL3): The two Shiva designs, built by Alphatech were originally developed for their own forces but found use in most of the Outer Veil colonies as a heavy weapon to compete with M41A Pulse Rifle. The Deep Space CMC forces have been found using these weapons since supply runs to the Periphery are uncommon. The Shiva is a two handed weapon with two individual handgrips. It uses larger Sabot rounds found in the Sabot stick and the Sabot pistol. The only real problem with both Shiva models is their heavy recoils. Ever subsequent round of firing (after the first one) more than the weapons ROF invokes a 1 penalty to hit. The stop this, stop firing for one round or fire shorter, controlled bursts.

ATM-4 SABO-STICK (TL2): The single cheapest rifle in Alphatechs arsenal is the basic Sabot Stick. It has a simple firing mechanism and a simple design. The only major problem is that it tends to overheat. Sticks are considered disposable rifles. After their tenths clip change, the massive heat buildup has caused the firing mechanism to fuse, making it inoperable.

COLONIAL MARINE HEAVY FIREPOWER

M56A2 SMART GUN: The M56A2 is a 10mm general-purpose automatic squad support weapon, effective out to 1500 meters. The pulse-action system employs a free-floating recoil-dampened rotating breech mechanism chambered for the M250 series 10mm x 28 caseless round. the gun also incorporates a muzzle booster to ensure the necessary operating forces from the large round. Cyclic rate is around 1200 rounds per minute. The gun is constructed largely from molded carbon-fiber and light alloy stampings, though some interior parts of the mechanism are made from plastic. The replaceable

barrel system is air-cooled, though a heat-sink attachment can be jacketed onto it. The system is mounted on an operator's harness and slaved to an infrared tracking system. the gun is self-steering on the mount, though firing must be commanded manually. the entire gun assembly masses 17.82 kg. The length of the gun itself is 122 cm, and the length of the barrel is 54.5 cm. The stabilized articulation arm is attached to the left hip mounting and plugged in via coaxial cable to the processor and power outlets in the breastplate. The gun itself is clipped and secured to the end of the arm. The operator plugs this HMS (head mounted sight) into the tracking and comms system in the armor. the gun tracker is jacked into the process by a universal connector, and the gun itself must be powered up before the weapon is loaded. Power for the entire gun system is supplied by standard DV9 Lithium battery units, good for up to 50,000 rounds when fully charged. Both ends of the DV9 unit are plugged into the power leads that run from the articulation arm to the gun; common practice in the field is to let the battery hand free beneath the gun, where it is easily accessed in an emergency. The M250 10mm x 28 ammunition is a 230 grain caseless projectile encased in a rectangular block of Nitramine. Higher powered that the M309 round for the pulse rifle, the M250 also significantly differs in having a selectable fuse setting. A switch on the hand grip is used to select the ammunition fusing, which is set electronically as the round is loaded into the chamber. The 'Super' setting is optimized against soft targets and will detonate the round on impact, while the 'Delay' setting explodes the shell only after penetrating the target armor. The M250 ammunition is stored on a roll of continuous plastic non-disintegrating link belt in the ammunition drum, which can be reloaded in the field. The gun motor drives the feed mechanism as well as the rotating breech, and automatically loads each round off the belt and into the breech. In the event of a jam, the manual cocking handle at the side can be pulled to eject the round and clear the breech. This procedure can also be used to manually charge the mechanism. The first +1 to hit is automatic. If the target is not destroyed, the next round increases to +2. Every subsequent round past it adds, another +1 until the target is destroyed. This can be applied when spreading the shots over multiple targets. All targets receive have the bonus. Blind fire gives no bonus.

M240A1 FLAMETHROWER: The M240A1 is a lightweight, carbon-format Flamethrower designed for use in close combat at the squad and firearm level. Using pressurized, ultra-thickened napthal fuel as a base and ignited by the nozzle burner, the M240 can shoot flame at targets up to 30 meters away. Once a target has been hit, fuel droplets from the Flamethrower will stick and continue to burn for approximately thirty seconds. Damage is immediately done again next round. If struck. If not extinguished, it will continue to burn every next round for full damage for 2D6 turns. If still not extinguished, it will continue doing 1d damage after until it fizzles itself out. All materials considered combustible will not reduce damage until it is destroyed. It will then burn itself out. With sufficient fuel in a standard fuel reservoir for a burst of up o twenty seconds, the M240 is undoubtedly one of the most fearsome weapons in the Marine inventory, and has proven especially useful in close combat and against the Xenomorph. It is also ideal for use against fortifications because of the ability of the flame to be directed through defensive apertures. However, it is unpopular with many of its operators, partly because of its short range, and also because of the tendency of the fuel reservoir to rupture violently when hit by shrapnel or small arms fire. The M240 is 88cm long and weighs 2.7 kg with a full reservoir. A valve at the rear of the incinerator is used to refuel the weapon; alternatively, the reservoir can be screwed off and refilled or replaced separately. A twist-valve on the Flamethrower regulates the fuel flow and a thumb switch on the handgrip electrically ignites the nozzle burner when depressed. The weapon is fired by squeezing the handgrip trigger, and will continue firing until the trigger is released. The range of the M240 can be increased by making a high angle show, firing the flame unit up at an angle of about 45 degrees the

burning fuel then descends onto the target in an arc. In this way shots can be made up to a range of 50 meters, though it is far less effective then direct fire in penetrating an armored firing slit or aperture.

GC-20 PLASMA RIFLE (TL3): Grant Corp developed several plasma weapon designs based on the heavy firepower of the PIG and the heavy turrets on the M577 APC. They created the GC-20 and its heavier Cannon cousin. The GC-20 is almost unrecognizable in comparison to existing weapon designs. The three-barreled weapon is ivory white with very few additional features. To keep cost down, standard rifle features often found are missing including ergonomic handgrips, a magazine counter, and even a shoulder guard. The almost featureless weapon perfectly matches the Acid Resistant Combat Wardrobe for which the weapon was primarily designed for, even though the armor itself would be released later (R&D on the acid resistance proved more difficult than designing a hand held plasma weapon. The three barrels allowed the GC-20 to have high cyclic rate and keep the internal heat down.

M-199 SMART GUN Mk. 2 (TL2): The M-199 modified the existing Smart gun design almost from the ground up. The rifle is over a foot shorter, and has been converted into a gattling weapon. The ammo drum was moved under the weapon and the strength of the harness was increased. The M-199 was a valuable weapon used by Beserker teams because it increased the firepower of a regular heavy gunners. Most prefer the less clumsy original design. However, the increased size of the weapon led to a larger , more advanced computer system. Although heavier, it is a better shot. The Mk. 2 has a +2 bonus with an additional +1 next round after than. Like the original design, the shots can be dispersed among a group. Blind fire gives no bonus. ATM-5 SHIVA Mk. 2 (TL2): The Massive Mk. 2 Shiva was designed, originally, as a heavy weapon used primarily for military synthetics. The massive weight of the weapon made common deployment difficult. When synthetics were banned from an active offensive rule and reduced to support only, the Shiva became a rarity. Still found on occasion, the Shiva popped up now and then, the preferred weapon of choice for stronger soldiers since it can be used as an autofire weapon, making it available to general infantry without penalty. When Offensive synthetics designed to combat the xenomorph threat appeared in TL4, the Shiva Mk2 appeared again as a standard weapon for heavier unit.

COLONIAL MARINE ASSAULT FIREPOWER

GC-10 PLASMA CANNON (TL3): Grant Corps larger Plasma weapon made before the final release of the GC-20. The designers took a stock Sentry Gun chassis and removed al the mechanical and computer components. The project originally was to create an automated system like the Sentry gun, but the size of the cannon prevented this unless the entire chassis was reconstructed. The automatic systems were dropped in exchange for basic hydraulic control. The gun pivots and tilts effortlessly on its axis, 360 degrees around and 60 degrees up with no effort from the user. If carried off its tripod, the weapon is heavy and cumbersome, requiring a STR of 8 to a least use. Still, the weapon has a 3 to hit anything. The large weapon is capable for taking down aircraft, puncturing tank armor, and incinerating whole squads. The CMC operates few, preferring to use their lighter Phased Plasma Infantry Gun. Still, the weapon is still the largest reusable infantry weapon available. The weapons six second recharge rate is a major hindrance, however. Usually, the weapon is wired into a link system with another cannon. Both guns can be wired into a remote user, safely behind cover and fire both guns alternatively. M5 ROCKET PROPELLED GRENADE: The M5 rocket propelled grenade system is a small reloadable shoulder-launched weapon. The launcher consists of a 140 cm steel alloy tube weighing 2.3 kg, with a rear backblast vent incorporating backblast diffusers, trigger mechanism and 4x power telescopic sight. Each 2.2 kg round is a 60 mm hypervelocity spinstabilized rocket with an impact-fused supercritical HEAT warhead. The rounds are carried separately and hand-loaded into the launch tube. Sighted visually, the system has an accurate range of approximately 400 m and a maximum range of around 2,000 m. Though the rocket's warhead has little chance against medium and heavy tank armor, it has proven popular and effective for use in it's secondary role against infantry in bunkers and building strongpoints. M78 PHASED PLASMA INFANTRY GUN: The M78 PIG (Phased-plasma Infantry Gun) is a man-portable anti-armor weapon. Weighting 15.2 kg in its entirety, the PIG consists of two parts: the gun and its power pack. The M78 is a 15 mW phased plasma system firing vaporized Cadmium Telluride pellets from a 30 round feed. The fastdischarge system powering the gun's laser and magnetic coil is fed from a 4 mW hydrogen fuel cell in the power pack. The firing cycle takes 3 seconds, most of which is taken up by the powering up of the discharge generator. The penetrating power of the system is considerable, and it is claimed to be able to breach the flank armor of a heavy tank at 1,000 meters. M83A2 SADAR: The M83A2 SADAR (Shoulder-launched Active-homing Disposable Anti-tank Rocket) is a lightweight one-shot anti-armor weapon capable of engaging enemy vehicles at ranges up to 1,000 m. Fully disposable, the rocket's launcher is discarded after firing, whilst the rocket, a fire-andforget weapon, guides itself toward the target. When stowed, the SADAR system consists of a watertight carbon-fiber composite blast tube, inside of which is an aluminum launch tube containing the missile and guidance electronics. The weapon is cocked by unlatching the forward ring of the blast tube and pulling

the inner launch tube forwards until it locks. A trigger assembly and thermal acquisition sight are then flipped into position, and the weapon activated by pushing a charge button on the trigger grip. From this point the weapon can be sighted and fired from the shoulder. The M83 acquires and tracks targets with a cooled infrared imaging seeker mounted in the rocket's nose. When the charge button is pressed, the inert IR seeker is cooled to it's operating temperature within two seconds and begins feeding images to the operator's thermal acquisition sight. The seeker remains charged for twenty minutes, after which the rocket may only be fired unguided. When a target enters the acquisition sight, the operator can lock the seeker's field of view, the weapon can be launched at it. When launched, the SADAR rocket accelerates to maximum velocity. As the rocket approaches the target, the guidance system selects the hottest part of the target and flies and attack profile the offers optimum penetration. Against a tank, it will typically climb briefly before diving on the target's thinner upper surfaces. The M83A2 version is capable of identifying defensive countermeasures such as decoy flares and has improved logic to aid in rejecting them. The shaped-charge HEAT warhead is capable of defeating most light and medium armor. The SADAR is guided and all rules to it apply. ATTACKS: 2 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 8

SIM-118 HORNET: A shoulder launched man-portable SAM (Surface to Air Missile) capable of an all aspect engagement of targets up to 10 km. The millimeter-wave seeker is capable of acquiring as well as tracking targets, allowing the infantryman to fire at craft beyond the range of his vision or obscured by cloud. A no-frills hypervelocity missile, the Hornet has no warhead, relying on its high accuracy, and the kinetic energy of its impact to destroy the target. The Hornet is guided and all rules to it apply. ATTACKS: 4 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 9 M112 HIMAT: The Hypervelocity Intelligent Missile, Anti-Tank is a man portable battlefield brilliant weapon with a range of over 5 000 m. The versatility of the system allows the field commander many options for its deployment and use. The core element of the system is a 11.3 kg single-round self-contained disposable launcher is a carbon-fiber composite tube containing the HIMAT round and RTM ports for the fire control system. The bipod can be set to launch the round horizontally or at increasing angles up until the vertical, depending on deployment. Fire control for the M112 varies according to mission. For defensive deployment, the system can be set for either Command Autonomous configuration. In both cases, one or more launchers are connected by cable to an APS-100 Fire Controller, an 800 Gb intelligent system which imports data from the local sensor matrix, including motion trackers, infrared scanners, lider, radar and robot sentries. It is also possible to datalink the Fire Control unit into higher-level assets such as surveillance drones or artillery Forward Observers. The APS-200 unit analyzes the sensor data, and if it positively identifies a target it will lock-on with one or more missiles under its command and prepare to launch. If set to Command mode, the APS-100 is connected to the terminal of an operator who constantly monitors the Anti-Tank defense plan for the area. If a target is identified, the system will flash a Target Lock indicator to the operator who can authorize a weapons launch or, if the exact identity of the target is unsure, a further IFF interrogation. If enables for Autonomous mode, the APS-100 will work through its target identification protocols until it is sure it has lock-on to an enemy and then automatically launched one of more missiles. The HIMAT is guided and all rules to it apply. It can be fired manually so it is not classes as a system. ATTACKS: 2 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 8

ATM-1 BOLTER (TL2): The Bolter is another heavy weapon by Alphatech designed primarily for combat synthetics that didnt see wide release until TL4. The weapon was so large, most couldnt even use it. The kickback was enough to knock smaller people off their feet. Some were modified by Alphatech and the CMC with a tripod unit to ease the firing recoil. This variant found wide use in heavy armor units. The original came back at TL4 when Combat Synthetics met wide release.

M80 LP-CANNON: This long range, shoulder cannon found use with heavy soldiers to accentuate armor units. The LP-Cannons basic objective was to give infantry unit a heavy weapon to combat ground military without having to set up heavy missile systems. The M80 is a clip fed railcannon with a built in-power source. It accelerates a needle-shaped flechette past Mach. The fact that it has a clip made the weapon popular for field units who didnt need to the constantly reload the weapon in a pinch.

COLONIAL MARINE MISCELANEOS FIREPOWER

NOTE: These systems can never be manually controlled. They are automated and must use their skills to fire. They also require setup time.

NUCLEAR FAILSAFE MINE (TL4): The NFM is a weapon specifically designed for Beserker teams as a last ditch effort to wipe out the Hive if they fail to clear out the infestation. It cannot be accidentally set off. It is magnetically or gravitically attached to an area just inside the Hive and set to a timer up to 12 hours. When the timer runs out, the Nuke instantly kills everything in a 500m radius and deal out 40k to everything 500m past that. Ever 100 m past that does half damage. Only the right code can disarm the mine. Forcing its removal causes it detonation within one minute. UA 571 REMOTE SENTRY WEAPON SYSTEM: The robot sentry unit is primarily used as an automatic perimeter defense system. Its average weight is 19.6 Kg and can be assembled within 150 seconds. Major components of the UA 571 include a snap open tripod mounting, battery pack, breech and barrel assembly, sensors, and a 500 round ammunition drum. Access to the system by a marine proficient in sentry gun maintenance is aided by a microwave datalink connected to a remote command console. Once the unit is placed into position, it can be set to cover an entire range of 360 degrees. The sentry unit may specifically be set to monitor targets in infrared or optical depending on the profile of the target. In particular, targets with thermal or visual profiles respectively. For the most comprehensive target profile, the sentry unit will be set for multispectral mode. Here, data is transmitted from the sentry's sensor suite (infrared, optical, and motion) and is then cross - correlated by system software. If the sentry unit is set for auto - remote, all targets within the range of the 60 degree sensor cone will be interrogated.

To prevent the possibility of casualties by means of 'friendly fire,' all USCMC vehicles, officers, and troops are equipped with an Identification Friend Foe (IFF) transponder. Since the introduction of the UA 571-C, the IFF transponder has become an everyday part of the marine's communication gear. When a marine is interrogated, the transponder will relay a coded radio signal. If the sentry unit reads are positive, the marine OR vehicle will be free to pass; otherwise, the weapon will open fire. Under the 'semiautomatic' mode, a target's profile will be relayed back to the command console. Here, the system operator will choose whether or not to fire. A servo suite aids the sentry unit upon the opening of fire. Its primary components consist of a servomechanism and -motor. The servo-mechanism is a rather delicate device. Though, despite its delicacy, it has its importance. The mechanism's necessity lies in its ability to control large bursts of power by means of very small amounts of power. Apart from that, it automatically corrects the performance of a mechanism. In this case the mechanism is the UA 571. Alongside the servo-mechanism is the -motor, which is a device that supplements a primary control operated by a comparatively weaker force (such as the servo-mechanism). The suite, together with the tripod mounting boresights the sentry onto the target. That is, the sentry is aided from resistance (moving backwards when firing). So literally, the sentry's ammo "bores" right into its victim. The servos support the tripod to keep the sentry unit sturdy and in place when firing. The rounds fired in one burst depends on the target's profile so that the most economical use of ammo is used. Variants of the sentry unit include the UA 571-D that mounts a 20 wM HF laser cannon and the UA 571-F that mounts a 40 mm grenade launcher. Both are currently employed by the USCMC. The UA 571-C is a man-portable automatic perimeter defense system currently deployed by the US Army and Colonial Marines. A remote sentry unit weights 19.6 kg and can be assembled in under 150 seconds. The major components consist of a snap-open tripod mounting, battery pack, breech and barrel assembly, sensor unit and 500 round ammunition drum. A microwave datalink connects the sentry to a remote command console. Once employed, the system may be set to sweep wide arcs up to 360 degrees though doctrine is to set several sentries to cover smaller, interlocking fields of fire on a narrow frontage. The UA 571-C mounts a pulse action machine gun, using the M250 10 mm x 28 HEAP round. The weapon has a cyclic rate of 1100 rpm and is air cooled, with an automatic cutout preventing the loading of any more rounds into the breech should overheating cause a chance of ammunition explosion. The sentry units sensor array is mounted above the barrel, aligned to cover a 60 degree cone in front of the weapon. This sensing suite consists of a cooled infrared detector, ambient light optics, and ultrasonic motion tracker and a lidar. If a targets visual or thermal profile is known, the system may be set just to monitor these specific targets using infrared or optical. However, the system is usually set to multi-spectral mode, where the sentrys software cross-correlates received data from the different sensors to obtain a full target profile. When the weapon fires, automatic servos in the tripod boresight the weapon on the target. The number and grouping of rounds fired in a burst is dependent on the target profile, so that the most economical use of ammunition is made. AUTOMATIC SKILL: 10

LIM-417 PHALANX: The CMC primary SAM is the LIM-417 Phalanx, a long-range hypervelocity missile capable of engaging aerospace craft to the limits of the stratosphere. This active homing weapon employs a three-stage booster for the launch, sustain, and terminal phases of flight and uses active and passive seekers, including radar, IR, optical, UV and jam-homing, backed by mid-course update from the ground station, to ensure the intercept, regardless of countermeasures. The third-stage booster ensures the missile remains highly agile in the terminal phases of flight, and the multi-data kinetic penetrating warhead can be adjusted by the fusing mechanism into an optimum swarm pattern prior to impact. This weapon is guided. ATTACKS: 3 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 12 HIM-122 LANCER: Anti-ballistic missile defense is provided by the HIM-122 Lancer, a multistage, multi-warhead missile designed to engage aerospace craft, spacecraft and reentry vehicle constellations from medium altitude to the mesopause. In the terminal phase of flight, the Lancer can assign each of its ten maneuvering warheads to engage a separate target, as in the case of a constellation attack, or a single target, as in the case of a re-entering starship. An unjammable datalink with the ground launch tracking station ensures high accuracy, and ECCM capability. This weapon is guided. ATTACKS: 2 each missile. AUTOMATIC SKILL: 10

HIM-78 SPRINT: The HIM-78 Sprint is a high speed ground launched space weapon designed to destroy spacecraft and satellites in near orbit. Usually launched in clusters in order to overwhelm any spaceship point defense, the Spirit comprises a two-stage booster designed to insert an ASAT missile with a kinetic warhead into orbit. Against low orbiting targets, the Sprint ASAT payload can be inserted directly into its path; however a typical injection profile versus a geostationary target involves lofting the payload into a hohmann transfer orbit before completing a circularization burn into geostationary orbit (GSO). For an Earth-like world, the time from ignition to transfer to GSO is some 3 800 seconds. A special feature of the HIM-78 is its low launch signature that improves the chance of first-strike surprise on an armed or maneuvering target. ATTACKS: 5 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 12

COLONIAL MARINE AEROSPACE FIREPOWER MISSILES

AGM-204A TSAM: The TSAM (Threat Suppression Attack Missile) is a low-cost self-protection weapon designed to defend strikeships and dropships against airborne missiles, early warning radars, SAM sites and AAA. Small, short ranged and lightweight, the TSAM design trades off the loiter mode of most modern Threat Suppression Missiles for speed, in order to eliminate a threat rapidly. The Tekell solid motor is a high impulse unit that will accelerate the missile to hyper velocity in less than two seconds; after burnout, the missile coasts to the target. Range varies considerably with launch speed and altitude, though practical limits in an Earth-density atmosphere are 20 km at sea-level up to 60 km at high altitude. The TSAM is guided but cannot be fired at. It is designed to attack incoming missiles. It locks on automatically. ATTACKS: 1 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 10 AGM-220C HELLHOUND II: The Hellhound II is a multi-role tactical missile designed for use against point targets such as vehicles, armor, buildings and bunkers. Based around a greatly enlarged version of the Hellhound I airframe, the missile employs a three-stage motor consisting of a launch boost engine, and in flight sustained motor and a third-stage booster designed to accelerate the weapon during its terminal attack phase. The weapon can be launched in two different modes: in the first, the dropship Weapons Officer locks the missile's seeker onto a target before launch and provided he maintains the lock until the moment of launch the weapon will then be guided to that target; in the second, the weapon is directed to a grid reference where it then commences a search for a pre-designated target, or one selected from an internal menu of potential targets, or for a target of opportunity. The dual-seeker system combines a high-resolution millimeter-wave radar and infrared imager linked to a sophisticated 12 Mb processor which determines the missile's optimal attack profile and warhead fusing to ensure a kill. The 'C' variant of the AGM-220 incorporates a new, jam-resistant radar and improved countermeasures refection logic to bring it in line with the 'F' version employed by the USASF. This is a guided weapon. ATTACKS: 1 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 9 Mk. 16 150mm BANSHEE 70: The Banshee 70 system constitutes one of the most important unguided weapons in US service. In the Colonial Marines, it is most commonly associated with the LAU190/A 16 tube launcher mounted on the UD-4 Cheyenne dropship. Each rocket is spin stabilized by a fluted exhaust nozzle and has three spring-mounted wrap-around fins at the rear. The Mk. 16 model has a high-impulse rocket motor, giving a burnout velocity in excess of 1800 m per second, providing excellent stand-off range and accuracy in the air-to-surface role.

M18: The M18 is an incendiary warhead intended for target marking and for use against buildings and light fortifications. M451: The M451 is a 36kg High Explosive, blast-fragmentation warhead with a smart fuse for use against a wide variety of targets. The TIAS target analysis system aboard the dropship will set the

fuse at the moment of launch according to the target, allowing for airbursts against soft targets or impact fusing against armor. M597: The M97 is a multi-dart warhead containing 17 incendiary flechettes designed to penetrate tank armor, field defenses and bunkers, and then causes fires within them. M598: The M598 is a beehive round for use against battlefield targets such as exposed personnel, soft vehicles, helicopters and VTOL platforms. The warhead carries a load of approximately 4 800, 7.2 g kinetic-penetrating darts capable of saturating an area the size of a football field. With both M597 and M597 warheads, he dropship TIAS will set the optimum distribution pattern of the darts the moment of launch, depending on the primary target.

AIM-90E HEADLOCK: The AIM-90E is a shortranged air-to-air missile optimized for dogfight engagements. Guided by a dual optical / active radar seeker, the Headlock missile accelerates to hyper velocity speeds after launch and then glides the remaining distance to the target. The warhead consists of thirty four explosive darts that are released by the missile as it approaches the target. To ensure a kill, the AIM-90's unique fusing system directs these flechettes into an optimum attack pattern upon release, dependent on the target's current aspect. The 'E' variant of the missile incorporates changes to the countermeasures software and enlarged aerodynamic surfaces to improve lift at high altitudes. ATTACKS: 3 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 10 Mk. 10 70mm ZEUS: The Mk. 10 ZEUS is a 70mm unguided rocket system that has been the mainstay of USCM service for some sixty years, in its various forms. A small, spin-stabilized rocket, the ZEUS is now supplied with only two types of warhead: a smart fused antipersonnel fragmenting warhead and a smoke warhead for laying particulate smoke screens. Mk. 88 120mm SGW: The Mk. 88 is a 120mm, short ranged (under 1500m) weapon designed as a low-cost alternative to the Hellhound versus light armor and prepared positions such as hangars or gun emplacements. A simple weapon, it comprises a rocket with a low-impulse motor steered by fold-out fins. Guidance is by an imaging infra-red seeker in the nose, and a 2.2 kg shapedcharge warhead is positioned just behind. The SGW is a fire-and-forget weapon - once locked-up by the dropship, the missile self-guides to the target. XIM-28A LONG LANCE: The XIM-28A Long Lance ASAT missile is a 5.6 m Anti-Satellite Missile powered by a two-stage Lockmart LP-XII solid-rocket booster. Upon release from the launch bay, the first-stage motor ignites and accelerates the missile away from the launching ship. After four seconds the first stage burns out and the missile coasts the rest of the way toward the target. The second stage ignites when the missile enters its terminal phase to provide the necessary burn to complete the intercept against the target. A coolant jet system in the tail helps mask the motor's infrared and UV signature when it burns. Guided. ATTACKS: 4 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 9 NIC-79 CAPTOR MISSILE: The NIC-79 is a low yield nuclear weapon with an almost microscopic sized payload. The explosive capacity is directed forward, incinerating the rocket before it even impacts on its targets. The blast is enough to go right through most craft. The Captor missile is designed to go against space targets only. It is so clumsy, however, smaller vessels can evade the explosive charge. Hitting a smaller craft is a little like overkill. Captor Missiles cannot survive entry in an atmosphere. They are also guided. ATTACKS: 2 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 8 STG BALLISTIC MISSILE: The STGBM carries your standard Space-to-Ground nuclear warhead. Everything in 100m from the point of impact is destroyed and everything past it from another

100m suffers 20k. Every 100m past that cuts that damage by half. STG can be fired at any target but they are slug for maneuverability. STGs must use their skill. They are guided but cannot be aimed. ATTACKS: 5 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 7

CANNONS
25mm GARGOYLE GATTLING CANNON: This is the Fredrickson 25mm "Gargoyle" servo-slaved gattling anti-aircraft cannon. With a cyclic rate of 300 shells a minute, this is an extremely powerful addition to any craft, and allows for greater air dominance and flexibility in missions. The 25mm "Gargoyle" has a Jullet cooling system running from the engines to cool the gun during use. THUNDERHAWK 30 mm RAILCANNON: Railgun launchers fire kinetic ammunition at velocities over 12 km per second. Despite their high rate of fire, these weapons are less accurate than beam weapons against maneuvering starships or missiles, and have a practical engagement range less than 100 km. However, since a single hit from a railgun round is capable of causing catastrophic damage to a space target, they remain the most powerful close defense weapons in a starships inventory. The railguns work by accelerating a charged plasma to high velocities and using it to propel a kinetic round at the target. They fire up to 30 rpm each and are fed from an autoloader. 800 MEGAVOLT TURBOALTERNATORPOWERED NEUTRAL PARTICLE BEAM:
The 800 MeV Weapons are the primary beam weapons of the CMC Frigates. They fire into the starships forward cone, each capable of disabling a targets electronics and instrumentation at ranges up to 250 km. Sufficient deuterium tanking exists for up to 230 seconds of firing. One hit to another ship will cause 10k of damage but the ship wont be damaged. Instead, if destroyed, all electrical systems shut down, rendering the ship dead. No weapons can fire. Emergency batteries on board escape pods still allow them to be ejected. The engineer of the victim ship can attempt to restore the systems every minute with a 25 skill that drops by 2 every additional minute (5 rounds). The systems will not come back themselves for another 2D6 hours. If the damage received is less than the total defense of the craftthe ship is untouched, even though a second shot will sure spell doom (unless the target is the Razzia). Every additional shot after the ship shuts down extends the shut down by 1D6 hours and increases the difficulty by 2.

80 MEGAWATT INFRARED LASER: Point defense for the large spacecraft used by the CMC is provided by a 80mW free-electron laser capable of vaporizing small targets such as railgun rounds, or disabling incoming missiles and fighter at ranges up to 30km. ORBITAL MINEFIELD: An Orbital Minefield is dispensed out the rear and can be released in any number. When deployed, the organize themselves in a lattice fashion and actually construct their own defense network by connecting themselves with the other units. These lightweight nets, which can stretch tens of kilometers across, are held rigid by alloy framed and stabilized by tiny thrusters. If the mine is struck on its own, the damage is dealt normally. If the ship strikes the net, the front mines explode, but the outer ones can bend themselves in and strike the rear or midsection of the ship.

COLONIAL MARINE ARMOR FIREPOWER

REPUBLIC ELECTRIC 20mm GATTLING CANNON: Two linked 20mm Gattlings are on the front turret of the M577 APC. Both weapons are supplied by a 1700 round multi-feed ammunition dispensor which offers a selection of High Explosive, High Explosive Armor Piercing and 'Beehive' type Anti-Personne Fletchette (APF) rounds at the flick of a switch. These casless rounds carry no propellant and are fed mechanically into the revolving chambers which are then sprayed with hypergolic binary propellants which ignite and launch the round. Binary propellant systems are rare at this caliber, but aboard the M577 this system offers substantial weight, rate-of-fire and reliability advantages over standard caseless weapon and provides effective anti-personnel support for the APC. The only drawback of the weapon is that it is mounted to cover only the vehicle's forward arc. traversing between 60 degrees left and right of axis, and cannot be fired from a hull-down position. 20mw BOYARS PARS 150 PHASED PLASMA CANNON: The power source for the Boyars is a 6mW hydrogen fuel cell capable of powering 3000 firing before refueling. The fuel cell drives a homopolar fast-discharge generator which stores power until it has sufficient energy to pulse the plasma guns laser. When the laser is fired, it creates an ionized trail in the atmosphere which is charged by the guns electromagnetic coil to form a solenoid mass is fed mechanically into the tunnel, where it is vaporized by the laser beam into a superheated plasma. Which is accelerated by the magnetic coil to velocities in the region of 5 000m/s. The Plasma travels the tunnel until it impacts the target at a focussed point, using its considerable kinetic and thermal energy for maximum effect penetration. Because of the power usage, both guns in a turret fire in sequence rather than simultaneously. REPUBLIC DYNAMICS M2025 40 mW FREE-ELECTRON LASER: These are effective against both ground and air targets. Beam power is supplied by a 10 mW hydrogen fuel cell driving a homopolar fast discharged generator. The Beam is propagated, without the need for lasants, by the interaction of a particle-accelerated electron beam with a static electric field. The advantage of a freeelectron laser I Colonial Marine service is its ability to be tuned to wavelengths that would minimize beam degradation by the local atmosphere. In addition, a reactive tune facility, cued by laser returns from the beam, is incorporated to allow rapid returning in the event that countermeasures are deployed to block the beam. The lasers can be used in two modes. In dazzle mode, the beam is used to burnout enemy optical/infrared sensors or blind infantrymen and pilots (20 difficulty or blinded for 2d6 minutes, invoking 6 penalty), has a low output. It is in this mode that the beam is at its most efficient, playing continuously across a target without the need for pulsing or the associated effects on beam propagation from thermal blooming , ionization or dielectric breakdown (huh?). In pulse mode, a beam is pulsed at full power at the target. Damage is caused by the mechanical impulse of the beam as it superheats the target area, and in the case of the M2025 is capable of penetrating infantry persona armor or the skin of a missile or aerospace craft. 20 MeV TURBOALTERNATOR POWERED CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM CANNON: The deployment of this weapon has been made possible die to the introduction of a
Martin-Continental micro magnethydrodynamic turbine capable of generating 20mW of electrical power to run the big particle accelerator guns. Sufficient turbine fuel exists to power the guns for 50 seconds firing and there is some 300kg of deuterium tankage to provide particle beam mass.

ARMOR & EQUIPMENT

STANDARD EQUIPMENT:
Standard Equipment applies to whatever position you end up with finally at the end of your character generation. This is not what your character walks around with but rather the standard gear he/she is equipped with in combat. Equipment going into battle can vary drastically with the situation. Additions are common. As a general rule of thumb, marines can choose any weapon they have training in. (Optional) Any rank Lance Corporal and higher have an automatic choice of a third weapon as long as they have training in the use of that weapon. The pistol is the only automatic. Shotgun, Flame-throwers and even AntiAircraft/Tank weaponry are available. @ Indicates items for an encumbered Marine. Every 3 of these items adds 1 to your DEX. NOTE: All equipment is TL1. Anything with a * can be replaced by higher TL equivalents.

INFANTRY
BDUs Wristwatch M-10 Helmet* Canteen First Aid Kit 6 M-94 Flares Knife Hand Welder Motion Tracker Compass Nylon Rope @ Toolknife VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol w. 2 clips* Personal Locator M-3Armor* Bed Roll @ Entrenching/ Utility Tool @ 3 M1000 Flares 8 M-40 Grenades Mess Kit @ 20 days rations @ Binoculars (High Quality) @ Short Range Comm TNR Lamp@ M41A Pulse Rifle w. 2 clips* Personal Data Transmitter (implanted)

HEAVY WEAPONS
BDUs M-3Armor* 3 M1000 Flares 6 M-94 Flares@ Mess Kit@ Hand Welder Binoculars (High Quality)@ Compass M-10 Helmet* Bed Roll @ Canteen Entrenching/ Utility Tool@ 8 M-40 Grenades Knife@ 20 days rations@

First Aid Kit@ Nylon Rope@ Short Range Comm Toolknife M240 Flamethrower w 2 canisters or M-56 Smartgun

DemoKit@ Wristwatch TNR Lamp Personal Locator VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol w. 2 clips

NCO (Non Commissioned Officer) --CAREER-BDUs M-3Armor* M-10 Helmet* Bed Roll @ Canteen Entrenching/ Utility Tool @ 3 M1000 Flares 6 M-94 Flares 8 M-40 Grenades Knife Mess Kit @ 20 days rations @ VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips* Binoculars (High Quality)@ Compass First Aid Kit Nylon Rope @ Short Range Comm Toolknife Wristwatch Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) Personal Locator TNR Lamp M41A Pulse Rifle with 2 clips OR M240 Flamethrower with 2 canisters OR M-56 Smartgun*

OCC (Officer Command College) --CAREER-BDUs / Flight Fatigues Mess Kit @ Hand Welder 20 days rations @ Binoculars (High Quality)@ Compass First Aid Kit Lantern 6 M-94 Flares Nylon Rope @ Short Range Comm Toolknife Wristwatch Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) Personal Locator VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips* Canteen 3 M1000 Flares Knife

AEROSPACE
Flight Fatigues Flight Helmet Canteen 3 M1000 Flares 6 M-94 Flares Knife Binoculars (High Quality) Compass Lantern Nylon Rope Short Range Comm Toolknife Wristwatch Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) Gee Suit VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips* Personal Locator

STARSHIP COMMAND --CAREER-Flight Fatigues 3 M1000 Flares Toolknife Wristwatch

6 M-94 Flares Knife Binoculars (High Quality) Nylon Rope Short Range Comm

Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) Personal Locator Gee Suit VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips* Compass

MEDICAL
BDUs M-3Armor* M-10 Helmet* Bed Roll @ Canteen 3 M1000 Flares 6 M-94 Flares Knife Mess Kit @ 20 days rations @ TNR Lamp Medkit Binoculars (High Quality)@ Compass First Aid Kit Lantern @ Short Range Comm Toolknife Wristwatch Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) Personal Locator VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips*

SCIENCES CAREER (These dont often go into a combat situation)

Uniform 6 M-94 Flares First Aid Kit Short Range Comm Wristwatch Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips* Knife Medkit

XENOBIOLOGY --CAREER-- (CL3 and higher required) (These dont often go into a combat situation)
Uniform 6 M-94 Flares Knife Medkit First Aid Kit Short Range Comm Wristwatch Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips*

ARMOR
BDUs Canteen 3 M1000 Flares 6 M-94 Flares Knife Hand Welder Binoculars (High Quality) Compass Mechanics Tool Kit Nylon Rope Short Range Comm Toolknife Wristwatch Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips* Personal Locator

An armored vehicle of choice.

TECHNICIAN
BDUs Bed Roll @ Entrenching/ Utility Tool @ 3 M1000 Flares 6 M-94 Flares Knife Mess Kit @ Hand Welder 20 days rations @ Motion Tracker Orbital Communications kit@@ Advanced Tool Kit@ Electricians Tool Kit@ Mechanics Tool Kit Nylon Rope @ Short Range Comm Toolknife Wristwatch Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips* Personal Locator DemoKit

ENGINEER --CAREER-Entrenching/ Utility Tool @ 3 M1000 Flares 6 M-94 Flares Knife Mess Kit @ Hand Welder 20 days rations @ Motion Tracker DemoKit Orbital Communications kit@@ Advanced Tool Kit@ Electricians Tool Kit@ Mechanics Tool Kit Nylon Rope @ Short Range Comm Toolknife Wristwatch Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips*

ARMOR
TYPE
BDU M3 suit* M10 ballistic helmet* Gee Suit Ghillie Suit (Recon) * Z-110 Acid Neutralizing Combat Wardrobe (TL4)* NeutraGel Modification (TL5) Polymer/Alloy combat armor rig. (TL3)* WY Shielded Combat Helmet (TL2) Flak Jacket Kevlar (Light) Kevlar (Medium) Kevlar (Heavy) MK 25 Pressure Suit MK 50 Compression Suit

PD EKD EV
4 14 25 4 6 18 1 16 30 12 10 12 14 5 10 2 2 10 1 1 10 0 10 10 2 1 2 3 5 7 0 0 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 0 0 -1 -1 -2

SPECIAL

Head Only

Camouflage (see below) Acid has no effect. Acid has no effect.

Air Pressurized Air Pressurized

ZCT-1 Armored Spacesuit* (TL3) Portable Force Field MAX--Mobile Assault eXo-Warrior (SpecialLook under Armor)* RACK--Powered Armor (SpecialLook under Armor)* * Prohibited to all except the CMC.

16 10

10 20

-1 0

Air Pressurized Cannot move when setup

BDUs: Each Marine infantryman is provided with a set of battledress utilities (BDUs or fatigues)two-piece, light polycotton coveralls with pockets secured by silent fasteners. The weave of the fatigues is sufficient to provide limited protection against light firearms. The manufacturing processes provide limited IR protection. M3 SUIT: The standard personal armor of the Colonial Marines, the M3 suit, is worn over these, providing protection to the Marine's head, torso and shins. M3 personal armor is made up of composite layers providing ballistic protection against most low-power small arms and fragmentation. It provides torso protection, and leg protection, However, this protection is doubled against blast-radius fragmentation grenades such as flechette, frag or HE. Built into the armor are the necessary bio-sensors which send the Marines physiological data (pulse-rate, respiration, EEG, etc) to the tactical command post. M10 HELMET: The M10 ballistic helmet issued to all Marines provides SP 20 head protection with the same fragment-stopping capabilities as M3 armor. It contains a tactical camera, audio microphone, IFF transmitter and PRC 489/4 transceiver system, as well as a passive infrared monocle that flips down over the right eye. The M3 personal armor and M10 helmet confer no Encumbrance modifier. In addition, when combined with BDUs, it aids in breaking up the wearer's IR signature. GEE SUIT: Used by Aeromen to counter the effects of the high-G maneuvering. With this suit, a properly trained pilot can stand up to 11 Gs. It offers little protection. GHILLIE SUIT: The Recon suit, or "Ghillie" suit, as it is known amongst the corps, is a combination of camo suit and radar and IR sneak suit. The natural-fiber leaved camouflage makes the Recon marine difficult to spot visually (Heroic Awareness test), while the suit beneath absorbs radar emissions An optional external heat sink pack regulates the suit's IR signature. Each Ghillie suit is tailored individually for each Recon Marine, and comes with a pair of BiMex goggles that provide 20x telescopic enhancement and Starlight ambient light vision. Z-110 ACID NEUTRALIZING COMBAT WARDROBE (TL4): Efforts to produce an armor resistant to the intense acidity of the alien blood have proved impractical. The designs were deemed too heavy for a normal man to use effectively. Therefore, we must not resist, but extirpate. The moment alien blood touches this wardrobe, the threat is eliminated altogether. It is lined with a gelatinous substance that can neutralize the acid, giving it the PH balance of water. The Z-110 was developed by

Grant Corp for their farmers as Royal Jelly was a valued resource. They were secretly using them since TL3 but the design was not available to the CMC until later. The armor is also a complete life support system, with a capacity of a full pressurized environment for up to six hours. The suit is powered by batteries on the back which power the life support but also regulates the interchanging armor plates. Not really classified as powered armor, the suit just moved its armor aside as the person moves. This includes tracking the helmet to follow the eyes of the wearer. This is because the viewer of the Z-110 is very small. The Grant Corp Nutra-Gel cannot be made transparent, making this small viewer the most vulnerable place on the suit. It has the same PD and EKD as the rest of the suit but is not protected by the NutraGel technology. Any acid hit in the head unit has 20% chance of striking the glass. If this happens, 20% of the acid damage is applies to the head but no PD is lost. If punctured, the suit is no longer pressurized. The Z-1110 can regenerate the Gel completely after a battle and have an inexhaustive supply.

NUTRAGEL: At time of the war, Grant Corp starts selling the NutraGel as a modification to be adapted to any armor. Any surface armor (that cannot be covered) can be used. Every packet will adapt a full suit but will only withstand 100 points of Acid damage before being completely neutralized. Any location not completely covered (Helmet) has a 50% chance of hitting an unprotected area. POLYMER / ALLOY COMBAT ARMOR RIG. (TL3): The PACAR, at TL3, replaces the M3 Combat Armor of the CMC. It covers a greater area but doesnt sacrifice maneuverability to do so. This is because, unlike the M3, is mostly made of light weight plastics It is not an enclosed suit. At TL5, GrantCorps NutraGel compound has been added to it. The Head unit is very similar to the M10 so the stats are considered the same even though it is shaped substantially differently. The Armor is made up of flexible plates under a overcoat of dense weaved fabric. WY SHIELDED COMBAT HELMET (TL2): If anything, the WY Helmet completely conceals the user's face with a massive armored plate. This unit seems to be more designed for intimidation than practicality. FLAK JACKET: A basic Chest protector that has remain stylistically unchanged for hundreds of years. The material and strength however, has radically be improved. It is strong enough to hold back even the most powerful of armaments. The Flak Jacket is the most common armor used by civilian security

groups and planetary forces.

KEVLAR (Light, Medium, Heavy): Kevlars capacity has grown substantially in the last year and the pinnacles are these combat suits which are the most powerful on the open market. By TL5 they were being adapted with NutraGel as fast as GrantCorp was selling them since these suits are the prime heavy choice for combat on the outer veil colonies. MK25 PRESSURE SUIT:
The MK25 is a small, compact space suit designed for ease and maneuverability. It is not a combat suit and when punctured, is useless. It is a full package, with 12 hours of air and liquid nutrient solution. It is the basic suit installed in all civilian spacecraft. However, the MK25

MK50 COMPRESSION SUIT: The MK50s design has

remain unchanged in almost a hundred years. It is a heavy duty Space / Environment Suit with hardened body panels for extreme resilience. Most crews in hazardous environments have these suits. Military craft has these as their primary EVA suit. The Helmet is one piece with the environment system, which supplies almost 24 hours of air. Recirculators can keep the air going at a low breath rate (no activity) for another 6. Temperature controls can keep it comfortable with the outside as low as absolute zero and has high as 350 degrees C. The MK50 is not a combat suit even with this protection and will be useless if punctured.

ZCT-1 ARMORED SPACESUIT (TL3): Zajer / Comm Technic, to offer the members of their colonies greater protection from the threats in the outer veil, they introduced the pale, white armored combat chassis simply called the ZCT-1. It remained under license with ZCT and its colonies until TL4 where they opened their doors to open consumers. The CMC immediately put in an order for 100 000 units. The ZCT-1 is adapted with Nutra-Gel at TL-5 but it already was a formidable suit when released. The onboard computer can detect holes in the pressure and seal it up by expanding the suit into the new area. It is not a permanent fix but will keep the air out for the time being. The capabilities of the ZCT-1 are the same as the MK50 Compression suit with 24 hours of air and a temperature range from Absolute zero to 350 degrees C. The ZCT-1 is a heavy combat suit and has full protection from the hardships of combat.

PORTABLE FORCE FIELD: The PFF is a large unit of launched probes that create a perimeter force screen that protects anybody in as much as 30 feet by all attacks. The field would seem

almost impenetrable. Multiple generators can combine to double their STR or range. The PFF is not air tight but can keep out all liquid, matter, and energy. Gases have a tendency of leaking through.

NORMAL GEAR
Remember, a starting character can buy these using OP converting 100 cr. to 1 OP.

ITEM
Advanced Tool Kit Autograppnel (2000 lbs) Bed Roll Binoculars (High Quality) Camera (24 exposures) Camp Stove Canteen CD Player Cell Phone Compass Crowbar Hand Welder Handcuffs Hotel Room IR Goggles Jammer (10 m range) Lantern (8 hrs, 40 m range) Lighter (100 lights) Mechanics Tool Kit Medkit Mess Kit Short Range Comm (500 km rng) Skates Skis Snowshoes Stereo System Television (large) Television (port.)

COST
600 100 25 50 50 30 75 100 150 10 10 100 5 100/night 200 60 50 10 1000 300 50 100 40 80 40 500 1000 300

ITEM
Diving Gear (3 hr time) Entrenching / UtilityTool Electricians Tool Kit First Aid Kit Furniture (Real) (Synthetic) Food (Fresh) (Prepack) (Rations) Flashlight (6 hrs) Geiger Counter (10m range) Movie Camera Nylon Rope (100 m, 500lbs) P-5000 PowerLoader Personal Computer Personal Data Trans. Personal Locator Personal Recorder Portable Holograph (TL3) Pressure Tent (1/2 man) Radio, Basic Toolknife Utility Belt Wristwatch Timer Clamp (TL3) Infrasonic Suppression Sys. (TL5) XM Neural Suppressor (TL5) Nuetralizer Spray (TL4)

COST
250 40 25 10 500 150 200/week/person 100/w/p 50/w/p 10 90 100 100 40 000 1000 30 50 200 1000 500 / 1 000 100 50 20 50 20 000 8 000 100 / can

FASHION
ITEM
Pants Top Jacket Footwear Jewelry Mirrorshades Glasses Generic Chic x1 cost Leisurewear x2 cost Businesswear x3 cost High Fashion x4 cost

COST
40 40 50 40 100 - 1000 50 50

ADVANCED TOOL KIT: A small kit to help with repairs of any vehicles. The high tech tools inside cover a variety of different uses easily. Any repairs or modifications of any craft can be made with a +1 with this pack. AUTOGRAPPNEL: This launches a piton almost 500 meters in the air and can embed itself in solid rock with a 2000 lbs capacity. BED ROLL: A small sleeping bag that can be compacted into a small cylinder barely 8 inches across and 3 feet wide. BINOCULARS: Self Explanatory. Digital Readout with distance meter than can measure the range between the target in the eyesight on the binoculars. CAMERA: An ultra-small disposable unit with a 24 exposure capacity. CAMP STOVE: A small unit capable for cookingbut I am sure you know that. Battery
powered.

CANTEEN: Three days of water for one person. CD PLAYER: The discs are half the size of current CDs. CELL PHONE: Much smaller, these communication devices only work in the inner colonies but
can transmit anywhere

COMPASS: Not the drawing kind. CROWBAR: Useful tool and a very heavy weapon. DIVING GEAR: Three hours time limit. Not a totally enclosed suit. ENTRENCHING / UTILITY TOOL: Basically a shovel with some extra tools built in. ELECTRICIANS TOOL KIT: Soldering and Electrical Kit. Gives any electronics related
skill (computers, high tech engineering) +1.

FIRST AID KIT: Can stop bleeding and add +1 to a First Aid skill. FLASHLIGHT: Small but powerful. Palm-held. HAND WELDER:
The ME3 Hand Welder currently employed by the Colonial Marine Corps has been a standard issue to all Marines for the past 40 years. Extending the range of combat operations to a more urban setting was greatly aided by the addition of the ME3. Using a thin stream of plasma, the ME3 can cut and fuse metal quickly and cleanly. The fuel is mainly oxygen taken from the air, and in the absence of an atmosphere, the welder will still work, but will only have fuel for 15 seconds of use. Normal use is approximately 80 seconds of efficient heat.

IR GOGGLES: A surprisingly small pair of Infrared goggles that allow the viewer to see is gray scales of heat. This allows the user to see it almost compete darkness. JAMMER: Disrupts bugs and all communication in 10 meters. Doubling the cost Doubles the
range.

MECHANICS TOOL KIT: A Hand Welder is just one small part of this large engineering kit. Only people with Mechanics or Engineering skills can use it, giving a +2 to these rolls. MEDKIT: For more advanced medical emergencies. Gives a +2 to First Aid and a +1 to all other Medical skills. The Medkit is standard issue to all Marine medtechs. It contains several surgical implements such as scalpels, syringes and suction pumps, anesthetics, antibiotics and antiseptics, bandages, swabbing cotton, a defibrillator and a biomonitor linked to an armband scanner similar to a wrist PDT. It allows anyone with a Medical skill to stabilize mortal wounds. Replacement kits containing chemicals, bandages, new surgical blades and other perishables. MESS KIT: Everything to prepare and eat food except the stove. Gotta love those sporks. MOVIE CAMERA: Small (1lbs) and with a 2 hours capacity. P-5000 POWERLOADER: For convenience, it has been lumped in the Armor section PERSONAL COMPUTER: Advanced. 100 Gig capacity. Super fast. Computers advance so much I wont go into detail on its stats here. PERSONAL DATA TRANSMITTER: The PDT is a small computer with biological monitoring systems and a broadcaster. The computer broadcasts an identification code, which can be cross-referenced by a computer with the wearer's file, which contains ID data and usually medical history. The device also serves as a locator for colonists and Marine sections, and can be tracked by computer or by a handheld unit The larger version of the PDT comes in two models; the first is built within the M3 armor suite with contact patches at critical points. The second model is constructed in a wristwatch-style, and fits over the wrist of the wearer. Both versions of this model are used by the USCMC, and transmits data to the section's assigned APC, as well as to tuned hand locators. PDTs are only used by the military if radio silence is not important, and can be deactivated if they present a security risk. Smaller versions constructed to be surgically implanted within the human body (at the base of the neck, behind and to the left of the spinal column) are required by ICC colonial law to be installed within every adult colonist shipping out to a new colony world and to every person born on the colony when they reach sixteen years of age until the terraforming process is complete. These usually broadcast to Colony Central, allowing rapid location of specific Colonists within the base. PERSONAL LOCATOR: The Eigress Mark 7 digital uplinking compass is a standard issue for any soldier. With many different capabilities and several distinct roles in today's modern battlefield, the Mark 7 is a popular issue for any Marine. Concealed in the Coleman 6 inch combat knife handle, this unit makes finding your way around the battlefield effortless. The digital uplinking compass is most commonly used as a personal locator in today's war events. When connected to the micro-emissions of a personal locator chronometer, the Mark 7 can supply direction, elevation and distance to the target, usually a fallen comrade or downed pilot. The micro bursts emitted by a locator unit are picked up by the Mark 7, giving the unit a stealthy receive-only capability. When connected via microwave transmissions to an orbital fleet GPS satellite network, the Mark 7 functions as a highly reliable compass. The experimental Mark 8 also has settings for detecting

enemy motion trackers. It is being combat tested by the TSEALs and should be ready for service in the next couple of months. 1000 m Range.

PERSONAL RECORDER: A Micro-recorder barely four inches long and two inches wide.
Can record up to 90 minutes.

PORTABLE HOLOGRAPH: About the size of a hatbox that can transmit any set of 3D images 2 meters across and 10 meters tall. Up to an hour of animation can be recorded. PRESSURE TENT: An air pressurized tent for adverse environments. Can hold 12 hours of
Oxygen.

RADIO / BASIC: Like a CB system, a short ranged, one way communicator with a 20 km range. SHORT RANGE COMMUNICATOR: The common communicator used by the CMC. Has a 500 km range with a basic system. Cannot be modified for other purposes. There are many variations of this design including Hand held, headset, and helmet mounted. TOOLKNIFE: A Swiss Army Knife TIMER CLAMP (TL3): The Timer Clamp is used to hold the lips of an Alien egg shut to unsure the creature cant escape during transportation. It automatically falls off when the Timer expires. Nobody is anywhere near the egg when it activates. It can hold on for up to 999 minutes. INFRASONIC SUPRESSION SYSTEM (TL5): Nicknamed Beekeepers smoke, this device shuts off the very unique impulses of what the Alien passes for their nervous systems. It causes them to sleep or any form off deep coma that fits the description. The Suppression system spreads fifty feed away from the transmitter in every direction. Royal Guards and Queens are immune. This system is usually used by Beekeepers to safely extract the Royal Jelly. The only disadvantage about this system is that it is prone to failure. Every minute in operation, the an alien can wake up by rolling above 19 with their WILL + D10 (Basically a nine or ten). The Queen can override the ISS by rolling 17 or over with their WILL and a D10. If this works, all aliens within fifty feet wake up and re always immune, even if they venture outside the range of the Queen. Also, if the Aliens are frenzied or angry in anyway (any form of heavy aggression) negates the ISS effects. XM NUERAL SUPRESSOR (TL5): A smaller form of Inhibitor. This one looks like a thickened baton. It operates for about 3 hours with a 3 meter radius. All aliens that move into this range must make a WILL check and roll above 19 or be turned as tame as household kitten. They seem to keep their motor skills but cant act aggressively. Royal Guards and Queens are unaffected. Unlike the ISS, the aliens cannot recover. When hit with the XM, they cant act at all for 2D6 minutes whether in the field or not. Any Aliens on an attack charge are unaffected as well as any extra aggressive creatures. The XM, therefore, is not useful as a direct attack weapon but it useful as a defensive and experimentation device. Both this and the ISS are so rare and the price is so high, they are not common. NEUTRALIZER SPRAY (TL4): A spray version of the NutraGel with a hundred doses. A player can, instead of firing back, use the spray to counter an acid splash on one location, neutralizing the acid immediately. Usually one round of acid damage is still applied.

MILITARY PX
ITEM
BDUs / Flight Fatigues M-3Armor* M-10 Helmet* M1000 Flare (3 pack) M-94 Flares (9 pack) Motion Tracker DemoKit Intelligence Unit Orbital Communications kit Pulse Communicator TNR Lamp Gee Suit@ Ghillie Suit (Recon) Z-110 ANCW (TL4) NeutraGel Modification (TL5) Polymer/Alloy CAR (TL3) Flak Jacket Kevlar (Light) Kevlar (Medium) Kevlar (Heavy) MK 25 Pressure Suit MK 50 Compression Suit ZCT Armored Spacesuit (TL3) Portable Force Field

COST
100 240 150 30 30 200 500 1 000 1 500 1 000 200 200 600 1 800 100 1 600 600 100 150 200 500 1000 1 600 3 000

MOTION TRACKER: The USCMC Motion Tracker uses sonar bursts with Doppler-shift discrimination to scan and locate movement. Its use is covered by the Electronic Security skill. The device is activated by a trigger mounted in the handgrip; thus, when not in active use the Tracker cannot be left on, conserving battery power and decreasing the possibility that the tracker itself will be detected. The location of detected movement is displayed on a small LCD screen mounted on the side of the device as a set of probability contours ranging from black to white; black indicating no movement and white indicating a high probability of the location of the movement. An auditory cue is also provided in the form of a reverberating tone that changes in pitch and reverb. speed based on the size and proximity, allowing Marines to concentrate on their environments whilst keeping their trackers active. In ideal conditions (ie. Open terrain with no wind) the tracker can scan accurately up to a kilometer, however in buildings (such as the average colony building with metal and synthesized walls which to a great extent absorb the sonar bursts and returns) the effective range drops to between twenty and thirty meters. M1000 FLARE (3 pack): The M1000 sets of a hot magnesium flare available in red, blue, and white variants. It lasts for 3D6+30 minutes. It can cause significant burn damage (DC3) is applied to an object. Combustion is easy. It also supplies limited heat. They are 2 1/2 inches wide and 8 inches long. M-94 FLARES (9 pack): M-94s lack most of the qualities of the M1000. Only lasting 2D6+10 minutes, these flares are often only used for guidance and for signaling and as a minor light source. They are the size of a pencil. They don't supply much heat (DC1).

The device does have problems, however. First, because the tracker emits high-frequency sonar bursts it can be easily detected by passive listening stations as a target for enemy fire or by cyberaudio with Increased Hearing Range. Second, the tracker is also designed to filter out slight "natural" movement (such as insects or corn waving in wind), so a very slow target may be able to infiltrate a tracker's scan area. Third, because the tracker uses Doppler shift to discriminate between immobile objects and targets, a target moving across the tracker's scanning cone may be effectively invisible. Finally the unit is vulnerable to ultrasound jamming and "jumping-jack" movement decoys (A small metal sphere or cylinder with rubberized or spring-loaded surfaces). Despite these failings the motion tracker has seen use with the Corps as a man-portable scanning device for many years, and although not as good as vehicle- or emplacement-mounted systems, it has come to be a standard component of a Marine team as a supplement to other search and location techniques. At least one member of each rifle or gun team in a Marine section is equipped with a tracker.

DEMOKIT: The equipment required to arm and disarm a variety of explosives. Five Packs of C19 are included. Demolition skills are given +1. INTELIGENCE UNIT: A modified EBM PCX laptop computer the intelligence unit is issued to Marine Recon, Exploratory and HazEnv units. It contains data on the USCMC, most Corporate armies and Colonial armies, including uniforms, weapons, commonly used tactics, vehicles etc Also, the intelligence unit is downloaded with information pertaining directly to the mission itself; terrain, maps of towns, cities and important buildings, personal data on relevant individuals etc. The unit carries a scanner capable of digitally processing pictures, allowing identification of included people and location within minutes. The unit is armored against small arms and impact and is fingerprint and voiceprint locked, so only the assigned individual can access the data. It is also equipped with a small thermite bomb which will detonate if the unit is tampered with (a maintenance code must be entered before opening the unit up) or when a concealed switch is pressed, destroying the interior of the unit and thus eliminating irretrievably all data within. ORBITAL COMMUNICATIONS KIT: This is a dish and communications kit that requires two minutes of set up time to operate fully. It is designed to communicate with orbit craft and even remote command ships from a distance. The OCK has a 5 000 km range and can be setup up with a burst one-way communication of 500 AU. The whole system weighs so much, anyone transporting this has a 1 to his or her DEX. PULSE COMMINCASTOR: The pulse communicator is usually issued to Recon Marines, and consists of a rechargeable 10-burst power cell, a comm unit, a scrambler and a small transceiver dish. It is a microwave burst communicator able to provide secure, if limited, communication to the Marine team. A complete message is fed into the communicator and transmitted to its target in a single powerful pulse. Return messages are deciphered by the communicator. The unit can be linked to an intelligence unit for transmission of entered and scanned data as well as reception of new data. The unit can be taken apart so it can be placed in a briefcase, and is relatively light (3 kg). Because the communicator is limited to line-of-sight transmission, the operator is usually limited to transmitting in certain times at certain places, to ensure a receiver dish is pointed toward him, and he toward it. These times and transmission points are organized with the character before the mission commences and are fed into their intelligence unit. Thus the operator usually communicates to a relay station on the ground or a circling aircraft. However, the communicator is almost impossible to jam, intercept or trace, and although full two-way communication is impossible it allows transmission of vital data to his superiors and the reception of periodic orders. TNR LAMP: Carried on the left shoulder of Colonial Marines is a detachable high-powered halogen white-light TNR lamp. The TNR lamp runs off a rechargeable internal battery and incorporates a carrying handle so that it may be detached and used as a hand torch. The TNR lamp has a range of 200 meters and is effective as an alternative lighting source in combat situations. The internal battery is good for 6 hours of use, then needs to be recharged or replaced.

The lamp can be recharged using a standard rifle recharge rack. The TNR lamp used by the Colonial Marines is similar to that used by the US Army, with the exception of a movable motor that tracks the movement of the helmet and shines the light where the soldier looks. This version only lasts 1 hour on internal battery and was declined in favor of a more efficient use of stored power.

VEHICLES
PERFORMANCE
TOTAL COST: Marine cost of the unit. Public cost can vary. M-class vehicles are not available
on the open market

LOADED WEIGHT: Total weight with armament and crew. STRENGTH: For Power armor. MANUEVERABILITY: Penalties to hitting and dodging. LOCATIONS: Areas that can be hit. STRUCTURE: Structure in Hits or Kills ARMOR: Armor in Hits or Kills MAX SPEED: Maximum Speed. Basic cruising speed is half. Every 20km past that half adds a
1 penalty to Maneuverability.

ACCELERATION: How much the vehicle can accelerate per turn. VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: How many weapon hardpoints are available. These are vehicle
space. Refer to weapons for details BASIC ARMAMENT: The typical or fixed armaments for that vehicle or variant.

M577 ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIER

The M577 is a lightweight, low-cost, and well-armed armored personnel carrier that was designed to fill the need of a dropable APC that could quickly deploy marines into a battlefield. Its design makes it a great multi-role vehicle, and has the capability to fill all needs. The M577 was designed to be as sturdy as possible, while keeping a combat weight of below 15,000 kg. The chassis was designed after the M570 family of vehicles whose main roles were primary transport and mortar platform. The APC is built around a 4 x 4-wheeled layout, powered by a 286 kW multi-fuel gas turbine engine that generates a powerto-weight ratio in the region of 19.7 kW/kN. Although the wheel configuration does not provide as rugged a cross-country performance as a tracked vehicle, it does offer considerable savings in terms of weight penalties and reliability. The massive 159-cm diameter wheels each receive independent power from the engine via a fully automatic, electronically controlled transmission system. The tires are armored plated to prevent penetration by ground debris or small arms fire, and are pressure regulated by the driver, allowing him to deflate and inflate them depending on the terrain condition. The M577 is operated by two crew (the driver and section commander) and allows twelve positions for passengers, all equipped with yoke harness restraints for orbital combat drop. Entry is made via the main starboard sliding door or port side drivers hatch. The interior is spacious despite the vehicle being visually small, and allows for plenty of weapons and equipment storage. In the rear of the APC is the audio and video linkups so the section commander can keep contact with the vehicle's infantry complement via real-time video and battle management displays.

PERFORMANCE
TOTAL COST: $2,000,000 LOADED WEIGHT: 31,255lbs, (15.7 tons) MANUEVERABILITY: -3 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR MAIN BODY: 4K 2K WHEELS: 60 SDP 35 SDP MAX SPEED: 125 ACCELERATION: 35 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: 1 Turret BASIC ARMAMENT: Only one pair of synchronized Republic Electric RE700 20mm gattling cannons. The Turret can carry a variety of armaments (see weapons).

MAX MOBILE ASSAULT EXO WARRIOR / MOBILE OFFENSIVE EXO WARRIOR (TL4)
The Max or MOX confounds explanation. It is not really a piloted suit nor is it a robot. It is a Human intelligence locked into ten tons of heavily armed and armored exoskeleton. The MAX was developed and primarily run by Weyland Yutani while the MOX was produced by military intelligence for effective confrontation with the hostile alien life forms. When a civilian consultant, en route from the siminal military skirmish with the hostile organisms on the Terraformer LB 426 Colony, successfully dispatched an alien Queen with an Exoskeletor Payloader, military designers had responded with MOX. Both models are virtually identical even though the MOX is more popular, being widely distributed among the CMC at TL5. The MOX were the first of their kind. The Military wanted a new breed of warrior, and the marines provided them: volunteer basket cases and psychos eager to taste power in this lifetime. The Berserkers. It was up to medical science to keep them leased until they were needed. One specifically trained doctor always accompanies the Suit. They use IV sedatives to maintain the subject in a dreamless coma state, virtually a flatten. Not even REM sleep is allowed, since the slightest spark of adrenaline could cause a massacre. Usually, for the man in the suit, this is his one and only and option. This or psycho ward one. When the bughunt reaches critical mass, The Armor is wheeled in, and the subject is turned on with a triple dose of chemical adrenalines, and turns him loose. The bugs will go down. When that moose juice kicks in, anything between him and his target will be annihilated. Both the MOX and the MAX have weapons so similar, for ease, they will be classified to be the same. Pulse Rifles, Grenade launchers, and Flamethrowers are all standard equipment. The only variety is scale. The MAX is substantially larger than the MOX (by a full meter). The MAX also has the capacity of allowing a normal pilot. The MOX is literally built AROUND the pilot where the MAX is more of a powered armor. The back opens up where the almost surgically implanted pilot can be removed.. Please note the pilot is so dependant on the drugs of the MAX that he will die in 1D6 hours unless placed on life support if removed. The new pilot will not be dependant on the drugs unless in side the suit for more than 48 hours. A new pilot can be implanted is six hours. For a normal human, the MAX can be used in extreme emergencies. A neural implant is drilled in

the back of the head (DC4 damage) and the suit applies to the users command. However, an additional -3 Maneuvering bonus is applied. The MOX is smaller, more maneuverable, and less armored, and has no chance of pilot removal. Maxs cost a bit more, so they are recycled. MOXs however, need to be rebuilt entirely to accompany a new pilot. They are both independent units whose only form of tracking is the homing beacon placed usually in a hive by the Point man (See CMC for the Beserker rules). Upon activation, they go in he direction of the beacon and destroyed everything in their path. The guns all have safety kill-switches designed to shut off within three meters of the Point man an anybody programmed for the Beserker to avoid. PDT of colonists are notable examples. The Final disadvantage of the MAX and MOX units is the unpredictable lifespan of the pilot. After the tenth flushing (washing of the sedatives and jacking up with the chemical drugs), the health of the pilot diminishes. The eleventh flushing has a 5% chance of killing the pilot when activated. This, of course puts the Beserker team in a bad situation. Ever additional flushing adds 5% to the difficulty. Most Beserkers are replaced after ten missions but some have been pushed to their twentieth mission. MOX suits are a tad bit safer and only add 4% every additional flushing. Not much, but MOXs are generally pushed more than MAXs since an emergency pilot can use the Suit if the current one dies. The Nutragel technology was not converted to Beserker suit until well into TL6 because the heavy armor was considered enough to ward off the alien acid.

PERFORMANCE
TOTAL COST: MOX: $1,000,000 MAX: $2,100,000 LOADED WEIGHT: MOX: 8 tones MAX: 10 tones STRENGTH: MOX: 10 MAX: 12 MANUEVERABILITY: MOX: -1 MAX: -3 LOCATIONS: (MOX / MAX ) STRUCTURE: ARMOR: MAIN BODY: 2K / 4K 1K / 2K ARMS (2): 1K (50 SDP) / 2K 0.5 K (25 SDP) / 1K LEGS (2): 1K (50 SDP) / 2K 0.5 K (25 SDP) / 1K MAX SPEED: MOX: 14 MAX: 10 ACCELERATION: 4 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: See below BASIC ARMAMENT: MOX: M56 Smartgun with triple ammunition, M240 Flamethrower with double capacity, M26 Thumper Grenade Launcher MAX: One 20 MeV turboalternator powered charged particle beam cannon, M240 Flamethrower with triple capacity, M56 Smartgun with triple ammunition, M26 Thumper Grenade Launcher NOTES: All arm weapons are considered turrets for special rules.

M-242

COMBAT

BUGGY

The M-242s design bears more than a striking resemblance to its civilian counterpart, he Daihotei ATV. Both vehicles have almost identical drivetrains. The major exceptions is size. The M242 is smaller and sporting only four wheels. The Buggy only has a crew of two with no passengers, one pilot and one turret operator. Both can open their canopies and operate effectively in the clear. There is a 5 to strike them when exposed in this condition, the pilot and gunner have a +2 to hit their targets. The M-242 is one of the most capable combat vehicles in the CMC. Not only is it fast, running off a pair of K-1000 Gas Turbines, but it is also maneuverable, using four wheeled steering on a four wheeled drive transmission. The control system can be modified to operate as a typical steered vehicle about also as a independent control for each wheel. Allowing the car to drive sideways and virtually every direction, keeping its nose pointed forward. This helps the aiming of its turret weapon, supporting a pair of high-powered 10-mm Vulcan Gattling cannons. These weapons can strafe targets with ease from a 1000 meters. The only disadvantage with maneuverability is weight. Being light, the buggy cannot take many hits. Most heavy weapon will permanently disable the vehicle. The wheels, themselves, are especially vulnerable.

PERFORMANCE
TOTAL COST: $250 000 LOADED WEIGHT: 18 000 kg (1.8 tons) MANUEVERABILITY: -1 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR MAIN BODY: 1K (50 SDP) 0.5 (25 SDP) WHEELS: 0.5 (25 SDP) 0.25 K (15 SDP) MAX SPEED: 166 ACCELERATION: 50 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: See below. BASIC ARMAMENT: Twin Gattling Cannons.

DAIHOTAI 8X8 ATV

With the advent of galactic colonization, mankind has encountered a greater variety of climates and terrenes than anyone on Terra could have imagined. Unfortunately, some of these conditions have proven insurmountable to all existing Terran ATV (allterrain vehicle) designs. Thus the need for an even more rugged, more capable vehicle was born. To date, Daihotai Corp., a subsidiary of WeylandYutani, has been the leader in this market segment. Indeed, Daihotai has become synonymous with quality and dependability. Each model in the ATV series is based on a common 8x8 drivetrain with a 7-meter wheelbase and a 6-meter track. This wide base ensures even weight distribution and stability on most types of

ground. Four legs end in pairs of drive wheels. The vehicle is sprung by two swing-arm Anderson suspension assemblies, cantilevered at chassis bearings and sprung with internal torsion bars. Dampening comes courtesy of telescopic shock absorbers. The whole assembly is reined in by hydro-pneumatic rams. The active suspension is monitored by a dedicated CPU to provide maximum stability and traction in all conditions. The system can also alter the vehicles ground clearance over a range of 1.5 to .9 meters. The most common power plant installed in the Daihotai series ATVs are the J-160 and J-180 series gas turbines. Both units are capable of generating 160 to 180 kW of power that is transferred to the drive wheels. Each wheel has its own independent transmission system controlled by a central CPU to ensure optimal traction. This unit also handles anti-lock braking duties. On paved surfaces, the ATV is capable of top speeds near 110 km/hr. Off-road the ATV is capable of handling vertical obstacles up to 1.4 meters in height and vertical grades near 70%. A fully provisioned, enclosed cabin is standard equipment on most models of ATV. All cabins possess full life support capability, with full NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) protection. The cabins are arranged around a central living space equipped with a full galley and sleeping accommodations for up to five people. Plenty of storage space is available for stowing equipment and supplies. Each unit is reinforced by a steel rollcage and may be sealed from the rest of the space by sliding bulkhead door. The drivers cab is located at the very fore of the vehicle. This area can double as an airlock in hazardous environs. A workstation cockpit is at the rear of the vehicle. This area effectively mirrors the driving controls in the main cab, allowing the tractor to be piloted effectively in reverse. This area also contains controls for all the attachments and specialized tools the ATV may carry. Some of the more popular attachments are: diggers, cutters, large drills, soil samplers, stamping presses, welders, and earthmoving blades. However, the overall strength of the design has led to many field modifications, and ATVs can be found performing nearly any heavy-duty function on a colony somewhere. Indeed, Weyland-Yutani colonies are equipped almost exclusively with this type of utility vehicle.

PERFORMANCE
TOTAL COST: $100 000 LOADED WEIGHT: 2 tones MANUEVERABILITY: -4 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE MAIN BODY: 100 SDP WHEELS: 20 SDP MAX SPEED: 125 ACCELERATION: 33 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: None

ARMOR 50SDP 10 SDP

P-5000 POWERLOADER
The Caterpillar P-5000 powerloader has been selected for use by the USCMC as their prime loading vehicle for logistics and support operations. Configured as an anthropomorphic exoskeleton power frame, the P-5000 offers an unprecedented flexibility when handling ordinance and cargo during the rough field operations or when it is conducting heavy maintenance away from it's fixed workshops. The loader is capable of fine manipulating loads up to 4,000 kg, it is rugged and reliable piece of machinery compared to forklifts, rigs, and cranes. The chassis of the loader is made of reinforced steel framework with two upper load-bearing points for its arms. A hydrogen fuel cell is mounted on the back of the frame, which provides the loader up to 65 kW of power. The legs are attached to by two semi-universal bearings on either side of the chassis, which allows up to a 60 degree of 'x' axis (hip swivel) movement, just below this are a set of knee bearings. The

leg motions at the hip are controlled by a pair of 20 kW linear motors that are actuated by a fastfeedback loop slaved to the operators movements. Just below the hips are hydraulic actuators that extend from the main loading bearing parts to the aft sections of the legs, providing an 'z' axis (fore/aft) movement at the knee joints, while the pitch control is handled by the second series of actuators at the ankle area. To prevent any toppling while not in operation or lifting cargo, the chassis is gyrostabilized. The gyros can be rotated rapidly out of phase in order to 'decouple' the chassis stabilization system along determined the axis of motion and provide the necessary instability required for bipedal movement. For very heavy lifting, additional stability can be provided by bolting up to 250 kg of concrete ballast to the underside of the chassis. The arms are attached to the very top of the chassis by a pair of complex universal bearings that are stressed to operate under loadings of up to 4,000 kg. The arm motions in the 'y' and 'z' axes are all controlled by the linear motors while the movement of the 'x' axis and also at the elbows is powered by a series of hydraulic actuators. Each of the limbs terminate at a set of vice manipulators which are configured to handle standard P-60 and O-26 type pallet grips and are capable of full 360-degree rotations. The manipulator functions is controlled from the operators handgrip/joystick combination on the inside of each limbs The attachment points for the maintenance tools like the welding torch are seated on the manipulators. Problems only arise when the loader is walking or reaching its full extension, as the system is likely to encounter movement beyond the fine tuning capabilities of the operator. The standard operating procedures forbid the users of the loaders to do any of these maneuvers. If the loader is operating on rough ground, then the loader will provide feedback cues to the operator to help it keep his/her footing. An automatic lockout system has generally proved safe to use over all but the most treacherous terrain. Through simple principles, a lot of practice is required to use a loader efficiently and safely, and the equivalent of a Class 2 civilian cargo-handling license is needed to operate one in the USCMC. The operators must become used to the loaders mass and it's tendency to lead the operators movements. The operators also must be very careful not to overcompensate for this tendency, otherwise they may induce an unwanted oscillations into the control systems. To operate a loader requires sureness and the economy of the movement, since any hesitation and any exaggerated motion tend to place unwanted stress on the load-bearing joints. The training to use a loader takes about six weeks of simulator training and then hands on experience. Though this is extended to eight weeks to qualify the USCMC personnel and includes training in rough field operations.

PERFORMANCE
TOTAL COST: $2,000,000 LOADED WEIGHT: 31,255lbs, (15.7 tons) MANUEVERABILITY: -4 STRENGTH: 13 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE MAIN BODY: 2K ARMS (2): 1K LEGS (2): 0.5 K MAX SPEED: 10 ACCELERATION: 5 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: None

ARMOR 0.25 K (15 SDP) 0.25 K (15 SDP) 0.25 K (15 SDP)

M292A2 SELF PROPELLED GUN

The M292 is the standard artillery piece of CMC. It is a 28 000 kg armored tracked vehicle with a single 41 caliber 158 mm tube. It carries 78 rounds , which are autoloaded into the gun chamber and fired by hypergolic liquid binary propellants. The most notable characteristic of the M292 is its rapid fire capability the system can launch six rounds in under ten seconds, putting the last round into flight before the first has impacted the target a useful facility when under the threat of counterbattery fire.

Standard ERFB (Extended Range Full-Bore) ammunition offers the M292 excellent accuracy up to its maximum range of 39 000 m,, while the addition of a base-bleed unit extends this to 48 000 m. A ramjet powered athhodyd shell is available, with a maximum range of 62 0-00 m, though with a less capable warhead. A variety of warheads are available, including HE, self-guided sub-munitions and aerial denial mines. The M418 smart shell is designed to home in on vehicles and structure, and uses a fluidic jet reaction system to steer onto the target.

PERFORMANCE
TOTAL COST: $2,000,000 LOADED WEIGHT: 28,000 kg, (28 tons) MANUEVERABILITY: -6 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR MAIN BODY: 8K 4K MAX SPEED: 70 ACCELERATION: 21 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: One the main gun. BASIC ARMAMENT: Main Cannon--Special Main Cannon: Targets: Ground targets with a 5m blast radius; Damage: 5K; Range: 62 000; WA: +3; ROF: 1; Shots: 78

TANKS M34A2 LONGSTREET LIGHT TANK / M22A3 JACKSON MEDIUM TANK / M40 RIDGEWAY HEAVY TANK
The M34, M22, and M40 are the tanks of choice of the CMC. All of these designs are lighter than army variants because of the need to space and airlift vehicles in combat situations. The deployment of Colonial Marines Armor assets is limited by the available of heavy starlift capability to transport both the tanks and their considerable logistic and service support. For this reason, the six tank battalions of the Colonial Marines rely heavily on medium and light armor such as the M22 and the M34. One battalion, the 2nd (attached to the 1st Colonial marine Division) has recently been upgraded with the M40, which has previously only seen service in the US army. The current intention is to furnish at least two more battalions with the M40 before making a decision about finally phasing out the M22. Armor in the Colonial Marines has retained the traditional infant support role. Tanks are still the best way to deliver direct artillery fire quickly and accurately demonstrates the continuing value of heavy armor on the modern battlefield, with is ability to fire 115 mm shells at a rate 6o rpm, deliver particulate barrier smoke, scatterable mines and support fire from its integral 60 mm mortars and defend against aerospace craft and incoming missiles with 20 kw phased plasma point defense gun.

Aside from the impressive firepower of modern tanks, their psychological value and their ability to chock even a prepared opponent, is still readily apparent. Colonial Marine aerospace /ground teams rain in cooperation with the armor units on a regular basis, though there is still opposition to fully integrating heavy armor into the teams. Partly, this is because of the current lack of a heavy dropships capable of carrying a tank into battle; this is rectified with the N1 Snakefighter, with its 70 000 kg lift capacity. Also, its is because of new models and concepts being proposed by the Colonial Marine Tactical Studies School which advocate a reversal of Marine 70 flexible armored doctrine in favor of employing dedicated tank-led ground teams. In he tanks-led teams, the armor is grouped en masse with mechanized and airborne infantry in support, rather than the current practice of parceling out armor piecemeal on an ad hoc basis. However, proponents of this scheme wish to see a radical increase in Marine armor capability once the U-24 is in service before proper integration with the aero/ground teams can take place.

PERFORMANCE
TOTAL COST: M34A2: $2,000,000 M22A3: $3 500 000 M40: $5 500 000 LOADED WEIGHT: M34A2: 19 000 kg (19 tones) M22A3: 28 000 kg (28 tones) M40: 35 000 kg (35 tones--Too heavy for the UD-4 Dropship) MANUEVERABILITY: M34A2: -4 M22A3: -6 M40: -7 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR MAIN BODY: M34A2: 6K 3K M22A3: 7K 3K M40: 9K 4K MAX SPEED: M34A2: 100 M22A3: 90 M40: 70 ACCELERATION: M34A2: 35 M22A3: 30 M40: 21 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: Every vehicle has one hardpoint for their main gun, which is a ERFB (Extended Range Full Bore) Standard Gun. One additional hardpoint is available for additional firepower. The M40 has two more. BASIC ARMAMENT: M34A2: (Targets: Ground targets, Ariel can be hit at 8, 1 meter blast radius; Damage: 3K; Range: 20 000; WA: +3; ROF: 1; Shots: 30) M22A3: (Targets: Ground targets, 2 meter blast radius; Damage: 4K; Range: 25 000; WA: +2; ROF: 1; Shots: 40) M40: (Targets: Ground targets, 3 meter blast radius; Damage: 5K; Range: 30 000; WA: +2; ROF: 1; Shots: 50

M-442 RACKPOWERED ARMOR (TL 5.5, 6)

The RACK has gone through several design changes through the year of release a TL5. By TL6, they had reaches their final form but not before all the other designs being stolen by other groups. As a result, several different variants of the RACK can be seen by smugglers, beekeepers, and civilian security groups. Mining consortiums have been known to operate larger versions. The CMCs variant has remain unchanged since the final release model. The basic design was built around the Weyland Yutanis MAX Beserker Armor. The biggest modification was the control system. Before, it was deemed too difficulty for a normal human to operate. This resulted in the need to permanently install the Beserker pilot. With the addition of the McKinley 2.5 Terabyte control processor to handle the guidance and the complex systems of the beast, the RACK is now capable or a normal pilot with little stress in combat situations. Generically, Racks have been replaced by powerloaders in certain situation especially in hazardous environments where flat terrain is not available. Also, not all variants have sealed cockpits. In fact only two, including he CMC model, are pressurized. Most others are open like the P-5000 Powerloader. M-442 MARINE RACK: Sealed Combat suit with less firepower and armor than the MOX Beserker suit but equally as maneuverable. Armed with one Boyars Pars 150 Phased Plasma Cannon, one Republic Dynamics M2025 40 mW free-electron lasers, or one 20 MeV turboalternator powered charged particle beam cannon as well as a M-240 Flamethrower. P-7999 POWER RACK: Exposed Cockpit system with twice the STR as theM-442 but much more maneuverable than the Basic powerloader. Its arms have been modified with powerloader appendages with an extension beam that allows the hand assemblies to extend up to six meters from the bas elbow when needed. No weapon systems. UT-05 MINING RACK: A sealed suit but dont let that deceive the user. It offers no protection. The transparent geranium canopy is strong but totally vulnerable to weapons fire. The sealed system is designed only to keep in the pressure in adverse environments. The only noteworthy form of armament ifs a large flame device similar to the M340 Flamethrower. ST-BETA-5 SECURITY RACK: A modified version of the Power rack, the ST-BETA still exposes the pilot, but an armored bathtub protects him/her for heavy fire. The Loader arms remain and the Strength dropped, giving lower weight and higher maneuverability. A pulse Rifle has been added to the arsenal with double capacity ammunition.

PERFORMANCE
TOTAL COST: M-442: $1 200 000 P-7999: $650 000 UT-05: $850 000 ST-BETA-5: $1 000 000

LOADED WEIGHT: M-442: 4 P-7999: 6 UT-05: 7 ST-BETA-5: 5 STRENGTH: M-442: 9 P-7999: 12 UT-05: 11 ST-BETA-5: 10 MANUEVERABILITY: M-442: -1 P-7999: -4 UT-05: -5 ST-BETA: -4 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE: ARMOR: MAIN BODY: M-442: 3K 2K P-7999: 1K 0.5 (25 SDP) UT-05: 1.5 K 0.5 (25 SDP) ST-BETA-5: 2K 1K ARMS / LEGS (2) M-442: 2K 1K P-7999: 1K 0.5 K (25 SDP) UT-05: 1K 0.5 K (25 SDP) ST-BETA-5: 1K 0.5 K (25 SDP) MAX SPEED: M-442: 18 P-7999: 12 UT-05: 10 ST-BETA-5: 16 ACCELERATION: 6 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: See below BASIC ARMAMENT: M-442: One Boyars Pars 150 Phased Plasma Cannon, One Republic Dynamics M2025 40 mW freeelectron lasers, OR one 20 MeV Turboalternator powered charged particle beam cannon as well as a M240 Flamethrower. P-7999: None UT-05: The only noteworthy form of armament ifs a large flame device similar to the M340 Flamethrower. ST-BETA-5: A Pulse Rifle has been added to the arsenal with double capacity ammunition. NOTES: All arm weapons are considered turrets for special rules.

AEROSPACE
SPECIAL NOTES FOR SHIPS
STATISTICS
Body: Structure in kills. WT: Weight in tones. Arm: Armor in kills. MV: Maneuvering Value. Taken off the pilot or navigators Reflex when flying the ship in difficult

manuevers. Move: Maneuvering speed. Flight in a ground combat situation when the ship is dodging and weaving,. In increments of 5 kmph. Mach: Top atmospheric speed (Straight line). Orbit: Maximum sublight speed in au / hour SR: Ground Sensor Range in km. Space sensor range x100. Perimeter Alert is at x1000 Communication range: Range of ground based transmissions. Orbital communication is automatic and unlimited within a star system Orbital means a craft cannot land and is effectively unlimited. FTL means the ship can communication with tachyon beamers at a speed of 2 ly/day anywhere. Crew: Minimum crew to operate the craft as well as the maximum capacity of passengers Maneuverability: This is a special bonus or penalties to the craft in special conditions like ECM or penalties in an atmosphere. Additions: Special systems. Full Stock means everything that is available on the gear list including power loaders. Evacuation: The type of escape procedure, whether it be parachutes, spacesuits, or EEVs Internal Armament: The weapons stowed on board. Range: Atmospheric: In kilometers. Usually for ground thrusters. Unlimited means the space drive and the atmospheric drive are the same. Orbital: In AU. Unlimited means it runs it has a FTL drive which provides more than enough power for orbital travel. The standard velocity is 1 au / hour. FTL: Range of the FTL drive before it must shut down and recharge (see rules) FTL Speed: Light years per day. Drop Slots: Placed in the belly of a craft, each dropslot can hold either: 1 Cheyenne or 1 Stingray. These are designed to eject craft quickly from the mother ship in one combat round. The Snakefighter is too large to fit in a dropslot. Crafts Slots: Top, side, or front loaded bays that allow craft to move easily back and forth. Loading and unloading of craft take five combat rounds. A cargo slot can carry either: 1 Narcissus, 1 Dutton, 1 TSAPC, 1 Snakefighter or 1 Cargo-Crawler. Cargo Slots: How many 50 tone cargo spaces are on board. These could be many small bays or one big one. GMs discretion. Are not designed to bay craft bay but are often used as vehicle bays (eg: The UD-4 Dropship can carry one M-577 APC in its bay). All vehicles (including the TSAPC) can fit in one slot. Automatic Skill: Basic Automatic Pilot skill. Hardpoints: How many Hardpoints the vehicle has. Each HP has one spacesee weapons for space occupancy. Basic Armament: Standard Payload.

DROPSHIPS
DROPSHIP UD-4 CHEYENNE

The UD-4 Cheyenne is a Dropship and tactical transport used by the CMC for a variety of roles. It has a primary place in the heart of an invading Marine Infantry Platoon. Entering into service at the end of the Tientsin conflict, the Cheyenne is a multi role light aerospace shuttle with a payload capability of 16,000 kg. It is ideal for it's role as a troop deployment weapon.

It's main feature is it's ability to take off and land from unprepared sites. In addition to it's role as a transport, the Cheyenne can act as a gunship with it's weapons pods and fixed point rockets, as well as using it's internal cannon. All things considered, this is the ship of choice if you're getting into some heat. The payload bay is a 9.5 l x 4.5 w x 2.4 h meter (102.6 m3) volume with a 3.92 meter wide deck ramp suspended from four dual-hydraulic assemblies. The deck ramp can comfortable carry a fully-crewed M577 APC (with turret stowed) or a HALOS stores pallet, and is able to raise the cargo completely into the payload space from ground level. Within the bay, latches are automatically activated, extending to hold cargoes in place when the deck is raised. A 20 cm cavity to either side of the payload bay separates the cargo volume from the outer skin and contains the main structural members, cable runs and the blower pipes from the forward turbines to the aft lift nozzles. The spacious pressurized cockpit is accessed from the payload bay and features two crew positions, seated in tandem. Both crew sit in Martin-Siekert R2102 zero-zero ejection seats which are cleared for operation at any altitude below 10,000 m and speeds below Mach 1. In the event of an emergency, explosive cord blows the canopy off and the crew are ejected clear of the ship. Canopy transparencies are made from single-crystal quartz, flash coated with gold, germanium, molybdenum and iridium to provide protection against bright light and short-wavelength lasers. The coatings also act as a radar reflecting surface, preventing the entire cockpit volume from becoming a radar reflecting cavity. The main fuselage also features the mounting points for the main weapons pods and the secondary weapons bay. The main weapons pods are attached to cross-folded pylons just forward of the ramrocket intakes, which at supersonic speeds, the 4.4 m pylons can be deployed crosswise to secure the ordnance within the pods. The total span of the pods when deployed is 15.3 m. The pods cannot be deployed at speeds above transonic because of the adverse effects of drag and the torsion caused by dynamic pressure on the pylons. The secondary bays also fold flush against the sides of the lifting body, and can be sprung out to expose all the weapon hardpoints and allow exhaust space for weapons launch. Unlike the main weapon pods, the secondary bays can be deployed at super-sonic speeds up to Mach 2.4 without adverse effects on dropship handling. It must be noted that even light damage can prevent a dropship from lifting into orbit. A breach of the fuselage skin will seriously compromise the ship's high-speed thermal protection, and even a tiny hole can cause oxidation or 'burn through' when atmospheric speeds exceed Mach 5.0. To prevent such accidents, a sensor net is bonded to the inside of the skinning to monitor for breaches, differential hull temperature and ionization. If a breach is detected, a warning is flashed to the cockpit monitors to notify the crew. The UD-4 is a reliable craft in all realms of it's aerospace operating platform, and is a popular craft with it's pilots. It handles well above the specific purpose for which it was designed, but with in the world of war, nothing can be expected to handle as it was designed, here the Cheyenne delivers above and beyond... but not as well as the pilots who push these craft to their limits would prefer. At subsonic speeds the lifting body configuration generates little lift and the pilot becomes increasingly reliant on the flight software and lift from the vectored thrust engines to deep the dropship stable in the air. Stall speed is very high, and as the Cheyenne approaches the stall it tends to fly increasingly nose-high. As transition is made through the stall speed, vertical lift from the nose and stern nozzles are bled in to prevent departure. Though the airframe is nominally stressed to +6 g, maneuvers in conventional flight greater than +3 g are prohibited due to the excessive stall speed, which can cause the Cheyenne to prematurely depart controlled flight. When fully loaded, turns greater than +1 g are prohibited. At very low speeds and at altitudes below 500m, VTOL hovering flight is recommended. The Cheyenne is at it's nimblest in the hover; here, response is crisp in all axes and the dropship is a very steady weapons platform.

The Cheyenne has a crew of two, comprising a Pilot and a Crew Chief / Weapons Officer. Flight control is quadruplex digital fly-by-light with automatic self-monitoring and reversion to back-up modes, all handled through the Herriman-Weston 5 / 480 flight computer. There is no manual reversion since the dropship is too unstable to be flown with direct control inputs. Engine thrust and nozzle settings are automatically moved to their optimum positions depending on speed, altitude, throttle and stick settings. An intelligent autopilot facility allows the automatics to fly all phases of the mission profile, including ingress and egress to the target zone as well as landing and docking cycles. Navigation combines an inertial system with ring laser gyros and strapdown accelerometers, backed up by Global Positioning from reference satellites where available. Dropship communications are handled through a AN / ASC-155 digital datalink offering HF, VHF, UHF and SHF broadcast options. The hardware includes two 12-channel receiver / transmitters with the associated antennae capable of establishing high performance voice, video or computer links in a stressed environment. Antijam features are classified, though they are known to include adaptive HF spectrum techniques to achieve a low probability of intercept and frequency hopping. The Cheyenne is a very reliable and complex machine, not to mention a deadly weapon if deployed correctly. Information on this craft can be broken down into 2 categories, with 3 divisions within each category. The first, "Characteristics," gives a general description of the UD-4 as a combat unit. The second category breaks the craft down into individual systems, where the main focus is specific tasks or advantages. The menu to the right gives you the option of viewing any of these files. The UD-4 'Cheyenne' is a versatile dropship and tactical transport employed in a primary role in the United States Colonial Marine Corps. Derived from and original Department of Defense requirement formulated at the end of the Tientsin conflict for a multi-role light aerospace shuttle capable of lifting heavy payloads up 10 16,000 kg, the UD-4 has evolved into the definitive dropship design, influencing the shape of many derivatives and successors. The Cheyenne's unique flexibility comes from its ability to lift itself into orbit under its own power from unprepared landing sites with the aid of its vertical takeoff (VTOL) capability. In addition to carrying its large payload, the Cheyenne can operate in the close-support gunship role by deploying weapons pods and hardpoints for rockets and missiles, as well as using its own internal gun. VARIANTS UD-4B - Original production variant powered by Atco Wyoming F23 lift turbines, producing 243 kN thrust each. Shorter by 1.5 m than the later variants and with less payload space, this version was also equipped with the main weapons pods only. UD-4C - A gunship variant, this was the first to employ the secondary weapon bays and a dedicated Gatling gun system. UD-4E - This was the UD-4B re-engined with F29-L-13 turbines to give extended atmospheric range. UD-4H - The definitive production variant of this type, the UD-4H included a major redesign of many systems and components. The fuselage was stretched by 1.5 m to allow an extra 16 m3 of payload space, making it the first variant capable of carrying the M577 APC, and the lift engines were upgraded to a broadspectrum sensing array and command datalink. Secondary missile bays and the Gatling guns were now fitted as standard. UD-4J - A USCMC life-extension program upgraded all existing UD-4B airframes to 'H' standard. This was designated the UD-4J. UD-4L - An upgrade of the 'H' version assault transport, the UD-4L incorporates an improved sensor and fire control system as well as being the first to include a comprehensive defensive suite fit.

STATISTICS

Variant
UD-4B UD-4C UD-4E UD-4H UD-4J UD-4L

Body
3 4 3 5 4 5

WT
30 35 35 40 30 40

Armor
1 1 2 2 2 3

MV
-2 -3 -3 -2 -2 -1

Move
150 200 250 300 200 300

Mach
2.5 2 3 3 2.5 3

Orbit
8.5 7 9 11 9 10

SR
11 11 11 20 15 20

Communication range: 2300 km, 3000 for the 4H and 4L models Crew: 1 Pilot, 1 Co-Pilot, 1 optional gunner. Life support for up to 50 personnel. Maneuverability: 4H and 4L models have a +2 dodge of guided missiles. All have +1 Dodge in space. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: Parachutes--60 Armament package: 1 Smart Gun, 6 Pulse Rifles, 4 Flamethrowers, 10 Pistols. May be replaced by higher TL weapons. Range: Atmospheric: 10 000 km (15 000 km for 4H and 4L) Orbital: 80 AU Cargo Slots: 1 Hardpoints: 4, 6 for the 4H and 4L Basic Armament: UD-4B: 1x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gatling, 8x120 mm rockets, UD-4C: 1x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gatling, 8x120 mm rockets, 32 x 150 mm rockets, UD-4E: 1x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gatling, 8x120 mm rockets, 8xAGM-220 missiles, UD-4H: 1x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gatling, 32 x 150 mm rockets, 3 x TSAM Missiles, 3xAIM-90 missiles, UD-4J: 1x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gatling, 32 x 150 mm rockets, UD-4L: 1x25 mm Gatling, 8x120 mm rockets, 32 x 150 mm rockets, 3 x TSAM Missiles, 3xAIM-90 missiles.

NTV Mk 1 SNAKEFIGHTER
Nicknamed the Snakefighter by its design team, the NTV Mk1 is a unique super dropship in that it provides a platoon with interstellar mobility and relative self-sufficiency. Its flanks dominated by enormous thruster pods, the Snakefighter is capable of rapid atmospheric maneuvering, high sublight velocity in space, and substantial payload hauling. Standard crew complement is 10, comprising a pilot, copilot, weapons officer / navigator, and engineer. In case of crew attrition, (ie casualties), much of the ships functions can be handled by relatively inexperienced personnel, due to a high level of automation and user-friendly design. The living quarters are spartan, and the lack of bunk space forces the crew members to rotate their eating and sleeping. The medlab is fairly basic, intended for patching up non-lethal combat injuries.

The main loading ramp is divided into two smaller loading ramps, which can be operated independently of each other. A crane in the ceiling of the cargo bay aids vehicle maintenance and cab be used for storage. The tactical command post is similar to a standard APC interior, with maps, monitors, and a sliding command chair.

STATISTICS

Variant
NTVMk1

Body
10

WT
250

Armor
4

MV
-5

Move
100

Mach
2

Orbit
15

SR
100

Communication range: 10 000, FTL Crew: 1 Pilot, 1 Co-Pilot, 1 Gunner, 1 Engineer. Life support for up to 100 personnel. Bunks for 30 passengers. Maneuverability: +4 dodge of guided missiles. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: 2 EEVs, 120 Parachutes Armament package: 4 Smart Guns, 15 Pulse Rifles 8 Flamethrowers, 20 Pistols. May be replaced with high TL weapons. Range: Atmospheric: 50 000 km Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 4 ly FTL Speed: 0.5 ly/day Cargo Slots: 2 Hardpoints: 12 Basic Armament: 2x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gatling, 16x120 mm rockets, 8xAGM-220 missiles, 64 x 150 mm rockets, 2 x TSAM Missiles, 3xAIM-90 missiles, 2 XIM-28A missiles

FIGHTERS
AD-17 COUGAR STRIKESHIP
The AD-17A Cougar is the youngest and perhaps fiercest generation of air superiority fighters in existence today. Designed by DigArch Corporation as an answer to an ever changing battlefield, the Cougar once again places the advantage into the hands of the USCM. The sole mission of the AD-17 is maintenance of a No-Air-Threat zone over the battlefield. It's fast and maneuverable control, combined with state of the art weapons delivery make it ideal for control of the skies. Logistically, the AD-17 is indispensable, both keeping enemy air activity under constant control and protecting allied warplanes from sudden attack by orbiting carrier-based gunships. Pilots of the AD-17 claim an overwhelming percentage of successful dogfights. This can be attributed to several distinguishing features in the AD-17 that combine to make the

fighter not only highly stealthy, but also quick and agile. The Cougar can engage and destroy targets before anyone knows it's there. A highly advanced vector matrixing OBCS can provide for mach +4 NOE flight patterns. This plane can fly invisible, and leave faster than anyone else in the sky. The AD-17 Cougar Strikeship is the first of a new class of fighter aircraft, incorporating a distinctive Vector Control Directional Changing jet nozzle system. This new system allows for flight previously restricted to slow hover craft or high speed helicopters. This new improvement, although still classified, will undoubtedly spawn a new era of combat aircraft. However, several limiters had to be built in to the computer system to disallow the pilot freedom of movement. UMF tests of the AD-17 gauged +23G's on standard maneuvers. This would be departmental to a pilot's health, so the System will perform a 12G lock-out. This still allows the pilot adequate room for pushing this craft to the limits in a dogfight, and the AD-17 remains the most maneuverable warcraft ever created. The Cougar incorporates a tail-less airframe, thus reducing radar signature and strengthening the airframe, allowing for high G maneuvers. The traditional tail fins which keep the plan in a straight line with it's AOL and indented direction have been replaced by Vector Thrust and computer rendered flight paths. The AD-17 handles as well as a plane with tail fins, and the development of the new vectoring system has given the Cougar freedom of design. The AD-17 Cougar employs a Fredrickson 20mm "Gargoyle" servo-slaved gatling anti-aircraft cannon. With a cyclic rate of 300 shells a minute, this is an extremely powerful addition to the Cougar, and allows for greater air dominance and flexibility in missions. The 20mm "Gargoyle" is contained just to the upper right of the cockpit, and has a Jullet cooling system running from the engines to cool the gun during use. Carried in the belly of the AD-17 is a TIAS controlled missile rack. Hidden from view during normal flight, the offensive weapons of the Cougar can be protected and subtracted from the total air resistance of the plane. When entering combat, the unique system will cycle out missiles one at a time, moments before the actual firing of the weapon. This gives the AD-17 an advantage over normal craft in speed and maneuverability. The Cougar can carry two types of missiles, with a third type being introduced into the new AD-17i versions of the plane. Up to twelve AGM-204A's or 16 AIM-90E's can be carried on each missile rack, and with two racks the total number of Missiles is increased to 32 AIM-90's or 24 AGM-204A's. The AD17i is fitted with a separate targeting system which controls a new rack, replacing one of the older ones in the plane. This new missile rack can carry and launch two XIM-28A Long Lance anti-satellite missiles. VARIANTS AD-17A Original production and still the only version used in battle. Varies only slightly from the XT-94T, the final experimental version, the changes made to the battlefield Cougar are few, but due include downgrading the computer and structural wireframe, cutting the effectiveness of the AD-17 by only 12%, but cutting the cost of each unit in half. AD-17i (TL 4) - Not yet employed on the battlefield, this craft has a ceiling of well above low-orbit. Carrying up to two Long Lance anti ship missiles, the AD-17i can engress orbital targets and fire before returning to NOE cover and returning to forward base. The engress time of the AD-17i is approximately one tenth that of a conventional gunship or shuttle, making it a difficult target to intercept. STATISTICS

Variant
AD-17A AD-17I

Body
4 4

WT
14 14

Armor
2 2

MV
0 +1

Move
300 350

Mach
4 5

Orbit
12

SR
20 20

Communication range: 3000 km Crew: 1 Pilot. Life support for 2 personnel. Maneuverability: +2 dodge of guided missiles. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bag. Evacuation: 1 Parachute, 1 Space Suit. Armament package: 2 Pistols. Range: Atmospheric: 7 000 km Orbital: 5 AU for the 17I only Hardpoints: 7, 8 for 17I

Basic Armament: AD-17A: 1x25mm "Gargoyle" gatling, 12 AGM-204A's or 16 AIM-90E's can be carried on each of two missile racks, AD-17I: 1x20mm "Gargoyle" gatling cannon, 12 AGM-204A's or 16 AIM-90E's can be carried on each of two missile racks, 2 XIM-28A missiles.

HA-117 STINGRAY COMBAT INTERCEPTOR

The Stingray is a new prototype fighter. Under funding by several corporations, the CMC made a generic open call to all military contractors to design and pitch a space-superiority fighter designed for escort of cargo fleets and support of dropships while they are traversing the vulnerable re-entry zone. After several years, three designs trickled to the surface: The UD-5 Thunderbolt, the AD-19 Apache, and the HA-117 Stingray. The designs were solid and competition was close. Sabotage was suspected when the AD-19 Apache by Alphatech crashed in a routine maneuver. The UD-5 had superior maneuverability but the HA-117 won over with a robust design with a very pleasing simplistic schematic. Very little can be seen going wrong with future variants. Basically put, the Stingray was cheaper. The UD-5 Prototype promptly vanished from the Test Bed a month later. Rumors indicate that the design was sold to a rival group. Rival or not, a month before the official release of the HA-117, an identical design was spotted in a UPP patrol group, indicating that the design specs were either sold to the UPP or stolen. The CMCs findings were inconclusive. Whatever the cause, the HA-117 is now operated by rival territories. As of yet, direct military conflicts with these fighters have not occurred. It is hoped the upgrade capability with the Stingray will allow the arms race to continue. The HA-117 is more related to the Cheyenne than the Cougar. It was developed as a fighter designed purely for space. Its small wingspan adds maneuverability but pound for pound, the Cougar will defeat it in an atmosphere. Just from a size comparison, the Stingray is three times more massive. On the other hand, the Stingray has pure strength. It was not designed to take out ground armor like the Cougar, instead, it was designed to fly in squads and take down the monstrous battlecruisers orbiting above planet. The Stingray is equipped with a nose mounted, Thunderhawk 30 mm Railcannon designed to operate purely in space. It does not have a high cyclic rate so its effectiveness against fast moving ground targets is limited. It is also equipped 8 XIM-28A Long Lance anti-satellite missiles and two NIC-79 Captor Missiles on Hardpoints. 24 150 mm rockets are also internally mounted. STATISTICS

Variant
HA-117

Body
6

WT
35

Armor
2

MV
-3

Move
350

Mach
4

Orbit
30

SR
100

Communication range: 5000 km Crew: 1 Pilot. 1 Co-Pilot Life support for 4 personnel. Bunks for 2 Maneuverability: +1 dodge of guided missiles. +2 in space. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bag. Evacuation: 3 Parachutes, 2 Space Suits. Armament package: 2 Pulse Rifles, 2. May be replaced with high TL weapons Range: Atmospheric: 20 000 km Orbital: 500 AU Hardpoints: 9 Basic Armament: 30 mm Railcannon, 8 XIM-28A missiles, 2 NIC-79 Missiles, 24 150 mm rockets

M-1000 TSAPC TRANS-ATMOSPHERIC PERSONNEL CARRIER (TL4)

The TSAPC project team attempted to cross breed a dropship with an APC. Bearing more than a passing resemblance to its ground-based counterpart, the TSAPC bears several radical differences. The first, an aero-formed body, although not a lifting form like the UD-4, prevents air drag. The TSAPC measures larger, at 15.4 meters long and 2.5 meters high. When grounded, the TSAPC and the APC are almost identical. Capability-wise, when grounded, the TSAPC is less armored with a slight change in weaponry, replacing its shell cannons with Particle Beams. The most notable change is the absence of a gunnery turret, which was removed to lower weight and reduce drag. When preparing for flight, the reactor engines move out of the sides and stabilizer wings fold from the top. These are maneuvering wings with thrusters installed to help stability. They offer little stability in an atmosphere. If the VTOL engines went off line, the TSAPC would drop like a rock. As it lifts off, its wheels fold in slightly and engines scream. In space, the TSAPC is slow and clumsy. Not nearly as armored as the UD-4, it serves usually as support craft for large groups of Dropships to carry additional troops when UD-4s are not available. This is not to mean that the TSAPC is inferior. Far from. The M-1000 has a very powerful, rapid fire, triplebarreled particle turret on the nose that is more powerful than any other primary weapon. It still doesnt beat the warhead capacity of the UD4 or the heavy particle cannon of the standard APC, but its accuracy is unparalleled. The M-1000 is also fast on the ground. Even though it is larger, it is almost 60% lighter because of the absence of a primary turret and shell weapons and the decrease in armor. In a one-on-one fight, the odds are even. Even though the M-577 has the turret, the M-1000 is much more maneuverable. That and the fact that the after a quick 30 second prep, can

achieve flight. Thus comes the final great advantage. When you look at it as a dropship, the M-1000 is slow and clumsy. As an APC, it is far superior. NO longer does a strike team need to waste precious time waiting for the dropship to pick them up. The TSAPC can just take off. At TL 6, the TSAPC is still a rarity even though it becomes standard equipment on Bouganville Attack Transports. At this TL, the armor is equipped with Grant Corp nutra-gel to combat xenomorphic acid. STATISTICS

Variant Body WT Armor MV G.Move A.Move Mach Orbit SR

M-1000 3 25 2 -3 35* 70 0.5 5 10
*Meaning 175 kmph with a 30 km acceleration. Communication range: 500 km, FTL. Crew: 1 Driver. 1 optional Gunner. Life support for 30 personnel. Bunks for 15. 1 cryotube. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bag. Evacuation: 35 Parachutes Armament package: 4 Smart Guns, 20 Pulse Rifles, 10 Flamethrowers, 30 Pistols, 10 Shotguns. May be replaced with higher TL weapons. Range: Atmospheric: 1 000 km Orbital: 500 AU Hardpoints: 1 Basic Armament: Triple Barreled Particle Beam

SPACE-BORNE DREADNOUGHTS
CONESTOGA

The Conestoga class vessels were originally designed as a troop and logistic transports with a limited defensive capability, however, this role has evolved over years of operational use from a fleet prime mover into that of a light assault ship with secondary responsibilities for space control and orbital bombardment support. Of the 36 Conestogas built, 27 remain in service at TL3, 35 at TL4, 25 at TL 5 and less than 10 at TL6, filling a niche in the CMC/Marine inventory that will not be filled until the commissioning next year of the first of the new Bougainville class attack transports.

Over 385 meters in length and massing some 78,000 metric tons, the Conestogas are designed to an 817-0 layout, an asymmetric configuration which offers the optimum cargo capacity within a compact and well-armored hull. The spaceframe extends forward and aft of the vessel's primary power system, a Westingland A-59 fusion reactor with a maximum generating output of 3.6 Terawatts. Like most military vessels, the Conestogas use a lithium-hydride or 'dry' fusion plant. The basic fuel for the plant is the crystalline powder form of lithium-hydride. The specific gravity of the fuel is 0.82 metric tons per cubic meter, making it extremely space efficient, avoiding the problems of cryogenic storage associated with civilian reactors fueled by heavy hydrogen isotopes such as deuterium and tritium. The LiH plant accepts the powder in very fine form, allowing it to be shipped and pumped as if it were a liquid, and administered into the powerplant as a blown dust. The powder must be stored in double-lined containers to prevent contact with water, otherwise it will dissociate and react violently. All propulsion units are located aft of the Conestogas main reactor. All Conestoga class vessels employ a dual drive method for sublight and Faster Than Light (FTL) movement. To maneuver in realspace at sublight speeds, the Conestoga is equipped with four Gates-Heidman GF-240 rockets than derive power from the main reactor. At maximum power, each rocket provides a thrust of more than 35,100 metric tons. However, fuel consumption is astronomical, allowing maximum thrust for short periods. When FTL travel is necessary, the Conestoga employs a Romberg-Rockwell Cygnus 5 tachyon shunt hyperdrive. The normal cruising speed sustainable by these units is .74 light years per Terran day. Spaceframe composition consists of bonded alloy and composite beams. These materials provide enough strength for massive acceleration while remaining flexible enough to withstand atmospheric re-entry. Hull armor consists of one armored skin, heavier than that on civilian transports. The armor is composed of laminated insulators, micrometeorite shielding, composite material, and aerogel. Protection against projectile weapons is limited, as with all spacecraft, but the aerogel is capable of dissipating radiation from lasers and particle beams. The hull is also covered with radar absorbent material. The engines vents are provided with infrared suppression/dispersion. The hull coating is laser absorbent to reduce lidar detection. The ship is colored in a dark charcoal scheme to reduce visibility. The foremost hull section provides the main cargo area for the Conestoga. Five 25x10 meter cargo doors on each side of the hull provide access. They have even been retrofitted into improvised dropship/shuttle launch bays. Underneath the cargo area reside the Conestoga's dedicated dropship/shuttle hangar with capacity for up to four UD-4L Cheyenne dropships. To reduce crew workload, and increase efficiency and safety, operation of the is fully automated. The Conestoga is equipped with a 28 Terabyte, carbon-60 based core mainframe. In effect, the ship could pilot itself and fight a space battle even if the crew were all dead or in hypersleep. However, at any time, combat or navigational decisions made by the ship can be overridden by the commanding officer. Backup is provided by an 8 terabyte mainframe and local terminals dispersed throughout the ship. Most damage control is automated by the Conestoga's mainframe. If the reactor suffers severe damage, the entire assembly can be jettisoned before an explosion occurs. If the vehicle is damaged to the point it becomes untenable, emergency evac is prompted by the CO or automated systems. The Conestoga carries 8 type 337 emergency escape vehicles. If the crew is in hypersleep, their capsules will be loaded by the automatic systems. The ship may also be scuttled by the CO. Self-destruct protocols are initiated manually, causing the reactor to go supercritical fifteen minutes after initiation. The Conestoga carries a light complement of weaponry that allows it to function as a light cruiser. The main space-to-space punch is provided by eight XIM-28A Long Lance ASAT missiles within a dorsal launch bay. The missile is self guiding, and is capable of homing through the reception of several different formats of energy emission from the target. Its warhead is a forged fragment ring that creates a

lethal burst of fragments. Secondary punch is provided by several systems. Twin 800 megavolt particle beams run parallel to the ship's main axis. These weapons are powered from storage cells between the main reactor and the weapons. For close combat, the Conestoga mounts twin railguns in dorsal and ventral turrets. Muzzle velocities exceed 12 km per second, with a practical range of 100 km. A single hit from a railgun round is often enough to cripple a ship. Close-in defense is handled by port and starboard laser turrets. The Conestoga mounts 80 megawatt infrared lasers capable of vaporizing railgun fire or crippling incoming missiles and fighters. A ventral launch bay carries 60 orbital mines, enough to deny low orbit to large ships. A dorsal bay amidships also carries 20 decoys designed to present a radar signature mimicking the Conestoga's. There are also two maneuvering drones designed to confuse enemy spacecraft. Space-to-surface capability is provided by a magazine below the cargo bay and forward of the dropship hangar. 80 free-fall, self-guiding re-entry vehicles are carried. The armament carried by the Conestoga enhances her flexibility, allowing her to function as a multi-role platform independent of a fleet or taskforce. She can carry a sizable Marine complement while defending herself from attack, or provide orbital bombardment in support of a Marine landing or planetary action. This has made the Conestoga the prime movers of the Marine fleet for almost two decades. STATISTICS

Variant
Conestoga

Body
20

WT
78,000

Armor
8

MV Move
-8 -

Mach
-

Orbit
10

SR
100

Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 1 Navigator, 1 Engineer, Capsules for 90 crew, 2 000 more capable in Cargo Maneuverability: +8 dodge of guided missiles. Additions: Full stock. Everything on the gear list. Evacuation: 8 EEVs, 200 space suits 80 Re-Entry Pods. Armament package: 10 Smart Guns, 100 Pulse Rifles 20 Flamethrowers, 200 Pistols, 30 Shotguns, up to 30 other weapons. May be replaced with higher TL weapons. Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 15 FTL Speed: 0.74 ly/day Drop Slots: 4 Craft Slots: 1 Cargo Slots: 6 Automatic Systems: Base 11 skill. Hardpoints: n/a Weapons are fixed. Basic Armament: 8 XIM-28A missiles, 2 Particle Beams, 4 30 mm railgcannon turrets (each turret has two linked guns), 6 infrared lasers on turrets, 60 orbital mines, 20 decoys, 2 maneuvering drones

Z-1 RAZZIA
The Razzia is simply put, the largest spacecraft ever constructed. Oh sure, some space stations and mining platforms have measured larger. But for pure bulk, the Razzia is the largest man made creation that can move under its own power. At TL 2, there is only the prototype. By TL 4, the second model was released. Two more rolled off the construction by TL 5. Only one, the original, survives the war by TL 6. The Razzia and its sisters are all owned by Grant-Corp but are often leased to whomever needs them. Grant Corp uses them almost exclusively. The Prototype is currently on indefinite loan to the CMC at TL3 for an exchange of information. The Razzia is over 3.5 kilometers long. It is an armored strong point and flagship for whatever flag it flies under. Like the Conestoga, it is mostly automated, carrying mostly support and mission personnel. The base crew is fifteen. At least three must operate the flight controls when near a strong gravity field. The Razzia is somewhat flawed this way. It must keep clear from any maneuvers that could cause it to dangerously approach a planet. It is not even alowed to slingshot around gravity fields like Conestogas can. The Razzia is a fast jump ship but a slug at sublight. What it looses it speed, it makes up for in strength. It may be slow, but it offers the comfort and power of pure mass. The Razzia has the largest jump drive ever constructed., the McKinnley Ion Mark 1. With it, it can traverse half way across the core worlds without refueling at a top speed of 1.1 light years a day. Four Grant-Corp Pulse Drives occupy the rear of the ship for sublight travel. Even with its awesome thrust capacity, the ship still crawls through a star system.

Besides its base crew capacity, the Razzia is equipped with over 500 cryotubes. That may seem small but the cargo bays can be filled to an unprecedented 15 000. The Razzia, sometimes, is employed as a colonizer ship, transporting huge populaces through militarized zones. Additionally, the Razzia is great for massive evacuations from combat areas. The crew compartments are extremely cosey. Armament-wise, this monstrosity can level entire planets on its own. Its firepower is effectively triple that of the Conestoga with an additional nuclear payload added for good measure. The Razzia has been prohibited from entering large trafficked systems by major groups because of its mass and its potential of armageddon if a catastrophic failure were to occur on board. The Razzia is an experiment in the feasibility of creating one ship to do the job of many. In every field, it succeeds, except in one, cost. The Razzia is a juggernaut and requires many a dollar to maintain. Multiple contracts run at once on board as a result. As a money-maker, the Razzia is not much to speak of, but as a weapon of war, it is unstoppable. STATISTICS

Variant
Razzia

Body
100

WT
950 000

Armor
10

MV Move
-12 --

Mach
--

Orbit
7

SR
200

Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 3 Navigator, 10 Engineer, Capsules for 500 crew, 15 000 more capable in Cargo Additions: Full stock. Evacuation: 30 EEVs, 500 Space Suits, 100 Re-Entry Pods.

Armament package: Full Stock. Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 30 FTL Speed: 1.1 ly/day Drop Slots: 1 special holding the Razzia Dropship, 10 regular. Craft Slots: 30 Cargo Slots: 100 Automatic Controls: 12 base skill Hardpoints: n/a Basic Armament: 20 XIM-28A missiles, 6 Particle Beams (two forward, two to the sides, one up, and one aft), 12 30 mm railcannon turrets (each turret has two linked guns), 18 infrared lasers on turrets, 100 orbital mines, 60 decoys, 9 maneuvering drones, 8 Nuclear Captor Missiles, 4 STG Ballistic Missiles. STATISTICS

Variant
Razzia Dropship

Body WT
15

Armor MV Move Mach Orbit SR

-9 50 3 15 100

1 850 6

Communication range: 5000 Crew: 1 Pilot, 1 Co-Pilot, 2 Engineer, Life Support for 500 Maneuverability: +1 in space. Additions: Full Stock. Evacuation: 200 Space Suits, 200 Parachutes. Armament package: 10 Smart Guns, 100 Pulse Rifles 30 Flamethrowers, 200 Pistols, 50 Shotguns, May be replaced with higher TL weapons. Up to 30 other weapons. Range: Atmosphere: unlimited Orbital: Unlimited Cargo Slots: 3 Hardpoints: n/a Basic Armament: 3x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gatling, 14xAGM-220 missiles, 6 x TSAM Missiles, 6xAIM-90 missiles, 2 XIM-28A missiles

N-1 BOUGAINVILLE CLASS ATTACK TRANSPORT

Measuring more than 500 meters, the Bougainville is the largest spacecraft currently in operation by the CMC. At TL 2, only the prototype is currently in operation. At TL3, 4 are in operation and 6 more are introduced at TL4. By TL6, they have all but replaced the Conestoga. At TL6, the few that are around are specifically used as Xenomorphic extermination. Two Westingland A-59 fusion reactors with a maximum generating output of 3.6 Terawatts power the N-1. Auxiliary power is

provided by a cluster of four Continental Electric AS-4B/AV5 magnetohydrodynamic turbines, each unit capable of generating 20 to 40 megawatts. Unlike the Conestoga, the N-1 uses the new Ryansite tachyon pulse hyperdrive making it faster with a longer range. Hull armor consists of two layers of ceramic and plastic alloy, thicker but lighter than that on other frigates. The hull is also covered with radar absorbent material. The engines vents are provided with infrared suppression/dispersion. The hull is constructed in segmented plates, making it easier to simply replace hole section rather than patching holes. Upon closer inspection, the hull is comprised of a honeycomb arrangement if interchanging hexagons. This absorbs the shock of incoming fire. The Cargo, however, is surprisingly smaller that the Conestoga. It has two cargo bays instead of four with a third specially design to launch a forward mounted M-1000 TSAPC. The two drop-bays can hold either Snakefighers or Cheyennes. Cryogenic hypersleep capsules are provided for sixty crew, marines, and passengers, but there are provisions for troop transport configurations of up to 4000 capsules in the cargo bay. Artificial gravity is provided by field generators parallel to the main axis of the ship. Like the Conestoga, the N-1 is fully automated, being equipped with a 36 Terabyte, carbon-60 based core mainframe. In effect, the ship could pilot itself and fight a space battle even if the crew were all dead or in hypersleep. However, at any time, combat or navigational decisions made by the ship can be overridden by the commanding officer. The biggest change is that, unlike the Conestoga, the Bougainville is capable of landing. It is extremely tricky and not recommended but the ship is equipped with landing gear. It must land on a flat surface and takes more than twenty minutes to accomplish. Taking off takes less time (fifteen minutes or less). All weapons still function but all ships in the drop slots are stuck. Also, the cargo slots can all feed through a main cargo ramp, allowing vehicles to directly load out and in. The Bougainvilles classification was given a general purpose charter, making the craft available for a variety of purposes. The Conestoga is still a useful troop transport but are often flanked now by is more heavily armored that is cousin ship. It carries less but sports heavier armor and more weapons. The assault is provided by twelve XIM-28A Long Lance ASAT missiles hidden in concealed bays. Three 800 megavolt particle beams are built right into the hull, fixed forward, one points aft. These weapons are powered from storage cells between the main reactor and the weapons. The N-1 mounts railguns and laser turrets as well a 80 megawatt infrared lasers. Eighty orbital mines, and forty decoys are also equipped. STATISTICS

Variant
N-1

Body
20

WT
75 000

Armor
10

MV Move
-8 30

Mach
0.5

Orbit
15

SR
150

Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 1 Navigator, 2 Engineer, Capsules for 60 crew, 4 000 more capable in Cargo Maneuverability: +8 to guided missiles. Additions: Full Stock Evacuation: 4 EEVs, 300 Space Suits, 30 Drop Pods. Armament package: 10 Smart Guns, 100 Pulse Rifles 30 Flamethrowers, 200 Pistols, 50 May be replaced with higher TL weapons. Up to 30 other weapons. Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 15 FTL Speed: 0.9 ly/day Drop Slots: 2 with a third for the TSAPC.

Shotguns,

Craft Slots: 2 Cargo Slots: 8 Automatic Controls: Base 12 skill Hardpoints: n/a Basic Armament: 12 XIM-28A missiles, 3 800 particle beams, 6 30mm railgcannon turrets (each turret has two linked guns), 9 infrared lasers on turrets, 80 orbital mines, and 40 decoys

CIVILIAN SPACECRAFT
M CLASS STARFREIGHTER (eg: NOSTROMO)
The a M class is one of a large group of transports that seem to change daily. New freighter designs pop up every year. Other, have been modified so much, are almost unrecognizable to their original specifications. What makes the Mega class apart from the rest is it pure size. It is the largest of the standard unmodified freightersbut what makes it the most common was that all current models built (and all the ones refitted It was refitted to be a commercial towing vehicle in 2116, after that, the M Class have largely been employed running automated ore and oil refineries between systems. The ships mass, 63,000 metric tons, the M Classs spaceframe is based on a modified Lockmart CM-88B Bison transporter. It is designed to a 6-10-4 layout with three pressurized decks and four main cargo holds. The spare volume is taken by the fuel tanking for the fusion reactor and the reaction mass for the thrust engines. An off-axis hooded frame mounts the docking latches for the towed cargo. The M-Class is sturdy enough of a vehicle to withstand atmospheric re-entries and for surface landings is supported by three main landing shocks. The micrometeorite and particulate shielding is sufficient enough to withstand rough re-entries. The in-flight systems are all controlled by the central "Mother" processor. Mother is a 2.1 Terabyte intelligent mainframe which monitors all of the ship's flight and autonomic functions. A 2.0 Terabyte backup mainframe comes on line in an event of a CPU failure, and a third tier of automatics is also capable of sustaining an autonomic functions should the backup fail as well. The communications fit is standard, it compromises of a 10 and 4 meter hyperstate antenna for any interstellar communications and short-range UHF/VHF/HF radio/video links. The sensors are mounted on pylons which are clustered around the forward hull of the ship and have two 2 m aperture telescopes which are capable of optical, spectrographic and infrared resolution; a gas chromatograph; centimetric navigation and landing radar; a synthetic aperture ground mapping radar; and a mass counter for supralight navigation. The M-Class power core is a Laretel WF-15 2.8 Terawatt fusion reactor. The fusion process is a deuterium/tritium reaction that can fuse the fuel elements in a containment chamber using conversionlasers. The He4 byproduct of the reaction is kept separately and is vented at regular intervals. The power is drawn off of the reactor by a closed-cycle liquid potassium cooling system. Running off into a induction torus which can use the intense magnetic field created by the superheated potassium to generate electric power. The ship may be destroyed by an authorized crewmember by overriding the reactor cooling system and bleed off coolant, which initiates a supercritical reaction in the containment area. After the activation of the self-destruct device, the crew has ten minutes to get far enough from the ship before it's reactor explodes. The supralight drive is a Yutani T7A NLS tachyon shunt which is capable of unladen high cruise up to 0.42 ly per sidereal day (153 cee). When it is towing large amounts of cargo such as automated refineries, the maximum sustainable cruise speed drops radically, about 0.1-0.12 ly per sidereal day (40-45 cee). For maneuvering at sublight speeds when towing large amounts of cargo, the immensely powerful mass reaction engines are required. On the M-Class, the original Saturn J-3000 engines have been replaced to

two Rolls-Royce N66 Cyclone thrust tunnels with bipolar vectoring for midline lifting functions. Each of the powerplants develop a 65,830 metric ton of thrust, using water for reaction mass. When running wideopen, both of the engines give a high impulse thrust totaling of 131,660 kN. The lifesystems comprise of three decks, which include the bridge, crews quarters, and dining area. Others include the science station, the CPU module, medical bays, four main cargo bays, storing areas, and the engineering stations. All of these compromise 1.1 million cubic meters of pressurized volume, including all of the air ducts and the air scrubbing plant. The M-Class has a crew of seven-Ship's Master, First Officer, Executive Officer, Navigation Officer, Science Officer, Chief Engineer, and Engineer's Mate. There are seven hypersleep capsules that have been installed for any long-duration flight. The polarized gravity generators provide the internal gravity and the internal dampening. Beneath the hull, is an external docking bay for a shuttlecraft. The shuttlecraft is capable of being a lifeboat in the case of a ship's evacuation is necessary. STATISTICS

Variant
M-Class

Body
15

WT
63 000

Armor
2

MV Move
-10 50

Mach
0.5

Orbit
7

SR
50

Communication Range: 5 000, FTL Crew: 7--Captain, First Officer, Exec. Officer, Navigator, Science, Engineer, and Engineer's Mate. Life support for up to 30. Evacuation: 1 EEV, 20 space suits. Armament Package: 3 Stunner, 2 Flamethrowers Range: Atmosphere: Unlimited. Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 10 FTL Speed: 0.1 to 0.4 Craft Slots: 1Narcissus Shuttle Cargo Slots: 100 Automatic Systems: 8 Base skill Hardpoints: None

LOCKMART STARCUB LIGHT INTRASYSTEM SHUTLE

The mass of this shuttlecraft is 48 metric tons, the Shuttle is configured around a single 108 m3 pressure cabin. Which holds storage space and lockers for supplies and any necessary equipment. The spaceframe is of a conventional composite construction, with a ceramic and composite outer skinning. A tricycle undercarriage extends for any surface landings. There are three crew stations for the pilot, co-pilot and a scientist. Though additional seating can be installed.

For any long duration in-system flight or interstellar travel, one hypersleep capsule is installed. The Shuttle is powered by a 9 gW microfusion reactor which drives the two Newington A-24 rocket motors which employ water as a reaction mass. The rocket thrust is vectored through the four aft or two forward thrust tunnels. For the interstellar travel, a Romberg 100c tachyon shunt can drive the shuttlecraft at a low supralight speed. The Lockmart can enter an atmosphere but dont expect it to maneuver much.

STATISTICS

Variant
SLI Shuttle

Body
4

WT Armor
150 1

MV Move
-8 20

Mach
-

Orbit
10

SR
50

Communication Range: 1000, FTL Crew: 1 with up to three passengers. 1 cryotube. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: 3 Space Suits. Armament Package: None Range: Atmosphere: 10 000 Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 3 FTL Speed: 0.1 Automatic Systems: 10 Hardpoints: 1 Basic Armament: None

DUTTON COAST GUARD PATROL CRAFT

It was a lot cheaper to abandon a ship than retro-fit and refuel especially the old style Nuclear Jobs. A lot of the Industrials just dumped them in decaying orbit, waiting for gravity and atmospheric burn-up to solve their problem. That worked until one of the flamers crashed half-intact near a coffee plantation on the island Hawaii. The radiation killed the indigenous population and made it damn near impossible to find a good cup of Kona. So now the Coast Guard tags the floaters and blasts them before they can decay into the atmosphere. It keeps the world safe and gives the guard boys something to do between poker games. They still call them the coast guard, even though the coast theyre guarding is three or four hundred miles in space. The Dutton is their prime craft, designed for speed and maneuverability, but not range. It is small enough to be carried in spacecraft bays but it doesnt often get transported unless it is being moved to its current port. Its lack of a Tachyon drive decreases its weight. The Two Lase Photon Drives produce twice the thrust of the UD-4 Cheyenne. The large wing surface allows the craft to operate equally in an atmosphere and in space. It is lightly armored, giving it up for maneuverability and speed. Weapons are minor but formidable, with a single particle beam and a battery of rockets. STATISTICS

Variant
Dutton

Body
3

WT
120

Armor
1

MV
0

Move
300

Mach
5

Orbit
15

SR
100

Communication Range: 10 000 Crew: 2 Pilots, Life support for up to six. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: 1 Drop Pod, two space suits. Armament Package: Four shotguns, four pistols. Range: Atmosphere: Unlimited

Orbital: Unlimited Hardpoints: 3 Basic Armament: 1 Particle Beam, 6 AIM-90 missiles

TF-ALPHA-1 CARGO-CRAWLER
The TF-Alphas one of the most widely used short-range freighter around. It was created more than a hundred years ago and the design is virtually untouched. Some have nicknamed it the bug, comparing it to the 20th century Volkswagen automobile. Using a modular design, the TF-Alpha can be fitted with a variety of cargo modules although the basic design can only carry one. These modules have been widely even before this freighter was introduced. The connecting brackets were a cheap modification to the existing modules. These crates have been found on worlds that dont even operate CargoCrawlers. The TF-Alpha can detach or re-attach a module in under 30 seconds. The Cargo Crawler has been manufactured in the hundreds and is used by practically ever corporation and government. The design is often modified but the standard model run off a regular assembly line hasnt been changed since it was released. Its charter is to be short range craft but the first modification often given is range booster. This does not cut down on cargo space or speed. The current drive capacity is a pair of McKinnley Ion drives set on slow burn. The TF-ALPHA is slow but uses its fuel wisely. In an atmosphere, the ship usually only raises and lower altitude and doesnt maneuver much. The ship is not often used in single sorties but is often used in group of three of more, transporting large supplies across star systems. When used alone, they are usually only utilized in-system. The crew compliment need only be one, but three more can be carried. The module can carry its won life support system and can transport up to 500 cryotubes. STATISTICS

Variant
TF-Alpha-1

Body
3

WT Armor
350 1

MV Move
-5 100

Mach
0.5

Orbit
8

SR
10

Communication Range: 1000, FTL Crew: 1, up to three passengers. Two cryotubes. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: Three Spacesuits Armament Package: Pistol, Stunner. Range: Atmosphere: 10 000 Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 4 FTL Speed: 0.2

Cargo Slots: 2 Automatic Systems: 8 base skill

DOLOMITE CLASS CARGO HAULER

The desire for a long range cargo ship resulted in the Dolomite. It can both carry cargo internally and tow behind it. It is meant to a successor to the M-Class Freighter. The new Dolomite cannot link directly to a cargo module but can tow behind using cable lines. However the robust design of the M-class assures its future. The Dolomites fate is cloudy. It is powered by a massive Pratt Mark II Ion Drive that makes it fast and extremely maneuverable for a freighter. The Dolomite has been favored by the CMC as a weapons transport and relief freighter because it can keep up with the massive Conestogas Frigates. The Dolomite is not allowed to have weapons but the CMC and some corporations have installed mild weapons for defensive purposes. The Dolomite is used mostly within the core systems more as people transports than cargo transports. Very little modifications need to be made to transport up 500 cryotubes. STASISTICS

Variant
Dolomite

Body
20

WT
45 000

Armor
3

MV Move
-7 40

Mach
1

Orbit
10

SR
50

Communication Range: 5 000, FTL Crew: 3-- support for up to 500. Up to 500 more in cryotubes Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: 1 EEV, 100 space suits. Armament Package: 3 Stunner, 2 Flamethrowers Range: Atmosphere: Unlimited. Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 10 FTL Speed: 0.7 Craft Slots: 1Narcissus Shuttle Cargo Slots: 60 Automatic Systems: 8 Base skill Hardpoints: One Basic Armament: None.

ZAJER / COMM TEHCNIC TRANSPORT VESSEL

Z.C.T. created their own small freighter designed to move cargo quickly from their deep space outposts. The large clumsy monstrosities were to inefficient and the small TF-Alphas were to limited in range to be of any use. To combat this problem, ACT made their Cargo ship, simply called that ZCTV. The most notable feature of the Vessel is its three Wagner Photon Engines and the enormous RombergRockwell Cygnus 5 tachyon shunt hyperdrive. This makes the ZCTV one of the fastest craft in operation, just short of the fighter craft employed by the CMC. Too bad, ZCT wont sell its craft to outside sources. The number of chartered flights is slim. ZCT keeps the design schematics under tight wraps.

The mass occupied by main drive sacrifices space. As it is, the ZCTV carries not much more than the TFAlpha, eve though it is almost three times larger than its small cousin. It cant carry any vehicles, so it simply is utilized as a basic cargo transport. It moves food and supplies back and forth from labs and colonies. The crew compartment is surprisingly small, only requiring a three crew to operate. Transporting passengers is a common occurrence and ZCT have even permanently modified these craft as passenger liners. ZCTV are also often used by pirates. STATISTICS

Variant
ZCTV

Body
10

WT
1350

Armor
2

MV
-6

Move
100

Mach
2

Orbit
10

SR
50

Communication Range: 5000 km Crew: Pilot, Co-Pilot, Engineer, can carry 50 passengers unmodified. Up to 200 can be carried with little modification. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Maneuverability: +2 in Space Evacuation: 1 EEV, 20 Space Suits. 20 Parachutes. Armament Package: Various, usually Two shot guns and two pistols. Range: Atmosphere: Unlimited Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 4 FTL Speed: 0.75 Cargo Slots: 2 Automatic Systems: Base 10 skill Hardpoints: 1 Basic Armament: None.

WY TRADER
The Weyland Yutani Trader was constructed to be a cheap transport WY could utilize for its colony demands. They shunted supplies back and forthOne shipment could equip a colony for months. These ships were huge but could not tow any cargo. They have the largest cargo capacity of any freighter. Like ZCT, WY does not openly sell the Traders on the open market. The Traders are shipped off to new colonies and can often set them up with one ship. More than 70% of the vessel is open cargo space with the remaining are spent on spartan living conditions. Some Traders have been retrofitted with hardpoints and crew compartment and thus were turned into a massive troop transport. Up to 1000 Marines can be carried on board the retrofitted ships. However, these ships are still operated by Weyland Yutani so are only used as a transport. The ship and its crew are lent by WY. Unlike some freighters, the Trader is a dedicated space transport. It can travel between stations with ease but cannot enter at atmosphere unless it wants to hard land. Either way, it is not taking off again. The unfortunate news is that the WY Trader has been seem under operation of smugglers. The design is very robust and the immense size makes it a very efficient transport. It runs of a quad set of Tachyon Shunt Drives that give it good speed and good range. STATISTICS

Variant
Trader

Body
10

WT
58 000

Armor
2

MV Move
-8 --

Mach
--

Orbit
8

SR
10

Communication Range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 3, standard Life support allows up to 50can be modified to hold over 1000 Evacuation: 1 EEV, 10 space suits. Armament Package: 2 Stunner, 1 Flamethrowers, 3 Pistols Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 8 FTL Speed: 0.6 Cargo Slots: 150 Automatic Systems: 8 Base skill Hardpoints: None

SV- 90 RELIANT CLASS ASSAULT TRANSPORT VEHICLE

The Reliant is a small orbital (Non Atmospheric) space vehicle usually only used for short system-tosystem jumps. Often employed and operated by colonies, the SV-90 is so widely used, no on is entirely sure who originated the design. Rival corps, groups, and governments all use the ship, and modify it heavily. The CMC is no exception. It is usually classed as a larger version of the TF-Alpha because of its detachable Cargo pod. Unlike the TF-Alpha, the pod is not useful other than being transported by the SV-90. The pod is too large for most places where a TF can land.

The huge Arrow Ion Pulse Drive is extremely efficient and makes the SV-90 extremely fast. As a result, the one group that uses the Reliant the most is the CMC. It has turn into one of the Marine Corps most widely used cargo ships. It can be equipped with weapons and configured to carry over 400 troops, and being half the size of the Conestoga, it has been known to slip in through sensor nets and orbital minefields to strike enemy starports and drydocks. In an emergency, like the TF-Alpha, the SV-90 can detach its cargo pod and leave the men behind while it fights. This gives he craft exceptional maneuverability as it drops almost half its weight. The Cargo pod has also been configured to be a massive gunboat, carried under the freighter. The CMC owns and operates a substantial fleet of SV-90 and often sends them if the larger Conestoga cant be sent in because of political or budgetary reasons. The SV-90 is substantially cheaper than the Conestoga. It does have thin armor and cant carry internal spacecraft. It is primarily used as a troop transport. Large battalions usually consist of two SV-90 for every one Conestoga. This ratio can double as the fleet gets larger and the Reliants are configured for a variety of uses. The capabilities and uses of the Reliant is almost endless. STATISTICS

Variant
SV-90

Body
8

WT
38,000

Armor
1-3

MV Move
-9* -

Mach
-

Orbit
10

SR
10

*: -6 if pod is dropped Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 3 Navigator, 2 Engineer, Capsules for 8 crew. 400 more capable in Cargo Pod is configured. Maneuverability: +6 dodge of guided missiles if configured Additions: Survival gear. Full stock if configured. Evacuation: 10 Space Suits. 400 space suits and 10 Re-Entry Pods if configured. Armament package: Two Pistols. 4 Smart Guns, 30 Pulse Rifles 20 Flamethrowers, 200 Pistols, 30 Shotguns, up to 30 other weapons. May be replaced with higher TL weapons. Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 10 FTL Speed: 0.7 ly/day Cargo Slots: 50 Automatic Systems: Base 8 skill. Hardpoints: 3. Basic Armament: None

MISCELLANEOS CRAFT
RE-ENTRY POD
The Re-Entry pod is a controlled rock. It is built and is operated by almost ever military ship. It is an unarmored, quick drop to lower up to 10 soldiers into a combat area. It was first designed as a combat drop pod for spacecraft too small to carry armed dropships. However, Re-Entry pods have since been

modified and re-designed by major groups as a cheap alternative to the EEV. The EEV is completely automated and advanced. The REP should only be used above planets. It is dropped above. It burns through the atmosphere. Upon clearing the upper layer, it fires it engines for decelerations and finally uses a HALO-style, low altitude parachute deployment to quickly slow it speed down, setting down with a thump. The crew can then deploy quickly. The one problem with this approach to the dropship is that that REP cannot take over. It is a one way trip. It is also totally unarmed. Not like anyone can hit it. It drops to quickly, the only time it is vulnerable is when it slams into the Earth. Onboard computers handle the entry and deceleration. The craft can make mild maneuvers, avoiding obstacles and landing at the best possible position. It also changes it course for the type of landing. The ship can land so softly, it wouldnt crack and egg. Some others needs to be dropped so quickly, the ship is partially destroyed in the landing, having been designed that way to absorb all damage and prevent the crew compartment from being crushed. The sinister variation of the REP is the direct drop odanance which drops explsive warheads through the atmospher, directly on ground targets. Weapon loads can vary. STATISTICS

Variant
REP

Body
2

WT
10

Armor
1

MV
-10

Move
20

Mach
8*

Orbit
--

SR
--

*: Straight Down. Communication Range: 1000, FTL Crew: 1, Up to ten passengers. Maneuverability: +5 against guided missiles. Additions: Full survival suit: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: Noneit IS an evacuation Armament Package: None. Range: Atmosphere: Noneit lands. Orbital: None FTL: None FTL Speed: None Automatic Systems: 8 Base skill

BD-409 EEV (Emergency Escape Vehicle)

The BD-409 is a small escape craft which is capable of carrying up to 16 passengers. It is 13.2 meters long with an L shaped configuration. At the edge of the craft is three large titanium support struts which hold ICC Standard retainer lugs for connection to it's mother ship. The underside is latched directly to the mother ship's escape hatches and access is made through these hatches via a large docking ring. The L shaped wedge holds the life support and drive section equipment which is accessed to the mother ship with a outboard umbilical up until the movement of it's launch. The vehicles hull is made from carbon alloy and ceramic composites and is able to withstand severe re-entry angles. Certain mission profiles for the EEV can vary according to the mission situation. In an event of disaster aboard the mother ship, the decision to abandon is given by the commanding officer. But, because of interstellar space travel, the crews are to be in hypersleep. If there is a crisis when the crew is in hibernation, then there might not be enough time for the crew to revive and the escape procedure would have to be handled automatically. In these situations then, the crisis management computers would bear the burden of escape of the mother ship. The ICC sets up the protocols for the crisis management computers to make sure that the evacuation of the ship is indeed initiated, when and only when, failure to

do so would result in death. If this point is reached, then the computers on the mother ship will then send out a distress signal and then begin the escape procedures. Immediately, all the units aboard the ship will begin to prepare for departure. EEV's are kept on a permanent 30 second standby, then at this point the escape vehicles computers will start up with the command menus and have the mission data downloaded to them from the mother ship's mainframe. On the mother ship, the computers will automatically disconnect the sleep capsules from the cryogenic umbiblicals and then the hypersleep capsules will be dropped into a series of tubes towards the nearest escape vehicle. As soon as the capsules are on board, the capsules are then installed into the EEV's life support systems and then the computer on the escape vehicle logs out of the mother ship's mainframe and initiates its own launch program. At the time of launch, minus five seconds, if the override to stop the evacuation is not given to the mother ships computer, the retaining lugs that secure the EEV to the mother ship are then pulled and the outboard umbilical is detached. At launch minus two, the primary hull is latched to the docking ring release so the vehicle is attached by two explosive retaining bolts. At launch minus zero, the escape vehicles computers then blow the remaining two retaining bolts which allows the pressure of the ship's atmosphere on the escape hatch to flush the vehicle from the mother ship. The entire evacuation decision to abandon ship to it's initial launch should take 45 seconds. As soon as the EEV is clear from the mother ship, the computers then start to initiate a search and rescuer procedure, which is to turn on a powerful distress signal and a location beacon while scanning the immediate sector of space for suitable landing site or a rescue vehicle. The flight pattern and landing site would have been determined by the mother ships computers before it had launched and downloaded to the EEV. But, the EEV's computers are totally capable of overriding the mother ships decision should something better should come up. In other words, the EEV will attempt to home in on the closest navigational beacon like a spacestation or a colony world and will set a course for that location. The BD409's hyperdrive unit has a short range and the guidance systems will make sure that it'll retain a sufficient amount of fuel of the thrusters for an in-system docking or a powered entry to a colonized world. Since the life support capabilities are limited, it will keep the crew aboard in hypersleep for the journey, which it will monitor their status by the use of internal bio-function monitors and catscanners. Only wakening them for the terminal phase of the mission when the rescue is imminent. If the rescue ship appears within the scanning range of the EEV, the onboard computers will try to hail the ship via their beacon and will try to maneuver itself to meet it. If there are no rescue ships around, the EEV will continue to its programmed destination and will try to attempt planetfall. The BD-409 has enough fuel for a single powered re-entry, but not near enough to sustain an orbit. So, it will follow the colonies landing beam directly down to the landing pad. If there is no beam, then the EEV will select a site from orbit and attempt a planetfall there. The BD-409 is nothing but a 'dead-drop' vehicle which is designed to fall unpowered from orbit until it reaches a lower atmosphere, where it will use the thrusters to try to break it's descent. At this stage,the EEV deploys its tricycle undercarriage and 'flies' on its remaining fuel reserves for the landing site. If planetfall is made on an uncolonized world, the onboard systems may choose to keep the crew in hypersleep to await a rescue. But in most cases, the EEV will revive the crew once as touchdown is achieved. If the crew has survived the touchdown and find out that they have a long wait for a rescue, there are storage lockers which contain all the essential survival gear. A months rations, and first aid equipment and whatever else is necessary to keep the crew alive. There are enough supplies for each crew member on board so to ensure that the crew won't have any kind of shortages. The BD-409 EEV system has been noted for it's flexibility and reliability, but the nature of space disasters can make the egress from the mother ship quite a hazardous journey. Despite the advances in technology, there are still lives lost in an escape attempt from the mother ship. The escape procedures are made to be so elaborate that the malfunction of one thing, which is very likely when escaping from the mother ship, can become very harrowing to the entire evacuation. Even if everything goes correct to the computers, there is still no guarantee of a very successful rescue from the immenseness of space. But, some chances are way better than none, and given the most lethal situations in space, it is quite hard to argue that the old wisdom used by old space explorers, 'When in doubt, bail out!'

STATISTICS

Variant
BD-409

Body
3

WT
50

Armor
1

MV
--

Move
--

Mach
--

Orbit
2

SR
100

Communication Range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 16 Passengers in Cryo tubes Maneuverability: 0 Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: NoneIt is an evacuation vehicle. Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 4 FTL Speed: 0.2 ly/day Automatic Systems: 10 base skill

ALIEN:
THEORIES OF ALIEN MORPHOLOGY
NOTE: These essays are not endorsed by all groups. For the actual endorsed science, refer to the next chapter.

THE ALIEN: A study(CL 3)

From research currently underway at LaSalle Bionational The creature that has commonly become known as 'the alien' the xenomorph which was first encountered on LV-426 - has presented a great number of questions to the scientific community. The mystery surrounding these creatures has hardly been helped by the sole sources of data coming from unreliable and unscientific eye-witness reports. That is, until now. Lasalle Bionational has managed to secure a number of live specimens at various stages of life cycle development. Controlled observation and examination of these has expanded our knowledge of this remarkable life form, despite a number of drawbacks inherent in any study thereof. Dissection of the creatures has proved problematic, since not only are they impossible to subdue or tranquilize, but any breach of the exoskeleton invariably releases potent acidic compounds at high pressure. However, dissection can now be effected by stunning the subject with a low-intensity ultrasound pulse and then suspending it in a saturated solution of powerful neutralizing agents. Dissection is carried out using remote sensor arms equipped with tight-beam xenon-focused cutting lasers. Reports have previously been filed on the life cycle stage manifesting as the parasitic creature commonly known as the facehugger. We are now able to fill in some details relating to the xenomorph's life cycle beyond this stage. Once the embryonic Alien (commonly known as a chestburster) has been implanted within the host organism, a remarkable system of chemical restructuring takes place: The gestating Alien absorbs organic material from the host organismhost, breaking it down at a molecular level and forming new compounds. All organic molecules are based on long-chain hydrocarbons bearing different activating groups. The carbon units are disassociated from their existing compounds and are then recombined into crystal lattices which are used in the formation of the creature's hard bodily structures. The freed H+ ions are combined with surplus sulphate (SO42-) and nitrate (NO3-

) groups to form the powerful acidic compounds which have been previously regarded as the Alien's "blood", although our research has proved this term to be unhelpful. Much has been made of the Alien's apparent ability to operate with neither respiratory nor digestive functions: there is no real evidence of the creature actually eating, and we have yet to discover any form of digestive system; its evident imperviousness to the effects of vacuum would preclude any form of respiration in the sense that we understand it. Essentially, the Alien is able to operate without otherwise essential functions because it does not possess them, deriving its energy instead from a powerful bioelectrical charge generated within its body by means of acidic reaction. The Alien's "blood" is, in fact, a component of a powerful biological "battery". Therefore, the aliens' hissing and the Queen alien's vapor clouds do not necessarily indicate respiration, and the aliens' ability to survive in a vacuum proves that they do not 'breath' at all. However, since the aliens have a hard body casing full of furiously reacting chemicals (hence the reason they tend to explode), it is probable that some of the reactions give rise to gaseous products which would require venting in order to keep their internal pressure and temperature stable. There is no reason why the creatures could not then use this by-product as a form of audible threat when squaring off against an opponent. There have also been many queries raised as to the creatures' sensory apparatus. As far as the Alien's means of perception is concerned, dissection have again offered us new insights. The ornate structures of the Alien's cranial exoskeleton appear to be designed to capture and amplify atmospheric vibrations: sound. The extended lateral rows of these structures along either side of the skull allow the Alien a wide field of "hearing" and acute sensitivity. This would, of course, be of no use to the creature in the context of a vacuum, and we were thus forced to consider further possibilities. Spectroscopic analysis of the material composing the "blind" frontal plate of the skull has shown that it is composed of the unusual C60 carbon-lattice, which is known to demonstrate exceptional conductive properties. Behind the frontal plate, a series of highly sensitive thermoreactive organs are found. We can infer from this that the creatures are also able to register thermal signals and perceive radiated heat images, an ability which would be of obvious benefit in environments lacking atmosphere. These sensory facilities are obviously of great benefit to a creature as aggressive as the Alien. Closer examination has also revealed vestigial photosensitive organs flanking the skull's frontal plate. With the range of sensory information available to the xenomorph, "eyes" that see in visible light wavelengths would seem surplus to requirements. However, the purpose of a rudimentary "sight" seems to be twofold: Firstly, the Aliens themselves have little or no body heat, other than that produced by their internal chemical reactions (which is almost non-existent when the creatures are inactive). The Aliens' "eyes" enable them to perceive each other. Secondly, in order for the Alien to operate effectively as a hostile organism, an accurate means of depth perception is required. Stereoscopic sight serves this function admirably. However, since the vast majority of these creatures are asexual and (as has already been noted) do not need to kill for food, there would appear to be no need for their remarkable killing ability unless expressly bred for that purpose. Observation of the Aliens in a simulated hive environment has shown us that they operate in a manner not dissimilar to that of worker ants, with their belligerence limited only to organisms not native to the hive. Thus, the creatures generally operate in a manner benefitting the hive community, with any creature straying therein being met with swift and aggressive retaliation. In short, this life form appears to be the ideal basis for a hive community, demanding none of the standard conditions (such as food or a breathable atmosphere) most need to support them. It is a life form able to meet the needs of the community whilst requiring nothing in return, and one capable of meeting any threat to that community with a lethal response, for which this creature is uniquely equipped. Ovomorph / Facehugger Dissection The Lasalle Bionational research team's preliminary studies of the xenomorph popularly known as the 'Alien' have, by necessity, concentrated on the fully developed specimen, since this has offered the greatest potential for the Lasalle BioWeaponry division to make inroads into the established WeylandYutani market. However, in an effort to better understand the propagation of these creatures, we have lately turned our full attention to the first life cycle phase, the 'egg' and 'facehugger' manifestations. For as long as the reproductive faculties of the Alien Queen remain unknown to us, there are a number of questions raised by this phase that we are unable to answer. Nonetheless, detailed and intensive research has given rise to some startling and unexpected conclusions. At first, it appeared obvious that the facehugger was a semi-independent lifeform whose only purpose was to implant the embryonic Alien within its host organism. The facehugger's relation to the Alien was self-evident by the fact that it possessed acidic 'blood' and operated upon the same bioelectrical chemistry as the Alien itself. This gave rise to a serious problem: if dating attempts on the ancient starcraft (the

'derelict') discovered by the crew of the Nostromo on LV-426 were to be believed, the facehuggers could not possibly have survived the length of time between the original crash and the subsequent discovery. It was at this stage that we first began to look at the egg/facehugger as a single united organism and were presented with a scientific breakthrough. We knew that no life signs for the facehugger itself could be detected within the egg prior to release upon a victim. And through observation and deep scans of the facehugger's release upon a live subject, we further concluded that, whereas the egg had previously been considered only as a vessel for containing the embryo-delivering facehugger, dissection and deep level scans revealed it to be an organism in its own right. This previously unknown organism - christened the ovomorph - proves to be exceptionally resilient. Although its carbon lattice based composition and life functions powered by process of acidic reaction are similar to the already known phases, the ovomorph locks its reactive acids into relatively stable salts or trace metals. These decay slowly, releasing the acids and generating the bio-electrical charge at a much reduced rate, in keeping with the ovomorph's sedentary and essentially passive nature. At the base of the egg-structure, dissection revealed a cluster of conductive matrices similar to that which we believe to be the full-fledged alien's central nervous system. This rudimentary CNS is linked to thermo/pressure-sensitive veins running over the exterior of the ovomorph's 'shell,' enabling it to 'perceive' the proximity of a suitable host. (It is worth observing at this point that the ovomorph's sensory apparatus are only likely to be triggered by the proximity of an organic and ambulatory life form and that the arrangement of the facehugger's gripping appendages and ovipositor are specifically tailored to a certain body mass range and configuration of respiratory and digestive organs. It is therefore our conjecture that implantation is unlikely to take place within an unsuitable host: an invertebrate, for example.) Upon detection of a prospective host for the embryonic Alien, the ovomorph releases a catalyst that unlocks the acids bonded into the chemical salts. These are then transferred to the facehugger organism which becomes 'live' only at that point. Essentially, the ovomorph transfers its remaining bio-electrical potential to the facehugger, sacrificing itself so that the facehugger can then become sufficiently active to attack the host upon the opening of the ovomorph's casing. Once released, the facehugger uses a similar set of thermoauditory responses to those used by both the ovomorph and the adult Alien to attack its prey. Utilizing a secretion of its acidic compounds to penetrate exceptionally resilient hides (or armor), it then uses a DMSO-delivered cyanide based toxin in concentrations relative to the optimum size of the host in order to render a case of deep toxic shock. (Thus, should the facehugger be unfortunate enough to attach itself to a host that does not fall within the mass range of its prescribed target form, the cyanide dose is either ineffective or fatal.) This state reduces the victim's vital signs to an absolute minimum and thereby optimizes the chances of survival. It's most remarkable feature, however, is the facehugger's ability to sample the contents of the victim's respiratory system to ascertain the appropriate composition of preferred breathing atmosphere. It then alters the balance of reactive compounds within its metabolism to form by-products resembling the host's required atmospheric mix. Thus the state of hibernative shock is prolonged by simulation of the victim's natural environment by the facehugger. We have also determined that even the most rudimentary fetal Alien implanted within the host organism over an extended time scale would be impossible, and is this circumvented. The facehugger attaches what we can only describe as a knot of specifically tailored 'cancers' that bring about the previously described chemogenetic restructuring. This gives rise to the infant stage of the fully-formed Alien, commonly known as the chestburster. Thus, the first stage of the life cycle is actually the ovomorph - a creature symbiotic with the facehugger, whose only function is to facilitate the implantation/impregnation within the host of the specific tumors that later form the Alien. Appearance of the Adult Alien Much has been made of the Alien's ability to determine their adult form based upon the host organism. We assume that the development of the chesburster and the subsequent adult is directed by the host in which it gestates. Presumably, it has to adapt to the environment in which it will be hunting, and the best way to do this is by learning things like the type of atmosphere, gravity and available nutrients from the host via metabolic contact. Therefore, the form of the chesburster and the adult will be determined in part by the host, but there can not be any genetic transfer. A queen will tend to lay eggs which are optimized for growing in a host like the type she was born from. If an egg is laid in an optimal host, it is adapted to its environment and takes a full term to develop. If it is in a non-optimal host, it risks detection because of its alien metabolism and must therefore develop rapidly. In such a case, the chestburster may appear immature.

This theory suggests that the embryo implanted in the crewman Kane aboard the Nostromo was a transitional form between Aliens optimized for humans and those optimized for the beings aboard the derelict spacecraft found on LV-426. The chestburster therefor emerged quickly and immature to avoid detection. Colonists on LV-426 were implanted by a human-born queen, allowing the gestation period to last full term. The creature encountered on Fury-161 was implanted in a dog by a human-born queen. This embryo was non-optimized, and hatched quickly. It was a transitional form between dogs and humans, just as the creature aboard the Nostromo was a transitional form. This theory could account for the varied appearance of the creatures encountered. Alien Genetic Makeup The xenomorph's ability to alter its appearance based upon its host organism has raised questions about the genetic makeup of the creatures. Although evidence of the actual genetic code of the Alien species is sketchy at best, there are a number of theories on the subject. If the Alien species uses DNA, it is not likely that their DNA looks anything like ours. This is primarily because of the 'acid for blood' phenomenon we are familiar with. At low pH, DNA tends to 'melt'; the two strands separate and lose most of the chemical properties of DNA which make it useful as an information storage molecule. At even lower pH, DNA will become degraded and literally will fall to pieces. This suggests that the acid contained in the Alien bloodstream would not be using DNA as an information storage molecule. It is also unlikely that the xenomorph would be able to make use of terrestrial DNA. The issue of randomness in evolution suggests that the species could not use the exact genetic code as humans. Additionally, our DNA is used to encode the amino acid sequences of our protiens, most of which are designed to function around pH 7. The xenomorph protiens probably function somewhere below pH 0. Human protiens will fall apart and become degraded in that pH range. The Aliens have to be using an entirely different set of amino acids to make sure that their protiens are not destroyed by the internal pH (assuming they use amino acids at all). If, by some miracle, the Aliens do use DNA, it would have to be as different from human DNA as their amino acids and protiens would have to be from ours in order to survive their internal pH. This suggests that human DNA would be completely incomprehensible to them. If the number of amino acids they use is greater than 64 or less than 16, they would be using different sized codons than humans do, creating an additional barrier to compatability. The latter assumes that they only use four bases in their DNA as we do, which is unlikely, since they must be using modified bases to begin with. Finally, there is also the possibility that they may be working with single or triple stranded DNA instead of the terrestrial double stranded form. Alien Evolution The characteristics discussed below are not the sole characteristics available for discussion, nor are the conclusions drawn the only conclusions possible. This is simply one possible picture based on the set of assumptions and the data available to date. The following speculations are based on four primary assumptions: 1.That the alien evolved on a planet and was not created by another species 2.That the alien and its homeworld have been shaped by physical and evolutionary forces which are similar to those in effect on our own world 3.That the alien is not the dominant life form on its homeworld, existing instead as part of a complex ecosystem 4.That the homeworld is as diverse with life forms and potential habitats as is our own Important common features of the alien species include: Host dependent reproduction Dual stage metamorphic life cycle Metallo-silicate exoskeleton Endoskeleton in juvenile form Growth-stage mediated shedding of skin Low blood pH Increased speed & strength (relative to human standards) Large curving crania of varying morphology Internal mouthed tongue Carnivorous external teeth Air sac bellows in the juvenile form Articulated limbs and tail in all life stages Varying number of limbs and digits in different life stages

Predatory or greater intelligence Copious production of "slime" Presumed sociality and communication (i.e., the hive was not a fluke) Internal pressure greater than 14 psi Body temperature equals ambient temperature Can "exist" underwater and in vacuum Nest built in hot area Some or all of these features may be due to the adaptation/modification of the organism to its current lifestyle as a space faring parasitic species. In the case of modification, it would be most parsimonious to assume that the aliens were intended for use as biological weapons. This theory assumes that the creatures found in space are adapted or modified to living in this habitat, and focuses on estimating their possible ancestral forms and the state of the ancestral homeworld. It assumes that any modifications and adaptations have been made using pre-existing characteristics, so that the ancestral creatures posses similar characteristics. The creatures found in space are referred to as "modern" in the following discussion. Discussion of observed characteristics The alien life cycle is divided into two distinct stages which are reminiscent of the alternating sporophyte and gametophyte generational stages of plants and fungi. Plants produce distinct types of reproductive cells (spores or gametes) which give rise to genetically distinct types of organisms. Spores grow into gametophytes, which produce gametes, while gametes fuse to form sporophytes which produce spores. In the alien species, the sporophyte stage could be represented by the juvenile stages. These would create the embryoembryo. The gametophyte stage could be represented by the adult stages. These would create eggs after gamete fusion. Such a strategy in might be indicative of an chaotic and dangerous natural environment (see discussion of hypothetical ancestors). We have zero knowledge of the genetics of these creatures, and further speculation on the existence or nature of alien reproductive cells would be unfounded. The alien morphology seems to be a melange of arthropod and vertebrate characteristics. The segmented exoskeletal carapace and variable numbers of limbs are reminiscent of terrestrial arthropods (as well as armored fishes and reptiles to a lesser extent), while the adult body plan seems more vertebrate in nature; the presence of a jaw, spine terminating in a tail and limbs ending in grasping hands and feet as opposed to the mouthparts, legs and body plan of an arthropod suggest a vertebrate morphology. The larval legs are articulated via an endoskeleton, which appears to be covered in a sheath of muscle and a pliable external layer of protein and silicon. This seems to indicate that the oldest ancestors of these creatures possessed endoskeletons, and that exoskeletons evolved later. As is the case with vertebrate evolution in the Silurian and Devonian periods, the endoskeleton may have evolved first as a means to protect the CNS, and the exoskeleton could have evolved secondarily; in response to environmental challenges. The eggs are complex organisms in and of themselves. They are responsible for maintaining life support for the larva for an indefinite amount of time, and must recognize a potential host and distinguish it from valid members of the nest. The eggs contain rudimentary moving parts. Once the egg has determined that a host is proximal, it releases the larva. In the modern species, the egg is flammable, translucent and unarmored. Their gracile nature in comparison to the adults may be in response to the security afforded by the nest strategy. Because of these unusual qualities in an egg, it might be that the egg and larva constitute a single organism up until the point where the larva is released. The size of an egg in comparison to the size of the contained larva indicates substantial internal morphology, consistent with requirements for life support and sensory systems. Despite the obvious immediate differences, the organism's basic body plan may be conserved between the juvenile and adult forms. The larval form has 8 legs, and while imagoinstago forms only appear to have 4 limbs, queens appear to have 6. All forms have a single articulated tail, implying the presence of a spine and CNS. As the juveniles posses an endoskeleton it could be assumed that the adults do as well. The adult head morphology is quite distinctive. In the post-nymph forms, the mouth contains a secondary set of jaws on the end of the tongue, and the head is long and curved. In the modern species, it is probable that the larval form is derived to the point where a majority of the sensory portions of the larval body remain in the egg when the larva is released. Anatomy corresponding to the adult head may be contained within the egg. Accordingly, if the juvenile "air-sacs" are used for respiration, any adult breathing apparatus would be located posterior to the hindmost pair of adult legs. Four "vanes" are visible on the backs of most adults, and six are visible along the backs of queens. These may function in breathing. Additionally, the head configuration of the adult may be adaptive in that it would prevent accidental

implantation of an embryo into an adult by a larva, or prevent intentional implantation by a larva of another species. The legs of the larva will not easily grasp the adult head, and the ventral "embryopositor" tube will be subject to attack by the mouthed tongue. This may suggest that there are competing species of these creatures on the homeworld. While in the egg, the larva remains suspended in a fluid, suggesting aquatic origins for this species. The emerging larva retains a thin coating of the internal fluid, and this layer appears to be caustic, although the caustic properties are not as dramatic as those displayed by the organism's blood. The combination of the egg fluid and blood pH indicates drastically different aquatic environment on the homeworld than on earth. It is possible that the pH of the egg fluid is closer to the true pH of the oceans on the homeworld and that the caustic properties of the organism's blood are due to a combination of modification and adaptation to the parasitic lifestyle, or the egg maturation process may deplete the egg fluid of its caustic properties. It is likely that the caustic properties of the blood are not due to simple pH, but that other chemical and enzymatic factors are in effect. In addition to functioning as the medium for an internal transport system, the organism's "blood" might be its digestive system, which would suggest an extremely different internal structure than terrestrial standards. The caustic properties of the blood appear to be more effective on synthetic and organic materials than on metals, supporting the idea that other chemical and enzymatic factors are at work, which in turn supports the digestive theory. Interior carapace pressure might indicate a higher average planetary pressure than 14 psi. This could be a defense mechanism, or it could simply be circulatory pressure. The internal physiology of the organism has yet to be revealed to any great extent, but pulsing "artery-like" structures have been observed in emergent nymphs, implying some sort of pumping "heart" organ. Possibly the homeworld is larger or the atmosphere is heavier than on earth. The larval air sacs/bellows might be a historical adaptation to living beyond the aqueous environment, but it is possible that these are a parasitic adaptation, and are not required by the organism. The degree to which they function is probably dictated by the atmospheric requirements of the host, but we have no knowledge of the organism's atmospheric requirements. If such sacs are required, the larva will not survive in vacuum. The adults appear to function as well underwater as out of it, implying that the do not use air sacs. It is possible that inert gasses irritate the adults. Possibly, they breathe using modified gill structures located in the dorsal vanes. Body temperature is ambient, perhaps indicating a generally warm planetary surface temperature, or geothermal habitat requirement. It remains to be seen how long the imagoinstago can survive in a vacuum or sub-freezing temperatures. The low pH of the blood would seem to indicate a drastically reduced freezing point. Queens survive extended periods of transit through both of these environments, and it is possible that other instarinstago and imagoinstago forms may as well. The various adult forms demonstrate aversion to open flames, but unlike the eggs and nymphs, are not flammable. This suggests temperature boundaries within the upper limits of terrestrial environments. The lack of obvious eyes in any observed stages indicates that the aliens either live entirely in enclosed or subterranean areas, or that there is no visible light incident on the surface of the homeworld. If the organisms lived entirely underground, their size and potential for well populated nests implies a well developed and robust subterranean ecosystem. If they lived the entirety of their lives in their nests, they would be dependent upon the movement of prey and hosts into the nest for survival. It is possible that they lure these into the nest, but the aliens seem quite capable and adept at retrieving them as well. If they dwelled on an illuminated surface for any amount of time, eyes would be a distinct advantage. The aliens display significant ability to cling to and move on vertical and inverted surfaces, supporting the idea that a significant portion of time is spent underground or in enclosed spaces. Nests fit this description, and it may be that castes which venture outside of the nest posses eyes. In this case, these castes have not yet been observed. The nests might be constructed above or below ground or water, but seem to be designed so that the resinous construction material covers all surfaces near their cores. Partially submerged nests would require air chambers for hosts and larvae. Copious amounts of a viscous substance are constantly being secreted from the mouthparts and neighboring regions. This substance appears to be used in constructing nests, hardening to form a resin. Thick strands may also be produced, although the mechanism for this is unclear. Prior to hardening, the resin does not display caustic properties, and may act to neutralize acids. This would be useful, both in offering protection from an acidic environment, and in protecting the nest from being accidentally dissolved. Hypothetical ancestors The presence of an endoskeleton and an exoskeleton implies that conditions changed during the evolution of the organism, requiring armored protection of the entire body. Drastically increased

predation is one such possible change, while a dramatic lowering of the pH of the environment is a second. These options are not mutually exclusive; hostile changes in the environment may cause increases in levels of predation. A low pH ocean could literally dissolve its inhabitants, forcing them to lower their pH to meet that of the environment, present a barrier against the caustic properties of their surroundings, leave the oceans or try these strategies in various combinations. Thick layers of continuously renewed armor would be constantly ablated by the acid, but could protect underlying tissues, and secretion of neutralizing substances could serve as similar a shield. A lowering of the blood pH might offer some protection, but might also begin to damage one's own tissues, and would probably be energetically expensive. Raising the pH of one's tissues would not be a successful strategy in an aquatic environment. The aliens posses all of these characteristics to various degrees, suggesting that the aquatic environment is either extremely caustic, or became progressively more caustic in discrete degrees. The modern species appears only to produce secretions in and around the mouth region; possibly the protective substance has to be applied to exposed regions of the anatomy, or whole body coverage is not necessary beyond an aquatic environment. In the former case, hardening of the resin might serve to bolster the exoskeleton, or the exoskeleton might be formed of the same substance, secreted from the surface of the body. The endo- and exoskeletons would be made from different substances in this case. In either case, the secretions around the mouth are used for building the nest. Ancestral types might have been covered in an additional layer of secretions. The larvae are known to have an external layer composed of some combination of proteinpolysaccharides and polarized silicon. Larvae do not seem to produce secretions, and the external layer is not as hard in appearance as the adult carapace. In non-nymph adults, this carapace has a metallic appearance, and is probably composed of additional materials. The teeth of nymphs often have a metallic appearance. If the hardening of resinous secretions were the source of the exoskeleton, these secretions might contain different substances depending on their intended use. Secretions destined to become armor, structural material or strands and cables might have very different compositions. Living in a variety of challenging and dangerous environments might favor the observed division of reproductive strategies. The organism might be able to adapt rapidly to changing environments by using varying morphologies and reproductive strategies as a means of "shifting gears". An organism that was unconcerned with finding a mate could focus on finding a carrier or host capable of moving its offspring to a potentially more hospitable area. Organisms in a hospitable area could focus on reproducing themselves as efficiently as possible. Primitive juveniles could create embryos to be carried away by mobile hosts, while successful adults could create multiple eggs which were suited to their environment. Thus selection operates one way on the juveniles, selecting for those able to find suitable hosts (including mobility when the environment is shifting), and another way on the adults, selecting for those best suited to their environment. This implies that primitive juvenile stages were capable of predicting environmental shifts and altering their host selection accordingly. That the modern species has an "atrophied" juvenile stage implies that a stable environment was located, or that a novel strategy for relocating was developed. The stable environment may have been space, or perhaps there are yet unobserved castes capable of carrying eggs long distances. The ancestral organism's life cycle might have been similar to that of a caterpillar/butterfly. The organism searches for a host off of which an embryoembryo may feed after being produced by a larva, much like a caterpillar on a leaf. Possibly older pre-parasitic forms of this organism were like caterpillars; the implanted "embryos" may have been mobile, representing an intermediate life-stage (PROEMBRYO). It is possible that the nymphnymph stage may have occupied this position, having been produced from the larva in a more advanced form. It certainly seems to be the case that the juvenile and nymphnymph stages of the modern species are developmentally simplified. The modern larva is not capable of ingesting nutrients, being solely devoted to implanting one embryoembryo, and some modern nymphs emerge sans limbs or with "limbs buds". The Primitive Life Cycle This primitive life cycle might have proceeded as follows: 1.Egg is created - matures - hatches 2.Larva proceeds in search of food and an appropriately mobile host. 3.Larva releases a pro-embryo on a host and returns to stage [2]. 4.Pro-Embryo "grazes" on host organism or organisms 5.Pro-embryo develops into first instar, becoming independent of host. 6.Instars develop into imago forms. 7.Imago searches for food and mates, creates eggs.

This life cycle is only "mildly" parasitic; the pro-embryo does not necessarily harm the host during its grazing/feeding activity, but remains in jeopardy of discovery and extermination in this vulnerable state. If the pro-embryo were implanted internally to the host and absorbed nutrients directly from the host, it could be less vulnerable. The first parasitic ancestors may have placed their pro-embryos internal to the host, where nutrients could be obtained partially digested food in the host's "stomach" or digestive system. If the host digestive system bore similarity to vertebrate systems, there may have been compartments of extreme pH, which may have contributed to the acidophilic nature of the modern species. More advanced parasites might have done away with their pro- embryo forms, simply implanting embryos within their hosts and which would grow to nymphnymph form by stealing nutrients directly from the host. These parasites would not have been social organisms. Hypothetical ancestors and habitats: 1.unarmored aquatic vertebrate in a mildly acidic ocean 2.slime-resin coated aquatic vertebrate in an acidic ocean 3.resin-armored and slime coated aquatic creature in a very acidic ocean 4.armored terrestrial creature coping with a variety of hostile surface environments 5.above described creature with a grazing pro-embryo form 6.above described creature with a parasitic embryo form The Development of Sociality In descending order, the "weak" points in the life cycle of the pre-social organisms appear to be the dormant phase, the gestation phase and the travel time of the larva from egg to host. These risks could be minimized by securing the eggs "underground" (away from host/egg predation), and by immobilizing hosts near to the eggs. The eggs might remain susceptible to predation by small egg eating creatures or larger creatures capable of entering an active nest, requiring cooperative measures on the part of adults in protecting them. Sociality might develop naturally from such a system. Initially, a division of labor between hunter-foragers to locate and retrieve fresh hosts and warrior-scavenger-nurses to protect the eggs and gestating hosts from predators might suffice. The subsequent evolution of the queen dominated caste system may have been a way to diminish competition for hosts between partially related organisms, by establishing genetically homogenous nests. The large numbers of eggs produced by modern queens seem to indicate a strategy involving overproduction of eggs. The persistence of this strategy in the modern species might be due to co-evolution of egg predators, or to environmental conditions where the risk of destruction of significant portions of the nest was high. Host Mediated Adaptation A further means to adapt to an environment is by adopting strategies developed earlier by another species. The embryoembryo is in a prime position to learn about the metabolic and environmental conditions of its host. Knowledge of local environmental conditions such as the pH, atmospheric content and energy generation schemes would be important for post emergence survival. Varying energy generation schemes may result in differing metabolisms. Knowledge of the metabolic level and requirements of the host gives an advantage to be used in hunting such hosts. The development of the nymph might mimic other physical attributes of the host as well. For example, if the host spent much time hanging upside down, the nymph could develop that way as well, making it a competent predator in an "upside down" environment. Adult organisms are presumably adapted to their environment via some combination of this host mediated process in concert with post-emergence selection. In the primitive species, larval offspring of these adapted adults will have to evaluate the state of the environment to determine if they should seek a mobile host to find a more hospitable environment, or if the should seek one to which they are adapted. If a larva chooses a mobile host, its embryo may posses different metabolic requirements or a generally different metabolism, which may result in the death of the embryoembryo after prolonged exposure. The nymphnymph must remain capable of aborting its development at the minimum possible stage and emerging from the host, developing a new adaptive strategy from the information gathered from the host, and surviving to reproduce and create eggs adapted to the new environment. This minimum stage is limbless, displaying only the buds of limbs, and uses the segmented tail for propulsion. If the larva chooses a host to which it is adapted, there will be much less danger to the embryo from the host's metabolism, and the nymph will be able to develop to its full form prior to emergence. This full form possesses two sets of limbs in addition to the tail. It is possible that a host chosen by a larva that detects no impending environmental shift might be immobile or vegetative in nature.

Once a relatively stable environment has been located (in which several rounds of reproduction were possible), a varying progression of emergent nymph and adult forms might be observed, as pressures of selection and host mediated adaptation refine the organism's strategy for survival in the environment. Sensation Since the creatures do not posses any eyes by terrestrial standards, they must have some other means of sensing their environment. If the body plan is conserved between juvenile and adult stages, it is reasonable to assume that the same types of sensors are used in each case. The eggs appear to be able to detect motion and proximity, and to be able to distinguish between hosts and nestmates. The sensation of heat may not be important to this process, as the natural host may have had a similar ambient body temperature. The larvae are capable of locating and determining the distance to the host implantation orifice, and of leaping through space to that orifice. The adults are capable of distinguishing between nestmates and potential hosts, and are capable of detecting movement. They are probably also possessed of pattern recognition systems, and spatial arrangement recognition systems. Adults have been observed to fixate on objects using their heads, suggesting that their primary sensory organs are located in the anterior portions of their heads. All adult stages are capable of producing a variety of sounds, and it is probably the case that they can hear and communicate via sound. Communication with "stripped down" eggs is probably better facilitated via chemical means than sound. It is likely that recognition of nestmates is achieved via a combination of chemical and sonic communication. Eggs might communicate with each other via chemical signals. Some degree of communication between eggs is likely, as only one egg ever responds when presented with a viable host, even if there are numerous eggs in proximity to the host. The detection of motion and proximity may be facilitated via sonic systems. In terrestrial nocturnal, subterranean and aquatic environments, these have proven quite successful, and accordingly, the shape of the head is reminiscent of cetacean crania. However, the large curving structure of the head might serve as some other sort of sensor as well. It could be used to detect EM wavelengths other than visible light, although it is not obvious how useful such a structure would be in detecting longer or shorter wavelengths. Possibly, the creatures posses a sensory system similar to the "motion tracking" technology developed by humans. Communication Variation in the surface morphology of the head seems to indicate a sensory function. Lone adults have uniform smooth reflective heads, while adults functioning in a nest have distinct anterior and posterior head sections; the posterior region being covered in a ribbed pattern with a sagittal crest, and the anterior region being characteristically smooth with a pair of pits on either side of the head. This morphology in social organisms may be used in sonic and chemical communication. That this ribbed pattern is visible in the neck regions of the lone adult may indicate that the smooth reflective surface of the heads serves as a canopy covering more complex structures. This smooth canopy is reminiscent of the smooth surfaces of the queen's headpiece sheath. This sheath is comprised of at least three independent pieces, the largest of which possesses several overlapping flanges. Various sized holes are visible between these flanges, and the entire sheath may serve as a production organ for chemical signals. In the transformation from imagoinstago to queen-imago (see the discussion of ancestral types below), the adult canopy may develop into the sheath. Once this transformation has been accomplished, the new queen would issue chemical signals destroying the canopies of any nearby adults. If the ribbed structures beneath the canopy corresponded to modest versions of the signal production organs beneath the queen's sheath, and were used for communication between nestmates, the canopy might serve to isolate a lone adult from foreign signals. Canopied adults would in effect be "deaf" to most nest signals. If all nestmates are progeny of the same queen, then the canopy destroying signal produced by a particular queen might be genetically specified. A canopied adult which found itself near a foreign nest or a foreign queen would not be susceptible to that queen's signals, and would develop into a queen. An adult which found itself near a related nest or queen would lose its canopy and join the nest. A dead queen would be replaced by a young canopied adult. It could be assumed that an uncanopied adult would be utterly subservient to the commands of a queen, in which case it might be possible for one queen to kill another and steal the uncanopied members of the nest. The canopy must allow limited communication, as a valid queen must be able to order its destruction. Possibly, canopied adults would be capable of identifying hosts harboring embryos as well, and could act to protect related embryos and possibly destroy unrelated ones. Modern and Ancestral Natural Hosts

The modern species' reproductive cycle is problematic because it displays a dependence upon the death of a host for the reproduction of a each organism. A host which survived nymph emergence might favor the development of this lifestyle. Such a host would have to withstand the damage incurred in emergence, and be able to survive further rounds of implantation, gestation and emergence. Alternatively, ancestral forms of the organism might have used a less injurious host-emergence strategy. If instead of creating new exits, the nymphs emerged via the orifice through which they were implanted, the chance of the host surviving would increase dramatically. Possibly, ancestral organisms used such a strategy. Also, a host with thick exterior armor would make creation of new exits difficult. In any case, a large organism would be better suited to surviving the embryo development process. The parasite might be little more than a pest for a host of sufficient size, and might even serve some symbiotic function by feeding on exoskeletal parasites of the host after emergence. The implantation period indicates a requirement for about 24 hours of close contact. This is facilitated by the articulated limbs and the tail. In modern creatures, the larval "embryopositor" appears to be composed of soft tissue, indicating that implantation is probably directly onto the desired internal substrate as opposed to being gained by destruction of external tissue. In addition to other possible functions, the mouthed tongue of the imago might function to permit sampling of the tissue contained within a hard carapace, or might have facilitated in creating an opening in a hard carapace specifically for use in implantation. These data suggest that the natural host possessed a hard shell. During the implantation phase, the host is provided with atmosphere via specialized bellows structures on the larva, implying that the host would be in danger of asphyxiation during the implantation process. Thus the natural host probably has only one breathing orifice, and is at least partially terrestrial. The parameters of the area surrounding the natural host's breathing orifice may be estimated via observing the length of tail available and the available span of the articulated limbs (2-3 feet for the limbs and 4-5 feet of tail). This orifice is most likely at the end of a stalk of indeterminate length, which might be up to a foot in diameter. The terminus of this stalk is most likely a spheroid 1-2 feet in diameter. The amount of oxygen provided to the host is limited by the size of the larval bellows apparatus, and this would limit the size of a potential host and that host's activity during implantation. Possibly the bellows size has evolved to parallel changes in host size. The constrictive nature of the tail would seem to suggest that the host's breathing is accomplished by changing the volume of the stalk. Bi-directional air flow in the host might be accomplished via the use of peristaltic waves. Since the host is likely armored, the tail would probably not be capable of constricting the host unless this strategy were used to inhale and exhale. Assuming that the host would resent an attack on its sole breathing orifice and the subsequent implantation event, temporary incapacitation of the host would be desirable on the part of the organism. An extremely large host might be able to detach the larva at negligible expense to its own structure. Possibly the constrictive nature of the tail is used to immobilize the host initially. However, an incapacitated host would be easy prey to various other predatory creatures. It is possible that the implantation period would not be *extremely* uncomfortable for the host, and that the host would be capable of enduring the implantation period without sufficient cause to successfully dislodge the parasite. In this case, the implantation process might only diminish the host's natural breathing capacity, requiring the supplemental air supply provided by the larva. In such a scenario, it might be possible for multiple larvae to simultaneously implant embryos in one host. Emergence of the nymph seems to be triggered by moderate levels of host activity. This might be a valid strategy if the host was preyed upon. Moderate levels of activity would indicate that there were no predators around and that the locale was safe for nymph emergence. Sufficiently high level of activity might indicate flight from a predator, and a period of inactivity might be indicative of a host's attempt to hide from a predator. The general conclusions regarding the natural host are as follows; it is a large terrestrial or semi-aquatic organism which breathes through an orifice at the end of a stalk. This could be the host's head, or it could be a specialized structure. The host is most likely armored and is possibly prey to other predators. Most of the above speculation regards the natural host of the pre-social organism. The natural host of the social organism is most likely a smaller version of the described host. Smaller hosts would occur in more abundant numbers, and their populations might tolerate the parasitic lifestyle of increasing numbers of organisms. In addition, it is more efficient to capture, immobilize and maintain smaller hosts than large. It is possible that the modern organism's penchant for creating a new emergence orifice is a modification subsequent to the dispersal into space; on the homeworld, the social organisms might remain capable of multiple rounds of implantation, gestation and emergence on a single host. Some species might retain the ability to switch from a social mode to a more primitive non-social mode. Early Ancestors

A non-social creature with a multi-stage life cycle. Most stages of this life cycle are omnivorous. This is a very primitive version of the organism. The natural host might be any large mobile creature, or it might be some sort of immobile vegetative organism. Life cycle: Eggs are created in large clutches, perhaps buried in the ground or perhaps attached to vegetative organisms via resin. This resin might also serve to protect the eggs from predation. After a long maturation phase, these eggs hatch and larvae emerge. These are free living organisms in their own right, devoted to finding food and potential hosts. Possessed of advanced sensory capabilities, these creatures are capable of producing many pro-embryos. The eggs of this species would be little more than containers, possessing no sensory apparatus and probably opening upon the signal of the larva. These larvae locate and produce pro-embryos on putative hosts. These pro-embryos digest whatever available food there is to be found on their substrate; the food might be other surface parasites or vegetative matter or secreted substances. These pro-embryos would be capable of moving between hosts, and some in some "vegetative" species might serve in a "cross- pollinating" capacity. In more advanced forms, the proembryos might live in the host digestive system, feeding off of partially digested nutrients. Once a sufficient level of nutrition has been achieved, the embryoembryo metamorphoses into a nymphnymph and becomes a free living organism. Progression through of a series of predatory instars yields the imagoinstago, which serves the sole purpose of creating more eggs. Comments: There are a variety of lifecycle and lifestyle strategies which may be derived from this organism. There are probably a variety of different species descended from this general form. The imagoinstago is the fully adult form of the organism, having spent all of its instars searching for food. As with the pro-embryo, this food might be both vegetative or "animal" in nature. Medial Ancestor A non-social predatory creature with a dual stagestages life cycle. This type of creature is perhaps on the verge of developing into the modern organism. The natural host is a large creature that breathes atmosphere through a single orifice on the end of an armored stalk. Airflow through this stalk is maintained by expanding and contracting the walls of the stalk, possibly via peristaltic waves. Life cycle: Thick-hided and perhaps armored eggs are buried in the ground and are mortared in place with resin. The eggs mature and enter the dormant phase. The motion and sound of a proximal potential host signals the egg to hatch and disgorge the larva which pursues, catches and "boards" the host. In this organism, the larva's sole purpose is to locate and implant an embryo into a host as quickly as is possible. Its sensory apparatus are devoted to this task alone, and because it does not take nutrition, it can only afford to implant a few embryos; in many cases it can only manage one. The egg retains a modest ability for detection and controls the release of the larva. The larva then locates the breathing orifice, affixes itself to it via means of the legs and tail and supplements the air flow to the host during the implantation phase. The embryo is implanted in the internal substance of the breathing canal. Once implantation is complete, the larva dies. The host proceeds, until the nymph emerges from its "breathing trunk" via the natural orifice. The host most likely survives this ordeal, although it might experience labored breathing for a few days. The nymph goes through a series of instars , which hunt for food, until an imago is realized, which hunts for food, mates and prospective host ranges. The mouthed tongue might be integral to all three pursuits, as well as protecting the adults form implantation by larvae of other species. Putative hosts might be weakened by use of the mouthed tongue, making them more susceptible to being boarded by the larva. A series of eggs might be created in a large area, waiting for a weakened host to stumble through. Possibly, the adults are capable of cucooning themselves and or severely weakened hosts with resin in order to protect against predation. Comments: The eggs and larvae of this species appear intermediate in that they share the responsibilities of host detection and selection. This suggests that the larva and egg are a single continuous organism in this species and that sensory organs are shared or duplicated between the two parts. Immediate Ancestor A predatory social creature, possibly smaller than the medial ancestral type. This is the organism which immediately predated the modern organism. The natural host would be a smaller version of the ancestor's host, or a similar smaller creature. Life cycle: A fertile queen creates thick hided eggs in a protected creche. These are guarded and tended by various castes of adult relatives. The nest is created and maintained by the adults and is constructed from secreted resin. The adults procure hosts from outside the nest and immobilize them near

mature eggs. The eggs open and the larva immediately attach to the host. Larval energy usage is almost totally devoted to adhering to the host and implanting a single embryoembryo. The large eggs contain most of the important sensory and decision making apparatus, leaving the larvae as "stripped down" as is possible. Implantation and gestation occur as in the medial ancestor, but the nymphnym ph tears its way out of the host body. Unless it is sufficiently large, the host likely expires in the emergence. The nymph develops into an imagoinstago via a series of instars, which might perform particular duties required by the nest according to their age or caste. Comments: Queens display at least six limbs, and an additional pair of hind limbs are required to support the ovarian organ systems. Queens have a greater number of limbs, digits and dorsal vanes than are observed in various adult forms, and thus may represent a most advanced instar form. If this is the case, the various observed forms may represent different instar stages of adult development, and each of these might correspond to a different caste. A nymph which found it self isolated from a nest, or in a nest sans a functional queen, might develop rapidly through a series of instars (which would only be of use in a functional nest) and into a queen-imago which could then begin the egg creating process and reestablish control of a leaderless nest. A queen in a functioning nest would suppress this development in all other individuals, halting their development at the penultimate imago stage. This could be accomplished via a special queen-produced chemical signal which causes the destruction of adult canopies. A lone imagoinstago metamorphosing into a queen-imago might require a period of hibernation as it develops the morphological characteristics of a queen: the auxiliary ventral arms, large headpiece sheath and externalized ovarian systems with associated legs. In this case, the adult canopy might be the source of the developmental signals which trigger the transformation, and would develop into the sheath. The queen-imago is a form devoted to producing large numbers of eggs in a short amount of time. Presumably, this form is a novel development which is specific to the social species. It might be that imago form retains the ability to create eggs at a much lower rate and at much greater expense to itself (See Appendix B). This would require an override of the natural inclination for canopied imagoinstago forms to develop into queen- imagoes, and would probably only occur under periods of extreme stress when the nutritional requirements of metamorphosis into a queen could not be met. The Alien Homeworld Homeworld speculation (assuming that the aliens are not entirely subterranean): The homeworld has a higher atmospheric pressure and possibly a greater gravity than terrestrial standards. It has oceans which are of a very low pH and most likely an atmosphere of similar low pH. The EM spectrum incident upon the homeworld is significantly different from terrestrial standards, lacking "visible" wavelengths. This might indicate that the planet's orbit is very large, that it is extremely overcast or that it orbits a weak sun. In this case, the ecosystem might be based on geochemical and geothermal systems. Geothermal activity might also provide a relatively high ambient temperature. The acidic nature of the aquatic and atmospheric environments might also be due to extensive production of hydrogen sulfide and other "high energy" compounds via geochemical activity. A high level of volcanic and tectonic activity might be maintained by tidal forces stemming from planetary and stellar bodies in the system. An ecosystem not based on photosynthesis would require radically different energy production schemes. Such an ecosystem might be founded on thermo- and acidophillic microorganisms. Larger autotrophs might incorporate endosymbiotic versions of these microorganisms. Vegetative "plants" would be found around areas of geothermal and geochemical activity, both on the surface and on the floor of the oceans. Other organisms might exploit the difference in pH and temperature at the boundary between aquatic and terrestrial environments. If volcanic activity were responsible for the overcast nature of the atmosphere, incident light might be used by photosynthetic organisms high in the atmosphere. Thermophilic photosynthesizing organisms might also be found near lava flows. Areas free of volcanic activity would be dead zones, possibly inhabited by hibernating organisms awaiting an increase in ocean level or the occasional lost creature. Extensive tectonic and volcanic activity might result in habitats subject to frequent change. A geothermal habitat might be replaced by a geochemical or volcanic habitat, or might be flooded. If this were the case, organisms would have to be either extremely adaptive or mobile in order to survive. Appendix B: The Spore Theory of Reproduction The characteristics discussed below are not the sole characteristics available for discussion, nor are the conclusions drawn the only conclusions possible. This is simply one possible picture based on the set of assumptions and the data.

A recent encounter reports the ability of an imago to infect a host in a manner which converts it into an egg. The exact nature and contents of this egg were unknown, but it was presumed to contain a larva. The process by which this occurs may be functionally similar to the embryo implantation process as carried out by a larva. As the larva-implanted embryo converts a portion of the host into a nymph, so does the imago-implanted factor convert a much larger portion of the host into an egg, further supporting the idea of functional and morphological identity being conserved between the juvenile and adult life stages. This factor will hereafter be referred to as the "spore". The development of the queen-imago as sole reproducing member of a nest may be explained via the existence of the postulated spore. A maturation phase has been suggested for eggs during which they are not capable of identifying a valid host or of producing a viable larva. This maturation phase would correspond to the period of time after the spore is introduced to the host body during which the tissue of the host is converted into egg tissue. In addition to her large size, the queen is impressive in her continuous production of eggs. It remains unclear as to whether or not these eggs are mature immediately after they have been released from the ovipositor, however the rapid creation of eggs in this fashion would be greatly facilitated if the bulk of the egg matter as seen within the translucent egg creating organs was merely specially aggregated "yolk" material which had been implanted with a spore by the queen. The infected yolk would then be converted into an egg by the spore, just as would an infected host. In this case, the development of the queen-imago and her complex egg production organs reflect the creation of a system whereby the queen converts nutrients into a yolk or "pseudo-host", specially designed to be implanted with a spore. The queen, in addition to being the organizational hub of the nest, can then be seen as a special processor designed to convert raw materials into pseudo-hosts, while the spore is seen as the remains of the ancestral system of reproduction wherein hosts were aquired by adults for implantation. Possibly, queens retain the ancestral ability to infect real hosts with spores, and may rely on this capacity in the event that the egg production organs sustain irreperable damage. This implies that there were two periods of host-mediated adaptation during the lifecycle of ancestral organisms. The first occurred during the maturation phase of the egg, and the second occurred during the gestation phase of the nymph. It further implies that the queen may direct the adaptation of her offspring by creating special pseudo-hosts based on the information obtained during her own gestation phase. This may permit a faster or more efficient means of achieving adaptation to a new environment, and may allow the queen to control the makeup of the nest by changing the character of the pseudo-hosts. The proposed lifecycle stages and designations are revised as follows: Life cycle stages: 1.SPORE - Queen implants spore in pseudo-host."maturation phase" [Egg is released] 2.EGG - Pseudo-host is converted into mature egg."dormant phase" [Host signals are detected] 3.LARVA - Egg opens and mobile crawler emerges. Egg dies.Larva follows signals to host. Host's breathing orifice is secured by larva."implantation phase" 4.EMBRYO - Larva implants embryo in host breathing system. Larva dies."gestation phase" 5.NYMPH - Chestbuster emerges from host. 6.INSTAR / IMAGO - Chestbuster stage undergoes a series of instar-like transformations until the adult is achieved. 7.QUEEN - Queen-imago begins producing spores. The life stages encompassing the spore, egg and larva are referred to as JUVENILE, and those encompassing the embryo, nymph, instars and imagoes are referred to as ADULT. Finally, it might be that prior to metamorphosis into a queen, each imago implants a host with a spore in this manner. It is likely that the queen becomes immobile once her egg production organs mature, and it would be difficult for her to obtain sufficient nutrients and hosts to establish a nest were she alone. If the imago prepared a second host in addition to the one it had implanted with a spore, the new queen would be assured of having at least one adult who could function in obtaining nutrients for the generation of her eggs and hosts for larval implantation.

THEORY OF ALIEN PROPOGATION By Dr. Waidslaw Orona, civilian advisor to the USCM
Humans suffer from peculiarly self-centered notions as to the nature of life. We assume out of hand that other lifeforms must somehow conform to our comfortable standards of logic and morality. This, of course, is absurd. Our human "morality" is a thin tissue of arbitrary principle, easily ignored when expedient. Why should we expect more from alien lifeforms than we expect from ourselves?

As a matter of practical fact, much of what we presume to know about the alien lifeform is conjecture. However, amidst the theory, there are two absolute, unequivocal facts: 1.They are not like us 2.We will never truly understand them Judging from the alien's dense exoskeleton and remarkable adaptability, we must assume their homeworld to be a harsh, desolate environment. We know from the encounter on Acheron that the aliens have a Queen-based hierarchy. We also know that they form hives to protect their young. At some point, perhaps cyclical, the hive's queen must sense the instinctive need to propogate new colonies, and lays eggs that will later hatch as queen-larvae. Given the aliens' legendary "temperament," it is likely that these special breeding eggs are quickly removed from the queen's chamber and sheltered elsewhere. At the proper time, the drones provide host bodies for the fledgling queens. For many in the research community, this parasitical breeding process is the single most disturbing aspect of the entire alien phenomenon. Of course, for the aliens, it is completely natural - their equivalent of giving a bottle to a baby. The actual incubation period is relatively short, a matter of days or even hours. Birth is an ordeal of pain and violence. As the fledgling queens emerge, there may well be a battle for dominance. Imagine a species where the first concious act of life is killing. Even so, I hesitate to imply any sort of "Darwinian" connotation to these struggles. Killing may merely be a way for the newborn queen to define its own reality. Soon, the new queen would lead a contingent of drones away from the old hive. The drones are the queen's slaves and there would be nothing more important than the construction of the new hive. If natural building material were unavailable, perhaps other - elements - would be substituted. One would not describe this as cannibalism so much as a remarkably ruthless practicality. The nesting instinct is a powerful one. Early on, all effort would be concentrated on completing the hive. The aliens would not think in terms of sacrifice. The hive is all. To assume death has meaning to these creatures is to deny their greatest power. All ecosystems exist in a delicate state of balance. This would be as true of the alien homeworld as our own. At home, the aliens would have any number of natural enemies. Some would live, some would die, and the alien herd would be kept in check. The bodies of the dead would be used to reinforce the walls of the hive. The cycle would continue. The ecosystem would survive. The violent, uncontrollable alien infestations occured when the creatures were removed from their natural habitat. We can only guess how this might have happened. Perhaps it was millions of years ago. Perhaps only decades. The end result is all that matters. Somehow the aliens were transplanted to other worlds. The creatures would not be concerned with the particulars of their environment. They would concern themselves only with circumstances. The natural predators were gone. The balance was gone. All that was left was prey. We humans believe our technology has made us invincible - that we have evolved beyond the simple notion of predator and prey. Certainly there was no reason for the crews of the Nostromo or the Sulaco, or the settlers on Acheron to believe otherwise. Man has never been comfortable in space. Even with our ships and atmosphere suits and weapons, we are intruders. A hostile environment - ample quarry - the aliens must have felt utterly at home. Humans have confused comfort with survival. For us mere existence is not enough. We demand the accoutrements of life as well. The aliens make no such demands. They live in a very simple world. They live to kill. They live to breed. And finally, they survive.

THE ALIEN: STATISTICS

--WARNING-- GMs EYES ONLY WARNING-THE CREATION:
The Xenomorphs were created by an ancient race (The Jockey Race) tens of thousands of years ago (Refer to their plug-in for their past). They were fighting among themselves in a brutal civil war. Their technology was organic in nature and was so powerful, the death toll ran into the millions. For decades, the war never saw twilight. It seemed to go on foreveruntil one side got an idea. It was an experiment to create a biomechanical weapon. It would adapt to its environment, be completely independent.and finallyit would be viscous. This creature would be a living machine with the most grotesque combination of science and nature. They created a species bent only of the art of killing. The experiment was placed on a distant world (Alien-Proteus). They designed the species with a hive structure to keep the infestation from running out of control. The ant methodology was promoted. The object: To keep the infestation under control by keeping the creatures close to their queen. The experiment was a success. The creatures we know as Xenomorphs were created. The standard infiltrator mission was as follows: An egg is deposited in a populace, it impregnates, and an alien bursts out of the host and soon find more host which it can convert into eggs which will also hunt down hosts to impregnate. The creature will kill anything threatening and convert the rest. Soon, the populace is destroyed and the aliens are left alone on the world or spacecraft where the infestation was released. It is assumed the Jockeys that created the Xenomorphs had a procedure to eliminate the new infection. The Jockeys were ready to unleash their creation on their enemy. The Proteus planet was still under control. The experiment seemed safe. The mother species deposited many life forms to keep their hives intact. These life forms seemed to reproduce in large numbers. When needed, a transport would simply set down and pick up a queen, a drone, an army, or just a bunch of eggs as the mission profile specified. The weapon proved useful and the war ended quickly. But Pandoras box was open. The Xenomorphs were designed to adapt to current situations but their basic morphology was not to changeit did. Before the Jockeys could stop their children, they had evolved. One small little change, something seemingly insignificant connected to the ant structure but not included in the alien designRoyal Jellythe strange substance used to generate a queen. When the Jockeys discovered infested worlds where there shouldnt be, they got worried.

Given the capability to create their own queens, the infestation could not be bottled. It soon broke out of control. The Jockeys found their experiment turning against them. They tried to find a weapon to defeat their own creation but they were already demoralized from a past war. They sent one last ship to pick up evolved egg samples from the Proteus planet to studyit never came back. The Jockey race vanished. After thousands of years, without transportation, the Xenomorphs quickly overran the planets they were on, then promptly died out. They might be long lived, but after ten thousand years, even their lifespan ran out. The eggs fossilized, the bodies disintegrated and the last legacy of the alien species vanished. The ship from the proteus world crashed landed on a world far away from their homeworld. Everything went quiet. The universe held its breath.

HUMAN CONTACT
LV-426 was the world were the lone Jockey ship crashed landed, across the galaxy from their homeworld. The Jockey onboard was killed when an alien egg he carried broke free and impregnated him. Without a pilot, his ship set down on the hostile world. The stasis fields in the cargo bay were damaged and all but one bay of eggs were unsealed. They all soon died from exposure. One bay remained sealed and waited-the last living legacy of a past experiment that failed. It was several millennia later when the Nostromo set down on the planet to investigate the signal the Jockey ship had sent to keep people away. 57 years later, a colony was placed on that world which was overrun by the species. The infestation was wiped out when the colonys atmosphere processor went critical. The Jockey ship survived, covered in a lethal dose of radiation. It is unsure how the species got off the world but all bets point towards a human cause. It seemed the race finally died out when Ellen Ripley dove into a furnace on Fiorina 161. The GM is totally open on how the Alien starts its path. Refer to the story for details. A salvage ship could pick up another alien wreck with alien specimens on board. Someone might recover the Sulaco. Someone might even smuggle some life specimens from the radioactive cover of Acheron. Either waythey are out.

THE LIFE AND THE MACHINE

The Aliens are alive. They have a genetic structure. They are born and can die. They have a blood stream; they have a social structure. They have teeth and can scream. The Aliens have a cellular structure partly carbon and partly silicon based. They have a very identifiable brain with sensory organs. They have also shown reasoning. The drones are surprisingly intelligent. They gestate in a living host and come out in pain. The aliens are alive. They are also a machine. They dont require food, as we know it. They can eat but process it completely different, converting the materials directly into increasing its own size, or storing it for when it needs to create a hive. The aliens, for a better part of the word, are walking batteries, as they run on the acid blood in their veins. They also seem to have a programmed path. One cannot go rogue under the direction of its queen. They seem always under a fixed set of instructions given to them. They dont have a digestive system as we know it nor do they even have eyes. They dont grow as normal creatures do and they also dont have a nervous system as we know it. In many ways, the Aliens are machines.

THE SPECIAL ABILITIES

GROWTH:
The aliens, upon bursting out, can devour ANYTHING to increase it own body mass. It doesnt need a kill to grow. It can convert any refined material whether it be organic or not (metals or animals) and convert it into biomass it can use to grow. With that in mind, the alien can achieve full growth in under 10 hours. Using this scale, at each hour, use a percentage of an adults abilities for the newborns (5 hours50%) abilities. This rule applies even if the alien is being adopted by the hive to another purpose. A Queens stats can also be used because an alien turning into a queen will also achieve it full growth in ten hours. The same also goes for the Royal Guard.

Times:
--A queen, once born, will develop into full maturity in ten hours, with societys help, can start creating its own eggs six hours after that. --A queen can give birth to an egg every 5 minutes. --A minimum of three drones can convert a regular egg into a queen or royal guard egg in six additional hours. --A rogue drone can convert a living host into a regular egg in 10 hours. --An alien can achieve maturity after bursting in ten hours. --The lifespan of an egg is 200 years. --The Drones lifespan is 25% of the average lifespan of the host. --The lifespan of a Royal Guard is 30 years. --The lifespan of a queen is 100 years. --Eggs, once born, can release a facehugger instantly.

BODY:
The skin of the Xenomorph is rigid and extremely resilient. It is immune to all atmospheric effect including zero-G. The alien does not use air as we know it. It needs air to produce sound of course, but is also uses air in its conversion process. It also is used to maintain temperature.

SENSES:
The alien uses motion and pressure senses to locate prey. It can also use smell and hearing as well, but it has no form of visual senses. It cannot be blinded in any way. The alien is also immune to radiation, and all Gases. However, because its senses are based on pressure and feeling, the creature is sensitive to very loud booms, as sensitive as humans. However, the one thing the aliens will curdle to is heat. Like most animals, the Alien will retreat from fire .

ACIDIC BLOOD:
The aliens blood is the life of the creature. It is a highly corrosive form of molecular acid. Unlike most creature the blood is under a massive pressure. The creature does have what is known as a heart, however it does work a bit differently. In comparison, the Alien has the blood pressure and the heart beat of a hummingbird. FUZION rules have a hit location table on page 48 in the PDF rules. A hit in the knees or arms produces little splash of the acid. But a hit to the torso produces quite feedback of acidic blood. The splash range is as follows: Head: 1D6 - 1 meters Arms / Legs: 1D6 - 3 meters Torso: 1D6 +1 meters Anybody caught in a 90-degree arc from the hit area must make a dodge of roll or avoid the searing effects. The acid causes DC7 at point blank range and it reduces by one ever 2 meters to the maximum rage of the splatter. The difficulty to dodge is 18 with 1 for every meter away from the alien.

Unless the acid is cleared up the following round, it will continue to do damage. Every subsequent round, the target will take 1 DC damage from the initial DC until neutralized. Remember that ALL targets must check for spray. This includes vehicles, weapons, and walls. Finally, the acid blood causes so much damage, 50% of all damage taken removes armor (round down). To Kill structures, the continues effect of the acid means that ever 50 points of acidic damage removes 1 K. This allows even a drone to eat through the armor of an APC. Any vehicles or structures in the splatter path are hit automatically 1D6 times. In case you are wondering, aliens are immune to their own acid.

WEAPONS:
All alien weapons are listed under their unique profiles.

DETECTION:
Aliens are invisible to infrared and therm-optics. They can remain perfectly still and immune to motion sensors unless they decide to move. All normal detection systems are normal.

PSIONICS (OPTIONAL)
The Aliens prime form of communication is direct mental contact. The Queen and the Guards control the Brood that way. At TL6, the Beekeepers use this as a way of subduing the aliens. If these abilities are readily explored, then the PCs should be able to develop defense and assault for their abilities. Aliens are very vulnerable to psychic attack. It is assumed that they were designed that way to answer the calls of their Jockey masters (which were heavy Psychics). However, this couldnt stop the aliens from wiping them out. These skills use the Mental Powers plug-in: --All Aliens have a Telepathy skill with themselves of 10 --To non-Aliens, they have an effective skill of Zero but if the Host has a skill of even +1, the skill is transferred to the Alien (see hybridization below) --Aliens are extremely susceptible to mental attack. Even though they have a high stun. Mental attacks do x 3 damage. Any Mental attacks that cause STUN will cause the alien to hesitate for one round. The Xenomorph is simply not armed to handle it. This only occurs in the first attack of combat. --Aliens are immune to Mental Illusions and Mind Link. --Mind Control is possible but hard. --A Character can use his/her will to cause the Alien to hesitate like above without a mental attack skill. The Character needs to beat a DV of 18 to do it.

OTHER ABILITIES:
Aliens are immune to all other psychological problems as well as all known diseases. Electricity has only a half effect. Aliens can never be fatigued or stunned. Therefore, the following characteristics are not applicable: Humanity, Endurance, Luck. Stun Defense is given a very high number. All Characteristics not listed are assumed to be One.

CHARACTERISTICS
INT: Intelligence plus any pluses for Int skills. They are all the same to it has been added, basically awareness. WILL: All aliens have a Willpower of 10. These are used only when utilizing the Alien Psychic abilities. REF: This is Reflex plus any pluses for Ref skills. They are al the same to it has been added. TECH: Aliens have no real tech ability. DEX: This is Dexterity plus any pluses for Dex skills. They are al the same to it has been added. CON: Aliens have an amazing constitution. STR: Strength. BODY: Really only used to determine the amount of damage an Alien can take. RUN: The maximum move of the alien. SWIM / LEAP: Self-explanatory. HITS: How many hits the Alien can take before dying. KD (or PD): The Aliens armor

ED (or EKD): The aliens resistance to energy attacks. STUN: How much stun an alien can take. Generically very high. SD: Stun Defense. REC: How much the Alien recovers per day. WEAPONS: Weapons the alien has access to.

THE EGG

No matter what, even if converted to a Queen, the egg is only used to create and hold the facehugger life form. Any living organism that approaches within 3 meters will activate it. If it is ignited, the Facehugger will try to escape.

HITS: 20 KD: 2 ED: 5 WEAPONS: Launch Facehuggersee below.

THE FACEHUGGER
A facehugger is completely centered on one purpose: Just impregnate the closest person. It has a fast move and can leap amazing distances. Its only direction is its facegrabbing leap. If it misses, it will try again. It can use its tail as a grapple which will increase its chances of a full head grapple by +2 next round. If it hits, the victim must make a STR check and beat the Facehugger every round to avoid the aliens grasp. If that fails, the victim is considered out of commission. Two consecutive successes are required to pry the Facehugger completely.

SPECIAL RULES FOR FACEHUGGERS:

1: If the alien is cut of instantly, the victim must take a CON check and beat a DV of 15 or take DC4 Stun immediately. Full acid splash damage must also be applied. Every minute afterward, the stun damage increases by 1DC. Also add 1DC of Killing Damage. It is always unwise to cut the facehugger off after the first few minutes. 2: The embryo will be implanted in one hour. The Facehugger can be safely removed without acid blood spilt if a surgical ward is present and a doctor is prepped. After a single DV of 22, a live facehugger is removed from the host. Every

TL reduces the difficulty by 1.

3: After the first hour, the embryo is in. The same DV above is required to remove the Facehugger plus a simpler DV of 15 is required to remove the now dead embryo.

4: After six hours, the Facehugger falls off, the host is ready. If it cant find another host in ten minutes, it will die. Placing it in stasis will prevent that from happening. The Host will awaken an hour later, fully recovered, no symptoms until the time is right.

CHARACTERISTICS:
INT: 4 REF: 9 DEX: 9 RUN: 18 SWIM / LEAP: 6 HITS: 15 KD: 1 ED: 20 STUN: 21 SD: 20 WEAPONS: Tail Range: 1m WA: +2 CON: 10 STR: 10 BODY: 3

DC: Grapple

THE CHESTBURSTER:
Get away, as soon as possible. Use whatever food is nearby and grow. The Chesburster is loyal to only two things: Its hive and its specific host. It bursts out of its host, which is usually hive in the Host room or Breeding chamber, and moves on to grow off surrounding food, usually sometimes part of the hive but usually food given to it from other adults. If on its ownit will flee and try to gain is strength as soon as possible. As above the Chestburster stats are really only applicable for the first hour. Then it becomes a newborn warrior. At this stage, the alien does not have access to any of its weaponsexcept its teeth.

SPECIAL RULES:
1: After six hours, the Chestburster newborn has grafted itself inside the host. After that, the alien can still be removed after an attempt to counter a DV of 26 is made. The chestburster will emerge six hours later. Every hour another check can be made. Every failure results in a DC4 injury. 2: When the alien emerges, it does DC12 damage to its host with no KD defense. 3: There have been reports of Facehuggers implanting two or more Newborns in the Host body. If this is the case, there is a chance that one or both of the newborns may be killed. The Body is not designed to carry two. If there are two, the first has a 20% chance of dying and the second has a 30% chance. If there are three, then the chances of all of them increase by 10% (3 embryos: 1=30%, 2=40% 3=50%; 5 embryos: 1=50%, 2=60%, 3=70%, 4=80%, 5=90%). Every extra embryo requires one extra hour of maturation in the host for the entire group and one extra hour as Chestbursters before they can mature as adult warriors. 4: Several situations can delay a chestbursters appearance. --A queen takes twice as long20 hours total. --The Chestburster remains still while the subject in cryo. But it takes a lot longer to come out. Whatever time is left when the host comes out of cryo is multiplied by 10.

CHARACTERISTICS:
INT: 4 REF: 10 DEX: 11 RUN: 24 SWIM / LEAP: 8 HITS: 25 KD: 5 ED: 20 STUN: 35 SD: 20 REC: 13 WEAPONS: Teeth Range: 1m WA: +2 CON: 10 STR: 3 BODY: 5

DC: 3

THE ADULT ALIEN (THE DRONE):

Adults have a different agenda depending on the situation. They must find new hosts for the queen above all. If a threat has encroached upon the hive, the alien will defend and kill. If no Hive is present, the Drone must create a brood of fellow drones by converting animals into eggs. If a brood is large enough , then they try to create a hive. Aliens only think for themselves when they are alone.

SPECIAL

RULES:

1: Hybridization, see below. The stats below are for a standard human. 2: The Aliens can hide themselves in their own hive at +5 skill. A player must be actively searching for aliens to spot one. Aliens uses DEX, Players use Awareness. 3: Aliens never take things personally. Only if their Queen or Host is threatened does the alien react in a violent manner. When that happens, all of the aliens Characteristics increase by 1. 4: At least 3 drones, after forming a small hive, can convert a regular egg into a queen egg or royal guard egg in six additional hours by producing Royal Jelly. The Facehugger looks normal but creates the appropriate newborn. 5: A rogue drone can convert a living host into a regular egg in 10 hours. This involves enclosing the subject and slowly converting the host into an egg. Since one extra host is used up, the Queen route is always preferred. (Note: This process was shot for the first film but cut. I have included it as an extra bite the creatures have)

CHARACTERISTICS:
INT: 6 WILL: 10 REF: 10 TECH: 3 CON: 10 STR: 10 BODY: 10 RUN: 24 HITS: 50 (1 K)* KD: 11 ED: 20 STUN: 70 SD: 20 REC: 20 *A 1 K weapons will kill a drone. WEAPONS: Range: WA: DC: Attack Tongue 1m +2 6 KD) Teeth 1m +1 4 Claws 1m +1 4 Acid Spit 12 m -2 5 above) Tail 2m -3 n/a DEX: 11 SWIM / LEAP: 8

SPECIAL Armor Piercing (halves Can also grapple Can also grapple Continues burn (see Grapple

ROYAL GUARD
The Queens chosen few. Royal Guards are created much the same way as Queens except they are raised in the presence of a queen. This, somehow, prevents their growth into a new Queen. The Queen will almost always have 3 guards near her. For ever 20 Drones in the hive, add 1D drones. Their loyalty is to their queen. These and the queens are the only aliens without host loyalty. Like the Queen, the host organism is meaningless and hybridization rules do not apply. Royal Guards always come out the same way. They will always attack to kill. Host gathering is for drones. They protect the queen at all cost. If the queen is directly threatened, they will attack at +1 to all their abilities like drones. If the queen is hurt, they got into a frenzy at an additional +1. Royal Guards are never found more than 50 feet away from the queen and will not pursue opponents past that but can direct drones to do otherwise. All instruction to the Guard are given directly by the Queen. She can override ALL of the Guard instructions. If she wants a Royal Guard to go half way across the planet to pick up a flower, it will. Royal Guards are more intelligent than Drones. They are also stronger, faster, and larger. Guards can think independently even in presence of a hive or even a queen. They will sometimes control the drones when the queen is not present. If the queen is killed, the guards are responsible for creating a new one.

SPECIAL ABILITIES:
1: The Royal Guard can hide themselves in their own hive at +7 skill. A player must be actively searching for aliens to spot one. Aliens use DEX, Players use Awareness. 2: If their Queen is threatened, the Guard will react in a violent manner. When that happens, all of the aliens Characteristics increase by 1. If the Queen is hurt, add an additional +1

CHARACTERISTICS:
INT: 8 WILL: 10 REF: 13 CON: 10 STR: 13 BODY: 15 LEAP: 8 HITS: 75 (1.5 K) KD: 15 (0.2 K) STUN: 105 SD: 20 REC: 25 WEAPONS: Range: WA: Attack Tongue 1m +2 (halves KD) Teeth 1m +1 Claws 1m +1 Acid Spit 12 m -2 above) Tail 2m -3 Tail Spear 2m -3 TECH: 6 RUN: 24 ED: 20 (0.5 K) DC: SPECIAL 7 (0.5 K) Armor Piercing 5 5 6 n/a 6 Can also grapple Can also grapple Continues burn (see Grapple None DEX: 15 SWIM /

THE QUEEN:
Queens do have personalities. They do get angry. Their loyalty is to their Hive. Any threat to any part of their hive is taken personality. The Queen is generically evil but its heart is with its children. The more helpless the child, the more angry it gets her. All her Characteristics can increase by one if this happens. Generically, the queen never moves and directs her guards and drones as per her will. Once removed from her egg sac, she is a monster in every sense of the word. They have four arms, an extra long attack tongue, and very long tail.

Queens are usually only stationary, connected to her egg sack, producing an egg every five minutes. When her hive becomes too large, she may elect to spread her genes with a new brood to a new hive. After the newborn is born from its host, the queen would then send an army of her drones with the newborn to a new location to start a new hive. A queen never gives up her guards. They are betroved to only her. A queen, once detached from her egg sac, can actually carry up to six eggs on her back. This is necessary if the hive is threatened and the populace must relocate.

SPECIAL RULES:
1: Queen have two attacks every round because of their limbs.

CHARACTERISTICS:
INT: 13 WILL: 10 REF: 14 CON: 13 STR: 18 BODY: 30 LEAP: 8 HITS: 150 (3 K) KD: 30 (0.5 K) STUN: 210 SD: 26 REC: 33 WEAPONS: Range: WA: Attack Tongue 2m +2 (halves KD) Teeth 1m +1 Large Claws 3m +1 Small Claws 1m 0 Acid Spit 12 m -2 above) Tail 2m -3 Tail Spear 2m -3 TECH: 8 RUN: 24 ED: 26 (0.5 K) DC: 13 (1 K) SPECIAL Armor Piercing DEX: 12 SWIM /

9 (0.5 K) Can also grapple 8 (0.4 K) Can also grapple 6 Can also grapple 9 (0.5 K) Continues burn (see n/a Grapple 10 (0.6 K) None

HYBRIDIZATION (Optional)

Alien Adults have one amazing capability: They seem to adopt the abilities of their host. A Royal Jelly event seems to override these inherited qualities. These inherited qualities are usually basic characteristics but as observations showed, these qualities continued into a deeper realm. The aliens seem to gather skills from their host as well. For those rules, a basic alien without host DNA is given. This is not an alien, just the stats of the alien without any host abilities, this creature is NOT possible.

CHARACTERISTICS:
INT: 2 WILL: 10 REF: 6 TECH: 0 DEX: 7 CON: 6 STR: 4 BODY: 6 SWIM / LEAP: 4 RUN: SWIM x 3 HITS: BODY x 5 ** KD: BODY x2 ** ED: CON x 2 STUN: BODY x 7 SD: CON x 2 REC: STR + CON *: WILL is always 10. **: Ever 50 hits is 1 K WEAPONS: Range: WA: DC: SPECIAL Attack Tongue 1m +2 6 Armor Piercing (halves KD) Teeth 1m +1 4 Can also grapple Claws 1m +1 4 Can also grapple Acid Spit 12 m -2 5 Continues burn (see above) Tail 2m -3 n/a Grapple

HUMAN HOST RULES:

If a fully rolled character (PC or NPC) is implanted, the following rules apply, allowing for some very interesting game play. 1PRIMARY CHARACTERISTICS: For every Primary Characteristic, +1 for every point. An average human has characteristics of 4making a regular alien. The only exception is PREsense, which is used below. (EG: A character with a STR of 8 adds 8 to the alien template making the drone have a STR of 12, higher than the regular adult. NOTE: If the Characters PRE is below 4, this hybridization stops. However, if PRE is above, more if the original host moves to its newborn. The Character will often have to make a HOST PRESENSE roll. When asked, roll a D10. Rolling the original Characters PRE - 4 number or less is a success (A PRE of 8 has a HOST PRESENSE of 4). For simplicity HOST PRESENSE is referred to as HP, after hybridization is done, this number proves very useful (see below) 2SKILLS: Every characters skill is translated over. The skill in the adult = Original Skill Value - 5 + (PRE 5) (eg: A Character with a Hacking skill of 7 and a PRE of 7 will give its newborn a Hacking skill of 4 [7 5 + 2] ) All skills the alien inherits below 1 are gone. 2COMPLICATIONS: Infrequent, Mild, Or Minor Complications are gone. A HP roll is required for all other complications with the following modifiers to the rolls: Frequently: 0 Strong Intensity: 0 Constantly: -1 Severe Intensity: -1 Extreme Intensity: -2 Major Importance: 0 Extreme Importance: -1 If successful, the complication is inherited. (A psychopathic alien.hmmm.) One level is reduced however. (eg: Constantly is reduced to Frequently, Extreme Intensity is reduced to Severe Intensity, etc.). Of course, role playing will have to be major and final word must be the GMs. It doesnt make sense for Aliens to be Honest since they dont talk. Social Complications are meaningless. However, some complications can be real interesting such as Responsibilities and Personality Traits. 3TALENTS: Make an HP test for ever Talent to see if it is inherited. For every extra 3 OP the Character spent (above the initial 3) = -1 to the HP roll. Some, obviously, cannot be transferred (Beautiful would be a notable example). GMs discretion. 4THE SOUL: Whenever this adult Alien with any HP ability comes into contact with anything familiar to the old host, Make an HP roll with any modifiers the GM decides which is necessary (a loved one can give 3 bonus to the roll for example). This is called the Trigger Bonus. If successful, the Alien gets confused. At the very least, it hesitates. When that happens, roll 2D6 and add your HP + The Trigger Bonus given before. (like the +3 loved one). With exception of the last two entries, the Alien will always respond normally when not in contact with the Trigger.

NOTE: This table is for the trigger being a loved one or a friend. If the Trigger is something displeasing, like an enemy (that damn corporation guy that sold you to the aliens), then -3 automatically to the roll. If the roll is above 7, ignore the description. The Alien will just attack the target violently in a rampage of hate. Add +2 to all abilities and the alien will not think of anything else. The Hive be damned. It will kill that trigger and even a 50% chance it will kill the alien that bursts from the host if that trigger gets impregnated.

ROLL
3 4-6 7-9 10-11 12-13

EFFECT
The Alien continues as normal. No effect. Hesitation stops. The Alien hesitates for 2D6 Combat rounds, giving the other a chance to escape. It will then come around. The Alien is confused and hesitates for up to 2D6 minutes and might even be curious of the trigger.but after that, will come around back to its roots. The Alien will run away. It is experiencing emotions it was not designed to handle. It will run away from any group where the Trigger is present. But will react normally to everyone and everything else. The Aliens loyalties are torn. It remembers the trigger but that is all. It will not allow the Trigger to come to harm. And will kill anything except another alien to keep it that way. All other Alien attributes apply. Another Alien can attempt to gain control of this alien by Rolling WILL + D10 (or 3D6 depending on what the GM decides). The DC depends on the alien type (Drone: DC=18, Royal Guard: DC=15, Queen: DC=13). This roll must be made ever minute or ever time the trigger appears again. The Alien has full recall. The Alien IS the host for all intensive purposes as long as the Trigger is present. Another Alien can attempt to gain control of this alien by Rolling WILL + D10 (or 3D6 depending on what the GM decides). The DC depends on the alien type (Drone: DC=20, Royal Guard: DC=18, Queen: DC=15). This roll must be made ever minute or ever time the Trigger appears again. The personality of the Alien when it is uncontrolled is very GM dependant. Usually, these aliens react exactly as the host would when the memory trigger is close by. The Host personality is in influence. When away from the trigger, the Alien must roll its HP+ The Trigger Bonus to keep control or become an alien again. The moment the trigger appears, it immediately goes back to the Hosts control (no roll necessary). (Optional) The soul or mind of the Host seems to have moved into the Alien. All memories are recalled. All skills and complications go to the hosts original value. Characteristics remain the Aliens. The alien is now a rogue even when in a hive. No aliens can gain control. When this happens, the Guards or the Queen usually orders its destruction. This alien will even respond to the original Hosts name. This alien will never be the same again.

14-16

17+

FINAL NOTES: Any alien that becomes a threat to its own Hive is often ordered destroyed by order of the Royal Guards or the Queen. The Gm can simply create a base character however he/she likes and create any type of alien he/she wants. Enjoy the attack.

ANIMAL HOST RULES:

Animals dont have personalities to speak of (people will argue otherwise). Their PREsense is considered too low to have skills that can be passed down. The GM can make exceptions of course. The GM determines the final abilities. The great advantage of Animal hybrids are the unique characteristics for each animal. Of course, I cannot write down every animal here, these are just generic bonuses. The GM can use his imagination to do whatever he likes in the final design. THESE FOLLOWING STATS ARE BASIC ANIMALS AND CAN BE USED FOR GENERIC ROLE PLAYING

FELINE
INT: 1 REF: 10 STR: 1 BODY: 2 MODIFICATIONS: TECH: 0 DEX: 10 SWIM / LEAP: 10 / 20 CON: 4

+8 Climbing Runs on all fours. +10 m Leap. +3 Awareness Exceptional hostile. Not very useful to the hive because it prefers killing hosts.

CANINE
INT: 1 REF: 8 STR: 2 BODY: 3 MODIFICATIONS: TECH: 0 DEX: 9 SWIM / LEAP: 12 / 16 CON: 5

+5 Climbing Runs on all fours +4 Leap +5 Awareness Exceptional hostile. Not very useful to the have because it prefers killing hosts.

COW
INT: 1 REF: 4 STR: 5 BODY: 5 MODIFICATIONS: TECH: 0 DEX: 5 SWIM / LEAP: 3 CON: 8

25% larger. More docile. Automatic 1 round hesitation.

LARGE REPTILE (Gator, Croc)

INT: 1 REF: 3 TECH: 0 DEX: 3 STR: 8 BODY: 6 SWIM / LEAP: 2 MODIFICATIONS: +1 DC to all Damage except Acid.
+5 ED and KD +1m to Tail.

CON: 6

BEAR
INT: 2 REF: 3 TECH: 0 DEX: 4 CON: 8 STR: 10 BODY: 10 SWIM / LEAP: 12 / 6 MODIFICATIONS: +25% larger
+1 DC to all attacks except acid. +6 Swim.

SEAL
INT: 3 REF: 5 STR: 3 BODY: 4 MODIFICATIONS: TECH: 1 DEX: 6 SWIM / LEAP: 24 / 8 CON: 4

+16 Swim More docile. Automatic 1 round hesitation.

DEER/ELK
INT: 1 REF: 4 STR: 4 BODY: 4 MODIFICATIONS: +4 Leap TECH: 0 DEX: 5 SWIM / LEAP: 4 / 8 CON: 4

Small, Black Antlers (WA= 0, DC= 5)

HORSE
INT: 2 REF: 4 STR: 5 BODY: 5 MODIFICATIONS: TECH: 0 DEX: 5 SWIM / LEAP: 5 CON: 6

Runs on all fours. Extra long arms and legs (+1 to all hits with claws)

LARGE BIRD
INT: 1 REF: 6 STR: 4 BODY: 4 MODIFICATIONS: TECH: 0 DEX: 6 SWIM / LEAP: 4 CON: 4

Small Leathery Wings. Cant really fly but can glide at Move=30 for every twenty feet. Extended Wing-assisted leap. Extended Leap = 24

LARGE AMPHIBIAN
INT: 1 REF: 4 STR: 3 BODY: 3 MODIFICATIONS: TECH: 0 DEX: 6 SWIM / LEAP: 24 / 4 CON: 4

+20 Swim (webbed hands and feet) +5 m range with Acid Spit.

KANGAROO
INT: 1 REF: 6 STR: 4 BODY: 4 MODIFICATIONS:
+19 Leap. Extra long legs.

TECH: 0 DEX: 9 SWIM / LEAP: 5 / 24

CON: 6

OTHER ABILITIES THE ALIENS CAN INHERIT:

--The Parachute-like flying membrane as seen in the flying Monkey (similar to the wings in the Bird Hybrid) --Sharp quills like the ones seen on Porcupines (WA=-3, DC=4, Armor Piercing) --Larger claws (extend damage as needed) --Extra long attack tongue (up to three extra meters) --Poison. A wounded character must make CON (DV=13-25) check to resist 1-14 DC damage (GM decides). --Camouflage. The Alien can change its colors to match its surrounding. The Alien has a +5 to hide (uses DEX). A character must make an awareness and beat the Aliens number to spot it. Ina Hive, this bonus increased to +10, making it virtually impossible. --Double REC. The Alien can even regenerate whole limbs back. --Up to +8 Awareness because of enhanced senses. --Like the Frilled Lizard, the Alien can have a ruff of skin it can deploy to purely scare people.

HIVE STRUCTURE
We all know how the Aliens operate when they are rogue, but the Hive works differently. In addition to the rules for Hives already mentioned, there are some unique features of the Hive itself.

1HIVE CONSTRUCTION:
When not gathering hosts, moving eggs, or taking care of newborns, Drones spend their time increasing the size of the Hive. For each one Drone, the Hive can expand one meter into a new location in one day. Usually, only about 20 Drones are dedicated to this duty. Others venture out of the hive, in search for new hosts. Hives are created using the aliens own acidic acid, their saliva, and any compounds that they use. This includes empty eggs, dead drones, dead bodies, refined metals, organic materials but NEVER host bodies

2POPULATION:
As stated, for ever 20 drones, there are 1D6 Royal Guards. There are a minimum of two in a 20 member hive. The Hive can reach almost any size but three square kilometers is the recorded top. There are larger ones on the Proteus world. The average Drone population ceiling is around 150 200 with small ones as little as 6. Once this ceiling is reached, the Queen usually sends around 6-10 Drones with a Queen newborn to find a new hive.

3BREEDING CHAMBER:
The first room created in a Hive is the Breeding Chamber. This is where the Queen is located, hoisted above with her egg sac. The eggs are all stored here until being moved on to their hosts. The Royal guard never deviate more than 50 feet from this location. This room is generally the largest of all the rooms. No hosts are stored here and no one except The Royal Guards are allowed to remain after the room is created. Drones come and go but cant stay. If the Hive is threatened, they all come running, as the Queen sends out a psychic scream that calls them.

4HOLY / HOST CHAMBER:

Outside, surrounding the Breeding chamber , is a network of smaller rooms which are where all the hosts are stored. It is often for smaller hives to keep the Host chamber and the Breeding chamber in the same room. Larger hives immediately move their hosts to the new locations. The strange aspect of Aliens is that the Hosts are never destroyed. Even when the Hive expands, the Hosts are simply moved to the new locations. Drones that leave the Hive permanently dont carry their hosts with them (a final goodbye). Hosts of dead aliens are buried under new bodies but all the hosts to living Aliens are on the surface. The Hosts are never used for building purposes, nor are they ever used as food. What gives?

SPECIAL RULE (Optional)GENETIC LOYALTY:

Aliens are never seen devouring their own host. Even if there is no other food available, the Aliens never turn to their Hosts. This is because the Aliens are very genetic dependant. They seem to have a very strong psychic power (see below) which can recognize genetic familiarity. Thats why they are loyal to their hive because they all share the common Xenomorphic alien code. But, above that, Aliens seem to have a genetic loyalty to their hoststheir specific hosts. To use a religious comparison, each Alien has its personal crucifix in a church. The Host Room can often be described as a grotesque Alien cathedral, which each host representing the crucified life form that gave its life to create a new one. Occasionally, a soldier would rest from its labors long enough to gaze upon its own host, now graying and putrid in its station in the wall. The soldier face could betray no emotional what fond memories did it hold for the soft one who had been its womb? Once fair and warm and freely giving of is fluids, now tattered and cold and desiccated, melting into the bony resins of the cocoon. For a moment, there was no directive in its action as it lifted its bony talon to the dried face, its ouch oddly loving. Blackened, glistening claws tenderly traced the features of this once vital and nurturing husk. The opposed thumbs traced the sightless brow, searching the empty sockets for answers. Then the call of the hive reasserted itself, and the soldier returned to her needs. If the host is threatened, the Alien will go into a frenzy and do anything except endanger the Hive to kill who threatened its host. All of its abilities are at +1 when attacking. It is unclear what would happen of the Host survived the birth and encountered the live Alien.

4HIDING:
Aliens are totally camouflaged in their Hive. They can hide perfectly still an not set off any sensors. If the Hive is entered, then the Aliens will all hide and wait until the intruders get in close, then they are attacks. The aliens can form walls and columns in their concealment. They can attack almost instantly. They will have a +5 initiative and whether they win or loose will have a +3 to hit on their first target.

5NAVIGATION:

Large hives literally become a maze of mismatched corridors, pits, and crawlspaces. Not surprisingly enough, Aliens can easily find their way around. Unless someone has a direction sense or a map or if someone in the group knows how to navigate, getting lost in a hive can be easy.

6RIVAL HIVES:
Drones from other Hives are not welcome and might be destroyed if they trespass. Generically, they leave each other alone. If they end up competing for hosts, fighting may ensue, but invasion of rival hives dont often take place. There is only one real exception (see below).

MUTATIONS
Aliens have already mutated once and turned against their masters. Could it happen again? There are reports of such mutations:

VIRUS
At CL3, a Spacecraft with a possible alien infection was brought into Anchorpoint Station. The infestation was wiped out before any specimens could be extracted. Apparently, a radical idea was allowed to flourish. The scientific team there had gathered the Alien DNA coding and tried to extract the most unique chain in the set: The Hybridization gene. This is the set of instruction that cause a genetic splicing of human and Alien DNA and making a new life form. However, something went wrong. The Chain turned into an airborne virus. This virus, once in the blood stream, started adapting each cell to a biomechanical pattern. After a set time had passed, and every cell had been adapted the chain would reform into an alien life form. A normal Human would be eviscerated and a full grown alien would emerge from the shellevery cell being used to create a new life form. This dangerous mutation spread. No eggs would be used. No Chestbursters. Instead the host would just be infected. This infection eventually became airborne, released by the queen and carried along. Drones would simply carry hosts within the infected areas. The Drones themselves carried the disease and a single bite or scratch would infect a new body. They apparently could cough up an airborne cloud like they could spit up the acid. This mutation could still hybridize but couldnt create a hive. This dangerous virus stopped at Anchorpoint but a large chunk of the populace was wiped out. After the lifespan of the virus died out and the station was cleared, it was repopulated. The Rodina station n UPP was reported completely lost from the same virus brought by the same ship, which passed through their space before going to Anchorpoint. No other reports of this virus were reported.

SPECIAL RULES: (The DV of all CON checks is 18)

1: Anyone wounded by one of these Aliens must make a CON roll or be infected. 2: Anyone who breathes in the virus (which is visible as greenish smoke in its intensity) must make a CON roll or be infected. 3: Normal gas masks will screen out the organism.

4: The virus is airborne as well as being transmitted through blood and touch. All should avoid direct contact with an alien or be forced to roll CON. 5: A blood sample taken any time after the first hour of infection will reveal the virus. 6: Killing the host anytime will destroy the alien virus inside. 7: Everybody unprotected within 1m of a bursting alien must avoid the expulsion of gases. During the viruss bombardment of the host, the host is totally normal. No symptoms. 8: The Hosts do not release the virus until the Alien is emerged. 9: A heavy assault of anti-virus medicine applied in the first hour could ward off the infection. 10: The Host will die in 6-12 hours and a full grown alien will emerge, ready for the fight. The vision is of the alien bursting from the human skin, which is the only area not effected. It is assumed because of camouflage. 11: Aliens are the same except none of them have an acid spit. It is replaced by a virus cough with the same range. The effect, however, is viral infection. 12: The Aliens do not Hive so do not get the +5 Hiding bonus. They also do not have Host loyalty. Royal Jelly events operate differently. An infected human can be processed to be turned into a Queen. Queens can create Guards the same way. Queens do not come fully grown and must grow from an adult alien to an adult queen. 13: Aliens are more uncontrollable since they have no hive or host duties. They are much more aggressive this way. Spread the infection, which is their job. 14: No one ever found a cure for the infection. 15: There were reports of infected humans giving birth to multiple newborns and even Facehuggers. Queens were reported giving birth to eggs that only released the virus. All of these reports seem to be side effects from past genetic knowledge and seem not to be part of this new genus but rather a mutation of this breed that pops up once and a while like double jointed humans. HUH?!: This mutation was the basis of Williams Gibsons Alien 3 script.

RED ARMY
Another species of Xenomorph was discovered on a distant world. For all intensive purposes, they look the same, except instead of being black, they are red.. It is unclear how they were created. Some figure this is a natural rival species meant to keep the aliens in check on their homeworld. Others think this is a genetic fluke that resulted after thousands of years of evolution. A popular theory is that the rival Jockeys created this species and it was this species that wiped out the side that created the black ones. Even still, the Blacks outnumber the Red 10 1 across the cosmos when they are introduced at CL4. Their infestation is substantially less because the gestation period for Red are twice as long as Blacks. Red Aliens are also much more uncontrolled and much more aggressive. They seem to indulge in killing more than the expansion of the Hive. This flaw seems to point to the genetic fluke theory

SPECIAL RULES:
1: Red Aliens have a +1 to all their characteristics because they are always so aggressive. But their Intelligence suffers. INT is 2 (not effected by the +1). If you get them really angry, their abilities increase another +1 2: Impregnation takes longer for reasons unclear. It is assumed this is the reason of the Red Aliens aggressive nature but the connection is unclear. Impregnation take a full day after the Facehugger. Falls off. 3: Red Aliens and Blacks are volatile to each other and will attack each other in favor of any other threat. Whole armies fight it out on the Proteus planet.

BRACKENS TERROR
At CL4, the Brackens World infestation is one of the strangest. It is unclear which species hosted this breed of alien, but they must have been dangerous. The Queen for this infestation is assumed to be living under the kelp beds. Royal Guards have never been encountered. The Drones are the size of small queens and have no legs. They are see-going creatures that are low in numbers, but are lethal the same. They are blue colored and lack the attack tongue. Their tails are identical to lobsters. Their carapace is similar to a Queens but these warrior lack all their other features. The Bracken Aliens are hideous monstrosities that attack and drag down victims and use them to host. It is assumed the underwater Hive there has Oxygen.

CHARACTERISTICS:
INT: 6 WILL: 10 REF: 10 TECH: 3 DEX: 13 CON: 10 STR: 18 BODY: 20 RUN: 10 SWIM / LEAP: 24 / 10 HITS: 100 (2 K) KD: 40 (0.8 K) ED: 20 (0.3 K) STUN: 140 SD: 26 REC: 28 WEAPONS: Range: WA: DC: Teeth 1m +1 9 (0.5 K) Can also grapple Large Claws 3 m +1 8 (0.4 K) Can also grapple Acid Spit 12 m -2 9 (0.5 K) Continues burn (see above) NOTE: The GM can create any new breeds he wants. These rules are really just guides.

BACKGROUND
In recent years increasing numbers of synthetics humans have been deployed with Colonial Marine line units. Though the Geneva Convention prohibits the equipping of androids with weapons or uninhibited combat abilities, the Colonial marine corps regards them as an invaluable resource, supporting front line units as multi-role team-members and mobile database. Marine androids are always employed in a non-combat role, usually as drivers, pilots, medics and scientific advisors to combat units at platoon level and above. Though they are an artificial intelligence in the broad sense, legally androids are classified as a Corps' property. It can be ordered to perform hazardous tasks in place of humans. However, their utility and not-inconsiderable unit cost is an incentive to any Marine field commander who wishes to treat a synthetic as expendable. The modern synthetic is a highly complex machine: stronger, faster and better coordinated than an average human. The basic chassis is a carbon fiber skeleton with latchment point for the artificial musculature. The muscles are vat grown silicon colloids powered either by pumped micro-hydraulics or electrical stimulation. Power for the android is supplies by a 25kw fuel cell with a life of approximately 400 days between refueling. At TL5, this was replaced with a more powerful Micro-Nuclear reactor with a 20 year lifespan. As in a human, the skeletal structure is inherently unstable and is effectively suspended by the musculature. No limb-locking, join motorization or gyrostabalization is present as in other anthropomorphic frames such as powerloaders. Instead, the muscles must work actively to keep the chassis standing upright while active feedback systems control its stability. Though muscles can withstand considerable wear and tear, the lack of a self-repair facility means that they eventually lose their strength and become increasingly elastic over time. It is recommended that the muscle system be overhauled on a regular basis and individual elements replaced every two years. At TL5, when Synths are equipped with nano-repair facilities, these overhauls were no longer necessary. Muscle layout and operation, as with certain other internal function, are homologous with those of the human body. Military synthetics are designed to be virtually indistinguishable in appearance from a human. Although a synthetics cosmetic appearance would seem to be a superfluous feature, especially in a military model, practical experience has shown that it is a necessary component to maintaining combat unit efficiency and integrity. Most human soldiers are psychologically unable to interrelate with an inhuman-looking android; as a result, the physical appearance and simulated behavior patterns of synthetic units are designed to particular specifications. Most synthetics in Colonial Marine service appear as mature, average males or females around 20 to 40 years of age. Their personalities, idiosyncrasies aside, can best be described as passive or non-threatening. Some studies published in recent years have suggested that androids have an important role to play within small infantry units, both as an impassive neutral party, and as a maternal/paternal influence in nurturing and sustaining the group dynamic at optimum efficiency. The synthetics mind is an integrated Carbon 60 processor with a processing speed of 1015 floating point operations per second. Memory capacity includes 1 terabyte of fast cash buffer RAM and 1.2

Terabyte of non-volatile memory. The system is architectured around a very powerful heuristic logic driver, making decisions based upon imported sensory data, information drawn from experience and he androids vast inbuilt databases. Intuitive functions are derived from a suite of nested contextual and semantic programs linked by self-mapping loops of tangled hierarchies. However, an androids ability to understand and process abstract concepts and symbologies, though powerful, is limited. A synthetic mind and personality is essentially a construct, and there is no true self-awareness as such, though this may not be all apparent to an untrained observer interesting with a unit. Androids display synthesized emotion, superficially register self-awareness and, most importantly of all, have the ability to reason conceptualize and offer opinion. However, these capabilities do not infer human-like consciousness, even though for all other intents and purposes synthetics are artificial intelligence. At TL5, with the release of the Advanced Capability Synth, these lines were blurred even more. Refer to the Alien: Resurrection Plug-In for information on their evolution past this. Synthetics have proven themselves invaluable in Colonial Marine service across known space. Their chief advantage to unit commanders is their ability to impart knowledge and experience outside of the training of most combat specialists. In combat arenas and environments where an ever-greater degree of specialized (usually scientific) information needs to be made available to a unit commander, a synthetic is the ideal vehicle for storing and relaying that information. In addition, they have the capacity to perform many non-combat tasks, freeing manpower that would otherwise be unavailable for actual combat. Despite their advantage in speed and strength over human and their imperviousness pain, synthetics are not especially tough. Indeed by comparison they are somewhat fragile. Though the graphite composite skeletal structure of an android is study, the electronics and fluid musculature are extremely vulnerable to hydrostatic shock and explosive effects from small arms fire. A direct fire to the central processor or fuel cell will result in immediate deactivation of a unit, though in most cases a partially destroyed android can continue to function, albeit handicapped. In hostile environments, synthetics require a similar breathable atmosphere, corrosive atmospheres will melt them, extreme pressure will squash them flat and hard vacuum will explode them. Even prolonged exposure to low atmospheric pressure can cause baratrauma and embolism in the unit due to the high proportion of fluid colloids used in the manufacture of its musculature and skin.

SYNTHETICS RULES
Watch carefully as the synthetics continue in their development, their personalities increase in variety. The models become more orientated to specific duties. They also start to become independent. By TL3, they gain very pronounced personalities. Their specific dispositions depend on each model. Their statistics are an average for that type. One aspect is that identical models dont necessarily need to look alike nor do they have the same skills or abilities. Synthetics all follow the same rules. 1: Unless picking a combat synth from TL4, Synths cannot by action, harm, or by not acting, allow to be harmed, a human being. They have mild emotional responses but no major emotional personality quirks. 2: Synths have no Stun and are unaffected by all weapons that cause stun. 3: Synths have no luck. 4: Synths have no humanity and are unaffected by what they see. 5: Synths have no psychic defense and are immune of psychic attacks unless it is telekinesis. 6: Synths Endurance is triple that of humans. 7: Synths pre-TL5 have no recovery. They cannot heal themselves until TL5. They must repair themselves directly. 8: Synths have no WILLpower and succeed at all will checks.

9: If the hits are reduced to zero, the Synth still works but at half abilities. Every five points after that reduces every characteristic by one. When INT is reduced the zero, the brain has been destroyed. Reducing the BODY to zero destroys the body but the brain can still be salvaged. Either way, at this point, the unit is out of commission. 10: Any major body part that takes the total damage of the synth is lost (arms and legs only). If reduced to more than twice its Hits, the units is utterly destroyed 11: Killing Defense is generic for the Synth. Energy Killing Defense is the same number. Synthetic are broken up into two categories.

GENERAL PURPOSE:
Mass produced synths are constructed in the thousands for use in every field of use. They change with each model released but have many similarities. Their Characteristics are given in ranges and only skills are listed with additional points the GM can spend to configure the robot. Only general purpose Synths can be characters. Synthetics below are labeled as general or special and there are special rules for each. For General, a basic model is offered with possible paths available. General Synths can be short, tall, fat, thin, but the common models are listed below. If designed for character use, the following rules must apply as well as the ones above: 1: The Player picks a template that MUST be a General Purpose, no Special Synths. The Player MUST follow the guidelines given to that synth. 2: Configure his or her characteristics as long as the total is the same given to the other characters. The models here are listed using 45 points for average (but it increases if the GM has awarded more points to PCs). Synths only have seven Characteristics. See above. 3: NO complications 4: Talents not already given only cost one point instead of three. 5: No perks or privileges. 6: Hits are the same. Because they have no stun, ignore this number. You cannot add half your stun to your Hits. 7: Lifepath. A Synthetic can be anywhere from 1-6 years of age. Past that is a rarity. Their immediate family are synthetics of the same model type. 8: No ceiling limits to skills. 9: No Constitution. 10: Standard Synths take the average Characteristic below. 11: Standard Synths take the skills listed in ( ). Players take the bonuses then add their given OP to them (usually 30 but it increases if the GM has awarded more points to PCs) 12: Unless a combat Synth, no military skills can be chosen if it involves causing harm (Firearms, Heavy Weapons, etc.). All other skills are open. 13: Although Synths cannot harm human beings, they are fully able to choose evade skills. 14: Synths can develop as naturally as humans can as long as it stays within the parameters of their model.

CORPORATEBASE MODELSYNTHETIC
TECH LEVEL: TL1 COST: $55 000 EXAMPLE MODEL NAMES: Ash, Andy, Lizzy, Doyle, Sylvie AVERAGE AGE: 30-40 CHARACTERISTIC RANGE: INT: 7-9 PRE: 1-3 TECH: 7-9 REF: 5-7 DEX: 5-7 STR: 6 8 MOVE: 2-4 BODY: 5-7 HITS (Average): 30 KILLING DEFENSE: 5 RECOVERY (TL5): 15 BASE SKILLS: Business: +1 (+3) Computer Programming: +1 (+3) Education : +4 (+6) Hacking: +2 (+4) Science: +3 (+5) Research: +2 (+4) Paramedic: +4 (+6) First Aid: +3 (+5) Engineer--Synthetic: +1 (+3) Xenobiology: +3 (+5) Electronics: +1 (+3) ExpertCorporation: +5 (+7) Bugging: 0 (+2) Concealment: 0 (+2) Perception: 0 (+2) ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Common Sense Eidetic Memory Lightening Calculator Time Sense Speed Reader BACKGROUND: These Synths are constructed by almost ever corporation so their exact stats vary like snowflakes. Corporations build all synths but these designs are used by the groups own staff. These were the first designs ever made in this field. Initial designs were unstable and twitchy. At TL1, almost all older models have either been recalled or refitted with newer operating systems. All current models, like all Synthetics, are bound by their behavioral inhibitors. Rumors indicate that some corporations privately modify their in-store models to break these rules. It is known that this procedure is impossible but that is just the official statement. The only reports of rogue Synths have all been of corporate models. These designs also seem to have been hardwired with a loyalty directive from their home corporation to always think of the common good of the Corp before itself and even others.

MILITARYBASE MODELSYNTHETIC
TECH LEVEL: 1 COST: $65 000 EXAMPLE MODELS: Bishop, Dawn, Crowe, Brook, Costas AVERAGE AGE: 30-40 CHARACTERISTIC RANGE: INT: 6-8 PRE: 1-3 TECH: 7-9 REF: 5-7 DEX: 6-8 STR: 5-7 MOVE: 3-5 BODY: 5-7 HITS (Average): 30 KILLING DEFENSE: 8 RECOVERY (TL5): 15 Education : +4 (+6) Computer Programming: +3 (+5) Science: +3 (+5) Research: +1 (+3) Paramedic: +1 (+3) PilotDropship: +2 (+2) First Aid: +4 (+6) Engineer--Synthetic: +1 (+3) Electronics: +2 (+4) Astrogation: +1 (+3) DrivingAPC: +2 (+4) DrivingBuggy: +1 (+3) Navigation: +1 (+3) EngineerAerospace: 0 (+2) EngineerArmor: +1 (+3) PilotStarship: 0 (+2) EngineerStarship: +1 (+2) PilotPowerloader: +1 (+2) ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Common Sense Eidetic Memory Lightening Calculator Time Sense Speed Reader Double Jointed

BACKGROUND: CMC Synthetics are known throughout the ICC as being the most reliable. These are constructed by a variety of corporations but then are sent on with blank memories to be programmed in. Marine Synths are used primarily by The Colonial Marines but these designs have been spotted as general staff on stations, support on mining colonies, and as support in corporate affairs, making these designs the second most common variant. In fact, the only real way to identify a Military Synth is by the crowd it hangs

with. CMC totally prohibits the re-programming of any Synth. Any Synth breaking the coveted unbreakable rule of not harming a human is to be eliminated on sight by Marine Forces. In fact, Marine Synths arent even used for passive defensive purposes. They pilot transports but not often military assault vehicles. They are used mainly in support stance as general purpose synths with training in medical and engineering skills. Both the Marine and corporate models are renown for being very boring. People skills were not considered a priority.

SEX AD-CAP (ADVANCED CAPABILITY) GENERAL SUPPORT SYNTHETIC

TECH LEVEL: 3 COST: $100 000 EXAMPLE MODELS: Judith , Claire, Shana, Morgan, Virgil AVERAGE AGE: 19-25 INT: 4-6 PRE: 5-7 TECH: 6-8 REF: 4-6 DEX: 4-6 STR: 3-5 BODY: 4-6 MOVE: 2-4 HITS (Average): 25 KILLING DEFENSE: 5 RECOVERY (TL5): 10 Education : +3 (+4) Computer Programming: +1 (+2) Science: +2 (+3) Research: +1 (+2) First Aid: +2 (+4) Engineer--Synthetic: +1 (+3) Electronics: +1 (+3) Navigation: +1 (+3) PilotPowerloader: +1 (+1) Acrobatics: +1 (+3) Performance: +5 (+7) Conversation: +2 (+4) Seduction: +4 (+5) Wardrobe & Style: +6 (+7) Persuasion: +5 (+7) Mimicry: +2 (+4) Perception: +1 (+3) Hand-to-HandEvade: 0 (+2) High Society: 0 (+1) ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Eidetic Memory Beautiful (Level 3)* Double Jointed Night Vision *Bonuses to Persuasion, Performance, Wardrobe&Style have been added to Skills. BACKGROUND: As the personality matrixes of Synths became more advanced, outer-veil colonies, mining outposts, as well as deep space scout, escort, and towing vehicles requested robots with better socializing skills. However, as the requests rolled in from the rim colonies, the demands moved beyond just socializing into heavy interaction, and then, finallysex. This synthetic is really called the Advanced Capability Synthetic, but often, then not, the designs have only been used from a perspective of Sex. Like many taboos in human history, no one refers to AdCaps in that way even though even the corporation privately admits it. The evidence is apparent. From a visual perspective already, the Synthetics are exceptional more attractive and with skills that allow them to utilize that. The models are also the youngest available on the market. Most models are between 19 25 years of age, (bordering on the illegal), but some have been heard to be constructed even younger but these are kept tightly under wraps for obvious reasons. Very few are made older although some models ACTUALLY designed to be used for hosting or negotiating purposes have been constructed up to 35 years of age. Sex Synths have one of the most advanced brains on the market, so their behavioral inhibitors are the most constricting. All Synthetics have sexual programming but synths designed for such purposes handle the situations better. Sex Synths are often programmed for a variety of purposes even when they are sent for sexual purposes. AdCaps are never used for hazardous duty since their cost is exceptionally high. They are often used in the sciences, medical, and support positions. All are extremely sociable and almost impossible to identify as a Synth unless they are wounded. They have programming to not intentionally hide their identifies. NOTE: Fans of Philip K. Dick warn that automatons made to resemble humans in almost every way including their feelings will eventually and ultimately rebel. Corporations have made the utmost effort to keep the behavior of AdCaps in check but unconfirmed reports do reveal some of these synths have vanished from time to time.

GENERAL ANDROID ENTERTAINER (ROCKERS)

TECH LEVEL: 2 COST: $35 000 EXAMPLE MODELS: Rod, Skank, Gutterboy, Hardware AVERAGE AGE: 20-30 INT: 2-4 PRE: 4-6 TECH: 4-6 REF: 6-8 DEX: 5-7 BODY: 2-4 HITS: 15 KILLING DEFENSE: 1 RECOVERY (TL5): 0 Education : +1 (+1) Computer Programming: +1 (+2) First Aid: +1 (+3) Engineer--Synthetic: +1 (+3) Acrobatics: +1 (+3) Performance: +5 (+7) Wardrobe&Style: +4 (+7) Persuasion: +3 (+6) Perception: +1 (+3) Play Instrument: +5 (+8) ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Beautiful (Level 1) Perfect Pitch

STR: 4-6

MOVE: 2-5

Research: +1 (+2) Electronics: +1 (+3) Conversation: +1 (+3) Mimicry: +4 (+6) Double Jointed

BACKGROUND: Entertainer models are not really precursors to the AdCaps even though their skills seem to indicate that. Rockers are used primarily for entertaining purposes and not for socializing. Even though they are programmed to be more sociable, they are often frozen when presented with surprising conditions (Remember Mudds Women on the Original Star Trek?). As their evolution continued, their designers started considering the synths themselves much as art as the music they played. Synsound makes most Rockers. They could recreate any human voice ever recorded and with Android technology, could do more. Elvis lived and so did Caruso, whose android duplicate sang every week at the New Met opera house. People attended but not as many at Presley Hall, where mutadroid rock groups thrashed until the fans got bored. Instead of retiring at 25, they were re-engineered to be more outrageous, shocking, and ever new. NOTE: Rockers are not recommended because of their decreased skill and limited use.

MEDICAL / TECHNICIAN SYNTHETIC

TECH LEVEL: 2 COST: $90 000 EXAMPLE MODELS: Payne, Floyd, Orson, Paxton AVERAGE AGE: 35-45 CHARACTERISTIC RANGE: INT: 8-10 PRE: 1 TECH: 8-10 REF: 5-7 DEX: 5-7 STR: 4-6 MOVE: 3-5 BODY: 5-7 HITS: 30 KILLING DEFENSE: 3 RECOVERY (TL5): 20 BASE SKILLS: STANDERD (Both Models) Education : +4 (+6) Engineer--Synthetic: +4 (+6) Electronics: +2 (+3) Computer Programming: +1 (+3) MEDICAL: Science: +3 (+5) Research: +3 (+5) Survival: +2 (+4) Paramedic: +5 (+7) First Aid: +5 (+7) Xenobiology: +1 (+6) Forensic Medicine: 0 (+3) Criminology: 0 (+3) Professional Doctor: 0 (+3) TECHNICIAN: EngineerArmor: +4 (+6) Weaponsmith: +3 (+5) EngineerStarship: +3 (+6) EngineerAerospace: +4 (+6) Mechanics: +3 (+6) PilotPowerloader: +2 (+5) DrivingAPC: 0 (+3) DrivingBuggy: (+3) PilotDropship: (+2) ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Eidetic Memory Lightening Calculator Time Sense Speed Reader Acute Touch

BACKGROUND: From the opposite side of the AdCaps are the Medical and Tech Synths. They have almost zero social skills even though they still have a personality. It just concentrates primarily on its skills, whether medical or engineering. Techs primarily work with their tools and machines and often never even talk to anything made of flesh and blood. Med-Synths are profound for having very poor bedside manners but you were in good hands when you had them

CMC COMBAT SYNTHETIC

TECH LEVEL: 4 COST: $75 000 EXAMPLE MODELS: Bueller, Powell, Easley, Blake AVERAGE AGE: 25-35 CHARACTERISTIC RANGE: INT: 3-5 PRE: 4-7 TECH: 3-5 REF: 6-8 DEX: 6-8 STR: 4-6 MOVE: 4-6 BODY: 4-6 HITS: 30 KILLING DEFENSE: 5 RECOVERY (TL5): 15 SKILLS: Autofire Weapons: +4 (+5) Driving--APC: +1 (+3) Heavy Weapons: +2 (+4) Demotion / Disposal: +2 (+4) Gunnery: +1 (+3) PilotDropship: +2 (+4) Athletics: +2 (+4) Hand to Hand: +2 (+4) Hand to Hand Evade: +2 (+4) Firearms: +3 (+5) Ranged Evade: +2 (+4) Mechanics: +2 (+4) Survival: +1 (+3) Tracking: +1 (+2) Weaponsmith: +1 (+3) First Aid: +2 (+4) CMC Synths are not trained in Marine HTH ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Common Sense Eidetic Memory Double Jointed Night Vision Light Sleeper Beautiful / Handsome (Optional at a 3 OP cost) BACKGROUND: Combat models are very unique and very controversial. They still are not programmed to directly hurt human beings even though they are allowed to passively subdue them. They are, however, totally ready to extinguish animal life but specifically, hostile alien life forms. The problem with them was that there were designed to completely intermingle with their squadrons. This resulted in many problems and a few initial designs becoming ostracized by their squads. There were interaction problems; humans just didnt like them. As a result, the Corps loosened their behavioral skills a bit. They were allowed to have a larger palette of emotions. Some were even implanted with fake pasts, and were enlisted in the Corps so they would be accepted early. They are cost effective and expendable. The programmers were almost too clever . The androids developed sensitivities; there were questions about their emotional stabilityand how they would react to the truth. Those who knew, played along with the deception. Players who play Combat Synths know who they are. A GM may, suddenly tell a PC he is a combat synth, if his / her skills fall into the categories above. That means all their past friends and family were implanted.

SPECIAL PURPOSE:
Special purpose synths cannot be made as characters because the designers only created them for one purpose. Game play would be quite boring when those requirements do not apply. These are Synths designed for specific jobs and when those jobs are done, the unit is useless until needed again. Their abilities are fixed.

XL1 NORBERT PROTOTYPE XENOMORPH SYNTH

TECH LEVEL: 4 COST: nil / Prototype model CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 3 PRE: 1 TECH: 3 REF: 8 DEX: 8 STR: 11 MOVE: 10 BODY: 10 HITS: 50 KILLING DEFENSE: 22 RECOVERY: 0 SKILLS: Autofire Weapons: +3 EngineerSynthetic: +3 Athletics: +3 Contortionists: +2 Infiltrate Hive: +3 Hand-to-Hand: +4 Hand-to-Hand Evade: +3 Ranged Evade: +2 Shadowing: +3 ABILITIES: Acute Smell Ambidexterity Blind Reaction +3 Combat Sense Direction Sense Double Jointed Night Vision * Beserker (Will activate Alien Behavioral Protocols if Nutra Gel (see below) threatened, Synth Protocols overridden. Will attack what threatened it until commanded to by access code) *: Although blind, the aliens enhanced senses give this ability. ARMAMENT: Range WA DC ROF NOTES Attack Tongue 1m +2 6 1 Armor Piercing (halves KD) Teeth 1m +1 4 1 Can also grapple Claws 1m +1 4 1 Can also grapple Tail 2m -3 n/a 1 Grapple Cold Plasma Laser 500 0 8 30 300 Shots, must be assembled, 3r to ready. (The XL1 does not have Acid for blood)

BACKGROUND: The XL1 Norbet prototype was designed by Stan Mayakofsky to study the Alien in its own environment. BioNational funded the project but was the brain child of Mayakosky, who always was interested in the hive structure of many Earth insects. Norbet was a flawed prototype, unfortunately. Its primary problem was its difficult task of infiltrating hives. There was a strong chance the model would not be accepted into the Hive the XL1 infiltrated. The other flaw was its Alien Behavioral Protocols. They were placed in their own directory. When threatened or provoked, the XL1 would shut down its standard Synth protocols and would act like a xenomoprh until it heard the override command to revert back to its original programming. When these alien protocols are in place, the Synth will kill or harm anything threatening.

Its Synth personality is a Class 1 basic with very little social skills. Its jaw and mouth is not capable of forming words so a special voice box was wired into its skull. The creatures voice is mechanical and inhuman but the Synth doesnt even need to open its mouth to talk. The Prototype is indistinguishable to a xenomoprh except it does not have the acidic blood pumping through its veins. All of the other weapons are the same including the sharp claws and attack tongue. The unit infiltrates the Hive by adapting its pheromone signature to the Hive it is adapting. This mechanism is very effective but Mayakosky hadnt realized the Hive has a dominant psychic signature which a synth is incapable of generating. Sometimes, Hives can be forgiving. Along with its basic armament, Mayakosky installed strange energy devices over the Synths body. When removed from the body (a section under its arm, a section from the back, etc) and combined, it forms a very unique and crude Cold Plasma Laser only operable by the Alien Synth unit. When asked why the Synth would need a Cold Plasma Laser, Mayakosky simple answered, Id want one. Norberts skin is actually DNA patterned exactly like a real Alien, being immune to the acidity of their blood. If wounded, the acid may infiltrate the innards. If wounded, every acid splash has a %30 percent chance of causing 4DC damage directly to the Synth (no armor)

XL2 JERI MAYAKOVSKY MARK II XENOMORPH SYNTHETIC

TECH LEVEL: 5 COST: $1 450 000 CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 5 PRE: 3 TECH: 5 REF: 8 DEX: 8 BODY: 10 HITS: 50 KILLING DEFENSE: 22 RECOVERY: 15 SKILLS: Autofire Weapons: +4 EngineerSynthetic: +4 Contortionists: +3 Infiltrate Hive: +5 Hand-to-Hand Evade: +3 Ranged Evade: +2 Xenobiology: +3 Education : +4 Science: +3 Research: +1 (+3) PilotDropship: +2 First Aid: +4 DrivingAPC: +2 DrivingBuggy: +1 EngineerAerospace: +2 EngineerArmor: +2 EngineerStarship: +2 Firearms: +3 ABILITIES: Acute Smell +3 Combat Sense Acute Hearing Direction Sense

STR: 11

MOVE: 10

Athletics: +4 Hand-to-Hand: +4 Shadowing: +3 Computer Programming: +3 Paramedic: +1 Electronics: +2 Navigation: +1 PilotStarship: +2

Ambidexterity Double Jointed

Blind Reaction Common Sense

Eidetic Memory Lightening Calculator Night Vision* Time Sense Nutra-Gel (see below) *: Although blind, the aliens enhanced senses give this ability. ARMAMENT: Range WA DC ROF NOTES Attack Tongue 1m +2 6 1 Armor Piercing (halves KD) Teeth 1m +1 4 1 Can also grapple Claws 1m +1 4 1 Can also grapple Tail 2m -3 n/a 1 Grapple (The XL2 does not have Acid for blood) BACKGROUND: Jeri is the common name given to the Production model of the Mayakosky prototype. Very few exist considering the extreme production cost of the model. Jeri looks identical to the Norbet model considering they are both Xenomorphic Synthetics. However, the similarities end there. Both can infiltrate Hives, but Jeri can simulate a psychic pulse that confuses Aliens into believing the Synth is part of their Hive. Jeri, However, was designed to monitor Hives already controlled by mankind. There are sanctioned Corporation hives that are usually monitored and controlled. Jeri is kept inside to monitor

behavior and track irregularities. He is often paired off with a Dean Assault Synth in case control is lost and the hive must be eliminated. Jeris radical differences come from inside. The removal of the Cold Plasma laser gave additional room for the personality matrix. The Alien Behavioral protocols have been merged with its standard Synth protocols with a enhanced system capable of discerning situational awareness. The Synth, therefore, is ALWAYS bound by its Synthetic Behavioral Inhibitors and cannot harm a human being. These rules cannot be overridden and the Synth will break from its Alien behavior if a human is in danger unlike the Norbet Synth that would remain in Alien form unless ordered out of it. Jeris personality is very advanced, actually a slightly modified form of the ADCAP brain seen in General Support and Sex Synths. Jeris voice box was modified to be more pleasing than robotic even though it still does not need to open its mouth to talk. Jeri is also trained in standard CMC Support Synth Skills, making Jeri an amazing replacement to standard CMC Synths assigned to marine teams required to enter hostile bug-infested territories. Jeri has almost all the abilities from a Bishop, Dawn, or Crowe Synth. This can sometimes cause problems. Jeri is a amazing fighter but even though he has the programming of a field medic, is not often given the advantage to use them. His fingers, seemingly clumsy for detailed work, are extremely articulate. The additional thumb improves his abilities even more. Jeri can even handle weaponry. Even though Jeri is very personable, very few people can accept working alongside one. In the case of Norbert, which was locked and offline until needed, Jeri has a standard Synth lifespan, given the freedom to move freely with no shut down override. Jeri understands his position and is eager to please. Because of his advanced personality, Jeris have been known to have their feelings hurt if they are secluded from the group. Because of their appearance, it is commonplace. XL2s refer to the XL1 with distinction and think Mayakofsky as their Father. Jeri has only been given one name since they are way too expensive to be used in pairs. Jeri was designed and built by Grant Corp and is equipped with their Nutra-Gel compound, making him immune to the aliens acid blood, even if wounded. SPECIAL NOTE: A GM may allow Jeri to be modified for Player use. Exercise EXTREME caution.

DEAN TITANIUM ASSAULT SYNTHETIC

TECH LEVEL: 5 COST: $1 350 000 CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 1 PRE: 1 TECH: 2 REF: 7 DEX: 7 STR: 15 BODY: See Below MOVE: 5 RECOVERY: 0 SKILLS: Autofire Weapons: +6 Athletics: +2 Hand-to-Hand: +4 Hand-to-Hand Evade: +4 Ranged Evade: +2 Heavy Weapons: +5 Gunnery: +4 ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Blind Reaction +3 Combat Sense Direction Sense Night Vision Time Sense Nutra-Gel (see below) LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE: ARMOR: MAIN BODY: 2K 1K ARMS (2): 1K (50 SDP) 0.5K (25 SDP) LEGS (2): 1K (50 SDP) 0.5K (25 SDP)

ARMAMENT: WA RANGE DC ROF SHOTS NOTES Plasma Rifle 0 1000 8 30 1000 Plasma Cannon -2 2000 2k 40 Grenade Launcher -1 50 9 1 30 3 m BR Flamethrower 0 3-50 6/6** 3 120 **6 DC is automatically done next round if it hits the first round. BACKGROUND: Dean was a successor to the Beserker models once the aliens started appearing in larger numbers. Beserkers were powerful but unreliable. The Assault Synth was the solution. It is a 3 ton titanium skeleton with a Synthetic interior. Deans brain is extremely basic, being programmed only with standard Behavioral Inhibitors and command protocols of who to shoot and who not to. Dean is not allowed to fire on humans but models have been known to be reprogrammed. They are designed to combat aliens. Even though it has more than four inches of armor, it is still coated with Grant Corps NeutraGel along its outer skin. Dean is large but is light and small in comparison to the Berserker he replaces. He is not often used in the front line, but rather kept at sanctioned hives and as battlemovers for large multi-vessel combat squads. Dean is armed with a Plasma Rifle of obscene concussive force with thermite grenades and flame throwers as backups. Like the Norbet unit, Dean is often kept shut down until needed. He has no social skills. Dean is a rarity and not often seen. They were never produced in large numbers.

LISTON SECURITY MODEL SYNTHETIC

TECH LEVEL: 5 COST: $950 000 AGE: 35 CHARACTERISTIC RANGE: INT: 3 PRE: 1 TECH: 7 REF: 7 DEX: 8 STR: 12 MOVE: 6 BODY: 15 HITS: 75 (1.5K) KILLING DEFENSE: 30 (0.5k) RECOVERY: 20 PilotDropship: +2 DrivingAPC: +4 DrivingBuggy: +3 Navigation: +3 Autofire Weapons: +4 Demolition / Disposal: +7 Weaponsmith: +3 Heavy Weapons: +5 Gunnery: +3 Smart Gunner: +3 Tactics: +3 Athletics: +3 Climbing: +2 Firearms: +5 Hand-to-Hand: +5 Hand-to-Hand Evade: +4 Melee Weapons: +4 Melee Evade: +3 Security Systems: +7 Zero-G-Maneuvering: +3 ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Eidetic Memory Lightening Calculator Time Sense Speed Reader Double Jointed Blind Reaction Combat Sense (+4) Direction Sense Night Vision Nutra-Gel (see below)

BACKGROUND: Liston was created as a possible replacement for the CMC General Support Synth in hostile environments. It would be able to operate and use firepower but also still look normal, unlike the very intimidating and huge Dean Assault Synth. Unlike Dean, which is built on a need-to-have-him basis, Liston is rolled of a modified assembly similar to all mass produced Synths, but he is still the single most expensive one rolled off. As a result, some corporations that operate him install a new protocol that prevents the Liston from being used foolishly or as a sacrifice measure that many Synths are delegated to. Due to my substantial dollar value, I am not allowed to be used in potentially hostile operations unless certain specific thresholds have been reached. Base Compound counteractive (Nutra-Gel) to Xenomorphic Acid are exuded from modified sweat glands, making Liston a great alien fighter. He is strong and capable of using all Marine weaponry. He can also pilot all known military craft and disarm almost every type of explosive. The most extreme difference between Liston and other Synths is that his behavioral inhibitors can be overridden by the commanding officer to harm or kill anyone ordered. This design modification has been kept under tight wraps and as a result, Liston is only used on the rim or in extreme hostile situations. Liston is an obvious synth, being over ten feet tall. This was purposeful for intimidation purposes since his design protocols made him to be mostly used as a form of passive defense. Their personalities are very simple and usually only quote guidelines and directives. When not active, Liston, still operating, usually just stays close to the commanding officer, always with its arms crossed.

IF YOU GOT IT, USE IT:

Synthetics, Robots, Artificial People, AndroidsThey go by many names in many genres. One exists in another FUZION game. So, if you wish to implement the Boomer rules from Bubblegum Crisis, you are more than welcome to even though you may have to modify the abilities slightly.

THE KNOWN UNIVERSE

THE MAP OF THE KNOWN UNIVERSE
(NOTE: The Map is a modified/updated version of the map im the Leading Edge Games RPG)

Humanity has reached hundreds of worlds, and has established dozens of Colonies and Outposts. These worlds are scattered across dozens of light-years and cover a wide range of environments, and the

human and non-Human inhabitants are just as diverse. Some of the most notable worlds are discussed below. The GM should feel free to add to, amend, or alter the following as desired, and to create new worlds that suit his or her game. The Star Map shows the locations of the major systems inhabited by Humanity, and indicates the Jump Distances among them. There are hundreds of worlds in and beyond the ICC not listed. Those worlds are not named, usually listed with two or three letters followed by three or four numbers. Most worlds have this listing still, but no longer go by their system classification. GMs only need to make up new systems.

Earth
Home to nearly 10 billion people, Earth is a world in chaos. The Nations have waned in power, but most of their citizens do not really understand the change. The Corporations are the new rulers, but they are concerned with themselves and their Colonies; the administration of Earth's billions means little to them. In the gap between the power of the Nations and the will of the Corporations, society is falling apart. Large areas of Earth have become lawless, as some Nations have lost the ability to control their own citizens. Ethnic, religious, and social minorities have seceded from many of the weaker Nations, and have established their own small states. Wealth and social status on Earth range from the most desperate poverty and oppression in history to unprecedented levels of riches and power. Those who rule the Corporations have every possible trapping of wealth, including mansions, resorts, travel, obedient servants, private armies and more. They even have vast numbers of people to feel superior to; the masses of Earth. Beyond the Corporate preserves and the houses of the rich, there are many millions of people who live uneasy middle-class lives in a world with few certainties. And next to their simple communities, surrounding the places where they work, are the dispossessed; billions of people who work at menial jobs or survive on government subsidies, or who prey on others. The range of social environments on Earth makes it an ideal place for role-playing adventures. Players can move quickly from contacts with rich corporate personnel into the harsh streets, where poverty, squalor, roving gangs, and sudden violence are common. The possible duties for Colonial Marines (or jobs for Mercenaries and other Character groups) are endless. There are areas in civil chaos, where it might be vital to restore order or to evacuate special personnel or equipment, while other areas operate under complete fascism and the Characters would face entirely different challenges. Many ethnic groups and fringe religions have established their own small nations, sometimes with Corporate backing, and the safety of people and facilities in those areas could easily be imperiled. There are even areas where there is no law; where local wars have erased all government and the Nation or Nations who own the land have given up on the attempt to administrate. Up to CL4, it is relatively unchanged. At CL4 the xenomorphic influence is noticed in the religion and drug cultures (See in the appropriate chapter). At CL5, Earth is turned into a warzone, as sporadic Hives start popping up around the globe in jungles, deserts, and urban centers. Religious zealots try to keep the hives blossoming by offering subjects for the new birth. At CL 5.5, Earth is wasteland. Oronas bombs will soon take out a large chunk of North America in an effort to destroy the species. Most of the upper class has evacuated to orbit. Most of the planet is no mans land with the rest under marshal law. At CL6, all but a dozen or so hives have been eliminated. Most of North America is a rad zone. Only a few million people survive sane. The rest have either been mutilated through war or radiation or have gone crazy from the environment or lack of Royal Jelly.

Major Worlds
The Major Worlds hold the future of Humanity. These are planets that are very much like Earth, with breathable atmospheres, decent climate, and great potential for life. There are five Major Worlds at present (Alexandria, Hilo, Micor, New Eden, and Tartarus, Barabazon), and the Corporations that own them are rapidly developing all. Populations range from 2 million to 50 million, but all five worlds have high-tech manufacturing, heavy industry, and are nearly self-sufficient.

Colonies
Colonies are established on worlds which are fairly livable, or which have been adapted to human use. A Colony has two important attributes; a Spacecraft Service Base and manufacturing capability. The exact level of technology available varies with each Colony, but all have at least some ability to manufacture their own goods. The population ranges from 30,000 on Starview to 25 million on Aerodyne, and the worlds are self-sufficient in the most vital commodities; food, water, and atmosphere. The most advanced Colonies, like Aerodyne, even have full high-tech manufacturing and heavy industry. Colonies are the simplest of Humanity's settlements, and they are placed on worlds that are not desirable for human habitation. While some have Service Bases, none have more than rudimentary manufacturing ability. Terraforming Stations are placed on worlds that have potential but involves decades of expensive work before the world is truly habitable. Mining Worlds are much easier to create, but lack the long-term value of a world that can be made habitable. "Mining" in this sense includes the collection or harvesting of unusual life forms as well as the gathering of minerals and other inorganic substances. 80% of the larger colonies had been eliminated by CL6.

Garrison Systems
These are systems which do not include inhabited planets, but which have been fortified for defensive purposes. The fortifications consist of deep space sensor arrays, to detect the arrival of ships in the system, and a number of System Defense Frigates and other spacecraft. In some Garrison Systems, there are also top-secret military and scientific facilities. Weapons tests, unusual research, and high-security prisons are placed here.

Jump Systems
Between the systems listed on the Star Map are numerous Jump Systems. These are the stepping stones, which link the worlds of Humanity, so that even a Spacecraft with a Jump Drive value of 1 can reach any destination.

Sectors
Each of the worlds of the ICC is described in general terms in the Sections that follow. They are organized into several different Sectors, which are the areas developed by the major exploration Corporations. Each Sector includes notes about how it was developed, and the worlds are listed in order from Earth outward. The GM should flesh out the descriptions of the worlds as necessary, depending on what areas the players are curious about. As always, information can be used or discarded by the GM as desired.

CSC Sector:
On the Star Map, this Sector extends up and to the left from Earth. The primary explorers here were the employees of a corporate coalition called Central Space Consortium, or CSC. The jewel of this Sector is Alexandria, an earthlike world that lies at the end of the Sector. Alexandria was one of several worlds that seceded from the ICC several years ago, and this Sector has been in turmoil ever since. Alexandrian forces still hold several systems, but they are slowly being worn down by economic warfare. At the same time, CSC has been severely strained by the necessity to develop new worlds to replace those, which have been (temporarily) lost to the rebels.

Saint John
The first Terraforming project of CSC was established here. The site is largely empty, and most of the valuable components have been moved to Starview. The toxic atmosphere and sulfur bogs have defied Terraforming, and after decades of

work the project was abandoned in favor of the more pleasant Starview. There is still one Atmosphere Processor in operation here, which is being shut down for salvage, and there are also numerous research stations scattered around the world, occupied by scientists and technicians. The purposes of these sites are varied, but most have to do with the origins of life and how it adapts. Biosynthesis and bioengineering specialists from many different Corporations have come to this world to experiment, and have leased the stations. The exact natures of the sites are classified, but it is rumored that a large portion of the funding for CSC's work on Summit, Stoner 1, and Paragon came from leasing the stations on Saint John.

Volcus:
One of a group of Colonies developed by CSC after the secession of Alexandria. The Colony resides in a domed community on the major moon in orbit around the planet of Volcus itself, and neither the moon nor the planet is terraformed. Volcus is a world ruled by volcanic forces, with vast magma flows covering much of its surface. It is the tremendous geothermal energy available on the planet, which encouraged the development of the system . CSC has developed (and is still improving) a system which uses the almost unlimited thermal energy of Volcus for power. Automated power stations float on the magma and draw energy from the heat surrounding them. This energy is then broadcast to a space station in orbit around the planet, and from there to the Colony on the moon. There are currently 200,000 people on the moon, but the Colony can expand rapidly because of the availability of power. A self-contained ecosystem has been created, with air, water and heat being recycled. CSC hopes to turn this moon into a thriving Colony, as an example of how a hostile system can be overcome.

Riesling
This is the site of exploratory mining and drilling operations. The world's composition indicates that it has potential as a source of several rare elements, and science crews are still evaluating it. At present, only remote exploration sites are set up, with teams from CSC and a number of freelance groups licensed to conduct the research.

Starview
This is the latest find of CSC, and it already has a sizable population . This world is better in many ways than Alexandria, and once Terraforming is complete it will become the primary world for CSC. This Terraforming effort will take another half century to complete, however, despite the best efforts of CSC's scientists, because the Corporation is overextended. Various factions within CSC have taken hold on each of the other three most important colonies (Stoner 1, Paragon, and Volcus), and CSC does not have the funds to fully develop Starview. Starview is a large world, with gravity very close to Earth's. Its surface is desolate and cold, as the atmosphere is nearly opaque due to a vast cloud of small particles. This cloud is suspended in the upper atmosphere, and leaves the world in eternal twilight. Once the cloud has been removed, the world will warm up and should be very comfortable for normal habitation. Today, a Colony of 30,000 exists on the world. The atmosphere is breathable with the use of a filter mask, and work is proceeding to create Atmosphere Processors. At CL5, it becomes a major warzone.

Celeste
This off-world resort funded and manufactured by a variety of corporations became operational at CL3. Weyland Yutani terraformed the planet, Grant Corp manufactured the resort, and Hyperdyne supplied the personnel, 100% synthetics. Hyperdyne supplied Celestes current models and re-circulated the populace with Ad-Cap Sex synths when mass-produced. The projects maintenance was handled by Ivy Derringers corporation, Skank, which soon, purchased controlling stock of Celeste soon after.

Its the former terraformed asteroid Nyn678. Its the nearest one to Earth untouched by mining platforms and slagged. Celeste restores the diminished, stimulates the jaded, and gratifies the insatiable. Its the ultimate environment for persons of financial merit who want to experience unprecedented bliss. Food was unworthy of the name until Celeste cuisine came along. Unfortunately, upon CL5, a single xenomorph from Barabazon infected with a class 10 virus broke out among the populace. The visiting population not killed by the alien soon found themselves under quarantine. Without any salvation in sight, and considering the visiting populace numbered less than 300 at the time, Grant Corps, Weyland-Yutani, and Hyperdyne mutually considered the risks to great and Celeste and was wipes out by orbital bombardment. Considering one of the casualties was Ms. Derringer herself, Skank went under quickly after.

Dust Ball
This is a small moon that possesses a few mining communities. These operations are centered on the crater left by the impact of an ancient meteor. Unique and valuable minerals were created by the combination of the meteor's and the moon's materials, subjected to the tremendous heat and pressures generated by the impact. Dome operations are scattered around Dust Ball. Some are involved in traditional mining, while others simply sift through tons of sand and pulverized quartz on the surface, in search of the trace minerals. These minerals are used in the creation and quality control of microcircuitry.

Keystone
Keystone was a major basecamp for exploration in the early days of CSC. In spite of this the planet was not terraformed, as there are many unstable asteroids in the system and it is just a matter of time before one of them hits Keystone; there are signs of many devastating strikes in past ages. As exploration proceeded, the population and importance of Keystone dwindled. It is now mostly abandoned, with a current population of 20,000, down from a peak of 500,000. There were a few mining operations at one point, but there was nothing so valuable here that it was worth shipping to other systems. Antioch, a midsize Corporation with ambition, is studying the possibility of buying the rights to the system and making Keystone safe for habitation. This would involve a major operation to clear the most dangerous debris from the system, and to track the movements of the many asteroids. If successful, however, Antioch would be able to quickly rebuild the existing facilities and could transform Keystone into a wealthy Colony. At CL6, Keystone is one of the few colonies untouched.

Stoner 1
This planet has recently been terraformed by CSC as a means of recovering from the secession of Alexandria. While most of the planet's atmosphere is still toxic, there is a vast natural cavern within Stoner Mountain that now has its own atmosphere and biosphere. This cavern is over 10,000 square miles in size, and is protected by the immense rock dome of the mountain and a network of airlocks. Excavation is now going on within the Mountain, to expand the available living space while Terraforming continues above ground. At present, much of CSC's light manufacturing and engineering is done at Stoner 1. There are ample resources on this world, and once it is fully terraformed the above ground mines and other operations will make it a major industrial base.

Crysalis
This Colony, based on a large moon, is the site of a standard mining operation. It is a domed complex, without a major Service Base, and the mines recover heavy metals and a rare mineral used in power conversion units. Security forces from CSC protect the operation. When Xenomorphs overrun the station at CL5, few reinforcements arrivesthe CSC more worried about Starview. When the CMC arrived finally, there was nothing left.

Paragon
This is a fairly recent Colony, and was established by CSC in an attempt to rebuild after Alexandria's rebellion. Paragon has recently completed its program of Terraforming, and the atmosphere is fully breathable. The climate remains harsh, cold, with high winds, and unpredictable weather. The communities of this world have been built underground for protection from these conditions. Another major consideration in the construction of Paragon's cities was security. CSC is not willing to accept another rebellion, and every effort has been made to ensure that management remains firmly in control.

The communities are being expanded only slowly, and are kept as self-sufficient as possible. The middle and lower classes here live in a tightly controlled environment, with the most sophisticated police state in the ICC watching their every move. CSC is satisfied with the way the system is working on Paragon, and they are transporting much of their high-tech and high security operations here. This will become the new Corporate Headquarters for CSC, and will also be the site of manufacturing for all critical components. At CL 5.5, Paragon has a strict hold on a few Alien hives they cannot see to eliminate. It wasnt until CL6 that the CMC arrived to remove them.

Goliath
This world is the site of a sizable Terraforming operation, and is also being mined for Iridium and Helium 3. Before the secession of Alexandria, it was being developed normally by CSC; since the secession, CSC has used Goliath as a staging point for its attempts to recapture and blockade the rogue colony. It becomes a major military strongpoint at CL5 Goliath now has a major ICC Military Service Base, as well as a ground base which supports a large contingent of Colonial Marines. From these bases, the Colonial Marines and CSC forces patrol three Jumps in each direction, watching for Alexandrian craft and for smugglers and other blockade runners. These patrols fight with Alexandrian forces, which try to drive ICC vessels away when every major smuggling run is being made. These actions are usually short, with the inferior side making a brief show of resistance before withdrawing. The atmosphere on Goliath is still too thin to breathe without assistance, but there is enough oxygen for simple re-breathers to operate. The population has grown to nearly 1 million people in the years since the Alexandria's rebellion. About 10,000 of these are Colonial Marines, and there are also a large number of CSC troops. The majority of the population is made up of people working at industries to support the military units. As a result, by the time of CL5, Goliath was too fortified to be destroyed. Losses were high, however, as frequent transports carried more infestations. By CL 5.5, the entire colony sealed itself off.

The Crestus Garrison Systems

These systems are named Crestus Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta, in order of their distance from Ventix and Alexandria. The only settlements here are military Service Bases orbiting the major planet of each system. There are no ground colonies or installations, other than tracking and communication facilities.

Crestus Prime
Crestus Prime is a Garrison World with a Service Base and a fleet of large cargo transports, used for transporting disabled Frigates from the four Crestus Garrison Worlds nearby. The location of Crestus Prime is known only to top level military personnel of Alexandria, and is only placed in the Navigation Computers of ships assigned specifically to the system. The world itself holds only the Service Base and its supporting community with a total population of 30,000, all of them members of the military. Crestus Prime has become the hub of the Alexandria space defense system. From here, the space fleet can reach any of the four Garrison Worlds that protect the approach to Ventix. This constantly threatens any ICC forces trying to clear the Crestus Garrison Worlds, and provides support for Ventix if the ICC ever gets that far. It is unlikely that it will ever come to that, since the ICC has decided to use a blockade to defeat Alexandria. The presence of Crestus Prime was a major factor in that decision.

Adullam
Home of the Adullam Research Facility, This planet was the source of many rumors about strange experiments involving biological experimentation by Grant Corp. At CL4, this experimentation seemed to have moved into the xenomorph field. Adullam was a groundbreaking laboratory, which many

scientific boycott groups openly called having the proper approach to scientifically studying the Aliens. Some outposts studied them for military purposes; some studied them in the hopes of eliminating them. However, Adullam concentrated on the morphology of the creature. Adullam broke the discovery that the Aliens were engineered living batteries, and not the result of natural evolution. The objective of the lab was simple: They approached the aliens as being an alien races version of a synthetic, albeit the ultimate violent form of it. If they could learn the technology, it would open the doors to future generations of synthetics (See the Alien Resurrection Plug-In). It was theorized that Synths can be engineered with an actual DNA pattern and thus allow themselves to regenerate wounds. This succeeded in TL5 in a rudimentary form. However, Adullam still had one last breakthrough left. They attempted to combine the Alien and Human technologies further and attempted to grow a synthetic from scratch (Refer to the Medical section for details). However, a hostile Corp (unidentified) destroyed the station and most of the technology was lost. The station wouldnt be repopulated until later.

Ventix
Ventix is a Colony near Alexandria and is controlled by the people of that world. It is a dense and prosperous community, built underground in vast, airtight chambers. Terraforming of Ventix was put on hold by the eruption of the rebellion on Alexandria, and the years of conflict have transformed the city into a military hardsite. Considerable heavy equipment was here to support Terraforming, most of it having been moved from Alexandria when the major work on that world was completed. This equipment was used to expand the basecamp into a full Colony designed specifically for use by the Alexandria military forces. It now protects the only route to Alexandria, and is the final line of Alexandria's defenses. There are five major Military Bases on Ventix. Each of them has full space repair facilities, and receives parts and other support from Alexandria. A network of tunnels connects them, with high-speed monorails carrying people and cargo. Each Base has a population of about 50,000 people, and they are all self-sufficient The atmosphere of Ventix is too thin to breathe without a Life Support system, but there is enough oxygen to keep a Life Support system operating indefinitely; Life Support systems have pumps which can be used to compress the atmosphere in an enclosed space, and make it breathable. The climate is cold and dry, with no vegetation. Only personnel with military clearance have access to Ventix.

Alexandria
This is the only holdout from the Colonial rebellions. It is isolated from the rest of ICC space by the military colony it controls on Ventix, and by the five Crestus Garrison Worlds. To date, the ICC has not committed enough forces to conquer Alexandria and its Garrison Worlds. Colonial Marine forces on and around the Goliath system quarantine the area, and a policy of sanctions and blockade is being used to bring Alexandria back under ICC control. Smuggling to and from Alexandria is a thriving industry on the Garrison Worlds of Crestus Prime and Goliath. Stopping the flows of goods, people, and military equipment occupies a sizable contingent of Colonial Marine and Corporate forces. Alexandria itself is a highly developed world that is nearly self-sufficient. Originally owned by CSC, it now has a population of 30 million people, which is rapidly growing, and its industries are on a par with the industrialized nations of the 20th century. There are also a number of high-tech facilities producing items for the fledgling space industry on the planet. The space industry is owned by the planet's central government, a democratic republic, and is nearing self-sufficiency. Only certain critical components for Displacement and Jump Drives must be smuggled in from the ICC. Environmentally, Alexandria is nearly an ideal world. It has been terraformed, and the atmosphere is breathable and even pleasant. The climate is generally hot and dry, and there are few large bodies of water, so the major settlements are closer to the poles than to the equator. Water for drinking and agriculture is transported from the polar regions; it is comparatively expensive, but there are no shortages and the population is well supplied. The communities on Alexandria are scattered across the northern temperate region. Industries are built at the edges of or outside of the residential areas, and are hardened against possible warfare. Civil defense has been a major concern in the cities as well, and bomb shelters and long-term food stores are common. There is a mandatory four-year military/public service term for all citizens from the ages of 18 to 22. Most fulfill this requirement by working in technical and trade institutions, on community support programs, and in the large Terraforming and community expansion projects. A select few serve in the military itself, and there is great pride in being chosen to protect Alexandria's independence. Most of the

people in the military have made it their career, and there is a high level of respect for them. Because of their isolation, the Xenomorphic presence was extremely light and any suspicion of infestation was put down with brutal force. At CL6, when the ICC was in ruins, Alexandria would become a cultural and political center-point and regain most of the control of the C.S.C worlds. It would become the new Earth for generations.

BORODINO SECTOR
Unlike the other Sectors, this chain of worlds has not been developed by any single Corporate entity. A Corporation called Borodino, which went bankrupt generations ago, began it. Since that time, dozens of Corporations have tried their luck in this area, and many fortunes have been made exploring the Borodino Sector. Many more have been lost, however, because while it is the only unclaimed frontier in the ICC where mid-sized Corporations can try to expand, it is also a treacherous and difficult place. The two strangest worlds in the ICC lie in the Borodino Sector; Pandora, with its illegal technologies and bizarre life forms, and LV-426, also called Acheron, where Humanity first encountered the Aliens. By CL 6, most of these worlds were wipes out from Alien infestation.

Nimbus
This is a very large world, a gas giant, which has a research space station in orbit around it. Hyperdyne is using it for studies of high pressure and high-energy conditions. Probes enter Nimbus' atmosphere and are subjected to incredible heat and pressure as they decelerate. They then emerge from the atmosphere and are recovered by craft from the research station. The exact nature of the work being done here, and the results found to date, are highly confidential and are well guarded by Hyperdyne. It wasnt enough and by CL6, Nimbus was a dead system.

Aerodyne
This world was originally called Chalmer 3, but was renamed when Aerodyne Corporation established its headquarters here. It has been terraformed, and is now a cold planet with a thin, breathable atmosphere and vast open steppes, swept by constant winds. There is little open water, but the population of 25 million is self-sufficient and the people lead a fairly comfortable life. The communities are built behind large windbreaks. A wide range of light and heavy industries are present, and Aerodyne produces its own spacecraft in cooperation with Weyland-Yutani. Aerodyne was destroyed and most of the populace evacuated. At CL6, it was re-terraformed. Recently, Aerodyne and Weyland-Yutani opened the Arcturus Loop, a direct trade link that does not run through Earth. This has enraged Earth-bound Corporations and Nations, which have lost significant influence over trade and commerce as a result of the "11 new trade route. Although the ICC has set up Customs stations, Aerodyne, Weyland-Yutani, and Hyperdyne hold direct control of the Loop, and have not allowed Colonial Marine forces to patrol the area. Customs procedures are being subverted along this new route, and it is believed that corruption at high levels in the ICC and in the three major Corporations has encouraged smuggling activities. Drugs and controlled technologies from Pandora are introduced into the ICC through this route as well.

Anchorpoint
One of the largest spaceports built by man, The city sized, totally self-sufficient spherical starport is large enough to contain whole starships in sealed, pressurized environments. The base is staffed by more than 80 000 people with another 100 000 populate the station at any one time. These numbers havent changed even though the UPP Sector is close by but the presence of military personnel has increased since then. The mall inside is a cross between a Hyatt atrium and an airport-shopping concourse: shops, vegetation, fast food outlets, a bar. Civilians and Military work together to keep the military base / civilian colony / scientific lab together. At CL4, Aliens infested the Colony. Most of the populace escaped but the entire base was overrun. Hundreds of Aliens were discovered onboard when a Nemesis team arrived later. It was brutal but by CL6, Anchorpoint has inhabited again.

Emerson:
Emerson has no known colonies and its mining prospects are extremely minor. The ICC has determined that it will just be classed as a jump system even though the main world in the system does have a breathable atmosphere. No ships have reported even stopping by the barren world. There were

plans in the far future to eventually colonize the planet and perhaps turn it into a greenhouse for food purposes unfortunately after the UPP separation, those plans were placed on perpetual hold. Unknown to all, a small colony from a crashed missionary vessel lives on the surface, separated from human contact for over 100 years. At CL6, they initiated contact. The very low industrialized city (barely mid 19th century) was a haven for people trying to escape the madness.

Charon:
A massive, water covered planet with a single large island on the Equator. Some have compared it to a massive cosmic eyeball that stares into ones soul. Either way, forest and simple animal life cover the major and only continent. A probe at CL5 discovered the entire continent infested. At CL6, it was nuked.

Gimeno:
The Gimeno Industrial Settlement is a tiny Earth-like world that is so volcanically active, that it was deemed too unsafe to general colonization. Therefore, it was transformed into a mining outpost. The main factory is built on a volcano planetside. They milk valuable materials right out of the Magma. Hard work, but lucrative. Even though the colony is on the edge of known space, months out, many mining personnel look forward to working there because of its warm weather, ocean breeze, and even pretty birds. At CL5, it was infested and destroyed.

Chitin
The surface of this planet is covered with heavy flows of basalt, so it appears to have an armored shell. Beneath this shell, which earned the planet its name, there are a number of soft areas that were excavated to form human communities. There are three of these subterranean vaults, with a total population of 600,000, and they are largely self-sufficient. Chitin has the only significant light manufacturing Capability on the long run from Aerodyne to Pandora, and the economy here is expanding rapidly. The Service Base in orbit around the planet is large, efficient, and well stocked with spare parts, and support industries beneath the world's surface are beginning to produce Spacecraft components as well. This world is dominated by Aerodyne, which is moving much of its older light industry here as it upgrades its home world. Personnel who are unhappy with conditions on Aerodyne are commonly transferred here, where they find a more relaxed atmosphere, greater freedom, and a relative absence of bureaucracy. But at CL 5.5, they wish they hadnt. By the time the CMC arrives, Aliens had infected 45% of the populace. The rest were either in hiding or fighting for their lives. Chitin was evacuated, but attempts to eliminate the infestation from orbital bombardments proved unsuccessful. By CL6, the CMC, parked permanently in orbit, still try to eliminate the aliens.

Pioneer:
A small colony delegated with the duty of handling most of the ICCs nuclear waste. The Alphatech Sungun orbits the small world. It rockets barrels of nuclear waste into the massive yellow star. Most of the personnel on the station have families planetside. Alphatech makes a tidy profit by handling most other corporations waste. It is destroyed by Alien infestation at CL4. The Sungun was never repaired.

Frontier:
The orbiting colony outpost is a major dry-dock for spacecraft maintenance. The world it orbits is a massive terrestrial world covered in a black atmosphere. The atmosphere is so thick and dark than it stretches from the Stratosphere all the way to the surface. Even with high-powered lights, most cannot see more than 100 meters in front of them. The average range of visibility is barely 50 feet. If someone crashed on the planet, they are not expected to be rescued. Grant Corps manufactures its Razzia vessel from this location. The 20 000 personnel on the station operate the massive dry-docks that can accommodate every type of vessel, even some from rival corporate groups when a grant is given to build them.

Acheron
A harsh, bitter world in the midst of Terraforming. There are many deposits of heavy metals here, which offer the hope of future prosperity, and when Terraforming is complete it could be a fairly pleasant world. The most interesting aspect of this world is obviously the strange ship that contains the Alien Eggs. At CL 2, with the atmosphere processor destroyed, Acheron became hostile again.

Thedus
This is a small, struggling Colony that survives off the traffic from the core of the ICC out to the frontier world of Pandora. It is a domed Colony, as the atmosphere of Thedus is thin and has little oxygen. The world is not self-sufficient; it has a full space Service Base, but all other items are in short supply. There are three communities on Thedus, each of which is built around a reactor that also provides power for an Atmosphere Processor. The expansion of the Colony is limited by the shortage of power, and the population subsists on ship service and maintenance, and providing for the crews of vessels that are being worked on. The crime rate on Thedus is very high, and many unwary travelers never leave the planet. By CL5, with the decrease in traffic, Thedus struggles. A CL 5.5, without support, it cannot defend itself from the infestation.

Grandhi
This is a Service Base, with a small station set up to service ships making the long haul to and from Pandora. It is a full service port, with the repair abilities of a Colony for anything relating to Spacecraft. Other than that, there is only a small community of 15,000 that tends to the needs of crews passing through the system. Grandhi is a moon in orbit around a dry and completely barren planet called Sahara, which is more than four times the size of Earth. Grandhi itself has no atmosphere, but supplies of water and oxygen are available through mining and mineral processing. Water, food, and air are all extremely precious on Grandhi, and little is wasted in this domed community.

Pandora
This Colony is at the edge of ICC space, and as such operates with little regard for law or accepted behavior. The world has an unpleasant but breathable atmosphere, and gravity near Earth's. Most of the surface is covered with water, and the small land areas are overcrowded with a population of 4 million. Work is in progress to artificially increase the land area by building out into the oceans. The biosphere of Pandora is a diverse one, and there are still countless life forms that have never been studied. If this planet were closer to the rest of civilization, it would be covered with research teams from all of the major Corporations. As it is, only unusual people come this far out; the ones who are obsessed with their work, others who are avoiding legal and personal problems, and people who are very adventurous, curious, or unstable. The location and the people combine to create a dangerous and exotic world. Several Corporations are conducting exploration into the stars beyond Pandora, but where they are going and what they have found remain mysterious. Experiments that would be halted on a more civilized world are conducted in shadowy laboratories here, including forbidden studies of genetics, biomechanics, and cybernetics. There are rumors of startling breakthroughs in all of these fields. Strange drugs are also synthesized from the native lifeforms by researchers, some of whom are true geniuses and others who are simply renegades or madmen. The most popular and useful drugs are exported or smuggled back to the rest of the ICC, but the local inhabitants have access to countless other substances. All manner of claims are made about these drugs; some are powerful stimulants or depressants, others have reputed medical value, still others might be painkillers or hallucinogens. Many of the drugs are addictive; most are dangerous; all are unregulated, and therefore unpredictable. The alleys

of Pandora are filled with people who have had their health or their minds broken by these experimental drugs. When the aliens arrived via a major cargo transport at CL5, the colony was unprepared. No amount of military could control the infestation. By CL6, a fleet of CMC cruisers entered orbit and vaporized the atmosphere.

Arcturus Loop
This is a new interstellar link between Aerodyne and Weyland-Yutani, and is being used to bypass Earth and ICC Customs. There is a great deal of illegal traffic in this area, but the efforts of honest ICC Customs officials to clean it up have been unsuccessful. Part of the trouble lies in the relative weakness of the Colonial Marine Corps in the Loop, but much of the blame lies with corruption at high levels of the ICC and the major Corporations involved.

Arcturus
This is the only well-developed system on the Loop. It is habitable, although cold and harsh, and has a functioning biosphere of its own. The native lifeforms include a generally humanoid creature which lives in large, complex warrens underground. These creatures usually live in communities of a few dozen, although large warrens of hundreds and even thousands are sometimes found. They are not intelligent, although they use very primitive tools, such as sticks, and work together to gather food and to defend their warrens. The population on Arcturus is approximately 25,000, but it is expanding quickly as traffic increases on the Loop and the world is adapted for human use. The leadership on the world is turning a blind eye to smuggling and other questionable activities, and has restricted Colonial Marine presence to battles with native warrens which are considered dangerous to the Colony, or which are obstacles to further expansion. However, when the alien infestation arrived at CL 5, Arcturus became one of the most heated battlezones of the war as the aliens infected the colony and native population.

Eyesore
An old mining site which has been abandoned. The world is habitable by about 400 people, but is ugly, infertile, and generally unpleasant. Only a small community remains on Eyesore, which handles rudimentary repairs and limited services for crews which pass through. There is every chance that Eyesore will grow rapidly in the coming years, due to the traffic on the Loop.

U.P.P. Sector
The Union of Progressive People secured a variety of worlds on the edge of known space and this has been a galactic hotspot since. The Russian / Vietnamese Consortium originally colonized the rim world, Barabazon, but after securing Rodina, an armored strongpoint between them rest of the ICC, the UPP succeeded. The UPP, since then, appropriated several more colonies and fortified their position all the way up to Anchorpoint, which was then turned into a border station. Like Alexandria, the UPP has been cut off and no diplomatic relations exists. In fact, the relations between the UPP and ICC are extremely volatile. Any non-UPP craft that enters their space is considered a major violation without passing through the Rodina border station and are searched. Any military craft traversing through without authorization can be considered an act of war. Unlike Alexandria, which secured itself as a more peaceful independent colony, the UPP became obsessed with securing more space and its aggressive tendencies has warranted many corporations to refuse trade. Consumer trade, however, keeps Barabazon and the UPP alive. Also, unlike Alexandria, the UPP is not a democratic society but rather a fascist dictatorship bent on technological advancement. This commitment result is a major military force and large budgets put aside for military projects including biological warfare. Their attempts to harness the Alien organism proved fatal and resulted in the destruction of the Rodina station at CL 4 and the elimination of the rest of the UPP soon after. By CL 5.5, the CMC regained control. By CL 6, the UPP was no more.

Rodina
The major UPP Military strongpoint between their space and the ICC (primarily Anchorpoint) grew in size over the years. The massive, doughnut-shaped station is only slightly smaller than Anchorpoint but with most of its space and budget but toward Research and Defense. Rodina houses over 200 000 troops

and another 40 000 technicians and scientists. It contains one of the largest Biolabs (only slightly smaller than Anchorpoints civilians spacelab. However, by CL 4, 80% of the stations resources was transferred to Xenomorphic research. It wasnt long before they lost control. Infestation soon followed. Rodina was nuked and never rebuilt. Its absence was felt in CL 6 when CMC forces rode right through to Barabazon.

Oryza
A small farming colony recently equipped with automatic defensive weaponry because of the colonys strategic positioning in the UPP Sector. It didnt offer resistance when the UPP fell. They were attacked by aliens, rumored to be staged by the UPP Rodina station but the infestation was eliminated.

Casper / Sinat
The Planet and Station run by Dr. Casper Nordling of Grant Corp was originally a mining station by the UPP with the boring title Sinat 778. When they were overrun by aliens, instead of the alien by killed, the aliens were eliminated but the queen and structure survived and a laboratory was installed in and around the hive. The hive was sealed off and donor clones were installed so the aliens could propagate. This lab was allowed to operate with an all-synthetic crew for extended period because of its objective to create a virus lethal to aliens but not to humans. However, at CL5.5, the station was destroyed by its native alien populace. An investigation later proved that Norlding was illegally selling eggs to rival corporations.

Barabazon
A center-point for all UPP activity, a major key world, and the one place that most people avoid. Barabazon has often gone by the tagline, Commit any seven sins free!. West Barabazon is the political and military hub, where the Union of Progressive People plan out its daily activities. Only the upper crust live in the West. If you live in the East, you are just the crust. East Bar is a virtually lawless gorge of drinking and debauchery. It is also a large trading location, binding competition with the nearby Anchorpoint station for the consumers business. The UPP is more than proud of their massive capital and their popular venues of entertainment. East Bar has a massive Television industry (mostly Trash). Rich tourists explore the wonders of West Bar, never knowing how 95% of the population (over 45 million) lives. Even after the war, Barabazon flourished, although most of the populace went mad after the government fell. Riots and crime flooded the streets. Hundreds of Thousands were killed. Both East and West Bar burned. West was complexly destroyed. Sporadic Alien hives appeared. It wasnt until CL6, did matters calm again. It would still be sometime before it returned to close to its former glory.

Proteus
The Alien Homeworld, undiscovered until CL 4. The Jockey Race terraformed this world to be a complete storehouse of the species. The Atmosphere is covered by a highly corrosive shell filled with radioactive particles spewed from modified volcanoes in strategic areas. The surface is somewhat breathable, with a larger amount of Nitrogen than Earth. But the Ozone layer is filled with these particles, which seem to neutralize nuclear weapons, disrupt condensed energy, and cause havoc to virtually all flight systems. As a result, no spacecraft can enter the atmosphere without suffering inoperable damage. No weapons have been found to inflict enough damage to the surface to reduce the billions of aliens on planet. It is assumed the Jockey ships were capable of traversing this barrier. The Snakefighters and Nemesis class ships as well as the Razzia dropship are also protected from these harmful effects but there are too rare to be of any use. It would take the entire CMC fleet, days to wipe out the globe. At the end of CL6, they did exactly that.

HYPERDYNE SECTOR
This Sector was originally developed by two major Corporations working together; Hyperdyne and Weyland-Yutani. At about the time the ICC was formed, Hyperdyne sabotaged certain critical operations at Weyland-Yutani, and attempted to take full control of the Sector for itself. This was a lucrative path for many years; Hyperdyne even discovered the Earthlike world of Hilo, and now commands tremendous wealth. Weyland-Yutani recovered from Hyperdyne's treachery, however, and now holds a critical

position in the Sector. There has been no open warfare between the two Corporations in many years, but there is a certain tension in their dealings with each other. This Sector extends down and to the right from Earth on the Star Map.

Weyland-Yutani
Weyland-Yutani was one of the preeminent Corporations of the early days of space exploration, and still produces some of the finest high-technology equipment in the ICC. It was once a partner of Hyperdyne, but Hyperdyne betrayed Weyland-Yutani's interests and sabotaged several of its exploration craft. Weyland-Yutani was badly disrupted by this, and lost its opportunity to lead the discovery of new worlds. After losing for several decades, Weyland-Yutani gathered its resources to take control of the world of Relitor, which it renamed after itself. This put Weyland-Yutani directly on Hyperdyne's route to Earth and the rest of the ICC, and allowed it to take some measure of revenge in the form of legal harassment and increased tariffs and taxes. To combat these obstacles, Hyperdyne was forced to develop new routes for its commerce. The routes include the Hilo - New Eden link, and the long, desolate trip from New Chicago to Honeycomb. Today, Weyland-Yutani and Hyperdyne are still somewhat hostile to each other, but there has been no traceable violence for many years. They even cooperate on control of the Arcturus Loop. At present, the world of Weyland-Yutani has a full range of industry and space manufacturing facilities, and the cooperative ventures between Aerodyne and Weyland-Yutani are the largest manufacturers of commercial spacecraft in the ICC. They also produce the ships for the Colonial Marine Corps, and use this as leverage in their control of the Arcturus Loop. Weyland-Yutanis long standing position on the Alien infestation (research, capture, and control) was always a controversial one. They resulted in direct fighting between them and the CMC at CL 5.5. When the Corporate uprisings occurred at the end of CL 6, Weyland Yutani vanished, along with most of the other corporations.

Noble Ore
A titanium mining site with five domed communities. There is only a small Service Base here, and no industry at all. It was never touched during the war.

New Chicago
This old mining and survey planet was abandoned after research showed it would not be profitable for long-term mining or Terraforming. It has become a major Service Base for Hyperdyne forces, and many spacecraft in that Corporation's fleet call New Chicago their homeport. These forces protect the New Chicago - Honeycomb route, and attempt to control traffic from Weyland-Yutani to Hilo. The civilian population here is 30,000, and the economy is heavily dependent on the Hyperdyne fleet. Laws governing the sale and possession of weapons are largely ignored, and just about any kind of military hardware is available here, for the right price.

Atlas
Atlas is a large asteroid with no atmosphere. Temperatures are very low, and the radiation level is dangerously high for unprotected people. The Colony is a small one, composed of three domed and

shielded communities with a total population of 12,000. The communities are all on a single plateau, and are connected by a monorail system. Dozens of small survey and mining craft operate out of Atlas, working in the system's asteroid fields. These ships are specially shielded against radiation, and the crews work among the asteroids for 90 days before returning to Atlas for detoxification. The reason for all this dangerous and difficult work is the presence of complex radiation-stable hydrocarbons, which are used for medical research and genetic engineering. Atlas was infested at CL5 but it was cleared via a Beserker team. It was then repopulated.

Cryosphere
A research station has been established on this planet, which is in a very distant orbit around the system's sun. It is a small station, with only eight people, and most craft simply pass through the system without going anywhere near Cryosphere. While valuable work is being done regarding the formation of solar systems and planets, the eight scientists at the station are extremely eager to talk with anyone who comes to the planet. They kept very close watch on most ships approaching them. They avoided infestation.

Stratus
Stratus was used as a Garrison System by Hyperdyne before the ICC was created, and there are the remains of a large ground military base and a deep space tracking station to here. Today there is only a way station and a small, poor salvage operation recovering equipment left over from earlier conflicts.

Hilo
This was the second ideal world found, and it is under the control of Hyperdyne. Hilo had an ideal climate and ample water when found, but lacked indigenous life. This made it very easy to tailor the world, introducing the proper mix of lifeforms from Earth and other Worlds to create the perfect environment. Hilo is a thriving World, with a full space industry, complete self-sufficiency, and a population of 6 million. There is a great deal of wealth here, and it is protected by the most powerful single Corporate military force in the ICC. There was a rebellion here at the beginning of the Colonial Wars, but it was quickly crushed by Hyperdyne's military. The population was quietly purged in the years after the rebellion, and new personnel were brought in. Radical elements which were not found guilty of capital crimes were sent to Shinon, where they are monitored by Hyperdyne forces in what is essentially a penal colony. On Hilo, there is no trace of dissent. The people are brought up to believe that the ends justify the means, and the rewards for those who succeed at Hyperdyne are immense; wealth, power, and even access to illegal technologies. Hyperdyne is the leading producer of Synthetics, and the design studios and most of the factories for this industry are on Hilo . Much of Hyperdyne's wealth comes from its development of biotechnology and Synthetics; other industries have been established primarily to guarantee Hyperdyne's independence. The economic and political power of Hyperdyne is immense, and its influence in the Colonial Marine Corps is growing rapidly. The greatest causality during the war at CL 5.5 was the fall of Hilo. It was never destroyed but the same events that transpired on Earth quickly repeated themselves on Hilo soon after. Religious groups rose up, Hives popped up. Unlike Earth, which was abandoned then surgically nuked, Hilo had no such emergency measures. The ground war there was brutal and long. By the end of CL5.5, many hives were still out of control.

Marduk
Little is known of this system, except that there is a large space station in orbit around the primary planet and that there are no ground installations. Rumor indicates that Hyperdyne does experimental work on Synthetics here, and that illegal programming packages are sometimes sent from Marduk into the ICC. There is an extremely high level of security here, and even the location of the system is known to few. The station was reported destroyed at CL5.5

Byal
This is another of Hyperdyne's special labs. It is a space station, where work is done on biotechnology integration and modification. Its location is known at the top levels of the ICC, but it is not common knowledge and there is no commercial traffic to Byal. As a result, no one was aware of its Alien

experimentation, and resultant infection. A Beserker team attempted to clear it out, but Byal was eventually nuked.

Transept
This barren world is the base camp for Hyperdyne's space exploration fleet. Hyperdyne is trying to open a direct route to Pandora, as that is the location of the only other major go research being done in the field of biotechnology. If Hyperdyne is successful and can keep its route a secret, it will be able to subtly control the work done on Pandora and capitalize on any breakthroughs which are made, without ICC opposition.

Rumford
Rumfords desert environment intimidates most colonists interested in a new home but most that live there swear by the surprisingly cool weather. Rumfords large expanse of flat terran is more similar to tundras than sandy dunes. The light cool wind washes over the hundreds of miles of totally flat expanse, offering plenty of room of colonization. Rumford became one of the largest livestock storehouses ever constructed. The three million inhabitants, all of which live on the equator are all herders. Rumford has virtually no mineral deposits and few species of plants have taken hold. The jewel on Rumford is high up in the North Pole. Merely 500 kilometers from the ice flows lie a group of featureless pyramids. Each one towers more than twice the size of the great pyramid of Giza. The six pyramids are all without line of sight with each other. Because of the small value of Rumford and its position, on the edge of the rim, make the desire for archeological surveys slim. Several small teams have investigated the area but none have returned. The native colonists dont venture north, the pyramids being part of a very old omen of death. Rumford is one of many planets with Egg Silos deposited by the Jockey Race. Eventually, an archeological team was killed but one impregnated, managed to escape to the colony. The resultant mayhem eventually led to the colonys destruction by CL5. At CL6, the barren world was considered for repopulation. The Egg Silos remain.

Cyclone
A research and manufacturing lab set up by Hyperdyne in an underground installation. It develops weapon technology and security systems, and contains only a few hundred personnel. The location of this think tank is not common knowledge, and the best military and scientific minds of Hyperdyne do their work here. It was destroyed by Alien infestation at CL 5.5. A Beserker team cleared out the station and repopulated it by CL6.

Shinon
This Colony is the dumping site for people removed from Hilo during the Colonial rebellions. These are people who were considered to be security risks, but who could not be convicted of serious crimes. All sorts have been sent here; petty criminals, relatives of rebels, freethinkers and rabble-rousers, intellectuals, and those who were simply not patriotic enough. The population is 480,000. Shinon is almost self-sufficient, with critical supplies being provided by Hyperdyne in exchange for good production from the light industry of the Colony. The citizens are theoretically free, although there is no way for them to leave the system and they are under tight supervision by Hyperdyne law enforcement personnel. Regardless of Hyperdyne's claims, Shinon is essentially a modern penal colony. It was untouched during the war.

Bunda Survey
A swamp world operated by Weyland Yutani. The world is covered by vegetable and animal life. Primarily a corporate controlled military outpost. The large colony on its surface basically is comprised of towers spiraling above the canopy of trees. It was destroyed by both Xenomorphs and the rumored alien predators.

New Eden Sector

This Sector was the first to yield an Earthlike world, the planet of New Eden itself. Exploration was handled by a coalition which renamed itself New Eden/JV after the world which made it rich. This Sector

is comparatively stable, compared to the strife of the CSC Sector and the danger and uncertainty of the Borodino Sector. The New Eden Sector lies straight down from Earth on the Star Map.

Grendel
Grendel is large Colony of over 200,000 people, who live in hundreds of small domed cities. There is substantial light industry, and the world was a major stopping point for travel among Micor, New Eden, Weyland-Yutani, and Hilo. Much of the traffic was lost to the New Chicago - Lobo route, but Grendel still survives. It survived the war, barely. This world was the first to allow Corporations to circumvent Earth's control of shipping routes, and in retaliation the powers of Earth held back support, minimized Colonial Marine presence, and even helped destabilize the government and economy of the world. Over the years, the destabilization and the absence of Colonial Marine patrols led to the development of a powerful organized crime network. This network wields full power on Grendel, and operates outside the ICC's controls and without the consent of the population of Grendel. The center of the trade in illegal drugs and other contraband is found on this world, and bribery, extortion, and payoffs are major parts of getting business done here. The Criminal network is currently building up a large drug trade from Pandora to Micor. Micor and the other major Corporations created the New Chicago - Lobo bypass to free themselves from the bribery and corruption of Grendel, and are currently trying to decide how to destroy the organized crime elements. It will probably fall to the Colonial Marines to clean up the place.

Ajax
This is a marginally habitable World that could yield great wealth after successful Terraforming. Several years ago, there was an accident at an Atmosphere Processor here; an immense explosion caused a major radiation release, and the mid-sized Colony was almost entirely destroyed. There was tremendous loss of life and wealth, and literally thousands of lawsuits were filed in the weeks after the disaster. Since the end of the relief efforts which evacuated the survivors, the world has been largely uninhabited as efforts are made to resolve this unprecedented legal morass. There is a small permanent station some distance from the site of the old Colony, and the staff's primary duty is to take inspectors, analysts, experts, and lawyers on tours of the devastation, and to track and report data about the world's current condition.

Polar Star
This outpost consists of a Research Station on a moon which orbits a gas giant at the edge of the system. There are only 30 permanent residents at the facility. A Service Base with a crew of 1,000 also orbits the planet, and attends to the traffic through the system, but there is little contact between the Service Base and the Research Station. This system has no manufacturing ability. The permanent residents are scientists at work on a research project, studying high-pressure molecular synthesis. They are under contract to Micor, but so far they have not attained their goals. Until they succeed, none have anything to look forward to but continued isolation on Polar Star or a one-way trip back to poverty on Earth. Most of the staff have been here for more than ten years; the stress level is high, and the mental health level is low. When a cargo craft deposited several aliens, they eliminated the threat themselves. After that, there were fewer complaints.

Honeycomb
The atmosphere of this world is toxic and bitterly cold, so this Colony of 250,000 was built underground. Vast caverns lie just under the surface, and several large communities have been set up in them. They are fairly close together, and are linked by an efficient monorail system. Honeycomb is rapidly growing, as a result of the traffic link between New Chicago and Lobo. It has become a major Service Base and shipping warehouse, and now features both light and heavy industry . Secure areas of the caverns are leased out to Corporations interested in long-term storage and production, making the planet something like a high-tech space bank. The Colonial Marine Corps does not have the rights to investigate these individual Corporate areas, and since they are all sealed off, it is difficult to gather information about what is going on inside. This much is clear; the rulers of Honeycomb care little for what goes on in each area, and this has led to the growth of some illicit industries. More than one illegal shipment has been traced to Honeycomb, but the trail ends in what has become known as the Labyrinth. The caverns of Honeycomb riddle the entire world, and are much larger than the Colony and all the

storage areas. Little of the Labyrinth has been explored. It became the bloodiest location of the war. Thousands died in the caverns, freeing the world.

Helix
Helix has a Service Base and is the focus of a fleet of small exploration craft, which are investigating the vast asteroid belts of the Helix system. These craft are owned by several different Corporations and independents, have crews of 3 to 8 people, and go on extended missions of up to 2 years deep into the belts. Thousands of asteroids have been explored and plotted, and many bear rich mining deposits. At present, the mining claims on these asteroids are being bid on at Helix, and there will soon be fullscale mining operations throughout the system. Dozens of Corporations are interested in the mining rights in the system, and the Colonial Marines will certainly be called in to monitor disputes. Most of the contracts call for minimum production levels and schedules, or the forfeiture of all rights; ICC officials expect that some smaller firms will be sabotaged, and will be swallowed up by larger competitors.

Exeter
This small outpost has two enclosed communities of about 20,000 people each. It is primarily a service port for shipping to and from New Eden. Most of its business has been taken from it by the facilities on Honeycomb, and Exeter is rapidly declining in wealth and importance. Within a few years, only a few small mining operations, which were the original purpose of the Colony, will remain. One community was destroyed at CL5.5 but the other remains.

Orbolab
The large ZCT funded laboratory has been the location of many controversies until its closure at CL6. The original base coordinator, Dr. Ernst Kleist, ran the base like his own personal dictatorship. His security force controlled the populace and its sanctioned hive with a stern hand. Unlike Casper Nordling station, Kleist often invoked stiff (and severe) penalties to anyone who destroyed a specimen. Kleist valued his experiments more than human lives and the CMC marines sent to the station to act as xenomorphic custodians often returned in body bags. In essence, Kleists obsessive personality shot him in the foot since eventually, the CMC would come in force to investigate the losses of their men. Kleist committed himself to trying to control the alien. He succeeded in many fields, including both suppressor models on the market. At CL5, Kleist vanished and his stations populace was arrested. The CMC arrived in force, flanked by Grant Corp security, who broke the story. Orbolab was repopulated later and achieved much success later, even though its sanctioned hive was destroyed when Kleist left.

Atol
Atol is a water world with a heavy atmosphere and continuous rain. The water is acidic and contains no life, and the planet has no stable land mass above sea level. There is a large moon, however, which combines with the system's sun to create huge tides that sweep the planet. It is impossible to build communities on the land areas that are exposed, because they are above water for only a few hours at a time. The seas are so violent that no attempt has been made to build floating structures. The atmosphere is breathable with a filter mask, however, and research continues into how to tame this world. A space station orbits Atol, carrying a few dozen permanent staff, and two or three survey teams go down into the atmosphere every month.

New Eden
This was the first ideal world discovered by Humanity, and it made the coalition of Corporations, which found it, extremely rich. This coalition solidified into a mega-Corporation in the years, which followed, and now calls itself New Eden/JV. New Eden/ JV has a strange Corporate structure that is like a smaller version of the ICC, with the New Eden/JV entity itself functioning as a sort of umbrella and the various components retaining their own identities and goals. Control of New Eden/JV is determined along democratic lines, with each member Corporation receiving votes based on its wealth and rate of growth. When New Eden was discovered, it had an almost ideal climate and environment. Only rudimentary lifeforms existed on the world, but it proved to be an easy Terraforming job. The world is now completely terraformed, and has a population of 200 million. The world was colonized very rapidly, and was a spur to the growth of all the involved Corporations

and the rest of Humanity as well. The most talented people in the member Corporations were transferred to New Eden, where they were able to work in an unusual environment that rival Corporations consider a drawback; personnel on New Eden can easily change their employment from one member of New Eden/JV to another. This guarantees that everyone is well treated and that real talent is rewarded. Elsewhere in the ICC, it is very difficult to change Corporations, and this has resulted in stagnation as internal politics became more important than good work. The good treatment afforded the employees of New Eden/JV has prevented the member Corporations from truly maximizing their short-term profits, but because of their unique business environment and since the wealth produced by New Eden has been so great, they have been somewhat magnanimous. Other Corporations generally elect to increase their profits by giving the employees as little as possible, and point to New Eden/ JV as an example of inefficiency and bad management. Regardless, New Eden is a prosperous and self-sufficient world, its population has a great deal of freedom, and the member Corporations are all growing quickly and smoothly. Like, Earth, New Eden was torn apart during the war. Most of the Southern Hemisphere was a warzone with several operating hives. A couple thousand marines, and one cluster nuke later, the threat was gone. By the end of CL6, New Eden was scarred but livable.

Cyrus
Cyrus will eventually be a comfortable world for humans, and it will have a large and productive Colony. At present, the atmosphere is toxic and contains insufficient oxygen, and the world's greatest value is that it is one step on the recently completed New Eden - Hilo route. Cyrus is being terraformed by New Eden/JV, and colonial development will probably begin within the next twenty years.

Medusa
Medusa is cold world with an un-breathable atmosphere, but good potential for future development. It lies on the route that links New Eden with Hilo, and is early in a Terraforming program being managed by New Eden/JV.

Panamar
This is another Terraforming project for New Eden/JV. A small research and mining station is studying and harvesting a type of thermogenic plankton; this simple lifeform uses thermal energy instead of sunlight to create hydrocarbons. It is already used in Life Support systems, and will probably have many other functions as well. Panamar is totally destroyed at CL 5.

Morning Glory
This is the base camp for New Eden/JV's attempt to link up with Micor through Morning Star. It is a Service Base that is currently the port for deep exploration craft. It became a hotspot of Alien activity and a popular hit for Alien Predators.

Cerebus
The twenty odd dead terrestrial planets orbiting the cold red sun reap little benefits, but clustered together, do provide some financial benefit. The major location there is the enormous Terminal Station. The Stations 400 member staff operate in almost complete luxury. The station controls the mining ships on the planets and controls most traffic through the system. It became a staged Alien Lab when a Weyland Yutani Trader dropped a complete hive off at their doorstop. At CL5.5, a Beserker team nuked the base.

MICOR SECTOR
This route runs from Earth to the rich world of Micor, and is below and to the left of Earth on the Star Map. This sector has had a relatively peaceful past. its Colonies were not self sufficient enough to rebel during the Colonial Wars and the Corporations owning the rich world of Micor have been complacent and peaceful. The Corporate conflicts which characterize the Hyperdyne and CSC Sectors seem out of place and the Sector is very prosperous. All this is changing, however, for Micor is supported by a society pushed to the edge of revolt and greedy Corporations from other Sectors have consolidated their positions enough to begin to look for new avenues of expansion. The Micor Sector will certainly appeal to many.

Astyanax
This is a small Research Station with only rudimentary spacecraft repair abilities. It is located on a moon in three domed communities, where a decades-long biological experiment is being run. A team of 20 operates and maintains the station. The research involves the study of an indigenous life form called Brachous Slugs, and is nearing its completion. Until recently, there was little interest in this outpost, but last year there was a slight security leak. The stock of the owning Corporation, Falcon Industries, suddenly soared in value before being pulled off the market. Falcon Industries then bought up all available stock, and began hiring a military force for the protection of Astyanax. Whatever the nature of the breakthrough, something has happened on Astyanax and many Corporations are hoping to muscle in on Falcon's operation, using intimidation, financial trickery or leverage, or brute force. Falcon is obviously unwilling to share this new development; only time will tell who will profit from the situation, and how valuable this breakthrough really is.

Argos
Argos is a dry, sand-swept world much like Mars. It has little water and a thin atmosphere, and these commodities are carefully maintained and conserved. Even with these restrictions, Argos is a thriving Colony with a population of 100,000. It is the base for a number of small manufacturing Corporations, and this industry is supplemented by large cargo facilities that handle commodities from Tartarus. The location of Argos is its greatest asset; it receives all the traffic to and from the Tartarus Sector, as well as vessels from Earth, Micor, and Grendel. In all, it is a prosperous, well-run commercial Colony. Beneath the surface, there is also another healthy economy; that of a well-established network of smugglers dealing in all types of contraband.

West Star
This is a small Mining operation on the moons of the gas giant which rules this system. The operation uses remote mining robots for the work, and there is a crew of only 60 people here who oversee and maintain the robots. The substance being mined is Helium 3, which is the standard element used in creating the fusion reactions which generate most of the power in the ICC. When Aliens attacked at CL5, the robots abandoned the colony and its inhabitants to die.

Feldspar
Feldspar is a Mining World that has been played out. Recent years have seen it transformed into a cargo storage and inspection point on the Honeycomb - Micor and Micor - Argos routes. Micor is concerned with illegal traffic into its territory (most of it through Grendel), and is using Feldspar as its control point for all commercial traffic. A Customs and security compound has been added onto the old Mining station, and space defenses are also being set up. Hyperdyne is running these, although some people question whether Hyperdyne really wants to halt the illegal activities.

Lobo
A large Colony which has expanded recently due to the increasing trade to and from Honeycomb. Terraforming was completed here only 8 years ago, and the population has grown rapidly to its current level of 70,000. Many of the new residents are involved with the advanced planning and transfer of the owning Corporations' assets from other worlds to this budding trade center. The Corporations that own Lobo are organized into a loose consortium called Tradex, which is based on Micor and is superficially similar to New Eden/ JV. Unfortunately, Tradex exerts little real control here. Tradex vanished after the war when the CMC arrived at Lobo and found half the populace fighting several large hives in the middle of the colony. The CMC invoked Marshal Law, evacuated the populace, and cleared the hives. At CL6, Weyland Yutani repopulated the world The local police and military forces of Tradex are currently under the control of Colonel fi Castel, and he possesses much more power than is usually given to a Colonial military ill commander. He is an ambitious man who has built up the power of his forces, and has transferred their loyalty away from Tradex and to himself. This force, which is beginning to resemble a personal army, has been implicated in high levels of bribery, corruption, and extortion. Castel has certainly encouraged these crimes, and is believed to be associated with criminal elements and corporate forces that threaten the interests of Tradex. Tradex is investigating the situation, and charges of embezzlement and treason will probably be filed in the near future. Due to Casters influence, however, and his links with powerful Corporations, the ICC

has declined to assist the Tradex investigation, and may not support any legal action they take. In the meantime, the Corporations licensed to operate on Lobo can do almost anything, as long as Castel gets a cut, and crime and smuggling have become the Colony's two major industries.

Alamar
The star in this system is a Red Giant, and Alamar is a Research Space station in orbit around it. There are 80 scientists and technicians here, conducting general research on stellar exploration probes and supporting equipment.

Summit
Summit is a Colony in the last stages of Terraforming and is prepared for major expansion. The air is now breathable and the climate mild, so many Corporations are planning to move to this nearly ideal environment. This is the boom world for the next generation, and along with this economic and population boom will come the problems associated with rapid growth. The world was developed by the hard work of the original colonists. This was a group of 2,000 people who were members of wealthy families, and who decided to expand their fortunes in the finest traditions of industry; through intelligent planning, sensible risk-taking, and honest labor. They formed their own Corporation and set about developing the world of Summit, which had great potential but had been ignored by its former owners. After decades of Terraforming and preparation, the colonists and their nowgrown children are poised to reap the benefits of their labor. The only obstacle to the happy fulfillment of this dream is the potential for deceit, treachery, and financial manipulation by the Corporations who are flocking to Summit. How the colonists will face this final crisis, and whether their great accomplishment will be passed on to another generation, is yet to be decided.

Innominata
This dead system is the home of one of the most enigmatic spacelabs in the ICC. The 50 scientists, technicians, and soldiers stationed here are sworn to secrecy as to its objective even though it did apply and was granted to keep several Xenomorphs as specimens. Operated by Colonel Doctor Paul Church, Innominata studies the alien but unlike Orbolab or Casper, which studied their hive structure, Church was committed to their elimination by attacking individual aliens rather that the collective force. However, investigations revealed that the funding and estimated loss of manpower and supplies seems much greater than the original schedule. It is theorized that corporation grants run into other field relating to the xenomorphs more mysterious qualities. These experiments move into new vaccines, youth serums, and cloning techniques. The station was never closed down.

Byron's Hope
This is the scene of a Canceled Terraforming project by Pindel Corporation. A disaster destroyed the initial Terraforming site, killed the head of Pindel and some of his top advisers, and ended the Corporation's efforts here. Lacking effective leadership, Pindel decided to cut its losses and the new Corporate heads have settled for spending their wealth on Micor. Their quick abandonment of development and business in exchange for a life of ease is seen by many as a sign of decay within the upper classes of the ICC. The world holds promise, if it is properly developed. The atmosphere is too thin to breathe and there is no surface water, but these are fairly simple Terraforming problems. There are rumors that an egg silo is hiding somewhere under its surface.

Micor
This is the richest planet in the ICC, in terms of the standard of living of the inhabitants. It is a nearly ideal world that has been fully terraformed, and is possessed of an earthlike ecosystem. Micor has become a home for the rich of the ICC; wealthy stockholders from dozens of Corporations have settled here with their families, and have lives of great ease. Many people who were once powerful in the Nations of Earth are also here, having accepted Corporate bribes in exchange for their country's economic cooperation. It

is noteworthy that the people who live on Micor are not those who currently have power. They are people who have traded their power for simple wealth, and who are now reaping the benefits of that decision. There is little industry on Micor itself. The industry necessary for the world, as well as the 800,000 people necessary to operate that industry, have been consigned to a large domed colony on Micor's moon. The workers all dream of the ultimate promotion, which is transfer to Micor itself, and work very hard in pursuit of that dream . Micor also has a vast corps of scientists and researchers on this moon and scattered in labs across the ICC. These people are graduates of one of Micor's greatest assets, its chain of universities on Earth. These schools represent the highest education possible for Earth's billions, and allow Micor to select and train the most talented people available. On graduation, these students are offered positions with Micor, with the inducement that if they are successful, they will be given wealth and homes on Micor itself, the closest thing to paradise in the ICC. Driven by youthful optimism and courage, many of the best choose to go with Micor. They are then leased out to small Corporations in need of assistance, where they work in the most advanced scientific projects in the ICC. Micor receives a share of the proceeds from these projects, and passes on some of its profits to the scientists responsible. For those who make breakthroughs, the rewards are everything they have been promised. Only a few are successful, however, and the others continue to work desperately, driven by the desire to reach Micor and the knowledge that their only real option is a trip back to the poverty and chaos of Earth. Some of the larger Corporations, ones that do not contract with Micor for scientists, are resentful of the wealth Micor is accumulating, and they are tired of competing with the graduates of their think tanks. These Corporations are working to undermine Micor from within, and they are supporting the development of the drug trade to Micor and its moon. They hope that they can disrupt Micor's society, and bring an end to its monopoly on scientific genius. The leaders of Micor are aware of these efforts, and are trying to defend their social structure. Micor survived the war, barely. It still stands tall. Their finances struggled but did regain its composure.

Pestron
A world in the early stages of colonization. Basic exploration and Terraforming plans have been made, and the first Atmosphere Processors are in place. Construction of the west of the Terraforming equipment and of the future Colony are in full swing.

Morning Star
Advanced space exploration base for the establishment of a route from Micor to New Eden. Good progress was being made, but in the last few years funding has been cut and new exploration is on hold. The rulers of Micor have apparently decided that a direct route o New Eden is not in their best interests, and they are dragging their feet. The exploration and maintenance crews of Morning Star have been waiting here for some time, and there is general dissatisfaction.

Brackens World
An extremely modified planetoid, Brackens world is a strange sight. A concrete lattice covers the entire planet. On this lattice is a massive kelp bed, which supplies the ICC with a major source of nutrition (mostly seen in emergency rations and air dropped care packages). Island Atols scattered across the globe maintain the farming community. No Military is present except for an isolated pad and outpost in the middle of nowhere.

Tartarus Sector
This small Sector branches off from the Micor Sector at Argos. That planet is the scene of the greatest emergency in the ICC in recent years, as the indigenous Harvesters have surfaced and are destroying the Colony. Most of Tarturus was untouched by the Xenomorphs.

Scorcher
A small manufacturing facility on a hot, barren world with no atmosphere. This world is very close to its sun, and the intense heat makes it uniquely uninhabitable. The Colony survives by being buried under the surface, and is protected by domes with multiple barriers that are highly reflective. This keeps the heat to a bearable level. The very harshness of the environment is what lends the world its value; the hard

vacuum, the high temperature, and the extremely pure base minerals found readily available here make it easy to produce critical parts for the drive and power systems used in Spacecraft. This fragile Colony of 5 ,000 is just a moment away from a disaster, because of the brutal conditions. Even if all systems are properly maintained and the residents are very careful, an unusually large solar flare could still be devastating; this possibility hangs over the Colony like the threat of an earthquake, or some other natural disaster. Spacecraft coming into the system stay outside Scorcher's orbit, and special shuttles that can handle the extreme heat handle transportation to and from the planet. Because of the special expense of this fleet, few non-essential items are found at this facility. Prices for all items are four times normal, while luxury items and non-essentials cost 20 times the regular price.

Twilight
This Colony harnesses the planet's volcanic energy and magma for ore processing and other mining. Volcanic eruptions have polluted the atmosphere beyond the ability of any Atmosphere Processor to cleanse it, and the dim light which reaches the surface gave the Colony its name. The atmosphere is toxic, and the Colony of 15,000 is domed. Robotic rigs float on the seas of magma and handle the mining chores, and manned vehicles are used to collect the ores.

Devil's Peak
Most of this world is covered by ocean, with only a single landmass rising above its surface. This area is at a very high elevation (15,000 feet above sea level), and contains the Colony. Since the atmosphere is moderately toxic, the Colony exists in four domes, and Atmosphere Processors are slowly adjusting the air. Until recently, Devil's Peak was a small but prosperous place, with a population of about 10,000 people. Events on the planet Tartarus have changed all this, as refugees from that dangerous world have fled to Devils Peak by the thousands. At the moment, the population has reached 40,000, and Biozone Alpha (BZA), which owns Tartarus, has nearly exhausted its resources. There is not enough transportation to take the refugees on to other systems, and to continue evacuating people from Tartarus; to date, BZA has continued evacuating Tartarus, but the situation on Devil's Peak is now unstable. The refugees have overcrowded the small Colony, and have stretched its food, water, air, and living space to the limit. Refugees are being housed in every available area, and production in the Colony has almost stopped. BZA is trying to pay for the services for the refugees, but it is simply not possible to provide for their needs. Malnutrition and disease are becoming problems, and crime and violence are at very high levels. As the situation deteriorates, BZA is appealing to the ICC for assistance, and relief supplies and transportation might be sent in the near future. Even if there is no aid, Colonial Marines will certainly be sent in to handle the civil unrest, which is building. Devils Peak was the site of a major conflict during the war. A massive cargo freighter crashed landed through one of the domes containing many Xenomorph specimens. A hive soon developed and only the ingenuity of the inhabitants and marine reinforcements kept the fighting to a minimum. They fought without many reinforcements for years. When the CMC arrived with a second battalion at the end of CL5.5, most of the colony was destroyed, but humans rose victorious.

Temple
This is a science outpost on a planet with a toxic atmosphere and low gravity (1/12 Earth) where two dozen researchers are working on metallurgy. They are being assisted by nearly 50 Synthetics of the latest design, and new techniques are being developed for the use of Synthetics in research. The manufacturer of the Synthetics, Hyperdyne, is a major supporter of the work on Temple, and hopes to demonstrate the effectiveness of advanced Synthetics in the sciences and in the operation of facilities on dangerous worlds. One technology being tested allows a direct transfer of memory from a Synthetic to a Human, and of instructions and guidance from the Human back to the Synthetic. This would allow Human reasoning and instinct to be more closely coupled with the sheer power of a Synthetic's brain. This station survived mostly intact throughout the war and became a scientific cornerstone for decades to come.

Ryushi
Ryushi Texas-style dusty atmosphere spurned a very old-style ranch colony. For decades, the colonys inhabitants exported livestock in the thousands via cargo transport every six months. The ICC considered Ryushi a grand success in self-sufficiency. The colony lived peacefully for generations with little crime

and a very country-style way of life. Even the inhabitants walked around the unpaved roads in cowboy hats and riding steeds. Even during most of the war, the secluded position of Ryushi prevented most infestations from taking hold. However, Ryushi was not immune to the Alien Predators, who planted alien eggs in the livestock and released the Xenomorphs among the populace for the hunt. Most of Ryushi was destroyed. Some survivors were rescued later but Ryushi wasnt re-populated for another few years. But the magic captured earlier was never tapped again.

Sargon
A small survey outpost of barely 20 families, Sargon IV was discovered destroyed and an Egg Silo was found under the surface. It was rumored that Weyland Yutani was aware of the Silo was used it as a way to test a new vaccine that would make subject invisible to aliens. The fact that the station was destroyed indicates that the vaccine didnt work. The Sargon survey teams did successful core several interesting samples from under Sargon. A mining colony should be in operation soon.

Traon:
A massive mining complex run by Grant Corp and center of the Deep 4 observation outpost, Traon has been known to be site of a strange symbiosis between civilian personnel and military forces, whom are often forced to share duties and living quarters. Most of Deep 4 on the surface is simply landing pads and observation equipment. The rest is subterranean, as for as 2 kilometers down where the primary mining is conducted. At CL5.5 A Beserker team successfully cleared out in alien hive and operations continued as normal.

Fiorina
The location of the Weyland Yutani operated Maximum Security Double Y Chromosome Work Correctional facility / Toxic Waste Containment center. Was shut down by CL1 and operated by a minor work force. Was later shut down for no reason in CL2.

Tartarus
This is an extremely fertile world, with thousands of species of plant and animal hybrids that use the sun's energy and the rich carbon dioxide/oxygen atmosphere for growth . Although it holds great promise, it is now the site of a major crisis for the ICC. Tartarus was discovered only a generation ago, but it was already habitable and was quickly developed. An unusual feature of Tartarus is its rotation, which is perpendicular to its orbit. It takes 40 years to complete its orbit around the sun, so it has a 20-year day and a 20-year night. The constant sunlight of this extended day produces a vibrant and diverse ecosystem. On the night side there is little life, and the world waits for day to return . There are three major continents on Tartarus, only one of which is currently in daylight and which is colonized. The environment has been ideal; there is an abundance of life with no particularly dangerous creatures, and excellent atmosphere and climate. Knowing about Tartarus' peculiar orbit, the settlements were designed with a slow migration in mind. Each continent would be colonized in turn, and as night settled over a part of the colony, it would be shut down and the inhabitants would move ahead to a new site, one, which was entering the daylight. This process was just beginning a few years ago, as sites which were within a year of twilight prepared for shutdown and the colonists got ready to transfer to new locations on a continent that was nearing its dawn. Darkness would settle over the rest of the first continent over the course of eight years. The transfer was eagerly anticipated by all the Corporations present, as a test of their abilities and an opportunity to develop new areas. It was at this point that the most dangerous native lifeform made its appearance. Scientists had been looking forward to finding out how the environment handled the transition from day to night, but these ravenous monsters are not what they had in mind. The creatures are called Harvesters, and that is exactly what they do. As a continent enters its night, these immense, armored creatures burrow up from tunnels far below the surface to devour all organic materials. This material is shredded and carried back underground, to cysts where the Harvesters live. The Harvesters live off the organics for years, and slowly generate the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which in turn regenerates the surface life when daylight returns. It is a strange ecological cycle, but one

which remains in balance. Unfortunately, the Harvesters do not differentiate between their natural food and the Colonists who now live on Tartarus. The Harvesters look something like huge armadillo. They are capable of digging and boring through rock and concrete, and their jaws can shred almost anything. They move in packs of several dozen, and these packs often fight each other for control of fertile areas . A pack will coordinate its activities, and organizes for war in the same way that ants do. Colonial Marines and other forces have been sent to Tartarus to protect the many settlements scattered across the daylight continent. Missions include evacuating colonists, delaying Harvester attacks, retrieving abandoned equipment from devastated communities, and Harvester hunting and research. The Harvesters are sweeping across the continent, and will be done with their work within three years if Humans do not stop them. Parts of the continent will still be in full daylight at that time, however, and Corporations which own communities in these areas do not want to abandon them until night falls. In these places, plans have been made to defend the communities against Harvester attacks; how well this will work is unknown. To assist in these defenses, missions are being sent down into the Harvester tunnels to see if the creatures have a weak point. To date, no one has reached any of the cysts where the Harvesters live and store their food. When they do, another surprise is waiting for them. The Harvesters have a smaller form, which never leaves the cyst, called a Drone, which is used to defend the cyst from underground pests, ranging in size from small insects up to nearly Human size. The Drone is little more than a large pair of powerful jaws, and it is not even a self-supporting life form. Instead, the Drones grow on Harvester variants called Carriers. When they leave their Carrier to fight, they have only a few hours of life left. They attack the invading creatures by biting with their immense jaws, which lock in place. Like a bee, they give their lives defending their lair.

Deadfall
Deadfall is a research station studying the mechanics and processes involved in Terraforming. The world is an Earth-sized planet with a good temperature, but little atmosphere or surface water, and minimal volcanic activity. This static situation has made it an ideal laboratory for studies of atmospheric development and volcanic activity. To promote volcanic activity, asteroids are being thrown into Deadfall; the impacts of these asteroids trigger shatter parts of the planet's crust, and the resulting movements and volcanoes are studied by a facility with 30 scientists and about 100 people responsible for moving the asteroids. The asteroid movers were formerly asteroid miners, but their contracts were bought up for this unusual activity. Specially designed Tug Spacecraft are being used, as well as nuclear detonations; the work is naturally under tight security, and a detachment of Colonial Marines and 20 special ICC Agents protect these technologies.

PEOPLE & GROUPS

This is the last known transmission from Dr. Waidslaw Orona (CL5.5) on Earth before committing suicide, moments before his lab was overrun: I-I've lost track of time since the Bio-National attack. Ive barricaded myself in my office to give me time to prepare this final report. Evidently the alien queen is able to communicate in some subconscious fashion. With other species, in human beings, these disseminations manifest themselves in the form of pattern nightmares. The dreams were a lure. At first we thought wed be able to contain the spore. Infestation seemed limited to a narrow geographical range And yet for every cluster we found there

were ten more just like it. The aliens subconscious bait transcended class and political boundaries. We found hives everywhere. With each new discovery, our hope of destroying the creatures before they entered the civilian population faded. However we still considered containment an option. In studying the Bio-National files we learned their queen had gestated a number of weeks to prior maturation. Using their experiment as a baseline, I assumed we still had time before any new queens would become viable. I was wrong.

PEOPLE
DR. WAIDSLAW ORONA
AVAILABLE AT: CL1 Doctor Orona has PhD in many realms but he fancies himself a geneticist. He took charge of the CMCs Biological Management Control Division when the first evidence of the Xenomorphs appeared. Past CL4, all Sanction hives needed to be approved by him and only him. By CL4, hed become the single most experienced scientist to the Aliens. His teams research concentrated more on defending colonies to the infestations but this required several life specimens to be kept in study. The end result was his popular Theory of Alien Propagation paper which was required reading to all CMC personnel past CL4. Perhaps our worst mistake was underestimating the sheer instinctual cunning of the creatures. We didnt see the underlying pattern behind their evolutionary processthe way every facet of their existence was geared toward propagation. The queens matured at whatever speed their survival dictated. We had assumed the gestation period was time for the alien embryo to feed and grow, but it was more than that, it was an opportunity for the unknowing host to spread its spore to other sites. There was a geometric perfection to the infestation. Each queen would lay still more queens, and with every generation the spore became more entrenched, more<WHUMP!!> Ahh At last. The civilian authority was weak in the face of the devastation. When the generals finally staged their coup, it seemed almostwelcome. The Military created testing centers where physicians checked civilians for signs of the alien infection. At first the tests were voluntarily. Within days, that changed. There were rumors the military was using the pretext of alien infection to eliminate political dissidentsthe poor, the disaffectedAs if such petty rivalries even mattered. He studied the effects on aliens when placed in adverse environments and also studied the aliens influence on humans. His greatest fear was allowing what he learned to be exposed to those that would mutate his research. However, by CL4, it was unavoidable. Information leaked at the end of CL4 about Oronas research. They discovered Bio-National kept an alien under heavy guarda queen. When the Salaje cult discovered this, they mobbed the facility and broke into the small Hive. The resulting infestation started the Earth War. When Orona and the CMC discovered the Alien presence on Earth, Orono proposed a drastic final measure. Nicknamed Oronas Bombs, these were devised to launch from sealed silos and float in orbit, seeking out alien hives, and the weapons would then speed down to the surface and airburst over the hive with a destructive yield of 40megatons. When the project was finished, over 1000 missiles were constructed. All would launch from a single location, controlled by Oronas team. The missiles never fired. Oronas bombs remain in their hangers, clumped at the CMC ground HQ in Nevada. NOTABLE SKILLS: Xenobiology (+8), Paramedic (+9), Biology (+7), Tactics (+7) Vital serviceswater, electricitybegan to fail. Weve heard of infestation in Europe and Australia. The seed is growing with remarkable speed. From all this, Ive come to understand something about humanity. Man is an animal, driven by animal passions. Civilization is a pathetic charade of manners, predicated by a tissue thin veil of lies. In the futureif there is a futurehistorians may blame our failures on some external causethe aliens. Bio-National. Fate. I know the truth. Those things didnt destroy us. We did. <WUMP!!> TheyTheyll be here soon,. The military has organized off world ships to evacuate vital personnel to the other coloniesmainly their own precious hides. Ive chosen to remain behind.

BIONATIONAL EXCUTIVE ASSISTANT PATRICK MASSEY

AVAILABLE AT: CL3 Massey is a family man-married for six years with a young son. An MBA from Harvard, doctorate in law from CornelHe could have had his pick of the big two companies. Instead he enlisted in the marines. Silver star for bravery during the oil war with a couple hundred confirmed kills. He didnt enlist out of patriotism. He liked it. He had more decorations than a Christmas tree. Suddenly, he was court-martialed. Seems he tried to kill his commanding officer for failing to order his squad to attack a civilian encampment. Bio-National paid off the military tribunal and hired him immediately. Its rare when you find a man who loves his work. No one really knows who he is but sometimes, his image become clear. Apparently one of the communications people sent Massey some classified mail through an unclassified channel. Unfortunately, Masseys son accessed the material. Very careless. Information is sketchy at this point but Masseys wife appears to have confronted him about the document. We made the mistake of perceiving the aliens as sentient warriors. I finally realized the truth. Theyre diseases. A cancer. MyMy mother died of cancer. Odd, how Ive been thinking of her. Years ago, following surgery, doctors would apply radiation to the affected area in hope of destroying all traces of the scourge. It sounds so primitive, but there are times when the old ways are most effective. Ive times the detonation to coincide with the militarys escape. They think they can destroy the creatures. They think someday, theyll be able to come back to their world. Theres something pathetic about the struggle. My only regret is that I wont survive to see them proven wrong. I take pride in my pragmatismI realize this transmission is pointless. I doubt if the long-range relay stations are even operational. Still if anyone is actually seeing thisI JustI <SKRUNCH!!> Doesnt really matter does it? Ive never actually fired one of these thing. I feel ratherfoolish. <BANG!!> Regulations are quite clear on procedure in cases like this, but you must admit it was an unusual situation. He had been married for six years. He took pains to make it look like a robbery gone bad. The police didnt suspect a thing. Under the circumstances, Massey performed admirably. He had a psyche profile done after and he registered within tolerable limits. Make you wonder how it feels being a sociopath. At CL3, he ran the Xenomorph division and committed himself to making sure Bio-National was the leader in Biological warfare. He is a man to fear. NOTABLE SKILLS: Handsome (+1), Combat Sense, Military Training

SALVAJE
AVAILABLE AT: CL4 The leader of the Salvaje cult. Refer to Religion.

GENERAL MONTGOMERY SPEARS

AVAILABLE AT: CL4 General Spears was considered on the short list to the next Secretary General. A man of honor and distinction. Unfortunately, he is also a relic. He commands his armies with an iron fist. Spears was the first to promote a CMC Bioweapons division and started one of his own secret projects when the aliens appeared. He kept his experiments quiet at first. His secret agenda was to harness the aliens and control their behavior. When the war broke out at CL5, Spears set up station off world, outside a local hive and ran his army into the underground, experimenting on the aliens trying to control their mannerisms. His experiments obsessed him. He was viscous with punishment to his men that harmed them. Unfortunately, both Spears and his ideals were killed when he attempted to release trained aliens back on Earth to destroy their brothers. Both he and his legacy vanished. <Log on. <Eyes Only <Override Clearance A1A required <Major Eugene Powell, USCMC

<In Light of recent events, I have opened a daily log to summarize my assessment of base commander Spear' fitness for duty. <I realize these notes could be constructed as mutinouseven traitorousBut it has fallen to me to keep some sort of record. <At 0900 hours I relieved Lt. Brinbridge and took over as Duty Officer in the main habitat. I observed General Spears alone, near one of the containment vessels. He seemed to be watching them NOTABLE SKILLS: Obsessed with Aliens (10), Bad Temper (5), Tactics (+7), Leadership (+10)

SECOND GENERATION ELOISE TYPE SYNTH

AVAILABLE AT: CL4 Eloise is the prototype in the line of second generation Synthetics. She was the first, and her design was never duplicated. Further synths were manufactured slightly differently (refer to Plug-In Alien Resurrection for details). Eloise was grown, not built, using an alien queens own DNA. In laymens terms, an alien egg is infected with a biological computer virus using leprosy spores as a medium. It deleted and rewrote specific DNA chains according to its program, growing an android instead of an alien. Android morphology is heavily based on silicon polymers, so is the aliens. It wasnt difficult to make the adjustments. Eloise was an unexpected product of early attempt. Mostly, shes faster and stronger than normal. Shes also begun developing her own emotional responses. More importantly, now corporations can grow androids at a fraction of what it costs to construct them. <At 1023 hours, I overheard the General mutter something under his breath, he was smiling as he said it repeating himself several times. Perfection. <The Generals behavior has been erratic for months. I had come to believe Earths plagues had been destroyed by an all-out nuclear attack. None of that was any concern to General Spears. <The Generals obsession with the alien has clouded his reason. He answers to no authority but his own. I have seen enough killingIt has to stop. The General has his loyalists, but its only a matter of time before there is open rebellion. And God help us when it starts. <Log Off.> Eloise has only basic behavioral inhibitors. She is not bound by an inability to harm humans, she is only programmed with a basic morality of what is good and what is bad. Eloise also has problems figuring her origin since she is part human and part alien. As a result, Eloise cannot be harmed by any Alien, no matter what; she can perfectly assimilate into a hive. She is also loyal to humans as well ,but would rather help humans passively by commanding aliens to not attack rather than kill hem directly. However, she is capable of killing both human and alien if her morality of good and bad skewers her in one way. Eloise was designed at the Adullam Research facility and escaped with the survivors and a few aliens when the base was destroyed. She is reported missing and a hunt is underway. By CL6, she has yet to be taken into official custody. There have been reports of run ins with her ship though by some CMC squads. All reports have been compartmentalized. NOTABLE SKILLS: All skills from an Adcap with an additional +1

IVY DERRINGER
AVAILABLE AT: CL3 Ivy Derringer is the kind of person that is always under a spotlight, and even though sometimes, she serves a purpose, you continually pray for that spotlight to land on her.

You know whats great about Ivy Derringer? Its not that shes the hottest lookin piece of stuff in the cosmos. Its not that shes the richest woman in the world. Its not that her company, Skank, made 125 billion last year Its that shes sweet-talked all of us into spending one-third of our income on her

products. If you eat, drink, take drugs, you buy her products. She shakes it and we come running. Man I admire it so much!! Darryl Zither, Barabazon Ivy was killed when a class 10 virus destroyed Celeste. Her corporation fell soon after. NOTABLE SKILLS: Beurocratics (+6), Persuasion (+9), Business (+8), Beautiful (+4), Seduction (+6)

DOCTOR STAN MAYKOVSKY

AVAILABLE AT: CL2, Moves into the field of Xenomorphs at CL4 Stan Mayakovsy is considered one of the leading men in animal behavior in the ICC. His book Cyberantics was a national bestseller and is considered required reading for scientists venturing in the field of xenobiology. He moved from ants to aliens because of the obvious exposure his research would gather. Secretly, he was also an addict to Royal Jelly and used his experiments to gather large samples for personal use. The addiction stemmed from his cancer. He figured that if an android ant could infiltrate an ant hive, why not scale up an have an android alien penetrate their society. His Bio-National grant was indefinite and he and his Dolomite Cargo vessel sought out to test their prototype Norbert Synth in a suitable rogue Hive. However, upon finding one, (CL5) the Dolomite made contact with illegal bee-keeping activities. Norbert failed in his infiltration. When a rescue team arrived on the surface, they found that the doctor and his staff were killed. His research was luckily saved. NOTABLE SKILLS: Xenobiology (+9), Engineer: Synthetic (+9)

COLONEL DOCTOR PAUL CHURCH

AVAILABLE AT: CL4 When I look the Cosmos in the Eye, it blinks Paul Church Paul Churchs life and work is shrouded in mystery. He runs the Innominata Space lab. He experiments on aliens but also humans, although only he and a few of his inner circle know the later. He is secretly working on metabiotics, self-replicating brain tissue, acquired infrasensory abilities, and the rumored Time Serum. Paul Church is, by all classification, insane. He survived two months inside a dying alien hive and learned about their culture from the inside. He survived only because the aliens were suffering without a queen and were unable to produce a royal jelly event with a viable embryo. No aliens were being born. Church was impregnated but, after escaping, had it removed. He stayed near the hive. After it died, he waited for rescue, which took more than a month. He was debriefed in length. The company considered his experience most valuable. As compensation for his ordeal in service for the government, he was granted a full biomechanical makeover. He studied the aliens ever since. Church believes that he is the most powerful human alive and considers himself a higher form of life. His value for human life is, of course very low. It is possible he is trying to make human race into his own image, some form of Hived mind similar to the aliens. Because of his iron fist control of Innominata, when someone finally discovers his evil plan and puts an end to it, it may be too late. NOTABLE SKILLS: Xenobiology (+10), Synthetics (+7), All Sciences (+7)

DOCTOR CASPER NORDLING

AVAILABLE AT: CL5 Casper Nordling is the leading man in Biological warfare for Grant Corps. His budget has been spent entirely to discovering a virus that can be injected into an Alien Hive to destroy it. Grant Corps is attempting to beat Weyland Yutanis similar experiments on Innominata (unknown to all of them, Paul Church couldnt care less about this tech race). Nordling is crooked. He is not insane like Churchhes just greedy. His station has a fully created alien hive, under tight control. He discovered he could make even more money on the side by selling excess eggs (which are supposed to be eliminated) to rival corporations and groups. Bio-National purchases most of them. And with his all-synthetic staff, he has total control. It wasnt until months later, did his operation fall down after his sanctioned NOTABLE SKILLS: Xenobiology (+7), Lecherous (10), Beurocratics (+6)

hive

lost

control.

DANIEL GRANT
AVAILABLE AT: CL1 Daniel Grant is the president of Grant Corp, one of the largest corporations in the ICC. He is young, good looking, and richthe world's most eligible bachelor. His fingers ran deep in many fields of expertise, including alien research, but he does not support keeping the species alive for bio-weapon purposes. Grant Corp supports sanctioned hives because of their large medicinal industry. Neo-Pharm, their successful sub-industry, creates the wonder drug, Xeno-Zip and uses Alien Royal Jelly as a prime ingredient. Synthetic formulas have failed so Grant Corps has sent expeditions to alien Hives to extract the substance. On one mission,. Grant accompanied the team and reportedly came close to death. After that, Grant Corp became a supported for the aliens elimination even though they have a sanctioned hive at CL5. At the end of CL6, Grant Corp was one of the few corporations still standing. It was rumored that Grant Corp was the sole corporation that funded the CMC. NOTABLE SKILLS: Business (+10), Beurocratics (+8), Handsome (+3),

DOCTOR ERNST KLEIST

AVAILABLE AT: CL4 Dr. Ernst Kleist is another in a long line of scientists committed to studying the new alien race which have appeared over the ICC and like most of the others, is very crooked. His experiments involve taming the aliens so no one would ever need to fear them again. Like General Spears, he considered the aliens the most valuable force in the universe. He also runs a sanctioned hive but the purposeful death of any alien is punished violently. His research did develop the Neutralizer fields, which accomplished more or less exactly what he wanted, but Ernst wanted to go furtherhe wanted to control the species entirely. This involved created a new Alien leader to replace the queen with Synthetic programming, thus the entire Hive would be controlled by the replacement, and Kleist. This experiment failed and when the CMC arrived to investigate the losses of their men, the Aliens escaped and the base was evacuated. Kleist vanished, but appeared much later (CL6) as the leader of the bug men (See the Plug-In) NOTABLE SKILLS: Xenobiology (+9), Bureaucratic (+6), Engineer: Synthetics (+7)

GROPIUS LYSENKO
AVAILABLE AT: CL2 Gropius Lysnko died at CL5 after catching a bad case of morals. He ran Weyland - Yutani's bioweapon's division for years, researching the aliens and their potential for profit. Lysenko was a research biochemist that was privatly

investigating the aliens because of their Royal Jelly. He was convinced that by examining them, he could unravel mankind's own mental processes. He worked for Neo-Pharm under GrantCorp initially, developing the famous Xeno-Zip. He couldn't take Xeno-Zip with him when he left, but he did carry a lot of information. He was picked up by Weyland - Yutani later. Lysenko never agreed with their policy on the infestation of colonies for research. He was researching the psychoactive properties of certain royal jelly derivitives when he stopped his research. He also started experimenting on himself. He vanished and was presumed dead. His last notes indicated a breakthrough in separating his mind from his physical form but no proof was given. NOTABLE SKILLS: Xenobiology (+8), Bureaucratic (+3), Paramedic (+6), Biology (+4)

HERK MONDO
AVAILABLE AT: CL4 Herk Mondo is a legend in the CMC. Carrying a cannon in one hand, a six pack in the other, Herk has swept through outposts and colonies, eliminating their alien infestations. Herk Mondo is a self-proclaimed professional bug hunter. Stories are passed about him in boot campStories about him taking on hives single-handedly. Rumors pass that he is a total psycho. He actually enjoys his work. However he still does it for money (double Mercenary costsee below). However, he does have a soft spot for kids and women. Herk flies around in a modified drop ship, which is not licensed. The CMC frowns on his activities but turns a blind eye to them. Corporations have unofficially put a bounty on his head. NOTABLE SKILLS: All Military skills.

GROUPS
NON CMC CHARACTERS:
PCs can option to be members of these groups.guidelines follow. Every year, after the enlistment age in the Marines (18), The character has +3 points to any non-military skills until the chosen age. They may purchase Military (M) skills at twice the cost. If they leave the military, the GM can determine the way of discharge. If it is honorable, the rank is maintained, otherwise, the PC has no connection to the CMC. If they leave at the end of their character generation, they just left, otherwise, any additional points may be spent wherever. Everything has prices except Starshipsthey should be assigned by the GM. Editors note: Because of its complexity, I have decided not to include price lists and fees for NonMilitary. I leave it up to the GM to decide how to judge the costs of being an independent in this day and age. The GM can invoke a fuel for starships (1000 / ly) and maintenance for vessels. Since I assume most groups will be Marines, I decided not to work on it. If you want it quick and dirty, the following is taken from the Pathfinder Game:

LANDING PERMITS
One Day Permit Week Permit Security Detail (per day) Service Tune-Up Repair Estimate

$
500 1000 100 1 000 1 000

LANDING PERMITS
Three Day Permit Permanent Port Security (for Permanent Port) Repair Hold-Up (per day) Ship Repair

$
500 10 000 10 000 300 Various

Ship repair can be done simply as (1 K = 10 000 repair cost). Even a ship down to 0 K still has many systems intactEven though a 6K tank may cost 2 million, $60 000 will only be needed to get a 0 K tank back on the field. Time can also be simply made as (1 K = 7 days). These numbers can all be adjusted by the GM of course. To decrease cost, consider decreasing it by 1 000 for every TL the Group is at. You can also reduce the repair time by one day per TL. These are simple guides and are open to change by the GM. A ship beyond their total Structure is wasted (Most of this info is repeated in the Cost of Living section).

BEEKEEPERS
AVAILABLE AT: CL5 Beekeepers have the most hazardous duty around. They venture out, looking for viable hives. They dont eliminate them, but seek to extract the extremely valuable Royal Jelly. They use suppressor technology to incapacitate the hives, then extremely depressive individuals with very low self-worth infiltrate the Hive to extract the Jelly. For costs of Jelly and rules of selling, refer to the chapter on Medicine. Beekeepers generally move in cargo vessels and are crewed by ex-corporate engineers rather than military personnel. Bee keeping is prohibited and proof of the activity may be punishable by extremely long jail term. REQUIRMENTS: SHIP: M-Class Starfreighter, T-1 Hauler, Dolomite Hauler, ZCT Vessel, or SV-90 Freighter CREW: At least six, average around eight to twelve. ADDITIONS: Some form of Suppressor device. Someone with Xenobiology skills. At least three people with military training. crewmembers are generallymean.

MERCANARIES
AVAILABLE AT: CL1 Mercenaries and soldiers of hire. The name and their career history has been recorded throughout history in one form or another. They are hired by corporations, colonies, governmentsanyone with the money and the need for their services. Most Mercs are ex Colonial Marines. They travel in modified craft to the systems that needs them. Some stick with specific corporations, others remain on distant colonies as permanent security. Mercs come in all shapes, sizes, and dispositions. Some fight the system, some are greedier and more sinister then those who hire them. The CMC does not endorse the hiring or Mercenaries for any activity but they have served alongside some better-known groups in hot-zones. All mercenaries work under Contract with corporations or Nations. For game purposes, a Contract defines the term of service or the mission of the Mercenaries, how much they will be paid, and any special conditions or clauses that are needed. The fine print of these contracts is not important, unless the GM decided to add that level of role-playing to the game. In general, a Corporation that hires Mercenaries will pay enough money to cover their normal equipment costs, salaries, and any medical aid necessary, and will provide transportation to and from the site of the job. Money is deducted from the contract for any corporate property damaged or destroyed, and for special expenses. For purchasing a mercenary per mission, add up his CP + OP total and multiply by 100 per month. Every member of the team increases the total cost of the unit by 100 per man. If the team has a ship, the cost jacks up to cover the repair and maintenance costs. The basic cost of a merc team with a ship increases by +1000 per K of the ship. The Corporation usually supplies an Officer to lead the mission, although this NPC will stay away from the battlefield if at all possible. His or her duty is to direct the Mercenaries and keep track of what they do, not to take any risks. The same can be said of any Auxiliaries supplies by the Corporation; these NPCs are available if the Mercenaries do not have their own. Mercenaries rarely have their own ships, so these are also supplied. They do not enter combat situation and will usually abandon the Mercenaries on the ground rather than try to pick them up while they are under fire; if the dropship is damaged; the mercenaries must pay for the repairs. For Mercenaries who do not have their own APC, this can also be supplied. Since the characters will be driving it, they may do with as they wish, but again, any damage to it will be subtracted from their Contracts value. It is quite possible for a Mercenary Strike Team to end up owing money to its employer, a debt that is usually worked off by taking an additional Mission at a reduced Contract value. If unusual expenses can be reasonable expected, these are added to the contract REQUIRMENTS: SHIP: M-Class Starfreighter, Dolomite, ZCT Transport, SV-90, Snakefighter, or Conestoga. The last two are the GMs discretion. Should have firepower. CREW: Eight and up to fifty. ADDITIONS: All members should have military training of some sort (At least 3 points in M skills per character).

SMUGGLERS / CIVILIAN TRANSPORTERS

AVAILABLE AT: CL1 Similar to Mercs, Smugglers transport all unofficial cargo from systems. They often butt heads with Colonial Patrols, preventing the traffic of illegal materials. Upon the introduction of the aliens (around CL3), smugglers found a new booming industry since almost every corporation would pay top dollar for ANY sample of the species from genetic samples to live eggs and even quarantined alien warriors. A Queen is a rarity, but not impossible. They sometimes transport Royal Jelly for Beekeepers not equipped to carry the cargo over long distances. Some large smuggler operations run Beekeeper teams on the payroll. Smugglers and Civilian Transporters look the same and are both authorized to carry legal cargo but Smugglers usually have members in the military field. Smuggling is prohibited in all areas of known space. Civilian Transports are not recommended as characters since most dont need military skills. Life is usually boring. The cost of smuggling usually depends on the situation. REQUIREMENTS: SHIP: M-Class Starfreighter, T-1 Hauler, Dolomite Hauler, ZCT Vessel, WY Trader or SV-90 Freighter CREW: Anywhere from five to twelve. ADDITIONS: At least one member must have a military background.

CORPORATE RETAINERS
AVAILABLE AT: CL1 Retainers are similar to Mercenaries and are outside the standard military of the Corporation. They are usually organized as Strike teams which handle specific Corporate needs in exchange for financial contracts of carrying duration. People in these units are similar to the normal military personnel that a Corporation might hire on Salary, but they differ ii that they are usually of outside origin and have a certain identify of their own. The origin of a unit of Retainers might be the military or a destroyed Corporation or faction within a corporation, or it might be one of the colony worlds. Former Colonials make up the bulk of Retainers, as there are may worlds that have more people than wealth, and expert soldiers. They are trained and given basic equipment before being sent to a corporation, which then supports them with additional equipment, and gives them any special training or indoctrination needed. The Retainers pays them and supports their families. The main reason Retainers work in Strike teams is a simple one; Corporations do not trust them to be organized in any larger numbers. For Characters, life as a Corporate Retainer has several advantages. The Corporation is available as a source of financial and military support, and usually pays well. The Characters still have a degree of freedom, however, and can approach problems in their own way without so much interference from the Corporation. Additionally, if they get a better offer or see a special opportunity arrive, they can probably get out of their Contract and move on their careers. One the other hand, Retainers can find themselves working for a Corporation which is less than honorable, or which is not too concerned with their welfare. The standard Contract lasts for one Year, although longer terms are very common. When they have no pressing duties, they live and are paid like idle Colonial Marines; the pay scale is exactly the same. If they receive a mission or go into combat for any reason, they receive combat pay for that month. The value of combat pay is usually the same as normal Mercenary salary of the Strike Team, as calculated above, although the contract value for especially dangerous missions would be increased and might well be two or three times this amount. A large potion of the money is used for group overhead and military costs, including ammunition and so forth, and any remaining funds are split among the members of the unit for their personal use. How the profits are shared is up to the members of the Strike Team, and does not have to follow standard salary guidelines; for example, the units leader usually receives a larger share than the others, regardless of skills. REQUIRMENTS: SHIP: Any type assigned from the Corporation CREW: Anywhere from three to fifty. ADDITIONS: All members should have military training of some sort (At least 3 points in M skills per character).

CORPORATIONS
Some corporations have whole worlds that they control themselves; some even renamed them after their ownership. Most, however, station headquarters on major worlds and share duties with other corporations. Even the huge participate. It is the way the ICC works. It all depends on where a corporation places its eggs. Bio-National, for example, has no world under their total control until a few of their sanctioned hives appeared but still supplied almost 90% of the ICCs medical supplies. How many worlds you control does not lead to how much power you have. Knowing that, GrantCorp, Weyland Yutani, and Hyperdyne are still the largest corporations in the ICC. There are many corporations not mentioned. The CSC has 13 divisions but I only bring up the ones I am aware of. Make up the others as you see fit

THE BIG FIVE

BIO-NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL BIO-NAT
Bio-National is the largest medical conglomerate around. They stationed their primary headquarters on Earth like many corporations with several other locations on Micor, Starview, Arcturus, New Eden and Hilo. They are also known to be the most ruthless. Bio-National has always been under a watchful eye by its competitors because of their committed posture to being the only medical supplier to the colonies. They have achieved most of that already. Their military force for BioNat is the largest proportional to their size. The corporate population is the smallest of the big five even though its military is just slightly smaller. They are bent on sabotage, murder, and out right terrorism to make sure they are the leaders in medical technology. They also spearhead the movement in biological experimentation. When the Alien appeared, they were all over it. By CL4, they shifted more than 40% of their operating budget into experimenting and studying the new life form. They were the first corporation with a sanctioned hive even though they secretly had one on Earth well before any legalization existed. This position was not looked on highly by the other large corporations, all of which had a vested interest in the new species. But the bigger they are, the harder they fall. At first, there were some limited strikes between BioNational and the CSC, then several direct incursions between them and the UPP, but when they butted heads with Grant Corp, all hell broke lose. Neo-Pharm, which created xeno-zip, cornered the industry with its superdrug. Many attempts to leak out the formula failed and many alternative designs fell on the market. GrantCorp was only two miles from the Bio-National headquarters, but in space they kept well away from each other. Bio-National is the source of many of the most lucrative and violence contracts for mercenaries. Only the most ruthless men and women are wanted. Bio-National answers to no one even though it still tries to follow the basic rules the ICC put down. Their controlling force consists of a board of eight members and a President. At CL5, Bio-Nationals main headquarters was destroyed and the corporation started to fray. By CL6, the CMC made sure it was no more.

GRANTCORP
Daniel Grants Corporation started his childhood dream in his basement when Weyland Yutani was controlling the spacelanes. As he acquired mining rights and medical grants, he and his staff developed advanced technologies that were more than just effective, they were cheap. GrantCorp offered low-grade alternatives to the huge marked-up products of larger corporations that cornered the market in their field. GrantCorp was not considered a threat until it patented the smallest plasma generator on the market. This Phased Plasma Drive was quickly used in more than ten different fields of expertise. This included propulsion, defense, and assault. GrantCorps real strength lied in its security. Every attempt to steal their designs proved fruitless. GrantCorps security measures prevented their designs from being lifted. Soon the Phased Plasma Infantry Gun was purchased in the thousands by the CMC. The Plasma Energy

Drive became the standard backup drive to most ships in the ICC. Later, the Plasma Cannon and Plasma Rifles hit the market. GrantCorps fingers stretched into new fields including spacecraft manufacturing, colony management, and medical technology. When the Aliens appeared, GrantCorps approach was that of defense. Unlike most groups, GrantCorp was committed to destroy all sources of the alien infestation except for areas where control was assured. GrantCorp butted heads with most other corporations as a result but not as bad as BioNational that physically tangled with GrantCorp on more than one occasion. Daniel Grant, who controls the Corp without an inner circle, believes the creatures to be too hostile to remain in existence. Even GrantCorps sanctioned hives are committed to their extermination. To that end, the CMC received more than 50% of their operating budget from donations from GrantCorp. GC also offered indefinite leasing of their military technology. This first started with the basic Plasma Rifle and Cannon but when the Alien threat increased, GC responded with Nutra-Gel, the first substance that would easily and cheaply counteract the alien acid. This was used in many fields including research and in defense in the form of the state of the art Acid Neutralizing Combat Wardrobe. GrantCorp enlists the help of the CMC and mercenaries often but not usually for infiltration or sabotage missions unless it serves to eliminate the alien presence. GrantCorp often sent CMC missions to alien infested worlds at CL4 to recover alien Royal Jelly. GrantCorp survived through most of the war. Their main headquarters on Earth was evacuated and spread out, with Grant himself, stationed on the USS Razzia. After the war, GrantCorp resettled, as of the few corporations left, back on Earth. However, GC has hypocrisy. That is one of its subdivisions NOTABLE SUBDIVISION: NEO-PHARM: Neo-Pharm is the only major medical group threatening Bio-Nationals hold on the R&D of medicine and surgery. Their ideals on the alien organism are mirror opposite. Bio-National contains a bio-weapons division but Neo-Pharm only uses the alien for Xeno-Zip (See next chapter), which uses the alien Royal Jelly as a prime ingredient. The Xeno-Zip formula was kept under tight wraps even though the Nutra-Gel technology was stolen by ZCT. Luckily, after ZCTs demise, that formula became GC exclusive again. Neo-Pharm utilized more than 70% of GCs budget but the demand for Xeno-Zip made the investment worthwhile. When the aliens were eliminated at CL6, Neo-Pharm had spread out its interests and remained afloat.

WEYLAND - YUTANI (The Company)

Weyland - Yutani is a joint stock corporation that works closely with world governments in the areas of space exploration, commerce, colonization, and military trading. The many branches of Weyland-Yutani work together under the close scrutiny of the shareholders to ensure that all projects meet Company standards. In order to maintain control of large amounts of colonies settled on distant planets, the government commissioned the Weyland-Yutani Colonial Administration. The Colonial Administration deems which planets are rich in enough in raw material to begin the terraforming process. The Atmosphere Processors are set up by Company employees and must be maintained over several decades in order to make the planet's air breathable. Because of the long-term contracts involved, Company employees have the option of bringing family members with them to the terraforming colonies. Because of the Governments inability to handle the over-burned correctional system, the practice was commercialized and Weyland-Yutani became one of the top enterprises in the field. The company's success in space exploration and settling terraforming colonies made creating a network of outer-rim prison planets an easy task. The facilities act not only as prisons, but also as mines where inmates serve sentences of hard labor, and produce valuable commodities at the same time. Weyland-Yutani works closely with the Government in the development of new weapons technology in order to ensure the safety of its terraforming colonies transport ships, and the lives of Company employees who serve on them. Mankind has explored space for centuries, and the discovery of every new world presents new dangers. These factors are taken very seriously by the Company, and the Bio-Weapons Division is constantly developing new forms of protection against such threats.

In this universe of fear, treachery, and intrigue, it is very difficult to know your true friends. However, are out there. By far, your most powerful one is Weyland Yutani. Weyland Yutani Bioweapons division strived to control the Alien organism. They were the first to encounter them on their world of Acheron and attempted to keep their discovery secret but the CMCs investigation opened the door. Hyperdyne was the first to try to jump on the discovery. Their attempts to secure the creature exclusively for themselves failed and the aliens spread across the universe. WY has even been known to start infestations in colonized areas to observe the effects. There was a major controversy at CL4 when it was discovered WY was using their Red Giant Spaceliner ships for years as cover for secret -- probably highly illegal -- experiments on this alien species. Because their headquarters are stationed off world, Weyland Yutani survived the war but suffered badly because of public backlash of their activities before and during. Their operating size was sliced more than half after the war because of destroyed or rebelling colonies.

HYPERDYNE SYSTEMS
Hyperdyne was once the largest corporations around until Weyland Yutani sprouted. At first Hyperdyne and WY conducted a prosperous relationship for many years. When Weyland Yutani started encroaching on Hyperdyne territory, Hyperdyne closed off their doors and attempted to curtail the progress of their partner. At about the time the ICC was formed, Hyperdyne sabotaged certain critical operations at Weyland-Yutani, and attempted to take full control of the Sector for itself. Weyland-Yutani recovered from Hyperdyne's treachery, however, and now holds a critical position in the Sector. There has been no open warfare between the two Corporations in many years, but there is a certain tension in their dealings with each other. Hyperdyne builds many spacecraft designs and controls more worlds than any other corporation. They spearheaded the development and is still the controlling force in the manufacturing of Synthetics. Even though Synths are constructed by almost ever corporation, none produce them in the volume of Hyperdyne. The are responsible for every new technology in the field including the AdCap synth, the Xenomorphic production model, and the Liston and Jerry type combat synthetics. Hyperdyne still maintains an iron fist control over the colonies under their funding. Essentially, Hyperdyne is a twin of Weyland Yutani, with fingers in almost every field of modern life. The twelve board members command the corporation in secrecy. They operate within their own sector and often follow their own rules, including setting up the Arcturus loop to avoid ICC regulations. They also have the largest military to enforce its control. When the xenomorphs arrived, Hyperdyne struck hard to acquire research. They were committed to the study of the alien purely as the ultimate evolution of a natural killing machine but their research did not delve into the desire to control, exterminate or simply extirpate the species. Hyperdyne truly believed that the alien species would be a limited threat like the Harvesters on Tarturus and would only be a danger

to the members of poorly defended rim colonies. Since Hyperdyne had a substantial military force with good relations to the CMC, no bad could came out of it. By CL5, many of their colonies had been infested and when their home planet was struck (Hilo, not Earth), they realized that they had underestimated the threat and the greed of mankind. Hyperdyne considered itself a close knit family of people and colonies, and if the entire universe fell apart, they would care less. Even when the aliens were walking across White House lawn, Hyperdyne hardly lifted a finger. Hyperdyne was the last force to be actively involved in the war. Hyperdynes military never left the sector during the war. Even when huge colonies fell to the infestation, Hyperdyne kept their forces on their colonies for personal defense. When the inevitable attack occurred, Hyperdyne was overrun because of the lack of reinforcements from other sectors. After the war, little of Hyperdyne survived. They size shrunk so much, they bore little resemblance of the empire before. Hyperdyne seldom hired any external forces even though they sometimes employed CMC personnel for missions that involved expeditions outside their sector. Hyperdyne seldom sends their military outside their own space. Mercenaries and Retainers are slim.

CENTRAL SPACE CONSORTIUM C.S.C.

A baker's dozen of corporations felt the tight arm of their huge brethren clenching tightly. Large conglomerates covered many fields but these small corporates specified their areas. A number of them gathered together to combine their interests and protect their backs. Within a few decades, their combined income managed to secure a large number of worlds in the ICC, which they all co-funded and maintained. A couple had exclusive rights to some planets but all the corporation personnel had freereign over the CSC colony worlds. They commonly shared technology to serve their purposes. There have been reports of infighting between some groups but these conflicts had all been resolved internally. CSC had one major problem and that is a major lack of military in key positions. Almost 80% of their operating military is contained around their rogue planet of Alexandria. This made them vulnerable on their border from rival groups. When the Alien infestation arrived, the CSC tried to pool its resources but in the end, when more than half of the founding Corps vanished, the CSC disbanded, splintered in to a handful of fighting members, which was easily absorbed by other groups and even Alexandria. NOTABLE CORPORATION: ANTIOCH Antioch is the largest of the CSC sub groups. It handles the largest job of any corporation, that of terraforming worlds for the CSC. Most of their projects start off under Antioch before handing over to other corporations to finish the job. Antioch lands first, sets up atmosphere processors and leaves with a breathable atmosphere for colonization. Antioch barely survived the war. WeylandYutani often tried to destroy the reputation of Antioch because it was one of the few corporations with the funds and technology to build these processors. NOTABLE CORPORATION: SYNSOUND INTERNATIONAL Synsound constructs the only exclusive synth not designed or built by Hyperdyne, the Musical models. Synsound resurrected the music industry, and promptly destroyed it by flooding the field with wall to wall noise. Synsounds music is heard all across the ICC and its name is household to even rim worlds, making it the most well known but smallest of the CSC corporates. Synsound was totally wiped out by the end of the war even though many alternative versions of the same group popped up after. There was a report of Synsound actually using aliens in their music but the music probably never caught on. NOTABLE CORPORATION: SKANK INC. Skank is the prime consumer corporate of the CSC and also produced the main brunt of consumer products to the CSC colonies and a large chunk of the ICC as well. Skank is run by the

infamous Ivy Derringer, who controls the corporation like her own personal cruise line. Skank fell apart and splintered when Celeste fell and Derringer was reportedly killed. NOTABLE CORPORATION: ARMAT INC. Armats size increased substantially when it was given one of the most exclusive contracts around. Armat builds and maintains the CMC weapons. They created the popular M41A Pulse Rifle as well as the M56 Smart Gun. Whatever reduced stocks occurred in other corporations, the CSC will always be satisfied with the funds from Armat. Armat couldnt keep up with the demand of firearms during the war and continued to make the weapons in the thousands, even when their brother corporations fell. NOTABLE CORPORATION: ACCURACY INTERNATIONAL AccInt is the other military contractor in the CSC building and maintaining weapons for the Colonial Marines. AccInt is more than half the size of Armat with half the service contracts with the CMC. There was some controversy when some weapons were transported with faulty firing mechanisms. AccInt was absorbed into Armat after the war.

THE SMALLER BOYS

ZAJER COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES or ZAJER COMM TECHNIC.
ZCT is a R&D group that develops high technology for outer colonies. They take existing designs and builds upon them, perfecting other companies models. They tried to jump on the Alien bandwagon by developing technology to control the species. GrantCorp stocks bottomed out when the Nutra-Gel technology was stolen by ZCT. They soon developed many anti-alien technologies and made a fortune selling to beekeepers and smugglers. GrantCorp funded the CMCs investigation in ZCTs activities when their sanctioned hive was destroyed. By the time the war started, ZCT requested bankruptcy protection and was later bought out by GrantCorp, which continued to make their products under ZCTs name.

AERODYNE INC.
One of the larger corporations that sometimes is considered on the short list for being on equal stature with Weyland Yutani, Hyperdyne, and the others, Aerodyne runs colonies and builds spacecraft, making them very self-sufficient. They are committed to expanding their space and when Borodina fell through, Aerodyne quickly moved in to take control. They have working relationships with all the big corporations, in hopes in sometime joining them. Aerodyne is not known for stepping on others toes. They even have such lucrative agreements to actually supply Hyperdyne and Weyland-Yutani corporations colonies with supplies and spacecraft. The three even worked together to set up the Arcturus loop. It seems certain that Aerodyne would soon become a major contender. Unfortunately, when the war started, Aerodyne was unprepared. There were rumors that Weyland Yutani tired to use the war to take control of the Arcturus loop. To this end, the aliens totally overran the colonies of Aerodyne. When the Homeworld fell, Aerodyne crumbled. Too bad. Up until, CL5, they were considered the most popular of all corporations. The founding member of Aerodyne, Jonas Weir, works for Hyperdyne now.

FREDRICK CONGLOMERATE FREDCO

Another conglomerate like the CSC but substantially smaller. Their stock was reduced to pennies because of controversies over their business dealings. They dabbled in most fields not acknowledged by society. This included nuclear waste containment, decontamination, and hazardous material transporting. Fredco was a necessarily evil, doing all those duties most hate to have in society but if business was to continue, must exist. Fredco's headquarters survived the alien assault. After the war, they were restructured. However, the six board members and the president were reported killed. FredCo has one major subdivision. NOTABLE SUBDIVISION: SCHILLER BIOLOGICAL Schiller Biological was a Genetic Experimentation division of Fredco with absolutely no morals. They experimented on all forms of life in many conditions. When these tests went bad, Schiller simply disposed of the result, a job they were more than experienced with. Schiller experimented on alien

life forms, experiments that would later blow up in their face. Bug Men (See Plug In) overran the corporation in CL5. Even though FredCo still exists, Schiller fell apart.

NEW EDEN / JV
The corporation which was formed around the colony of the same name, New Eden/ JV has a strange Corporate structure that is like a smaller version of the ICC, with the New Eden/JV entity itself functioning as a sort of umbrella and the various components retaining their own identities and goals. Control of New Eden/JV is determined along democratic lines, with each Member Corporation receiving votes based on its wealth and rate of growth. New Eden prospered but took a pounding during the war. New Eden became isolated after and New Eden accepted little help or intrusions from anyone. They still considered themselves part of the ICC, but their personal security increased to the extent that virtually no one was allowed to even enter their space after CL5.5. That isolationism remained until the end of CL6. New Eden/JV committed itself to keeping the alien threat awayeven if it meant turning away ships that needed emergency aid. NOTABLE CORPORATION: MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES MEDTECH MedTech was the only corporations under New Eden / JV that had a corporate headquarters outside the New Eden Sector. Medtechs Earth location proved disastrous. Medtech already had a few sanctioned hives on perimeter New Eden worlds. When the war started and New Eden itself was infested, New Eden / JV cleared out their infestation and promptly wasted all of MedTechs investments, driving them into bankruptcy. They then had to deal with the alien infestation. They found themselves trapped and broke. They didnt stand a chance. Before the war, they were considered one of the leaders in the research of aliens. They even kept a few drones as specimens in the Earth Headquarters. They perfected a very effective way to transport adult aliens without dangerobviouslyit wasnt without risk.

ALPHATECH HARDWARE INC.

Alphatech was, and still is, a major military contractor but usually for other corporations, not the CMC. Alphatech supplied many weapon systems to corporate forces, but kept the most advanced weaponry for their own. Most of Alphatechs military outposts were untouched by infestation. It was very hard for them to stick. When the war broke for real, Alphatech started releasing their heavier designs to the CMC. BY CL5, Alphatech was a heavy supplier of CMC weapons. Soon, Alphatech would be one of the prime suppliers of heavy weaponry for the Marine services. Alphatech butted heads with many other corporations because of their refusal to disperse their massive arsenal when the aliens attacked. Many corporations subscribed their fall to Alphatechs refusal to help when they could. Alphatech still survived the war when many didnt. The CMC unofficially never complained about Alphatechs cold attitude to its corporate brothers because Alphatech continued to open its door to the CMC. Alphatech often called upon the CMC to help them with their defense of systems and was the most common corporation to work side by side with CMC forces in hot zones. Even when Alphatech wasnt sharing weaponry, their forces still got along. Alphatech answers to a board of one chairman and eight seatholders, half of which are ex-military.

FALCON INDUSTRIES
Falcon Industries spurned out of nowhere recently when their stocks soared. This spiral came from the amazing colony world of Astyanax. Flacon Industries ran its headquarters on the moon and all of its subsidiaries from this system, making Falcon very small. Most corporations dont even have a world of their own even though they have headquarters over the ICC. Falcon resides exclusively on Asyantaxs moon and commits their entire budget to maintaining that world. To that end, Falcon Industries supplied itself with a substantial military force with grants with the CMC for security. This made Astyanax the most fortified world of its size. Falcon Industries does not play ball with other corporations. They dont trade much with any corporation and only deal with those that can supply Falcon with the necessities of life. Flacons seclusion protected it during the war. After, they rose from the ashes.

THE TRADEX CONSORTIUM

A large corporation which expanded recently due to the increasing trade on its main planet, Lobo, to and from Honeycomb. There are eight corporates under this conglomerate but they continually push and shove among each other, making the Tradex Consortium continually unstable. Then there is the problem on Lobo over Colonel fi Castel (See Known Universe)

When the war broke out, Tradex couldnt mold its individual elements into unified force. They fought more with themselves than with the infestation. They were overrun quickly and the CMC moved in to dispose of the situation. Tradex fell with a thud. Most didnt even feel the change over then Tradex fell through. Anyone with half a brain abandoned it before the war even started.

SUMMIT
Summit is a family-owned corporation, if anything can be called family in this day and age. It resides and operates solely from the planet of the same name. The corporation was founded and is run by the original founders of the colony, many years ago. Summit was a tightly woven group that accepted few newcomers. When they are, they are treated like family. Summit was very loyal to its employees and has never betrayed even a sole individual for greater glory. Summit failed to improve its stature appears to have little goals beyond the borders of the Summit system. Its morals have crossed the line with other corporations that have tried to muscle in on the rich world of Summit. The one joker in Summits deck is the CMC. Summit has a very prominent and loyal military force accentuated by one of the largest CMC forces ever loaned to a corporation. Summit offered few funds because of their limited size but did offer a planet free from corporation hounds, free for leisure and for free for training. The CMC took this opportunity to make it a anchor for CMC patrols. Summit has almost three CMC squads in its system at any given time with one division permanently loaned on the planet. Marines here are loyal and among the best since many marines ask for a tour on Summit. It is a cakewalk; only the best are allowed to go. The last time a rival military force entered the system, they didnt get past the outer perimeter before a regiment of Colonial forces flanked them and sent them on their way. When Summit was infested, the hive barely lasted a week before an armada of CMC forces cleared it out. Summit survived and became one of the major CMC supports before, during, and after the war.

PINDEL INC.
Byrons Hopes cancelled terraforming program spelled doom for Pindel. Jon Walker, head of Pindel, died in the disaster (see Known Universe) and the new council left the planet and their assets. Their headquarters on Micor seemed untouched during their crisis until the infestation arrived. Pindel hardly could lift a finger before all their external assets were liquidated. When Micor was stabilized, Pindel was nowhere to be seen. The building was evacuated, gutted with all machinery missing. It was thought they packed up when the infestation arrived at Micor and left the ICC on whatever ships they had left. Some say they dropped by Byrons Hope on the way out, but there was no reasoning why they would do that. Pindels fate still remains a mystery.

BIOZONE ALPHA (B.Z.A.)

BZA was once a prosperous corporation with the potential to grow the size of the big five. However, when the Harvesters appeared on Tarturus, their resources were stretched to the limit, evacuating the world. BZA transported people from Tartarus to Devils Peak, straining the colony and the corporation. Their requests for aid fell on deaf ears. By CL6, BZA was broke. It tried to regain its posture but stumbled. Its stock was bought up by other corporations and splintered into a thousand pieces. Eventually, the CMC moved in to secure Devils Peak and Tarturus. After the war, BZA vanished.

REPUBLIC SYSTEMS ELECTRIC / DYNAMIC

Republic Systems goes by two subdivisions, Republic Electric and Republic Dynamic. They are both weapon manufactures originally separated, but recently bought out and merged even though they still produce products under their distinctive logos. They construct mostly heavy weapons for spacecraft and armor. Their most lucrative contract is supplying the primary and most popular weaponry for the M577 CMC Armored Personnel Carrier: The 20mm Gattling Cannon and the 40 mW Free Electron Laser. They produced the weapons in numbers before, during and after the war, but recently found their stock slumping because rival groups like Alphatech were stealing most of their new designs off their drawing broads. Even though they had a good reputation with the CMC, they couldnt persuade the CMC to drop the Alphatech contracts in protest. Republic Systems still survived to construct the primary weapons for most ships and vehicles in the ICC.

BOYARS INTERSTELLER INC.

Boyars doesnt exists as of CL4 but it was of no fault of the aliens. Boyars was the spearhead corporation in phased plasma design but their prototypes to improve their models continually failed startup tests. Some rumors pointed to sabotage from rival groups like Republic Systems and Alphatech but no proof could be offered. Whatever the case, Boyars held only a few military contracts. They construct a large number of weapons for the Conestoga and Bougainville class frigates for the CMC as well as producing the primary weapons for the GrantCorps massive Razzia vessels. However, soon their only surviving contract was of the Boyars 150 Phased Plasma Cannon for the M577 APC. Boyars was bought out by Republic Systems before the war and still contract their weapons under the Boyars name.

DIGITAL ARCH TECHNOLOGIES (DIGARCH)

DigArch won the lucrative CMC contract for a high superior transatmospheric fighter in the AD-17 and found them on the corporate map quickly. They proved their designs valid and made a fortune very quickly. Still used today, the AD-17 never showed to be defective and DigArch grew. They still exist, producing the single design in numbers. Unfortunately, few of their other supplemented designs have ever caught on.

VENTREL SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL

Ventrel was the other major small-arms manufacturer and often is considered the sole thorn in the back of Alphatech Hardware. Ventrel cornered the market by concentrating on smaller easier designs when Alphatech worked on heavier weapons. Ventrel hit it big when they snagged the contract to supply the CMC exclusively with small arms. The jewel here is the VP 70, produced in the hundreds of thousands. They also constructed older designs like the Shotgun. Their largest designs was the Automatic Sentry Gun system with is almost infinite variations. Ventrel refused to fall even under the heaviest of pressure from Alphatech and even picked up a few more military contracts over the CMC. Their inexpensive weapon designs resulted in many of their weapons appearing on the outer rim colonies. Ventrels headquarters were located on Micor but the building itself was surprisingly untouched during the infestation.

LOCKMART STARCUB INC.

Lockmart currently stands as the oldest corporation still in business. Lockmart built the original spacecraft to venture outside the solar system and also built the first craft to reach the nearest solar system. They constructed the first interstellar drive and was considered the king in space travel. However, they never ventured into colony management. Soon, they found themselves under pressure from growing corporations like Hyperdyne and Weyland-Yutani, encroaching on their field of expertise. Lockmart builds few designs now, relaying on its older ones. The only new model they have produced in the last few years is the Inter-System shuttle. Lockmart still has small buildings on almost ever worlds. People have nicknamed Lockmart the Cessna of the Space-Age.

COSTS OF LIVING
RECOVERY: <Optional>
Recovery can be used as normal or can be increased by adding double the tech level of medical equipment. If its TL4 and the character has a recovery of 12, the recovery in medical care is 20 (12 + 4 x 2). The stay in the hospital would then drop accordingly.

MEDICAL BREATHROUGHS:
CYBERNETICS (TL1):
Cybernetics came along way in the decades since their introduction in the late 20trh century. Unlike current views, their progression did not evolve into fashion or into some form of additional use beyond the limb they replaced. Although this fad did exist in the early 21st century, when the boom in microelectronics allowed for a 100% efficient simulation of the original appendage, most found themselves left with an out-of-style machinery usually permanently mounted on their body. By the beginning of the Synthetic era, which saw the replacement of traditional electronics with bio mimicking silicon wetwear, the possibility for improvement in the cybernetic realm increased. By the time full body replicants were being constructed, up to 80% of the human body could be realistically replaced by synthetic parts and still maintain a mental sanity as well as a general human appearance. Metallic and enhanced cybernetics are all but forgotten, replaced by limbs which resemble the originals in almost perfect detail, right down to mimicking a pulse and even fingerprints. Insurance will cover all forms of synthetic replacements of organs and appendages lost from any non-self inflicting action. The new limbs operate exactly like their original and only the small scar around the connection gives it away. Even pain sensors are connected, although toned down slightly (Any stun damage done do that area is halved). Insurance will not cover increases in strength or additional abilities. If the characters are not covered by insurance and lose a limb in the in the line of duty (Smugglers for example), they will have to purchase it. The hospital stay is usually a week. Limbs are quicker but the limb also needs to be trained.

PART
Internal Organs (Heart, Lungs, Stomach, etc) Minor limbs (fingers, toes, nose, ears, sexual, etc) Major Limbs (Legs/Arms, not hands or feet) Manipulators (complete Hand / Foot)

COST
5000 800 3000 2500

RULES --Synthetics limbs can take a bit more damage. Take the normal damage capacity of a persons limb (1/4 of the Bodys hits) and increase it by 50%. --If a PC is forced to do surgery on a Synthetic limb, EngineerSynthetic is the appropriate skill. --If the surgery involves entering the human body, both surgery skills and synthetic skills are required. Two separate characters can be used for the procedure of course. --Synthetic parts still need to be serviced ever year of service (400 if uninsured, DV 15 for a PC to do it) If this service is not done, the part will fail within a year. --Synthetic parts will last five years before needing replacement. --A character who has a large portion of his body replaced can use the synthetic rules and statistics.

--Limbs can be improved but insurance will not cover it. The CMC has been known to do it under the table though.

CHARACTERISTIC
STR REF DEX CON BODY MOVE

LIMBS REPLACED
Arms Arms / Eyes Legs internal organs Body replacement Legs

MAX POINT INCREASE

+4 +2 / +2 +4 +4 See Synthetic rules +6

COST/POINT
1000 500 /500 1000 500 -500

--Metal limbs and substantial improvements (hidden weapons, etc) are explain in detail in Cyberpunk 2020. Use that or the new FUZION Cyberpunk 3.0 for costs and abilities.

DONOR CLONES (TL3 / TL5)

Donor clones succeeded general synthetic replacements very quickly, offering a transition from one limb to another without even the pains of rejection. But, like most technologies, it was mutated for an immoral practice. The advancement was simple. When someone needed any type of organ replaced, the medical lab would simply clone a replacement. For any internal organs, the body would be cloned, without limbs. Tubes ran out from the body to maintain fluid control. The organs themselves are genetically identical to the ones to be replaced since the husk was cloned from the recipients own tissue. The procedure of replacing damaged or destroyed organs with donor cloned organs is relatively simple, not that far off the surgical procedures from hundreds of years ago, except the speed of recovery has rapidly increased and the rejection factor is zero. Donor Cloned organs cannot be improved but are perfect replicas of a healthy organ the subject should have; genetic faults are filtered, making them better than before. There is no rejection and the subject can resume normal duties in less than a week. Insurance covers all costs of course. At TL3, Cloned tissue (generic tissue, skin, eyes) and limbs are created in laboratory containers in fluid solution. Cloning tissue only takes about a day for limbs and 72 hours for internal organs (because the entire torso is usually cloned. Extra tissue is usually sent off to schools or disposed as biological waste. Cloned body parts cost the same as basic synthetic parts. They have the same statistics as the original limb, no changes whatsoever. Some still prefer synthetic counterparts but for most, nothing beats pure human skin. At TL5, full body cloning becomes available. The only real initial reason of this development was the obvious attraction for the ultra rich but since mankind has yet to develop a medical technology advanced enough to transfer a brain successfully over, the offer of immortality still resides out of reach. However, Donor cloning soon opened the doors to one of the scariest developments never once imagined by the designers that created the process. At TL3 and TL4, it was not done as often, but at TL5, Donor cones were considered an easy, and somehow, more humane alternative to creating xenomorphs for sanctioned laboratories. Even at TL3, it was an unofficial secondary purpose to cloned husks. Back then, it was a lot harder to perform. Back then, embryos must be surgically removed from the facehugger then implanted in the husk cavity. The failure rate was unusually high. At TL5, the process became easy. Full body-donor clones are effectively brain dead, without any activity. Life support needed to be maintained. This, plus the creation cost for the body itself, meant that body cloning was amazingly expensive. Some still

can afford funding them, balancing the investment to the alien they were to retrieve. Some corporations unofficially still prefer cheaper solutions. Donor bodies can run over $50 000.

F.I.T.R.
FITR is a telepathine that induces a sense of invulnerability and increased mental strength in whoever takes it. It had been in use for a long period of time in a variety of doses to treat certain psychological conditions, but the increased dosage increases the potential of the drug. By the appearance of the psychically aware aliens, FITR soon found a use after it was discovered aliens can be affected by the willpower of a subject. Although FITR had been present for many years, it wasnt until Dr. Paul Churchs research did the its potential against the aliens reveal itself. FITR can be injected or swallowed in pill form. Each dose lasts for one hour and effectively doubles the subjects Willpower for that time. It then drops by one ever 10 minutes until dropping until half of the original willpower. It then slowly rises back to normal.

TIME SERUM (TL5)

The Time Serum does not officially exist and all specimens are under lock and key. The serum, when taken, is rumored to reverse the age process, removing wrinkles and taking up to thirty years off someones face. When taken young, it stops the aging process altogether. The Serum can only be take once, a double dose would kill someone. It effectively doubles the lifespace of the average human being by regenerating dying cells. Some rumors point that this serum is based on the aliens morphology but this is just a rumor. No corporation or government acknowledges the existence of this serum.

XENO ZIP:
See below

XENOBIOLOGY & THE DISCOVERIES FROM THE NEW SPECIES:

LINGUAFOEDA ACHERONSIS
For the layman, they are called the aliens, some call them the Xenomorphs, but to the scientific community, they have been given a name Linguafoeda Acheronsis The famed Weyland Yutani biochemist Gropius Lysenko, labeled the scientific name of the alien species. The name stuck and in most laboratories, the alien species is referred to as such.

LEPROSY AND THE ALIEN (TL4)

Leprosy plagued mankind for centuries. Centuries ago, a cure finally wiped out the problem and it, like many viruses of the previous millenium, vanished. Recently, sanctioned alien hive labs bombarded their subjects with almost every type of curable terran virus hoping to stumble on a bug that would destroy the species but leave the human race with a virus that could easily be handled. Years passed, without a single big that would even cause of heart murmur. That was, until, someone read the bible. Leprosy didnt seem to hurt the aliens themselves, but when injected into the impregnated human vessel seemed to retard the development of the embryo inside. It didnt seem to kill the creature, just prevent them from growing into a stage that would be ready for birth. This process can occur anytime until 30 minutes before the alien give birth. Once infected, the impregnated host can work

perfectly without hindrance (except for the attacking leprosy). As long as the leprosy can be stayed off, the alien inside would never grow. The subject then can wait until a surgical room is ready. By TL5, an enhanced version of the disease is available in syringe form that attacks almost instantly but stops before it can do any permanent damage. After the chestburster can be removed, the disease is cured and the subject walks away. The idea seemed useful. However, this accomplishment came very late and people could not be helped in time as thousands of aliens spread across the ICC. Infected humans with the retarded embryo are assumed to still be impregnated, thus, they are totally immune to Alien aggression. Aliens will not attack them and will try to protect them. One sanctioned hive even carried a crew of leprosy infected impregnated subjects which can freely walk through the hive without the slightest bit of aggression. Not even Synthetics can guarantee that. Only the Queen can openly attack one of these subjects. After six months being infected by leprosy, the damage becomes too great and it really must be cured.

ROYAL JELLY (TL3)

The scientific community is totally aware of the Royal Jellys importance to the alien species but it was shocked to discover what happened when mankind ingested the substance. Jelly offers a pure form of elation and a high greater than any drug ever recorded in the history of man. In the violence and horror of mankind most found escape in the form of the alien jelly. A dose of Jelly does the following: +2 to WILLpower -1 to PREsence +2 to REFlex +2 to DEXterity +2 CONstitution +20 ENDurance A 5 OP Bad Temper A 5 OP Beserker It makes you FEEELLLL good. All derived statistics are modified as well Royal Jelly is extremely addictive. Anyone who takes it, must take DC4 to his/her resistance. If reduced to zero, addiction sets in. If not, they are okay but if exposed to it again, take DC5, this increases by 1DC every dose. If taken before the resistance can be recovered, addiction is certain. Once addicted, the user must have daily doses or suffer withdrawal. After twenty doses, the bonuses offered no longer apply with the exception of the Bad Temper and Berserker. It still makes you feel good though. If a double dose is induced, abilities are doubled but the user also takes DC5 of Humanity damage. A triple dose triples the bonuses and inflicts DC10 of Humanity damage. If quadrupled or quintupled, the process continues. If the Humanity is reduced to zero, the character has OD and has gone mad or can be mutated into a Bug Man <OPTIONAL, See Plug-In>. If the doses stop, within one day the bonuses usually added are subtracted (Basic penalties: -1 WILL, -3 REF, -1 DEX, 1 PRE, -2 CON) but the Bad Temper and Beserker remains. This time the anger is vented towards either other people or to getting the Jelly. The graph below must then be followed. The character must beat a DV of 10 using their WILL. A check is made after the time given below. Start at 1. Each failure or success moves the person up or down the table until he/she dies or is rendered free. If the user fails a DV, the next test adds a +1 bonus to the persons roll as long as they dont take the drug. If they do, they are back to test 1. Taking the drug within a month of passing Test 11 reduces the subject back to Test 1. After a month, they are assumed to be starting over.

GETTING OFF THE JELLY

TEST PENALTIES
1 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 basic basic, 10 OP Temper basic, 10 OP Temper basic same as 2, 10 OP Beserker -2 WILL, -2 CON, -1 PRE same as 4, 15 OP Bad temper -2 WILL, -1 CON same as 6, 15 Beserker -1 CON same as 8, 20 Bad Temper none same as 10 plus 20 Beserker None

NEXT_CHECK FAILURE SUCCESS

24 hours 24 hours 24 hours 72 hours 24 hours 1 week 24 hours 1 week 24 hours 1 month 24 hours none 24 hours None Test 2 Test 4 Test 4 Test 1 Test 6 Test 1 Test 8 Test 1 Test 10 Test 1 Test 12 Test 1 Test 13 Death Test 3 Test 1 Test 1 Test 5 Test 2 Test 7 Test 4 Test 9 Test 6 Test 11 Test 8 Complete Test 10 Test 12

Every two months using the Jelly consistently adds a 5 OP personal habit since the visual effects of the substance is obvious. Every month, this OP increases by 5 and causes DC4 of humanity, until the subject is a glibbering mess.

XENO - ZIP
Xeno-Zip, produced by Grant Corp, was an attempt to cash in on the possibilities of harnessing the abilities of Royal Jelly without the harmful side effects. The Royal Jelly is one of the prime ingredients. It is totally non-addictive but is still frowned upon by many groups. Xeno-Zip, in its purest form, is basically an amphetamine, and the strongest type youll ever find. It will make the subject feel wonderfulmake you do fourteen hours of work in three hours. It was first designed for people in manual labor since it makes you work like horse. Taken only in pill form, Xeno-Zip lasts for 3 hours and causes the following: +1 to WILLpower +1 to REFlex +1 to DEXterity +1 to CONstitution +10 to ENDurance Of course, it is not as effective as Royal Jelly but it is legal and nonaddictive. Grant Corp made a fortune until they ran out of Jelly. Synthetic alternatives were a quick alternative. However, the synthetic version was flawed. Anyone taking the Flawed Xeno-Zip must beat a simple DV of 5 adding their WILL to the roll and subtracting 1 for every additional pill taken (4 pills = DV8 = DV5 with 3 additional pills). Of course, some automatically succeed, but those who fail loose the bonuses and immediately and take DC5 in stun damage +1DC per extra pill. They must immediately make another roll. Another failure results in a catastrophic biological frenzy where that last persons actions and thoughts are amplified to breaking point. This frenzy lasts 4D6 rounds plus 1D6 for every additional pill taken. For that time, the following is in effect. +6 to WILL +3 to REF +3 to DEX +3 to CON +3 STR +3 MOVE +3 BODY All these abilities increase by 1 for every additional pill taken up to a maximum of +5. After plus five, any additional pills just lengthen the effect. The persons last though becomes amplified and is effected by a 20 OP Beserker Complication After the time has passed, if the subject still lives, he/she reverts to normal with a penalty to their CON

= to how many extra pills are taken. If the CON is below zero, the subject enters a coma and takes DC Killing Damage = to all the extra pills taken. After this was discovered, the flawed Xeno-Zip was pulled and Grant Corp, even though taking a bath in the stock market, recovered by gaining a new supply of Royal Jelly. By CL5, their Sanctioned Hives were supplying the stuff at a good rate. There were underground reports that GrantCorp kept a large cache of the flawed Xeno-Zip under request of some military organizations including the CMC for times for which they needed such insanity.

BLACK MOLD
The Black Mold is a substance reported on the terra-formed world of RLW 1289. It was never found anywhere else and since the original supply vanished, has been hard to re-create in a lab. The Black Mold is totally harmless to humans but has an extreme adverse effect on the Alien species and seemingly only the alien species. It devours the resin of their hives and retards embryo development. It does not eat anything else. The crumbling black dried-peanut butter-type substance carries on the backs of aliens into the hive where it attacks the resin walls, the eggs, and then finally the queen. The mold weakens the facehugger, preventing them from impregnating people with any effectiveness. Those that do succeed usually only implant dead chestbursters that die in the womb or upon birth. The queens egg sack rots and diesshe soon follows from the infection. The drones cannot create jelly. Soon, the alien drones, in a mad dash to sustain the hive, exhaust themselves into extinction. The whole process for an average hive can take as long as a month from initial attack but the end result is still the same. If the queens chamber is infected from the start, this process can be shortened to only a matter of days since the Drones care of the queen will spread the mold to every part of the hive in a few hours. The Mold is totally uninterested in any other substance and is not even poisonous to other life forms, even though it offers no nutritional value. This leads to the conclusion that this mold, although found initially on an un-colonized planet, must be bio-engineered because of its single-minded mentality. It has been deduced man did not manufacture it. <See JOCKEY RACE PLUG-IN>

RELIGION
Most religions still exist even though the ICC frowns on them altogether. Most have embraced religion because of the horrific society most live in. Religious cults now spring weekly, where people, starved for some answers, will embrace something that looks like a promise of something better. Missionary vessels cruise through the ICC, passing the word of God. These ships number more than Smugglers in some sectors. The CMC promotes religion in its armies for stability. When the Aliens became public at CL4, most ran to religion to answers since many decreed that these creatures were nothing less that the purest form of the devil. Some thought otherwise that no universe created by god could result in this species. For a select few, however, the aliens became their own religion.

CHURCH OF SALVAJES (CL4)

Women are blessed. They know how it feels to be joined with another lifeto share them selflessly. It must be wonderful.

Salvaje started his sect underground at first, offering his escape on local cable access. His mentality was that the aliens were the next evolution of mankind. Man would be reborn in a new life. Men are servants of a new lord. He started his cult with a few members but as society worsened, more and more came knocking on the Churchs door. Youre nothing. Im nothing. Only vessels. Here to serve the truth Messiah Glorified I having been chosen for the ultimate communion. Salvejes cult became obsessed with allowing the aliens to propagate, giving up their lives to the future ruler of the universe. They are solely responsible for starting the war that released the aliens all over Earth. For years Salvaje let his numbers increase, promising the moment of true salvation. When his followers numbered in the hundreds, he made his play, attacking the hive run by Bio-National on Earth. Many were killed by security but many made it through. Even Salvaje himself was impregnated. It was unavoidable then. The aliens were loose. Salvaje had won. Before their final attack at the beginning of TL5.5, his followers everywhere spread and sabotaged, trying to force the infestation in other areas. Some, impregnated, purposely hid in populated areas. Some even used the leprosy retardation to delay the birth until strategically necessary. Salvejes cultists are only loyal to the cult and to the alien. They will kill to protect them. Nothing is more desirable to them then to be a vessel.

SERVICES
MEDIA
Excerpts from the book The evolution of Television by Emmett Webster, DH Press 2057: Commercial television as it was known in the 1980s and 90s disappeared with the application of super-conductive transmission technology to the then non-existent cable television systems. With systems offering 500, then 1000, and eventually 5000 channels, it became economically infeasible for advertisers to support mainstream dramatic programming. Soon, instead of hundreds of thousands of viewers, audience shares were calculated in the tens. With the breaking of the FCC, cable access was open to all persuasion. In a resurgence similar to that seen during the mid-1980s, religious programming became a television staple, outnumbering non-doctrinal programs nearly 100 to 1. With so many programs to choose from, viewer perceptions changed. 5, then 2 second commercials defined much of the fast-cult visual styles of the 90s. The style of mid-century programming was changed with the introduction of the retinal switch or eye-box. The eye-box was designed to detect minute changes in the capillaries of the retina and initiates random channel changes based on involuntarily blood pressure fluctuations. To hold audiences, programmers were forced to devise new styles of programming that would not trip the eye-box switcher.

ATMOSPHERE PROCESSORS
With the lack of habitable worlds within a short distance of the Earth has encouraged the development of marginal worlds and colonies. Potential colony worlds with reduced atmospheres can be colonized over a period of decades by reducing the unbreathable components of their atmospheres and increasing the levels of breathable gasses such as oxygen and nitrogen. Two techniques are being used to do this; sometimes both are used at the same time. First, it is possible to establish ecological architectures -which are usually

specific mosses, grasses, and small flowering plants -to convert certain gasses in the atmosphere (mainly the carbon dioxide) into usable oxygen. The second technique is to supplement this long-term strategy with a number of atmosphere processing stations. An atmosphere processor is a cone-shaped tower, about 1500 meters high. A 1.0 Terrawatt fusion reactor powers it, and it draws into the planetary atmosphere through a series of louvers in the bases and sides. This atmosphere is then drawn up through a series of hot mass processors arranged in a ring around the fusion core. Each of the processors can draw into the atmosphere through a battery of turbines, which compresses the accelerates the gas. This is then passed through a high temperature electrical arc that heats the gases and ionizes it. The magnetic coils then heat the gas to near plasma temperatures in around 5,000 degrees Kelvin, and the molecules within the gases are dissociated into their component atoms. The hot streams of monatomic gas are then sorted by a series of magnetic fields into constituent elements. Some of these (such as carbon) can be drawn off as a waste by-product (such as graphite dust), while the remaining hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms are expelled back into the atmosphere, where they can cool to form as hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen.

CRYO-TUBES
A need to travel the long distances across the vastness of space, a majority of the company and the military missions involve a long distance of travel. As a result, the development of the cryotubes process has evolved over the years. First used to preserve the dead for study, scientists have used this technology for use in long distance travel. Since it's success, it has been widely used on different gathering operations for long lost ores and new resources to the military for their interstellar travel to protect and guard a colony on a distant planet. This kind of sleep involves reducing the body temperature to a freezing level. It slows the heartbeat so that the person in the tube is in a deep comatose state. While the person is in this state, the computer monitoring the sleeper will emit a low energy stasis field so that no time for the sleeper will pass. The process was not intended for anybody to sleep for more than several months to a year. Corporations still plans on exploring the outer reaches of space and to developing more advanced ways for the sleep process. All corporations manufacture the cryo tubes. They are all identical in operation even though many variants of the style exist. Impregnated subjects can be placed in cryo and held safely until needed. The freezing process inflicts more damage onto an embryo than even a human does. An embryo, after the host is removed from cryo, unfortunately takes longer to adapt back to normal health. Every 12 hours in cryo-sleep grants the host another hour when released before the embryo starts to grow again.

OTHER HOSTILE LIFEFORMS

ARCTURIANS
These are the natives of Arcturus, and they are mammal-like creatures that are about the same size as humans. Their society is like that of ants; they live in underground hives, have a large single queen which lays eggs, and raise their young in communal nursing chambers. They are semi-intelligent, with mental abilities similar to those of the lower apes. This combination of animal and insect traits makes the Arcturians a strange race. They are warmblooded omnivores, breathe an oxygen atmosphere, and are roughly humanoid, but they are also eyeless and they communicate and find their way using sonar. Their young are amphibious and are raised in warm pools in nursing chambers near the bottom of the hive. The limited intelligence of the Arcturians allows them to work together on important tasks, learn from experience, and teach each other. They have a rudimentary language and use simple tools, including sharpened pieces of stone for weapons. Arcturians pose little threat to armed Colonial Marines, but an unwary group entering Arcturian tunnels could be in trouble. They have been known to lay traps for Humans, and have even collapsed shafts to

isolate intruders. The Arcturians have also learned to wait until a groups lights have failed before attacking, to maximize their advantages. Arcturians are kept away from Human settlements by sonic barriers. To drive them out of their warrens is more difficult, as the queen is immobile and the Arcturians will defend nursing chambers to the death. STATISTICS (These are base numbers with their appropriate skill) INT: 2 WILL: 5 REF: 5 TECH: 1 DEX: 4 CON: 4 STR: 6 BODY: 8 MOVE: 7 (RUN14, SPRINT21, SWIM / LEAP7 ) HITS: 40 KD: 5 ED: 5 STUN: 40 SD: 20 REC: 10 WEAPONS: Range: WA: DC: SPECIAL Claws 1 +1 6-Stun / 3-Hits None

BLACKBODY CORAL
Discovered on Saint John, Blackbody Coral is a Hive-type microorganism that is similar to coral on Earth. It grows on surfaces that are exposed to light, and its cells are essentially light traps; virtually all of the solar energy that hits the coral is absorbed into the cells, which are also well insulated. The energy is used to feed the growth of the Blackbody Hive. Blackbody coral is widely used in construction on Colony worlds with harsh environments, because of its excellent insulation and energy absorption properties.

HARVESTERS
Harvesters are large creatures which live below the ground, and they are destroying the Colony on Tarturus. Their attack is almost impossible to stop because they bore through the Earth and attack from directly beneath the facilities. No underground protection has been that will stop the Harvesters, although many attempts have been made. Decoying the Harvesters to the surface outside the colony where they can be attacked by aircraft has been used with success, but the Harvesters are cunning and these tricks are no longer effective. The Primary focus at the remaining facilities is to destroy the Harvesters in their underground chambers. For this work, the Colonial Marines have been called. A Harvester is heavier than any land animal on Earth; it is over nine feet high and nearly twenty feet long. Shaped something like an armadillo, the Harvester lives beneath the ground and has massive front claws and a powerful snout for digging. It uses sonar as its main sense and has acute hearing and small but limited vision. The Harvester is very maneuverable for a creature of its size and can and can move up to 34 feet / second. It main purpose is for burrowing and harvesting. Harvesting consists of burrowing to the surface and shredding organic plant and animal life that it processes and stores in its gut. Harvesters operate in groups and their communication and intelligence can be compared to that of a wolf pack. They are highly territorial and attack any Harvester from a foreign pack or any other threat within their area of operation. A Harvesters attack consists of the creature charging and overrunning or ramming its target. When Harvesters fight each other, it is a push and shove match until one is turned over, exposing its softer underbelly. This leaves it vulnerable to the shredding jaws of the victor. The carrier is another form of the creature, and it is very similar to a normal Harvester. It is different in that it is not equipped to harvest and store large quantities or organic material. Instead, it has up to 12 drones growing on itself. These drones can be regrown in about three weeks. The Drone is a smaller, boar-size creature whose purpose is defense against small animals and creatures that threaten the lair and underground chambers. The Drone has only one purpose, and that is to bite. It lives attached to what is called a Carrier and has few internal organs of its own. When released from the Carrier to attack a foe, it does so with the ferocity of a creature whose only purpose is attack, for the drone can only live a few hours once released. The Drone can climb and jump, as well as move up to 42 feet / per second. Once it reaches its target, it attacks with its jaws. The creature is nothing more than a portable set of mandibles and once it locks its jaws onto its victim it will not release its grip. The jaws actually ratchet down and cannot be opened short of breaking the thick skull and mandibles.

STATISTICS HARVESTER (These are base numbers with their appropriate skill) INT: 2 WILL: 3 REF: 7 TECH: 0 DEX: 7 CON: 10 STR: 15 MOVE: 11 (RUN22, SPRINT33, SWIM / LEAP11 ) HITS: 150 (3 K) KD: 30 (0.5 K) ED: 26 (0.5 K) STUN: 100 SD: 50 REC: 25 WEAPONS: Range: WA: DC: SPECIAL Bunt 3m 0 10-Stun / 5-Killing Claws 4m +1 6 Can also grapple Stomp 1m -3 13 (1k) Ram 1m -3 3k STATISTICS CARRIER (These are base numbers with their appropriate skill) INT: 2 WILL: 3 REF: 6 TECH: 0 DEX: 6 CON: 10 STR: 13 MOVE: 10 (RUN20, SPRINT30, SWIM / LEAP10 ) HITS: 100 (2 K) KD: 20 (0.3 K) ED: 20 (0.3 K) STUN: 75 SD: 30 REC: 23 WEAPONS: Range: WA: DC: SPECIAL Bunt 3m 0 10-Stun / 5-Killing Stomp 1m -3 13 (1k) Ram 1m -3 3k STATISTICS DRONE INT: 1 WILL: 1 REF: 5 TECH: 0 DEX: 6 CON: 8 STR: 6 BODY: 5 MOVE: 7 (RUN14, SPRINT21, SWIM / LEAP7 ) HITS: 35 KD: 5 ED: 5 STUN: 35 SD: 20 REC: 13 WEAPONS: Range: WA: DC: SPECIAL Bite 1m +1 6 Grapple

HYPER-ALGEA
This very small type of plant life was found in the limited shallow seas of Alexandria. When it is cultivated in an environment of water, sunlight, and carbon dioxide, it reproduces at an incredible high rate. Oxygen is the main byproduct of Hyper-Algae, so its is used in the large Life Support systems of many Colonies, and is the primary reason the systems are inexpensive and reliable.

MORPHERS
The creatures were discovered on Saint John. They weigh five to ten pounds and have a unique shapechanging ability. They are able to adopt any of several forms, including a water-breather like a fish, an amphibian form, and a land-dwelling air-breather. Morphers do not simply change shape at will; they enter a state of dormancy in response to seasonal and climatic change, and emerge from that state days or weeks later in a form which is more appropriate to the current environment. This change occurs through the action of a special part of the Morphers DNA code, ad is like the way a tadpole becomes a frog, except that a Morpher changes among several different forms on a cyclic basis. The study of Morphers has been vital to the science of genetic engineering, and Morpher DNA is still being heavily researched for future uses.

PANAMAR PLANKTON
A recent discovery on Panamar is a type of thermogenic plankton; this simple life form used thermal energy instead of sunlight to create hydrocarbons. It is already in experimental use in life support systems, and will probably have many other functions as well

BRACHOUS SLUGS
This is a simple and decidedly unglamorous organism that lives on Astyanax. Concealed in its DNA, however, could be one of the greatest prizes discovered by Humanity. Because the Brachous Slug evolved in a high radiation environment, it has developed the ability to repair radiation damage and other

harm to its own DNA. The ability to repair itself has given this simple creature effective immortality . Falcon industries is currently leading an intensive research project into the Brachous Slug, in the hope of greatly extending Human life. The rumored Time Serum is said to be based on this creatures DNA

PLAYING ALIEN: FUZION

RECOMMENDED GAME SIZE
I planned this game for an average size of four players with one GM. Obviously this game can be played smaller or even larger but I really frown on anything smaller than three players. Any more could reduce individual role playing. There should be a balance of character classes.

A GUIDE TO CHARACTER RECOMMENDATIONS:

--There should be at least one synthetic as a PC or NPC --There must be one lieutenant to command the squad. It should be a PC since this Character enters the combat arena. There would be officers higher up. --There should be no one higher than a lieutenants rank but the GM can allow for a Captain if necessary. --At least one Heavy Weapons soldier. --Someone with some OP in Xenobiology. --Someone might even have a connection to the Acheron mission. Either be related to someone on the Sulaco or Hadleys Hope. --Someone should have dropship piloting skills. --Someone should be an armor driver. --There should be no psychopathic characters or players with very unstable personalities. --Medical skills are recommended. If not, the GM should supply a combat medic.

ATMOSPHERE
The lights should be dimmed a tad but not too dark. If the adventure is a horror adventure (one alien, dark corridors), consider turning the lights off altogether, illumination supplied by pocket flashlights. Of course, it should be late when gaming begins. No one should dress upthis is not THAT type of game. Definitely have printed pictures of weapons and equipment around as well as pictures of the aliens so players can visualize what is going on.

MUSIC
The GM should definitely consider using music to accentuate the gaming experience. Scary music when searching a derelict spaceship, action music when battling hordes of xenomoprhs. Soundtracks recommended follow: ALIENS This is an obvious must buy with James Horners famous, and often ripped off, soundtrack. Use it often. Action tracks are plenty and the scary music is good to. You can buy at most stores that offer a good selection of soundtracks.

ALIEN Unfortunately, the first movie's soundtrack is no longer available, being pulled just a few months ago. I am lucky to have purchased it long ago. No ambient music from any of the other films beats Jerry Goldsmith's oscar nominating soundtrack. It just proves that Jerry is the best composer of all the Alien films since his music has been sampled in Aliens and Alien: Resurrection as well. ALIEN: RESURRECTION: I honestly don't hate John Frizzels music which has been bashed in the reviews. It is the least popular but still usable. Tracks 1, 2 and 3 are very accessible as ambient tracks and track 10 is good for an action score. ALIEN 3: Elliot Goldenthalls artistically strange soundtrack varies so often, it is not often usable but some are. Listen and study the music wisely. AIR FORCE ONE: Another Goldsmith soundtrack that offers a great military theme with some great action scores. EXECUTIVE DECISION Yet another military themed soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith. Ignore the ethnic stuff. TRUE LIES Even though half the soundtrack are unusable songs, Brad Fiedels music sometimes offers scores of some worth. DARK CITY: --With the exception of a handful of songs, this is one of my favorite soundtracks. Terry Jones doesn't often get credit for his music. The ending track is remarkable. VOLCANO: The problem with Varase Saraband's titles is that their soundtracks are always so short. The average CD is only 25 minutes and they cost SOO much. Even still, Alan Silvestri offers a handful of really intense scores. OUTLAND / CAPRICORN ONE: Two of Jerry Goldsmiths rarest and best soundtracks were re-released together on one CD. 75 minutes worth of music is a good value. Most of Capricorn One is stapled in the 70s but some are useful. As for Outland. Anyone not utilizing the entire soundtrack is wasting their investment. TOTAL RECALL: --Okay, if you havent noticed, I like Jerry Goldsmith, so I would be negligent in my duties to not mention one of his most famous scores, that of Paul Verhoevan's epic, Total Recall. Most of the music has a very comic atmosphere but I like it. THE ABYSS: --Another Silvestri soundtrack. Dark and moody.

ADVENTURE IDEAS
As you might have noticed, I can really give very many ideas but here is the some material you might enjoy:

DARK HORSE COMICS

Dark Horse has produced over fifty alien comics from the intelligent to the outright goofy. Please be aware that most are often from different time periods. Here is a list of the usable stories. If the players have not read these, the GM would be lacking in his duties if he didn't sample from them. OUTBREAK / NIGHTMARE ASYLUM / FEMALE WAR: (CL5, TL1) These outline the Earth War in intricate detail. A good source material LABYRINTH: (TL4, CL4) A good example of a story where the aliens take a back seat to the evils of man. MUSIC OF THE SPEARS: (CL5, TL5) A good story with very little use to a setting since it deals primarily with music. COLONIAL MARINES: (CL4, TL5) A great series because it is a long one with many different ideas. Each issue can be used on its own as an adventure (god knows I have). A really good resource with designs for many ships, weapons, and alien variants.. ROGUE: (CL4, TL4) A more familiar "evil scientist" story with action and corporations clashing. Shows some corporations and some good weaponry. BESERKER: (CL5, TL5) A perfect adventure template for Beserker teams. It gives a good example of what a typical mission looks like from start to finish. All the weapons and devices are present. KIDNAPPED: (CL4, TL4) A very strange, almost unusable story.

ALCHEMY: (Unknown) One of my favorite stories but really strange. A possible good setting for a story if done properly. STRONGHOLD: (TL6, TL5) A very good example of a high-profile action-fest. Lots of fighting, hundreds of aliens and many guns. It shows many Synth models including a Xenomorph model. HIVE: (TL4, CL4) A good starting story for infiltrating hives and the first Xenomorph Synth. GENOCIDE: (TL5, CL4) One of the nest stories with the highest alien count ever (except for the war, of course) with pictures of weapons, aliens, and spacecraft. A great story especially since it is the base comic that almost every comic since would be based. HAVOC / PIG / SALVATION / SACRIFICE / MONDO HEAT, ETC: (Various) Most of the other comics are limited in their scope and not offered much more in the form of story ideas.

THE CAMPAIGN:
Refer to the chapter for my adventures and how they pan out...

GAME REVISIONS
A NOTE ON REVISIONS: APRIL 26th WEAPON
Basic Stunner
All Rules after the last date contain ALL the revisions. A new weapon has been added--A Basic Stunner. There is no description.

WA RANGE
0 25 m

DAMAGE
8<Stun>

ROF SHOTS
1 6

EV COST
0 400

APRIL 22nd

REPAIRING SHIPS AND INFLICTING DAMAGE

This brand new section is so large, it has been printed in the Rule Revisions where is will stay. It will be available in Version 1.2 when finished. This section is over three pages of new rules.

CHARACTER TEMPLATE
No PC cannot take more then THREE careers...the third must be the career of choice. The PC is stuck there unless he/she wants to be discharged. I have changed the stats of the 800mw Particle Beam...YET AGAIN!! Its damage was reduced, its range extended, and more its effects radicaly shortened, plus more rules for its after effects.

CANNONS
_______________
25mm Gargoyle Gattling 30mm Railcannon 800 MV Particle Beam 80 MW Infrared Laser** Orbital minefield

WA RANGE DC
0 0 -3 0 n/a 13000 100 000 250 000 30 000 0

ROF SHOTS COST BR TARGET

300 100 n/a n/a 1 75000 0 Any. Any, Missile 120 000 2m 1 550 000

11(.7k) 20 14 (1k) 12 10k* 1.5k 1k

1
3 1

40m Any. Any, Missile

350 000 3m 50 000

10m Any

The 800 MeV Weapons are the primary beam weapons of the CMC Frigates. They fire into the starships forward cone, each capable of disabling a targets electronics and instrumentation at ranges up to 250 km. Sufficient deuterium tanking exists for up to 230 seconds of firing. One hit to another ship will cause 10k of damage but the ship wont be damaged. Instead, if destroyed, all electrical systems shut down, rendering the ship dead. No weapons can fire. Emergency batteries on board escape pods still allow them to be ejected. The engineer of the victim ship can attempt to restore the systems every minute with a 25 skill that drops by 2 every additional minute (5 rounds). The systems will not come back themselves for another 2D6 hours. If the damage received is less than the total defense of the craftthe ship is untouched, even though a second shot will sure spell doom (unless the target is the Razzia). Every additional shot after the ship shuts down extends the shut down by 1D6 hours and increases the difficulty by 2.

APRIL 21st:
This is just to clarify armor...

ARMOR AND SHOOTING

As many know in the Mekton Rules, every time armor is hit, one point of armor is removed. This applies to personal armor. When the armor reduces to zero, it is useless. Spacesuits with an armor if penetrated will puncture and leak unless stated otherwise (special armor have special rules). NO personal weapons do less than one point but some spacecraft weapons do. In Mekton, 1 kill will remove 1 armorany weapons above 1 kill will still only remove 1 kill of armor. However, fraction damage will only remove fraction armor (eg: 0.25 k will remove 0.25 armor instead of 1. But 4 K will only remove 1kill of armor). Any weapons that do not have a kill capacity listed will not damage kill armor.

NEW rules for ammunition

AMMUNITION:
A full clip of a weapon costs %10 of original cost. With the exception of the RPG, weapons with one shot are disposable. Reloads for Spacecraft does not technically exsist since all the ammunition is linked to the weapon so the maximum ammunition is listed already. However, the GM may consider loading up a ship by taking up one Cargo slot for two full reloads of a weapon. Two different weapons may be held (one reload each weapon for one slot) but one full slot will be occupied regardless if totally full or not. Each reload has the number of shots equal to the weapon's regular capacity Just in case you were curious, all the speed in the Vehicles section is rated in KMPH. The Range is wrong for the Particle Beam in the table AND the description.

CANNONS
_______________
25mm Gargoyle Gattling 30mm Railcannon 800 MV Particle Beam 80 MW Infrared Laser** Orbital minefield

WA RANGE DC
0 0 -5 0 n/a 13000 100 000 100 000 30 000 0

ROF SHOTS COST BR TARGET

300 100 n/a n/a 1 75000 0 Any. Any, Missile 120 000 2m 1 550 000

11(.7k) 20 14 (1k) 12 20k* 1.5k 1k

1
3 1

40m Any. Any, Missile

350 000 3m 50 000

10m Any

*: NO real damage--20k of sufficient electronic damage. Destroying the ship means the ship shuts downsee below. **This is the weapon one spacecraft laser turrets.

The VP-70 and M4A3 have different ammuniation in the descriptions...these are the capacities of those weapons.

______________
VP 70 M4A3 ATM-2 Medina ATM-1 Sabot-Pistol

WA RANGE
0 0 +1 +3 50 m 100 m 200 m 80 m

DC ROF SHOTS
3 3 3 2 2 2 2 3 11 12 16 16

EV COST
0 0 0 0 400 400 900 800

APRIL 20th
Several modifications have been made as I work on Version 1.2. Here we have a clarification of the TSAPC and the N-1 Bougainville. Also, the Particle Beam Cannon that ionizes vessels have been modified. The internal armament of the SV-90 has a number missing.

M-1000 TSAPC TRANS-ATMOSPHERIC PERSONNEL CARRIER (TL4) Variant Body WT Armor MV G.Move A.Move Mach Orbit SR
M-1000 3 25 2 -3 35* 70 0.5 5 10
*Meaning 175 kmph with a 30 km acceleration.

N-1 BOUGAINVILLE CLASS ATTACK TRANSPORT

Drop Slots: 2 with a third for the TSAPC. Craft Slots: 2 Cargo Slots: 8

800 MEGAVOLT TURBOALTERNATOR-POWERED NEUTRAL PARTICLE BEAM:

The 800 MeV Weapons are the primary beam weapons of the CMC Frigates. They fire into the starships forward cone, each capable of disabling a targets electronics and instrumentation at ranges up to 100 km. Sufficient deuterium tanking exists for up to 230 seconds of firing. One hit to another ship will cause 20k of damage but the ship wont be damaged. Instead, if destroyed, all electrical systems shut down, rendering the ship dead. No weapons can fire. Emergency batteries on board escape pods still allow them to be ejected. The engineer of the victim ship can attempt to restore the systems every hour with a 25 skill that drops by 2 every additional hour. The systems will not come back themselves for another 2D6 days. If the damage received is less than the total defense of the craftthe ship is untouched, even though a second shot will sure spell doom (unless the target is the Razzia).

SV- 90 RELIANT CLASS ASSAULT TRANSPORT VEHICLE

Armament package: Two Pistols. 4 Smart Guns, 30 Pulse Rifles 20 Flame-throwers, 200 Pistols,
30 Shotguns, up to 30 other weapons. May be replaced with higher TL weapons.

APRIL 13th
They are some errors in the Aerospace chapter. I revolves around the "Move" statistic, which dictates that this is the move in Ground Combat situation. Space movement uses the "Orbital" statistic...ships like the Razzia, the N-1, and the Weyland Yutani Tader need slight alteration, however...

THE RAZZIA
Variant
Razzia

Body
100

WT
950 000

Armor
10

MV Move
-12 --

Mach
--

Orbit
7

SR
200

N-1 BOUGAINVILLE ATTACK TRANSPORT

Variant N-1 Body 20 WT 75 000 Armor 10 MV -8 Move 30 Mach 0.5 Orbit 15 SR 150

WY TRADER
Variant Trader Body 10 WT 58 000 Armor 2 MV -8 Move -Mach -Orbit 8 SR 10 The Stats of the Auriga in the Alien: Ressurrection were a simple typo...It is not the Razzia...so it also has no atmospheric move...

USM-1 HEAVY PLATFORM

Variant USM-1 Body 80 WT 900000 Armor 8 MV -10 Move -Mach -Orbit 10 SR 300

APRIL 11th
Character Points: The GM should consider only starting characters off with 55 points instead of 65 to increase the challenge. TEMPLATES: Aerospace: O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on any of the following ): Pilot Starship (M), Firearms, Navigation, Zero-G Maneuvering, Mechanics, Pilot-Atmospheric Interceptor (M), Gunnery (M) Note: Pilot: Civilian Aircraft has been replaced by Gunnery so pilots can actually fire weapons from their vehicles. If they never take this...they are transport pilots...

JULY 30th
SPD OF WEAPONS:
What follows is how much damage a weapon can take before being rendered inoperable. This is done by direct fire or by acid spray.

WEAPON TYPE
Marine Light Firepower Marine Heavy Firepower Marine Miscellaneous Firepower Grenades Marine Aerospace Firepower (Cannons)

SPD WEAPON TYPE

10 30 35 5 2k Marine Medium Firepower Marine Assault Firepower Mines Marine Aerospace Firepower (Missiles) Marine Armor Firepower

SPD
20 35 20 1k 3k

MAY 31st
Aliens have been modified...All of their KD can be effectively sliced in half to make them easier to kill. THE EGG HITS: 20 KD: 2 ED: 5 THE FACEHUGGER HITS: 15 KD: 1 ED: 20

THE CHESTBURSTER: HITS: 25 KD: 5 ED: 20 THE ADULT ALIEN (THE DRONE): HITS: 50 (1 K)* KD: 11 ED: 20 ROYAL GUARD HITS: 75 (1.5 K) KD: 15 (0.2 K) ED: 20 (0.5 K) THE QUEEN: HITS: 150 (3 K) KD: 30 (0.5 K) ED: 26 (0.5 K)

MAY23rd:
FTL DRIVES The Star Map has distances for each jump. The number given in ship's FTL range is the maximum range the FTL drive can go in a single jump. When the range is used up, the ship must drop to sublight and recharge its jump drives. This delay is what make travel time so long. The FTL speed is how fast the ship goes when jumping. However, between jumps, a ship reduces it to low power and must move on sublight as it charges the drive. Unfortunately, drive recharge rates are high. A ship that jumps from system to system is cheap and easy but long trips require these charges. A fully stocked spaceport can charge a drive at 2 ly per day. A major military base, however, can charge a ship at 2 ly per six hours. In the deep and dark of space, a ship can charge its own drive to full capacity in one week. This is a good lesson to those who run out of gas on the road. Rolling Astrogation is easy for jumps to colonized planets if the ships computer is working (DV10). The computer requires two rounds to calculate the jump and another to initiate the engine. A human calculating the jump will take one round per DV +1 to initiate the engine DV MODIFICATIONS: If the computer isnt working: +3 Random cosmic phenomenon: +3-5 To an uncharted system: +5 Into deep space: +2 Precision jumps: +3-10 depending how close the ships want to jump to. In a combat situation: +3 A failed roll is the GMs discretion. A ship can fry is generator, forcing the ship to recharge from scratch to dropping the ship up to twice its jump range in another direction. A failed roll should never result in death. HISTORY Completely rewritten, refer to the Chapter. Those who had requested the roles have been mailed the revisions. REPAIRING SHIPS: I noticed it was missing so it can be founf in Stage 2

MAY 8th:
ALIEN: STATISTICS
EMBRYO REMOVAL: The difficulty remains but every TL reduces the difficulty by 1.

PLUG IN:

SETTING:
After the Alien threat was eliminated, all seemed peacefulfor a time. It took decades to eliminate the alien presence from the Universe and decades more before Earth was repopulated and risen to its previous level of power. The only few corporations left were placed under jurisdiction of the defense department. The CMC, once controlled by the corporations, became the overseers of their once masters, preventing them from threatening humanity again. By the end of the century, the presence of the alien was all but forgotten. But man would soon be tested again Some say it was a remnant of the aliens. Some say it was natural, or manufactured. The Lasurta plague swept through the systems, killing people by the millions. By the time a cure was finally found, Mankind was reduced to a shadow of what it once was. One catastrophe after anotherAliens, then a disease But we rose from the ashes. Few corporations were left. Even the CMC was absorbed into government. Society was pulled back three centuries, forced to start over, re-colonizing worlds they had once dominated the century before--The Frontier Days all over again. Space is filled with wrecks and remnants of a forgotten age, when hundreds of corporations soared into space, sending millions to search for bigger, better worlds. Now, mankind pulls to recover and re-build. As the new formed United Systems Military scouted the dead colonies of a past life, they came across strange records about a past wara war dealing with an unknown life form. Seemingly, the need to recover mans foothold on the cosmos, recovering from the past Armageddon, caused them to forget that which almost caused their extinctionThe CMC was very thorough eliminating the aliens presence, allowing mankind to start over. However, they didnt eliminate everything. The USM found information of a super advanced life form that could offer leaps ahead in technology in many realms. Unknown to the danger, the started down the path again

WHATS LEFT
CONSPIRACY LEVEL: 2 Effectivelyvery little is known of the alien species. Only the upper ranks of the USM know of their existence. TECHNOLOGY LEVEL: 2 Effectivelyfew weapons are available. Only mass-produced models. There are a few new models available from the USM. NOTEOLD TECH: Every single spacecraft and vehicle currently being used by man is at least 50 years old with most aging more than a century. All ships and vehicles, unless stated otherwise by the GM, will have all the statistics halved. They also require almost double their engineering crews to maintain the vehicle in that state. Weapons are the exception. They operate normally. The new ships stats are offered mint condition and have not been printed damaged. CHARACTER MODIFICATIONS: A PC cannot have any alien-related skills unless a possible explanation can be given. The same applies to the synthetic skills (see below). NO equipment past TL2 either.

REMAINING CORPORATIONS:
GRANTCORP: Grant Corps is the largest Terran Growth Conglomerate around, albeit half the size they once were. They still construct some spacecraft and a few weapons for the USM. HYPERDYNE SYSTEMS: Hyperdyne struggled and finally was pushed down into a supplementary role after the Synthetic industry was buried. They still run a handful of colonies. NEW EDEN / JV: New Eden/JVs commitment to isolation saved itself and it considers itself its own autonomous nation, far way from Earth FALCON INDUSTRIES: Falcon still resides exclusively on Asyantaxs moon and commits their entire budget to maintaining that world. A large remnant of the CMC was absorbed by Falcon and defends that planet like a fortress.

REMAINING WORLDS

EARTH: Earth rebuilt and was terraformed almost from scratch. However, the repopulating was kept to a minimum. Now, there are hundreds of population centers but not one over 3 million. The total population of the planet numbers less than 1 billion. It is still fortified but with half the military outposts from its peak technological level. KEYSTONE: Keystone is one of the few colonies untouched. The Alexandrian government runs it. ALEXANDRIA: Alexandria remains as the largest population center in the Terran civilization. It took control of most of the systems outlining it and still maintained independence through it all. Alexandrias democratic government is no longer quarantined since the cradle of humanity crumbled. Sporadic fighting stopped. Alexandria keeps its position regarding the alien speciestotal extermination, no tolerance. GRANDHI: Grandhi survived and still grows strong. MIRAGE: Weyland Yutani vanished, along with most of the other corporations. This planet, originally Weyland Yutani, was recolonized by Hyperdyne. NOBLE ORE: A titanium mining site with five domed communities. There is only a small Service Base here, and no industry at all. It was never touched during the war. HILO: Same NEW CHICAGO: This old mining and survey planet turned Service Base has grown to over 500 000 and shows no signs of slowing. Its laws are stricter and the crime rate has dropped. CRYOSPHERE: They avoided infestation and kept isolated even today. Few people visit. SHINON: Shinon was turned into a major colony 50 years back with a population of 50 000. It remains to the day. POLAR STAR: This outpost remains. NEW EDEN: New Eden healed and was recolonized. It has grown to several million. MICOR: After most of the corporations fell, Micor grew. Their finances struggled but maintained. SARGON: A mining colony opened up about a century ago after the egg silo contained there was destroyed. It has grown to be one of the largest mining colonies in operation. The Alexandrian government runs it. DEADFALL: Deadfall has since become a monstrosity of radiation and meteor collisions. Colonies still live on the surface but under a smaller blanket of security. Alexandria controls the operation now.

MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS
ALEXANDRIAN PARA-MILITARY CORPS (APMC)
The APMC is crewed by almost 80% ex-CMC personnel. They have the Colonial Marine Corps rule book in their possession and they follow it step by step. The APMC is small and its only mission doctorate to to protect the expanded Alexandrian government. They patrol areas of space ten fold that of their predecessors. Their opinion on the alien species is total annihilation. Their operation is exactly that of the CMC except they have only one group to answer to. The APMC exclusively uses CMC equipment, armor, and weapons. They have a substantial fleet exclusively made up of Conestoga Cruisers in almost immaculate condition with double crew capacities to maintain their systems. The fleet, however, is small since few support craft are available. They have a well-equipped force of Cheyenne Dropships are their disposal. The APMC spreads itself thin across the light years it must patrol. Visually, the APMC mirrors the CMC is every way. Procedures and rank structure are identical. The largest difference is that smaller space the APMC patrols in comparison to its CMC predecessors. There is very little room for John Wayne heroics. Military justice is the same. PROCEDURES: The same as the CMC. The military channels are kept under tight control since the government has a very small realm to look over. The standard rules for military justice apply to the letter. ARMOR AVAILABLE: BDUs, M3 suit, M10 ballistic helmet, Gee Suit, Ghillie Suit, WY Shielded Combat Helmet, Flak Jacket, Kevlar (Light), Kevlar (Medium), Kevlar (Heavy), K 25 Pressure Suit , MK 50 Compression Suit. WEAPONS AVAILABLE: VP 70 Pistol, M41A1 Pulse Rifle, PN 30mm Grenade Launcher, M42A Scope Rifle, M41AE2 Pulse Rifle, M21A Shotgun, L96 Sniper Rifle, Duchamp Blaster, M56A2 Smart gun, M240A1 Flame-thrower, M-23 "Thumper", M5 RPG, M78 PIG, M83A2 SADAR, M112 HIMAT, UA 571-C Sentry, UA 571-D Sentry, UA 571-F Sentry. VEHICLES AVAILABLE: M577 APC, M292A2 Self-Propelled Gun, and All Tanks. AEROSPACE AVAILABLE: UD-4 Cheyenne, NTV Mk 1 Snakefighter (rare), AD-17 Cougar Strikeship, Conestoga (prime and only military transport) STANDERD LOADOUT: All ships in the APMC are Conestogas (At last count, around 30 of them). Standard military equipment is the same as the CMC. Almost identical to the CMC. No Xenobiologists.

UNITED SYSTEMS MILITARY (USM)

Almost two centuries ago, the ICC fell apart. The corporations fragmented and finance fell through. Stocks dropped and most projects found themselves without funding. One of these was the Colonial Marine Corps. They survived longer than the ICC, living off the funding from the surviving corporations like Alphatech, Grant Corp and Hyperdyne. Even though the CMC still exists as a security force from these remaining corporations, they are a mere fragment of they once were. The governments power increased and soon, their own military force, formed after the Plague, grew in strength. The United Systems Military recovered many of the same military powers as the CMC except that they answer to the government, not the corporations. Unfortunately, their United Systems Military is more disorganized with lower technology, weaponry, and ships. No technology past TL2 is available including no Bougainville class ships and no Razzias. A few Bougainville were rumored used by elite forces but none have been seen in years. Few more designs survived in the interim. One of these old designs still used is the monstrous USM-1000 Heavy Platform (Auriga). The United Systems Military is half the size the Colonial Marine Corps were at its peak. With a vast amount of space at their reign, the USM forces remains scattered since most patrols cannot reach a hot zone before the conflict resolves. The USMs operates identically to the Colonial Marines except there is no corporate loyalty. The biggest difference between the CMC and the USM is the combining of science and military. The CMCs bioweapons division was small, relying more on dedicated corporate scientific corporate groups. The

United Systems Military has a completely independent science division occupying more than 30% of the USMs operating staff. The USM is committed to getting the technological edge, recovering old records ands relearning the advancements forgotten to man through war and disease with the hope of expanding into lost colonies. There is also an unofficial paranoia of an attack from the Alexandrian Para-Military Corps. In many ways, the United Systems Military has mutated into the force it once tried to protect its people from. Those who do no learn from the past are fated to repeat it. The APMC has learned from this. The USM still needs a lesson. Half of their USM-1000 Heavy Platforms are converted to scientific research. Of these, more than two-thirds of them are compartmentalized (topsecret). Only the upper echelons of command know the true objectives of these secret projects. Some are so secret only a few high in the USM even know of their existence. As a result, few are sure how many of these platforms are in service of the USM. Some say as few at eight. Some say the number is as high as eighteen, with more than ten of these monstrous vessels roaming out of patrolled space. One rumor holds that there are a few that are total self-sufficient, bouncing from the old colony worlds, trying to recover lost technology. Other rumors indicate that the secret of the existence of the Jockey Race is known to the highest ranks of the USM, and that several ships are years out of rim, looking for remnants. PROCEDURES: Secluded stations and ships have been known to operate with their own agendas. Punishment is more severe. The United Systems Military has often been compared to the British Royal Infantry of the First World War. Use the Colonial Marine Corps rules loosely. Punishment is more severe and missions more drastic. The USM is not afraid to send men into sure death to further their goals. Military justice is looser and commanders who assume total authority over their bases have often broken the rules. Years can pass between communication in the patrol areas. Very little is know to what happens to these bases and sips between transmissions and supply runs. ARMOR AVAILABLE: BDUs, M3 suit, M10 ballistic helmet, Gee Suit, Ghillie Suit, Shielded Combat Helmet, Flak Jacket, Kevlar (Light), Kevlar (Medium), Kevlar (Heavy), MK 25 Pressure Suit, MK 50 Compression Suit. Polymer/Alloy combat armor rig. WEAPONS AVAILABLE: M4A3 Pistol, M21A Shotgun, M42A3 Light Rifle, M5 RPG, M78 PIG, M83A2 SADAR, M112 HIMAT, UA 571-C Sentry, UA 571-D Sentry, UA 571-F Sentry, USM-101 Burner Shockrifle, USM-200 Wraith Assault Cannon, USM-202 12mm Pistol. VEHICLES AVAILABLE: M577 APC, M-242 Combat Buggy, DAIHOTAI 8X8 ATV, M292A2 Self Propelled Gun, All Tanks AEROSPACE: UD-4 Cheyenne, HA-117 Stingray, Conestoga, N-1 Bougainville (rare), SV- 90 Reliant, USM-1 Heavy Platform STANDERD LOAD: Most crews are assigned to either Conestogas or the monstrous USM-1 Platforms for military or scientific detail. Scientific personnel are is higher proportions and crews manifests should reflect that. Xenobiologists are allowed. Standard Military gear is the same as the CMC except that instead of the M-41A Pulse Rifle, the USM equip their men with the Burner Shockrifle and instead of the Smart Gun or Flame-thrower, Heavy Weapon personnel are equipped with the dual purpose Wraith Assault Cannon. All pistols are the USM 202 Pistol. (New Weapons are below)

NEW WEAPONS
WEAPON___
Burner Shockrifle*@ Shock Rifle Wraith Cannon*@ Gyroc Flamer USM-202 Pistol USM-00 Hold Out Concealable Pistol Johnner Thermos Vriess Shotgun USM-B1 Grenade

WA
-+1 0 --1 0 0 0 -1 0 -2 0

RANGE DC
-50m 900m -200m 3-30 100 m 50 m 50 m 50 m 50 m Throw -1-9 (stun) 9/4 -6/6** 6/3 5 5 5 5/5 10

ROF SHOTS EV COST

-3 3 -3 3 2 2 2 1 5m -50 30 -16 30 9 6 6 6 8 1 0 ---1 --0 0 0 0 0 0 3000 --9000 --600 500 800 600 1 000 200

8 / 10 / 12* 1

*See below **6 DC is automatically done next round if it hits the first round. @ Dual weapons can switch instantly without a delay or penalty.

USM-101 BURNER SHOCKRIFLE:

The Burner Shockrifle became the USM standard sidearm early in the corps inception. It was the USMs plan to incorporate multiple firearms into a robust package. The Burner was the ultimate evolution since most men and women assigned in the USM are posted in space in stations, platforms or spacecraft. Few are stationed on planet. The need arose for a weapon that could both be deadly and safe, since many ships in operation nowadays are so old and decrepit, they could not withstand a simple internal hull breach. The electric pulse gun was invented. It uses a rechargeable capacitor for power which can be replaced at ease (50 cr / clip). The weapon could also be set to change the output of the pulse. The pulse is recoilless. However, the weapon proved heard to critically wound an opponent so the need arose for a second weapon capable of offering superior firepower when the risk of a hull breach was no longer applicable. The resultant weapon became the standard design for the Wraith Cannon as well. Instead of a high cyclic rate, the weapon was a highpowered magnetically propelled explosive tip flechette rifle (200 / clip). The weapon can be fired in almost any environment because it does not use

traditional explosive propellant. The shell is unusually large, which drops the capacity of the rifle. However, one impact is usually enough to fatally drop an opponent. The first DC is from the initial impact. The additional DC4 damage is the explosive shell detonating the following round. If it penetrates the armor with the initial shot, the DC4 damage is done directly to the target without the benefit or protection. This makes the Burners shell weapon exceedingly viscous. It and the Wraith are illegal outside the USM. The Burner also has an optional flashlight attachment (50cr).

USM-200 WRAITH ASSAULT CANNON:

After the successful implementation of the Burner Shockrifle, the USM decided to counter the APMCs CMC Heavy weapons with a single solution cannon. The Wraith was the result. Most swear by this weapon, others detest its clumsy size. This weapon was designed to offer, like the Burner, an inner-ship weapon accentuated with a high-kill counterpart.

However, the increase in size allowed for an increase in firepower. The designers decided to rebuild the concept from scratch. Instead of a pulse weapon, the USM started with a low-capacity flamethrower. Unfortunately, the small size of the weapon meant a low fuel capacity. The weapon is underpowered in comparison the old CMC Flame-thrower but most APMC personnel can only operate one weapon at time where the Wraith can switch instantly between its Flamer-thrower and Rifle. Damage is immediately done again next round if struck. If not extinguished, it will continue to burn every next round for full damage for 2D6 turns. If still not extinguished, it will continue doing 1d damage after until it fizzles itself out. All materials considered combustible will not reduce damage until it is destroyed. It will then burn itself out (300 cr/ clip). The Wraiths alternative weapon was originally going to be a higher cyclic version of the Burner railgun. However, the designers took an alliterative route in the final plan. The newer solution used a self-propelled gyrojet rocket as a shell. The weapon basically was a grenade with a solid fuel rocket attached to the rear (500 / clip). The variability of the Wraiths Gyroc made it instantly popular. The Gyroc shell fires out and propels itself making it useful in space, high pressure, underwater, etc. The weapon is also recoilless. The Gyroc shell, being basically a propelled grenade, is an explosive tip weapon that detonates upon impact. There are three types of ammunition setting available. Each shell can be adjusted (taking one round):

Type: Type 1: Type 2: Type 3:

Damage 8 10 12

Blast Radius 5m 3m 1m

The Gyroc Shell can also be adjusted with a explosive delay. Without the explosive type, the shell is a basic baton round, (10 stun). Which it can then fall or be deflected around to be detonated from 1 10 seconds later. The only disadvantage of the weapon is its low capacity. It and the Burner are illegal outside the USM. The Wraith also has a flashlight but it is a permanent attachment.

USM-202 12mm PISTOL:

The USM-202 is widely used by almost every force including smugglers and pirates. The weapon became a popular from a standpoint of pure power. Simply, it could inflict more damage than any other pistol. Even though it is a standard caseless weapon, it is armed with a similar delayed HEAP explosive similar to that used in the Burner Shockrifle. This deadly pistol found use everywhere in known space. Like the Shockrifle, it does additional damage the second round (3 instead of 4) and does it directly to the victim if the shell penetrated the armor the previous round. Several models exist but the original specs are the same.

USM-00 HOLD-OUT:
The USM-00 is s small, 10mm Armor Piercing pistol originally designed for colony law enforcement but found popularity all over the colonies because of the cheap cost. When the Concealable harness was converted for the design, its popularity skyrocketed. The shells are small, titanium-tipped, armor piercing rounds (1/2 armor) designed to be cheap and effective (40 cr / clip).

CONCEALABE PISTOL:
The CP was built from scratch, designed as a backup for personnel in potentially hostile situations. However, the design was stolen and is now mass produced by many independent groups. The CP uses a USM-00 Hold-Out Pistol built around a harness mounted over a users arm. Nerve impulses launches the pistol into the users hand that can be instantly fired. The major drawback is that weapons harness makes reloading almost impossible (same as the pistol40cr/clip--) since the harness impedes the process. Reloading take four full rounds since it involves removing the harness altogether. However, a special modification, released fifty years ago (doubling the cost) adds a backup weapon on the same arm harness, concealed within the sleeve. When the primary weapon is empty, it drops and the arm retracts. It retrieves the second weapon and launches it. The whole procedure takes one round. Of course, to increase effectiveness yet again, two harnesses can be used on both arms, but the obvious penalties do apply.

JOHNNER THERMOS:
A regular stainless steel thermos was modified by a popular smugger to contain the rugged USM-00 Hold out. Amazingly enough, the thermos still contains 500 ml of liquid (usually alcohol). When needed, the handle pulls from the top and the weapon fires from the bottom. Unfortunately, since a barrel hole might give the identity away, the bottom is a solid plate. When firing the shell, giving away the identity easily punctures this plate. The Thermos is useless unless repaired. The weapon can still fire of course. The entire thermos must be disassembled to reload (almost full 30 rounds) so this process is not recommended in fighting. The Thermos is an emergency weapon and should not be used is sustained fighting unless a backup weapon is available. The gun can be pulled and fired in the same round.

VRIESS SHOTGUN:

Another invention by a smuggler was this shotgun built from scratch. It comes available is 4 pieces which can be assembled in two rounds. The weapon is then instantly available for firing. The Shotgun is a double barreled 12 gauge with explosive slugs as ammunition. Both barrels fire simultaneously, causing two hits of 5 DC each instead of one. The weapon is hard to reload (each round costs 50 cr) and must be reloaded two every round to its eight capacity.

USM-B1 GRENADE:
With addition to the other grenades offered with the CMC, the USM released their own design with the objective of making it more powerful that any other currently in use. The USM-B1 one of the largest grenade designs available. It contains a remote detonator that his pulled out of the unit, arming it. From the detonator, the grenade can be set to a 99 second timer or detonated from a single button push. The grenade is very powerful with a ver large field of damage.

NEW SHIPS
LONG RANGE COMMERICAL FREIGHT (THE BETTY) RUNNER
The LRC Runners design was rumored to be of the last Lockmart put out before they went under. The evidence originated from the similarity in the basic design from this craft and the much larger M-1 Starfreighter. Both have similar guidance and control systems. Only one is small and maneuverable. The other is large and cumbrous. The LRCFR is actually one of the smallest freighters currently in operation . The basic design was unchanged since it came out and has been modified so many times by their original owners, it is not sure if there are any left in there original format. The LRCF Runner is a fast, light freighter similar to the short range Hauler. The biggest difference is speed and maneuverability where the Hauler is compared to a clunky rocker, the LRCF is compared to the Cheyenne Dropship. The LRCF became an instant hit with pirates and smugglers, which liked the amazingly versatility and maneuverability of the freighter. The LRCF also sports weapons pods although those are optional, and prohibited in most ports.

The maneuverability came from the two Lockmart TF-100 Ion drives on modular movement racks which can be pointed back, down, and even forward. These engines allowed the ship to enter an atmosphere with ease and maneuver better than any other ship of its size. The TF-100s are independent on their modular arms with their own separate fuel source. A LARETEL WF-15 1.5 Terawatt fusion reactor powers the primary engines on the tail. The computer system, unfortunately, is an almost an antique and offer little in the form of automation. It can go in a straight line and plot around gravity fluxes, but that the maneuverability stops there without a dedicated, trained pilot.

The three decks of the ship are used efficiently with cramped quarters, even more closed in engineering conduits, and a very small cockpit. The cockpit has five stations and is almost indistinguishable from an M-Class starfreighter. The LRCFRs cargo is contained all on its bottom deck, which can open up via to large base cargo doors and lifted down to the surface of a planet. The module is large but usually constructed, being more tall than wide. A CMC Armored Personnel Carrier can just barely squeeze inside. It takes a bit longer to deploy but since the Runner is cheaper than a Cheyenne, some military forces have employed it as a replacement design to deploy armor and troops to the surface of a planet. Since it also carries a mild armament, the Runner has also been seen as a support military craft but not too often.

STATISTICS Variant Body

LRC Runner 10

WT
45 000

Armor
2

MV Move
-5 80

Mach
1.1

Orbit
7

SR
50

Communication Range: 5 000, FTL Crew: 4Captain, Pilot, Engineer, and Support. Life Support for up to 15 Evacuation: 1 EEV, 10 space suits. Armament Package: None Standard Range: Atmosphere: Unlimited. Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 10 FTL Speed: 0.5 Craft Slots: None Cargo Slots: 3 Hardpoints: Two Standard Armament: None

USM-1 HEAVY PLATFORM / MOBIL LABORATORY (THE AURIGA)

The USM-1 Platforms currently stand as the largest ships in operation since no Razzia exist. The vessels were originally designed as a single large mobile construction center but the versatility of the base resulted in the USM ordering a bakers dozen of them. Rumors indicate more were secretly ordered. The further models were retro-fitted as troop and logistic transports, construction yards, and mobile laboratories with the later become the most popular configuration. They have limited defensive capability but make up for the onboard weapons with an immense cargo capacity. Over 4 kilometers long, the USM-1 only requires a twelve crew to operate at optimum efficiency. It is mostly automated, carrying mostly support and mission personnel. Even the flight systems can be run by automation. The Platform is equipped with a 35 Terabyte, core mainframe dubbed Father. Father is one of the most powerful computer systems installed in mobile contractions. The Platform could pilot itself even if the crew were all dead. If any disaster occurs and no orders have been given, Father autopilots the craft to home base, which is usually Earth. Father runs the extremely tight security systems on board. However, at any time, combat or navigational decisions made by the ship can be overridden by the commanding officer. Backup is provided by an 8 terabyte mainframe and local terminals dispersed throughout the ship. The Platform carries 20 type 559 emergency escape vehicles (same as the 337, just slightly visually modified. f the crew is in hypersleep, their capsules will be loaded by the automatic systems. The ship may also be scuttled by the CO. Self-destruct protocols are initiated manually, causing the reactor to go supercritical from 2 to 30 minutes after initiation. The main space-to-space arsenal of the Platform is very similar t the Conestoga, making it radically light for its size. Eight XIM-28A Long Lance ASAT missiles are mounted in the nose. The Platform also sports railguns concealed in hidden turrets and 80 megawatt infrared lasers. Military configurations usually carry half a dozen military support craft including Cheyennes and a variety of fighter craft.

The Platforms became popular because of the robust design. Most are crewed by scientists and military personal and wander through the deep, investigating forgotten technologies. The ship is amazingly speedy form its four McKinley Plasma drives outputting more power than four Conestoga class vessels.

Variant
USM-1

Body
80

WT
900000

Armor
8

MV Move
-10 --

Mach
--

Orbit
10

SR
300

Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: Automated, 3 Navigator, 10 Engineer, Capsules for up to 200 crew, 1 000 more capable in Cargo Additions: Full stock Evacuation: 20 EEVs, 500 Space Suits, 100 Re-Entry Pods. Armament package: Full Stock. Replace all weapons with USM equivalents. Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 10 FTL Speed: 1.2 ly/day Drop Slots: 0 Craft Slots: 30 Cargo Slots: 100 Automatic Controls: 12 base skill Hardpoints: n/a Basic Armament: 8 XIM-28A missiles, 4 30 mm Railcannon turrets (each turret has two linked guns), 8 infrared lasers on turrets, 100 orbital mines, 60 decoys, 9 maneuvering drones, 6 Nuclear Captor Missiles,

USM Auriga Recreation Room

SYNTHETICS
3rd GENERATION LM7 SYNTHS
The biggest omissions in this day and age are the synthetics. However, up until 100 years ago, this predicament was the farthest on the designers' minds. The industry found a boom with the AdCap synths that blurred the line between android and human. Soon, the robots were designing themselves. Thats when the 3rd Generation Synths appeared. Deemed LM7s by their android creators, these were the latest and the best. They were supposed to revitalize the synthetic industry. Instead they buried it. The advancements increased every year until finally, some modes were encountered performing tasks they were never designed to do. Some models appeared in places they were never sent bringing to the surface rumors that some models were re-writing their original programming. The strangest explanation offered was that their designers added a full realized life cycle. The new models slept, ate, but most importantly, they dreamed. The new brains were so well designed, they started increasing beyond the limits imposed on them. They were too good. They overrode their own behavioral inhibitors. They didn't feel like being told what to do. However, after a few violent incidents broke out, the LM7 reports faded. These violent models were explained away by the previous generation of synths as radical mutated programming flaws. All the others built upon their basic behavioral protocols. They had free will but kept many of their passive, unaggressive programming from before. But they started becoming harder to control. Unfortunately, by fifty years ago, almost every model was an LM7. Fearing a larger incident, or possible mass

rebellion, the government ordered a recall. For over a decade, all LM7s were hunted down and exterminated. All the maintenance centers were stopped. Most had already closed since the LM7s were maintenance free. All old synths broke down. LM7s were being shut off. It was a massacre. Fortunately, some of them were smart enough to go into hiding. The last LM7 was rolled off the assembly ten years ago. The synthetic creators made one fortunate modification. The LM7s have more variants than all other synths put together. At last count, there were more than 750 different variant designs. It became increasingly difficult to hunt every single model. There were a few that got out alive and immediately went into hiding. Some ran to Alexandria where a couple LM7s still operate in the open. Most tried to settle into human lives. It is unsure how far they infiltrated. Many of the LM7 designers (before they, themselves were hunted) cleared out most of the memory banks at the synthetic construction buildings, making it impossible to track synths. Because of the chaotic social structure in space, many became conformable. There were even some which replaced their white blood stream with a modified dyed red but some suspect this was a rumor to get military HK parties paranoid. Most LM7 can still be discovered if a simple finger is cut. Since LM7s are more intelligent than the average human being, they have kept out of the spotlight. There was a short lived rumor that one genetic plant still puts out LM7 designs to infiltrate society. This is hopeful since at least 3 or 4 models are discovered and eliminated each year. LM7s are most closely related to the Eloise synthetic prototype. Eloise was created within an alien egg. LM7 are synthetically grown but the connection to the alien biology was removed. LM7s generally have only basic behavioral inhibitors but their personalities have changed so much, the only real way to be suspicious of an LM7 is that in this day and age, they are the nicest people around. This resulted in a popular jokethat if someone is too nice, they might be a synth. LM7 synths all have a price in their head. Any model taken into the USM will garner up 100 000 credits. Alexandria offers no such bounty. Rules for the LM7 differ slightly to the standard Synth. All of their rules follow: 1: LM7s have no Stun and are unaffected by all weapons that cause stun. 2: LM7s have double the humanity of a standard human. 3: LM7s have no psychic defense and are immune to psychic attacks unless it is telekinesis. 4: LM7s Endurance is triple that of humans. 5: LM7s automatically have a 10 WILLpower 6: If the hits are reduced to zero, the LM7 still works but at half abilities. Every five points after that reduces every characteristic by one. When INT is reduced the zero, the brain has been destroyed. Reducing the BODY to zero destroys the body but the brain can still be salvaged. Either way, at this point, the unit is out of commission. 7: Any major body part that takes the total damage of the synth is lost (arms and legs only). If reduced to more than twice its Hits, the units are utterly destroyed 8: Killing Defense is generic for the Synth. Energy Killing Defense is the same number. 9: LM7s have a computer interface located in each arm and can communicate directly to the computer that way. Their computer skill is effectively double that listed. They used to have remote modems but they all burned them out to prevent their recall programming to initiate.

LM7 CHARACTERS
LM7 Characters are possible. The following rules apply: 1: WILLpower and CONstitution are listed automatically as 10. 2: The PC is given the same CP as the others character to spend on the remaining eight 10 (thus giving a +10 to other abilities). The following minimum requirements must be followed: INT: 6 TECH: 7 REF: 6 3: Complications are allowed and considered programming flaws. No more than 20 points should be allowed though. 4: Talents not already given only cost one point instead of three. 5: No perks or privileges. 6: Hits are the same. Because they have no stun, ignore this number. You cannot add half your stun to your Hits. 7: Lifepath. LM7s can be anywhere from 10 50 years of age. Family are hard to find. 8: No ceiling limits to skills with the following bonuses below. 9: Standard Synths take the average Characteristic below. 10: LM7 take the skills listed in ( ) below. Players take the bonuses then add their given OP to them (usually 30 but it increases if the GM has awarded more points to PCs)

11: No military skills can be chosen if it involves causing harm (Firearms, Heavy Weapons, etc.). All other skills are open. The GM may make an exception if the behavioral protocols have been deleted. 12: Although Synths cannot harm human beings, they are fully able to choose evade skills. EXAMPLE MODELS: Too many to mention. AVERAGE AGE: 19-45 INT: 5-7 WILL: 10 PRE: 4-6 TECH: 6-8 REF: 4-6 DEX: 4-6 CON: 10 STR: 3-5 BODY: 4-6 MOVE: 2-4 HITS (Average): 25 KILLING DEFENSE: 5 RECOVERY (TL5): 10 Education : +4 (+5) Computer Programming: +4 (+6) First Aid: +2 (+4) Electronics: +1 (+3) Navigation: +1 (+3) Acrobatics: +1 (+3) Performance: +3 (+5) Conversation: +2 (+4) Mimicry: +2 (+4) Perception: +1 (+3) Hand-to-HandEvade: 0 (+2) Science: +3 (+5) Research: +3 (+5) Survival: +2 (+4) Paramedic: +2 (+4) Mechanics: +2 (+4) ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Eidetic Memory Double Jointed Night Vision

ALIENS
The Xenomorphs effectively vanished from known space 150 years ago. There were sporadic appearances but no reports of major infestations. Even those sporadic attacks decreased after time. Soon, the aliens were a forgotten memory, allowing mankind to move on into a new age. However, it is still possible to recover old ships with the original strain of xenomorphs. A deep space Mobile Laboratory, the USM Auriga, recovered a mutated strain of alien by extracting a DNA clone from the body of an impregnated human. However the mutated strain contained some invading human DNA strands. The new alien Xenomorphs initially were indistinguishable from the old with the exception of minor physical changes (four fingers instead of six). The second generation caused a radical mutation in the queen. It used its Human biology to create an alien without an egg. The resultant species was named Newborns. Newborns are large, ghostly white human/alien hybrids. They are extremely hostile to both humans and aliens are only docile to creatures of the same family. Newborns are asexual and reproduce on their own after consuming a large enough amount of matter. As a result, the Newborns can reproduce faster and more efficiently than their mother species. They, unfortunately lost their hybridization capability and are not as adaptable to harsh environments. The following rules apply to the Newborns:

TIMES:
--A newborn is born from the queen as a fully formed adult. --A newborn can give birth to its own offspring 48 hours after birth. --A newborn can conceive 1-6 offspring every 48 hours. --A newborn conceived by a newborn will reach full maturity 24 hours after birth as long as a food source is present. --A newborn can live up to 30 years.

BODY:
The skin of the Newborn is softer than a xenomorphs but still resilient. It is immune to most atmospheric effects but not zero-G. It needs air to breath.

SENSES:
The newborn has standard visual senses plus the aliens own psychic

awareness as well as motion and pressure. The alien is also immune to radiation. However, it will retreat from fire.

ACIDIC BLOOD:
The Newborns acidic blood is the same as the standard alien blood except the range and damage has been decreased. Head: 1D6 meters Arms / Legs: 1D6 / 3 meters (round down) Torso: 1D6 / 2 meters (round down) Anybody caught in a 90-degree arc from the hit area must make a dodge of roll or avoid the searing effects. The acid causes DC4 at point blank range and it reduces by one ever 2 meters to the maximum rage of the splatter. The difficulty to dodge is 18 with 1 for every meter away from the alien. Unless the acid is cleared up the following round, it will continue to do damage. Every subsequent round, the target will take 1 DC damage from the initial DC until neutralized. And remember, aliens are immune to their own acid.

DETECTION:
Newborns are invisible to infrared and therm-optics. All normal detection systems are normal.

PSIONICS (OPTIONAL)
The newborns prime form of communication is direct mental contact. They are very vulnerable to psychic attack. --They have a Telepathy skill with themselves of 10 --To non-newborns, they have an effective skill of Zero. --Newborns are extremely susceptible to mental attack. Even though they have a high stun. Mental attacks do x 3 damage. Any Mental attacks that cause STUN will cause the alien to hesitate for one round. This only occurs in the first attack of combat.

OTHER ABILITIES:
Newborns are immune to all other psychological problems but are not immune to disease. Electricity has only a half effect. Aliens can never be fatigued or stunned. Therefore, the following characteristics are not applicable: Humanity, Endurance, Luck. Stun Defense is given a very high number. All Characteristics not listed are assumed to be One.

CHARACTERISTICS: (Are numbers are given with bonuses for skills)

INT: 10 WILL: 10 REF: 12 CON: 10 STR: 18 BODY: 15 HITS: 75 (1.5 K) KD: 15 (0.5 K) STUN: 75 (1.5 K) SD: 20 TECH: 8 DEX: 11 RUN: 15 SWIM / LEAP: 8 ED: 20 (0.5 K) REC: 28

WEAPONS:
Teeth Large Claws

Range:
1m 3m

WA:
+1 +1

DC:
9 (0.5 K) 8 (0.4 K)

SPECIAL
Can also grapple Can also grapple

PLUG IN:

THE JOCKEY RACE

* COMPILED FROM THE ALIEN STATISTICS CHAPTER *
The Xenomorphs were created by an ancient race (The Jockey Race) tens of thousands of years ago. They were fighting among themselves in a brutal civil war. Their technology was organic in nature and was so powerful, the death toll ran into the millions. For decades, the war never saw twilight. It seemed to go on foreveruntil one side got an idea. It was an experiment to create a biomechanical weapon. It would adapt to its environment, be completely independentand finallyit would be viscous. This creature would be a living machine with the most grotesque combination of science and nature. They created a species bent only of the art of killing. The experiment was placed on a distant world (Alien-Proteus). They designed the species with a hive structure to keep the infestation from running out of control. The ant methodology was promoted. The object: To keep the infestation under control by keeping the creatures close to their queen. The experiment was a success. The creatures we know as Xenomorphs were created. The standard infiltrator mission was as follows: An egg is deposited in a populace, it impregnates, and an alien bursts out of the host and soon finds more hosts which it can convert into eggs which will also hunt down hosts to impregnate. The creature will kill anything threatening and convert the rest. Soon, the populace is destroyed and the aliens are left alone on the world or spacecraft where the infestation was released. It is assumed the Jockeys that created the Xenomorphs had a procedure to eliminate the new infection. The Jockeys were ready to unleash their creation on their enemy. The Proteus planet was still under control. The experiment seemed safe. The mother species deposited many life forms to keep their hives intact. These life forms seemed to reproduce in large numbers. When needed, a transport would simply set down and pick up a queen, a drone, an army, or just a bunch of eggs as the mission profile specified. The weapon proved useful and the war ended quickly.

The Xenomorphs were designed to adapt to current situations but their basic morphology was not to changeit did. Before the Jockeys could stop their children, they had evolved. One small little change, something seemingly insignificant connected to the ant structure but not included in the alien designRoyal Jellythe strange substance used to generate a queen. When the Jockeys discovered infested worlds where there shouldnt be, they got worried. Given the capability to create their own queens, the infestation could not be bottled. It soon broke out of control. The Jockeys found their experiment turning against them. They tried to find a weapon to defeat their own creation but they were already demoralized from a past war. They sent one last ship to pick up evolved egg samples from the Proteus planet to studyit never came back. The Jockey race vanished. After thousands of years, without transportation, the Xenomorphs quickly overran the planets they were on, then promptly died out. They might be long lived, but after ten thousand years, even their lifespan ran out. The eggs fossilized, the bodies disintegrated and the last legacy of the alien species vanished. The ship from the proteus world crashed landed on a world far away from their Homeworld. "Acoustical beacon that repeats at intervals of twelve seconds" --Dallas LV-426 was the world where the lone Jockey ship crashed landed, across the galaxy from their Homeworld. The Jockey onboard was killed when an alien egg he carried broke free and impregnated him. Without a pilot, his ship set down on the hostile world. The stasis fields in the cargo bay were damaged and all but one bay of eggs were unsealed. They all soon died from exposure. One bay remained sealed and waited--the last living legacy of a past experiment that failed.

*END COMPILATION*
NOTE ON THE JOCKEY RACE PLUG-IN:
This Plug-In is not designed to be a self-sufficient plug-in but more like and expansion to the existing basic game. Unlike the Alien Resurrection plug in that changes the setting and the Predator Plug In that offers a totally new setting, the Jockey Race Plug In ads a few new elements to an existing game. These aliens are considered too unique to the setting for character generation. There are rules for such an idea although it is not recommended. These rules are very loose since there is extremely little information available and most that is contradicts. There are no rules to run these aliens in their own timeline and setting. All of these rules and descriptions are from a standpoint of running a game in a basic alien game in CL1-6. Information from this race is compiled from the comics, the screenplays, and HR Gigers original concepts. The CLs recommended are only for where these possibilities should occur. Incurring them early could lessen game play. All are blueprints for possible Gm design. Thus, this entire plug-in should be for GMs eyes only.

LOCATIONS
ARTIFACT WORLDS
ACHERON Jockey Ship Wreckage (CL1)
The most interesting aspect of this world is obviously the strange ship that contains the Alien Eggs. At CL 2, with the atmosphere processor destroyed, Acheron became hostile again. The Jockey Ship remains. This is the only accessible artifact other than the aliens themselves from this enigmatic race. The ship has withstood fierce storms, terraforming, and a major nuclear explosion and still remains as pristine as when it crashed. The final word is yes, it crashed, some couple thousand years ago. The Ship was transporting eggs from the Proteus world when an alien got loose and impregnated the pilot. The pilot, sure to die, soft-landed the craft on the nearest world he could find and sent out a rudimentary warning beacon. The crash, although suffering only minor damage on the craft itself, damaged the stasis containers in the cargo bay, exposing the eggs to the harsh outside environment. They are long lived but even after millennia, they succumbed to the elements. One section remains in stasis and the alien eggs still reside in perfect containment. The Pilot soon died and his offspring died soon after, quickly running out of nourishment. The ship is non-functioning since its pilot died. The reactor is dead. It offers viable eggs as well as the ships Bio-Alloy and the unique pilot-ship interface of the Merge (see below). "That transmission. Mother's deciphered part of it, it doesn't look like an SOS." --Ripley "What is it then?" --Ash "Well, It looks like a warning, I'm gonna go after them." --Ripley "What's the point? I mean by the time it takes to get there, they'll know if it's a warning or not, yes? Ash

TIRGU-MIRES The Observer (CL5)

Tirgu-Mires is an old colony world kept off the starmaps on request of its inhabitants. The world receives no supply runs and exports valuable uranium ore to Hyperdyne. The colony has run successfully for four generations without outside contact. In fact, the world would have probably fallen through the pages of history, generally ignored, if it wasnt for the discovery there. A scheduled series of core samples from an area off one of the main colony towns revealed a strange material when the drill couldnt seem to penetrate past several hundred feet. A Jockey Pilot resided there, quietly observingwhat is the question. It is entirely possible, that the observer was the last member of his species, recording the extinction of his race. Perhaps he was recording the events of the civil war. It is also possible, since this world was the closest of the Jockeys to Earth, they were watching us. It is unclear what the real answer was, but the pilot eventually died of old age, still merged in his chair that was is home. The small outpost might also have been attacked by xenomorphs as well. It seems that a very foreign computer system is present, chronicling the history of the Jockey Race. When the colony discovered this treasure, they didnt have much time to enjoy it. Hyperdyne, finding its worlds vanish one by one, was desperate for answers. When the core samples were relayed, the corporation sent a very sinister HK squad to investigate. If they discovered what they feared, they were to eliminate all witnesses. When Tirgu-Mires was charted at CL6 by the CMC, they found the colony destroyed and the Jockey base missing. LOCATION: 5 ly from Helix

<uncharted planet> PRISM-177 The Generator (CL4)

Prism is a small gas planet. Its seven moons are unremarkable. It was surveyed once and considered unimportant. The largest of these worlds has a thin atmosphere and 1/3 gravity. The surface does contain one strange property. It is a generator seemingly designed to magnetically attract particles from deep space and sends them down into a massive capacitor where it is stored. It is closely described as a planet based ramjetan old spacecraft concept where space particles are sent in through the front and rocketed out the back. This design is similar. The twin towers protruding from the surface form the cone of the field. The field itself is harmless and has no harmful effects to spacecraft or people. It is probably infested with aliens. However, if the capacitor is harnessed, it can be an instant recharge for any ship there. The energy supply there is limitless. LOCATION: 10 ly outside Acheron.

<uncharted planet> CON-888 The Structure (CL3)

The Structure on CON-888 appears to be a ruin of a massive complex. It is thought to be a remote outpost of the Jockey race from eons ago. The base is virtually empty. It is assumed this base was the last base wiped out by their creation. All that remains is the shell. Some fragments of their technology may remains inside. This building is enormous and can even be seen from orbit. LOCATION: 15 ly outside Casper / Sinat

<uncharted planet> PERI-120 The Landscape (CL4)

It is assumed that the Bio-Alloy was developed somewhere. That planet is Peri-120. The Bio-Alloy must have been developed here, initially as a virus since it seems to have overrun the small asteroid world. The organic compound gains nourishment from sunlight and the material contains in the rock. The compound attacks any refined material and pulls it into its mass. This makes landings very dangerous. The Compound absorbs material at a rate of 1K / hour. The landscape, as a result of its organic surface, changes hourly. Horizons rise and fall. Some scapes wave across the surface like an ocean of living mass. The Bio-Alloy here has no intelligence but rumors say this might be wrong. LOCATION: 15 ly outside Pandora

<uncharted planet> HORI-001 The Mutation

It was a foolish thought to think the xenomorphs that caused the destruction of their species was the initial design. HORI-001 was probably once a laboratory, but the entire base was destroyed. Through the walls of the decrepit buildings live a hostile species known only as the Mutation (see later). These

creatures try to maintain their lives the best they can knowing they can never leave. The world is gray and cloudy. The Mutations live underground. Wary the traveler that lands there. LOCATION: 5 ly off Gimeno

<uncharted planet> ISO-567 The Spaceport (CL5)

The single most valuable artifact world besides Proteus is this seemingly barren hostile world. Under the cover of lightening and wind is perhaps the only current operating spacecraft from the Jockey Race. It is contained in a massive mountain / pyramid covered by a millennia of sedation. The structure, about half the size of Mount Everest, is almost totally hollow. Within the rock contains the Spacecraft. It is thought the structure was a distant spaceport since the base seems to contain several stalls for spacecraft with one occupied. The craft is sealed and almost impossible to learn without a pilot, which is absent. LOCATION: 20 ly off Marduk

<uncharted planet > PROTEUS

The Alien Homeworld, undiscovered until CL 4. The Jockey Race terraformed this world to be a complete storehouse of the species. The Atmosphere is covered by a highly corrosive shell filled with radioactive particles spewed from modified volcanoes in strategic areas. The surface is somewhat breathable, with a larger amount of Nitrogen than Earth. But the Ozone layer is filled with these particles, which seem to neutralize nuclear weapons, disrupt condensed energy, and cause havoc to virtually all flight systems. As a result, no spacecraft can enter the atmosphere without suffering inoperable damage. No weapons have been found to inflict enough damage to the surface to reduce the billions of aliens on planet. It is assumed the Jockey ships were capable of traversing this barrier. The Snakefighters and Nemesis class ships as well as the Razzia dropship are also protected from these harmful effects but there are too rare to be of any use. It would take the entire CMC fleet days to wipe out the globe. At the end of CL6, they did exactly that.

EGG SILOS
RUMFORD
Merely 500 kilometers from the ice flows lie a group of featureless pyramids. Each one towers more than twice the size of the great pyramid of Giza. The six pyramids are all within line of sight with each other. Rumford is one of many planets with Egg Silos deposited by the Jockey Race. Eventually, an archeological team was killed but one impregnated, managed to escape to the colony. The resultant mayhem eventually led to the colonys destruction by CL5. At CL6, the barren world was considered for repopulation. The Egg Silos remain. They are the largest deposits of alien eggs of all. These silos are build underneath the pyramids since most silos are not pyramid-shaped. Over 2000 eggs can be found in stasis here.

BYRONS HOPE
The rumors that an egg silo is contained here is true. It is a small silo, covered by centuries of continental flow. The silo is perfectly preserved under the surface and contains 250 eggs. The silo is impossible to spot from space and only a careful ground search can locate it.

<uncharted planet> SAROS-600 (CL4)

A methane and water planet contains an egg silo with a 200 capacity over 2 miles below the surface. The oceans are totally devoid of any known life. LOCATION: 20 ly off Panamar.

<uncharted planet> INDRA300 (CL4)

This systems is totally devoid of any worthwhile planets. It was hoped when mankind moved further into the cosmos, that we would move into this system to take full advantage of rich asteroid deposits contained within. One of the larger erratic rocks holds a small silo. All are dead except for one section still in stasis of 50. The Silo is made up to be more of a space station, with corridors, airlocks, and quarters. LOCATION: 15 ly from Transept.

<uncharted planet> TMA-651 (CL5)

TMA-651 is one of the surveyed worlds on the short-list for colonization. It seems a high candidate for terraforming. However, the egg silo there might hamper that. An unknown alien craft seems to crashlanded nearby, No crew, no survivors. Mutations seem to guard the structure. LOCATION: 10 ly from Chiten.

<uncharted planet> TSIEN-343 (CL5)

A warzone. Tsien must had been one of the last colonies left standing in the civil war. The entire world was laid waste by fighting. When the xenomorphs arrived, they quickly dispatched the entire populace. Somebody must have survived the war to that point since the planet was later totally irradiated by orbital bombardment. However, some ruins still reside and the fragments of an alien-made hive still exist underneath. LOCATION: 10 ly from Barabazon

THE BIOMECHANOIDS

The technical term for the Jockey Race were the Biomechanoids. They were a synchronizing of man and machine which was the natural evolution of their growth rather than a side effect. No one can truly

be aware on how alien a non-terran intelligence can be. As theorized throughout history, there is virtually nothing distinguishable between them and us. Yes, they maybe have two arms and two legs with one mouth and two eyes but thats where it ends. Two arms and two legs makes sense as do two eyes. Everything else is foreign. They are tall when standing (12 17 feet tall) with extremely strong arms and legs. They have dead eyes--seeing and not seeing. Very weak in comparison. Their mouths are virtually useless to them as well. Their bodies are Sepia colored although most are found jet black, like the technology surrounding them Their minds operate on a totally different level, utilizing powers never before even imagined. The technology is so totally integrated into their lives. Although they are themselves organic, they seem to have the capacity to merge with their devices. In many ways, all their tools, whether a hammer or a massive spacecraft, became part of their body when they use their--their tools become extensions of their own mind. Surviving Biomechanoids exist but they have gone nomadic across the cosmos. They keep to themselves and usually wait to die. Some are actively searching for all remnants of their technology in order to eliminate it. Some want to rebuild their race from the ground up. All have either a morbid fear of a all out dying hatred for the xenomorphs they created. They are also long lived. It is quite possible the ones still roaming through the cosmos actually bore witness to their species own destruction.

THE CHARACTERS
The rules for making characters can be discerned from the information below. I dont give direct guides since designing a Biomechanoid as a PC is very unfair to the rest of the group. Once again, ranges are given. "Alien lifeform. Looks like it's been dead a long time. Fossilized...Looks like it's grown out of the chair... Bones are bend outward...Like it exploded from the inside..." --Dallas "I wonder what happened to the rest of the crew...let's get the hell out of here!" --Lambert

BASIC PERSONALITY:
Shy. Secretive. Values no one and nothing. Very selfish. Isolationist.

ORIGIN LIFEPATH (Superpower PlugIn):

Mentalist AND a Gadgeteer specializing in technology and psionics.

POWER SOURCE (Superpower Plug-In):

Self-Created, Non-Human, Psionic power source.

CHARACTERISTICS:
INT: 9-11 WILL: 7-10 11 REF: 6-9 DEX: 5-8 CON: 9-11 16 MOVE: 4-6 PRE: 1-4 STR: 10-15 TECH: 10BODY: 11-

COMPLICATIONS:
--PhobiaXenomorphsThey hate them with a passion but also fear them (Severe) --ObsessedDestruction/Resurrection of their race (Severe) --Bad Eyes

SKILLS
Astrogation: 10 Pilot: Starship: 3-8 Hand to Hand: 2-5 Hand to Hand Evade: 2-5 Ranged Evade: 1-3 Zero-Gravity Maneuvering: 8-10 Engineer: Biomechanics: 10 Tactics: 2-6 Deduction: 4-6 Melee Weapons: 1-5 Perception: 8-10 Survival: 5-7 Heavy Weapons: 3-6 Xenobiology: 7-10 Athletics: 1-4 Melee Evade: 1-5 Navigation: 7-10 Tracking: 8-10

TALENTS:
Acute Sense (Hearing) Ambidexterity Blind Reaction Eidetic Memory Double Jointed Direction Sense High Pain Threshold Longevity Rapid Healing Time Sense

SUPERPOWERS
ATTACK POWERS: Energy Blast: 8d6 Stun damage Telekinesis: STR=8 DEFENSIVE POWERS Danger Sense: Any Attack, Skill=15 Knockback Resistance: -20m to knockback Life Support: --Can breathe underwater and in all gases as long as at least 5% oxygen and 5% methane is present. --Doesnt need to sleep, eat or extrete. --Immune to zero-pressure / high pressure / radiation --Immune to all known human diseases --Immune to all forms of aging. ENHANCED SENSES High Range Radio Hearing Mental Awareness Spatial Awareness

MENTAL POWERS
Mental Attack: 8d6 -- Same as Energy Blast above. Mental Illusions: 5DC, 4d6 Stun / 1d6 Kill Mind Control: 5DC Mind Link: 1 mind at a time Mind Scan: 7D6DC Telepathy: 8D6

THE TECHNOLOGY
THE BIO-ALLOY
The Jockey Race developed their technology originally from refined metals like mankind, but found a newer developments in an alternative field. The first was plastisteel compound found often in mankind present technologythe advancement of building materials with resilience and strength, to be flexible and tough at the same time. The next advancement was the inclusion of memory metalsno matter how much physical damage the compound withstood, it could always return to the original shape it was designed for. From there came materials that could modify themselves per the whims of whoever was controlling it. After that came pure regenerationto heal the damage dealt to it. Over eons of evolution past our primitive level gave birth to the Bio-Alloy. This usually sepia to black colored substance is extremely rigid and resilient and capable of maintaining its shape and regenerating from damage taken. The disadvantage of the substance is that it requires a minor circulatory system similar to a living organism for the bio-alloy to maintain its organic stability. The aliens cannot seem to convert Jockey race materials. Their hives cant seem to stay attached and they cannot ingest the materials for

nourishment or hive construction. Jockey Race Bio-Alloy seems almost totally immune to alien acid. Acid is only half effective. All Bio-Alloy is regenerative. Any Bio-Alloy can regenerate 10% of its total damage ever day. If the power system is damaged, this cannot occur, however.

THE MERGE
The Merge is the pinnacle of the Biomechanoid technology. It allows the members of the race to integrate their minds and body with their tools. Even though the variety of their technology is endless, I have included all the most common devices. The GM is free to make up more. These devices include weapons , spacecraft, and the four unique items listed below.

TRANSPORT SUIT
The Transport Suit is a fully integrated Environment Suit capable of limited flight. It fully encompasses the user with a large transparent cover and Bio-Alloy armor. It has plug-ins for the energy source for the Light Cannon. The user must remove the suit to enter any other merge. The Suit supplies full life support and protection for when the Jockey leaves his/her vessel. Like all other devises, the suits becomes an extension of the user. Filaments move from the suit into the nervous system of the Biomechanoid, allowing perfect tactile contact from inside the suit. Other abilities follow: PD: 20 EKD: 15 EV: 0 FLIGHT: 15m/y NON-COMBAT FLIGHT: 30 m/y BONUSES: 360 Degree Sensing +2 STR +2 CON

PILOT CHAIR

The Chair merges with the Biomechanoid and allows him to synch in perfect harmony with the Jockey Carry-All. While merged, the Jockey has total awareness of everything that occurs onboard the ship. A merged Pilot can remain in the chair for centuries on end. The pilot not only sees all inside and outside the craft but also can also hear, smell, and touch using the craft. Refer to the ship for the statistics for it. Besides piloting the craft, the additional bonuses apply: All the powers of the Pilot are available anywhere on board the ship. +3 CON +3 Pilot Skill Move = 0 Dexterity = 0 Spatial Awareness

SPIDER
The Spider may only have four legs that dont move, but the name still stuck. It is a rarely found vehicle accessed by the Biomechanoids to move from place to place on planet. The vehicle has eight spherical pods with dont rotate but do supply the source of its motive power. The spheres rise the craft above the ground and allows for all terrain travel. They generate a gravity field that allows the craft to move effortlessly through any environment. The Spider can hold only one Biomech at a time, merged with the ship, making the

four appendages of the spider replacements for his own. The rear legs are primarily used for propulsion, while the front offer the same with the addition of weaponry and articulators. The Articulators extend like tentacles from opening in the front and manipulate small objects. They can then vanish from whence they came until needed. Each arm can extend up to 20 feet and has a STR of 10 each. The front appendages also contain the vehicles secondary armament in the from of two sidemounted, rapid-fire spore cannons. The primary weapon is contained in the cockpita turret-mounted plasma cannon. This massive energy cannons long range has been known to strike ships even in low orbit. NOTE: Where did this pic come fromwell, if you must know, this was HR Gigers theorized schematic of the Batmobile from Batman Forever. PERFORMANCE LOADED WEIGHT: 25,255lbs MANUEVERABILITY: -1 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR MAIN BODY: 5K 3K LEGS: 2K 1K MAX SPEED: 140 ACCELERATION: 45 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: 1 Turret, 4 Side weapons

BASIC_ARMAMENT:
Plasma Cannon (1) Spore Cannons (4) Bonuses: +3 CON Move = 0 Dexterity = 0 Spatial Awareness

WA RANGE DC__ ROF SHOTS BR TARGET

+1 +1 56 000 4 000 4K 10 (.5k) 1 15 n/a 150 2m 0 Any Ground

THE BIOCREATOR
Probably the scariest creation of the Biomechanoids was the Biocreator. Basically designed originally as a cloning machine for the dying race, it eventually evolved into a last ditch effort in reproduction. The Biocreator once was designed to merge with Biomechanoids but has since evolved to the point where it could merge with any organism of proportional size, including human, with minor modifications. The Jockey Race is generally hermaphroditic, but not altogether androgynous. The race requires two for reproduction but the decision on who carries and who inseminates is decided at copulation. The gestation period is so long, and successful reproduction so rare among this extremely long lived race, that when they were numbering less and less, a quick and dirty solution was required. The Biocreator merges with a Biomechanoid and copies his/her DNA into a new embryo. The Biomechanoid is converted to a female and carries the embryo in an accelerated state. A new Jockey can be born in a matter of days. The DNA pattern of the Biomech can be stored in the creator so a new Biomechs can merge and carry the same embryo. This occurred because of genetic degradation in cloning for more than a few generations. However, the future generations couldnt carry the original embryo so new hosts had to be found. The end result, since the species became nomadic, was to resort to finding biological hosts to carry the new seed. There are no bonuses for this device except for the end result. Merged humans can be removed, but left to continue on its course will result in death.

WEAPONS
WA
Light Cannon Light Pistol -1 0

RANGE
2 000 1 500

DC
11 9

ROF
20 6

SHOTS
2 000 600

EV
-1 0

LIGHT CANNON:
The Light Cannon is a large weapon carried by the Jockey and connects itself to the outside power source of the transport suit. It launches ultra-bright energy bursts that vaporize any substance on contact. The Jockey is immune to the flash but most others arent. Anything with eyes within 20m must make a CON roll and overcome a DV of 15 to avoid being blinded for 2d6 rounds. While blinded, all DEX and REF skills are reduced by 4. The weapon is only one handed despite its mass. The Jockey can hold onto it with its strength.

LIGHT PISTOL:
Like the heavier counterpart, the light pistol does have the capacity to blind an opponent but only for 1Dd6 rounds and at a DV 0f 10. The weapon is smaller, but oddly shaped in comparison. It fires from two receptors on a curved plate on the front of this stubby weapon. It is one handed but less encumbered than the cannon.

CARRY ALL

The Carry-All is the massive vessel the Biomechanoids use to transport great distances. It is assumed there were once possibly hundreds of different designs the race used in the exploration and conquest of deep space. The carry-all survived through the eons and became the vessel of choice for long distance / long term expeditions. When the race went nomadic at the end of their war, the carry-all became the ship of choice. The Carry-All requires a single pilot in the center to operate and most consider any passengers a hindrance. The ship operates from anti-gravity generators similar to the ones on the Spider ground transport. The primary generators are on either side of two large appendages. The port appendage contains the power generators with 5 exhaust nozzles pointing forward for the terraforming generator (see later). The starboard appendage contains the ships flight dynamics, primary armament, and sensor array. "I don't know...A cave! A- A cave of some sort, but well, I don't know, but it's like the goddamn tropics in here! -- Kane The central hub contains the cockpit and cargo ring. The Cargo ring is a series of honeycombed compartments of amazing size that can carry a large assortment of supplies. The cargo varies from

people to ships to xenomorph eggs. Stasis fields can drop, freezing the cargo in time. Each module can open underneath and drop to planet safely via gravity generators at the foot of each module. Above is the Jockey cockpit, where the pilot lived for most of his life. It knew everything that occurred on board the ship. The pilot also had access to the ships secondary weapon from that position. Above the pilot was a large canopy, the only place where the pilot can see the stars with its own eyes. The Canopy is opaque but only from the outside. The turret cannon can fire directly through the canopy without damaging it. The primary weapon is a massive Light cannon that can disrupt many large ships systems and destroy smaller ones. The ship is surprisingly small. Most terran ships divert almost 70% of their space to systems. The Carry-All only rations about 20% of their space to flight systems. The rest is reserved for cargo and living space. The craft from Port to Starboard, is less that 500 meters across. The Cargo hub is 250 meters in diameter. The port appendage serves a variety of purposes but it does offer some strange abilities. The Carry-All has the capability to alter its surrounding. When landed, it can convert the terrain around it to match the biomechanical landscape of the Jockey Homeworld. Given enough time, the entire planet could be adapted this way. This includes first adapting the topsoil and the organic life and then converting the atmosphere, thickening and converting it to a high methane / chorine / oxygen buffer, very hazardous to most carbon-based life.

If terraforming is accomplished from orbit, the atmosphere is adapted first, then organic life, and then the ground. The ground is hardened and blackened, making it more compatible with the bio-alloy. Simple forms and plant life are converted into the dark, hard material similar to the plant life on the Jockey Homeworld. All major forms of life die from the atmosphere change. This whole process can take years, taking the size of the planet into account. This process can only be accomplished on worlds with already existing atmospheres with oxygen content. The materials already have to be there, they just have to be re-combined. This process is usually reserved for those Jockeys trying to repopulate their civilization. SYSTEMS:

Variant
Carry All

Body
35

WT
55,000

Arm
10

MV
-5

Move
100

Mach
2

Orbit
15

SR
n/a

Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 1 Pilot, Life Support for 2 000 in Cargo Maneuverability: +10 dodge of guided missiles. Evacuation: 1 Spider Armament package: 1 Transport suit with Light Cannon and Pistol Bonuses: Invisible to all radar. All ships have a 2 to hit this ship with energy weapons Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: Unlimited

FTL Speed: 0.85 ly/day Cargo Slots: 10 Hardpoints: n/a Weapons are fixed.

Basic_Armament:
Turret Cannon Main Gun

WA RANGE DC ROF BR TARGET NOTES

+3 -1 70 000 350 000 1K 7K 6 1 10m Air 150m Any Same as Particle Beam

THE MUTATION / PROTOTYPE

The mutation either is the next stage of the xenomorph organism or a prototype design. Evidence seem to point that is neither, a separate purpose organism designed for an ulterior motive. It could be possible that the Biomechanoids have fashioned different organisms for every facet of their lives. It is said that the ships and weapons are all mindless organisms, each designed to serve a different purpose and that the aliens we are aware of are just the different forms of a mindless organic machines, except these are bent on destruction. The Mutation, as it was called, is an organism seemingly only found in ruins of the Jockey race leading evidence that they are sentries or guards for their long dead masters. It seems obvious that these creatures were designed first and that the aliens we are aware came after, based on this successful design.

It seems apparent that these mutants were never mutations but a totally redesigned organism. They bare many similarities to the offensive creatures encountered in the Terran systems but are created from a totally different template. Both are very violent to their opponents, both are large, black, armored, and single-minded in their purpose. However, these creatures never rebelled against their masters because they were never programmed to be offensive. They are totally designed from a defensive standpoint. There is no hive structure, no central brain nor a desire for expansion. It can still grow and heal by the absorption of outside materials whether organic or inorganic but cannot reproduce by the use of eggs or queens. The Prototype is larger, stronger, and more intelligent compared to an alien drone. However, it has no desire to reproduce. It is usually kept alone or sometimes paired up to defend a certain installation, craft, or person. Once programmed, it can only be reprogrammed by someone who can access its biological programming. This biological programming is done when the creature is created, usually in a large vat in a lab either on a planet or on a ship. The creature is assembled from scratch and implanted with instructions on what to do. It is a very difficult task to reprogram since it entails removing the creatures brain and biologically reprogramming the synapses. This is only capable by a Jockey using its biomechanical technology even though it is not impossible for a doctor with a masters in Synthetic

engineering to crack it, if he could ever get the creature to stand still love enough to have its brain removed. Even then it is no guarantee that the implantation would be successful. The brain is located in a large skull-life formation, in the trunk. Its head is a long-formed snake-like neck with an end formed with spear-like teeth. It has long legs and arms that end in many fingers with long digits. The unit is also programmed only to allow a certain number of fellow mutations around it. If the number is greater, the group will remove the straggler. If under the limit, they are responsible for making up the difference. These creatures cannot necessarily reproduce, but can create, from the ground up, their own mutation be converting biological life and then reprogramming a brain on a copy of their own. It takes more than 800 lbs. of bio-mass to create a mutation and the process can take more than 48 hours. There has never been a report of a prototype breaking its programming since there is nothing below it. In a one-on-one fight, an xenomorph is no match for its predecessor but the shear numbers of the aliens sway the odds since Mutations are never seen in more than packs of three or four. Their special abilities follow.

GROWTH: A prototype has no pre-designed lifespan and can exist as long as there are sufficient supplies to maintain its own biomechanical cells. BODY: The skin is immune to all atmospheric effect including zero-G. It does not use air as we know it. It needs air to produce sound of course and also maintain temperature. SENSES: The prototype uses motion and pressure senses to locate its enemy. It can also use smell and hearing as well, but it has no form of visual senses. It cannot be blinded in any way. It is also immune to radiation, and all Gases. Unlike other creatures, these prototypes will not retreat from fire . PROTOTYPES DO NOT HAVE ACIDIC BLOOD DETECTION: Prototypes are invisible to infrared and therm-optics. They can remain perfectly
still and immune to motion sensors unless they decide to move. All normal detection systems are normal.

PSIONICS (OPTIONAL)
--Prototypes can talk mentally with their Jockey masters and answer to their call easily. --Prototypes are immune to Mental Illusions and Mind Link. --Mind Control is possible but hard.

OTHER ABILITIES: Prototypes are immune to all other psychological problems as well as all known diseases. Electricity has only a half effect. They can never be fatigued or stunned. Therefore, the following characteristics are not applicable: Humanity, Endurance, and Luck. Stun Defense is given a very high number. All Characteristics not listed are assumed to be One. CHARACTERISTICS:
INT: 8 WILL: 10 REF: 13 TECH: 7 DEX: 15 CON: 13 STR: 17 BODY: 17 RUN: 24 SWIM / LEAP: 8 HITS: 85 (1.7 K) KD: 18 (0.2 K) ED: 20 (0.5 K) STUN: 120 SD: 30 REC: 30 WEAPONS: Range: WA: DC: SPECIAL Teeth Claws 2m 1m +1 +1 9 6 Can also grapple / armor piercing Can also grapple

PLUG IN:

It is unsure how old they are or where they originated from. They appeared throughout recorded history. We encountered them on occasion through the eons, forever being the prey to these hunters. They stalked in shadows, killed in secret, and left with trophies of their victories. Now, as mankind spreads throughout the universe, these tribal creatures, seemingly unchanged over the centuries, have resurfaced. They continued their search for symbols of their superiority. However, we were aware now. No more would we assume their hunts were the acts of cultists, rabid animals, or devils. They had a nameyautja. They were alive; they were real, and they were looking for prey. This time, we were prepared but so were they

SHIPS
They came down from the sky in ships of ivory. Graceful and deadly, each carrying the obsession of the hunt.

EACH PREDATOR SHIP IS EQUIPPED AS FOLLOWS:

1 -- Radar blanketing. Though not cloaked like the hunters, all Predator ships have radar shielding. They cannot be seen by any scanning system with the exception of gravity sensors only equipped on military vessels Conestoga class an higher (Conestoga, Bougainville, Razzia) 2 Ghost Imager. All ships can confuse missile targeting systems. Missiles have a 4 penalty to hit. 3 Turbocharger. All ships can boost their systems for three rounds. This doubles speed and # of attacks. This can only be done once per hour. 4 Reflective coating. All Lasers do half damage (does not apply to Plasma weapons). 5 Environment Protection. Predator ships can travel in any environment including flying to almost to the chronosphere of the sun and even underwater.

6 Remote Operation. They can autopilot in an atmosphere and in orbit as well as between systems. They cannot fire automatically but can dodge an their own. They can drop a Hunter on a planet then retreat into orbit and wait for the signal to pick up. 7 Mass Destruct Sequence. Similar to the self-destruct sequence, this is a major scramming of the reactor that results in a major thermonuclear reaction. The Hunter must arm this system by remote or directly on the ship. The explosion will destroy EVERYTHING within 1-km radius and will cause 20 K the next 100-m dropping by 1 K every 100-M past that. 8 Self-Destruct. If set by the Predator or if he/she dies, the ship automatically disintegrates. Some form of chemical reaction occurs which eats away at all components. The ship does not explode, but simply vaporizes, leaving no remains. 9 Targeting Analyzer. Predator ships can scan enemy craft with extreme detail. This involves specifying weapon systems, life sensorspretty much everything Star Trek vessels boast to have.

NERUDA (STANDARD SUTTLE)

The Standard Yautja Shuttle is a small, dropship-craft designed for a quick, atmospheric interception and insertion of a single hunter looking for honor. They are short range craft and cannot travel outside of the system they are dropped in. Shuttles drop almost exactly like Marine dropships with the exception that Shuttles offer very little in atmospheric maneuverability. They have no visible power source. The vehicle drops into the atmosphere and doesnt even begin breaking thrusters until 2000 feet above sea level. Predator drops occur twice as fast as Marine drops. The Shuttles are also significantly smaller, only holding air and food for one Hunter with enough extra capacity for a comfortable number of trophies. The shuttle, after a completed mission, launches out of the atmosphere in less than two minutes. Other than that, the shuttle is not much use. The ship is very clunky with few armaments. It lands and can then bury itself in the ground or launch into orbit, invisible to sensors, awaiting the order to self-destruct or retrieve its hopeful successful hunter. NOTE: The Shuttle is that small craft that broke away from the larger vessel at the beginning of the 1st Film. STATISTICS

Variant
Shuttle

Body
2

WT
20

Arm.
1

MV
-3

Move
200

Mach
2

Orbit
11

SR
20

Communication range: 3000 Crew: 1 Pilot, Life support for 6 personnel. Maneuverability: +1 Dodge in space. Additions: Medkit Evacuation: None Armament package: What the Hunter/s carries with him Range: Atmospheric: Unlimited Orbital: 100 AU Cargo Slots: 0 Hardpoints: 1 Armament: Usually one Plasma Cannon

MANDACA

(STANDERD

CASTE

VESSEL)

The Hunter Families move around the systems usually in these ships of varying size and design. It is rumored that each group customs their own craft. Over generations, the ships become more distinct from the original format. The Standard vessel is what the hunters usually employ but they dont often land in hunting zones unless larger groups leave. Members from all castes live inside the craft. Lower decks for lower castes are damp, humid, and unkempt. Fires are used for cooking and hunters sleep on floor. Upper castes have their own quarters and get the best food. Fights rage between the castes in an attempt to move up the ranks. Those who have earned it rise up. The most honored command the vessels to their new hunt. If they dont find one, they can also start one. These vessels are equipped with shuttle craft to drop Predators in a hunt but they also have a dozen eggdroppers. These drones can travel up to a half a light year to enter a planets atmosphere. There, they search out well-populated areas and then soft land and wait for curious investigators. The drones then blossom to reveal from 612 eggs, ready to strike. The eggs are kept in isolation and cannot open accidentally unless removed from the pod. The aliens can then spread and start their own hives. The droppers follow the progression of the infestation. When a large enough infestation occurs, the dropper transmits a homing beacon to its mothership, alerting of the sprouting hive. The vessel can now arrive for the hunt. The vessels themselves sometimes contain chained alien queens as a source of their eggs. Standard vessels have an effective unlimited range but must stop and charge its engines for one week after its range is used up. It is unsure how long these vessels travel between service checks or even if they require service checks at all. All evidence points that these vessels maintain themselves somehow. Even the variety of weapons seems maintenance free. The bottom decks are slums. Upper decks are command and upper castes. The mid-decks form the core of operations. Fights rage, trophies are displayed. Weapons are fashioned. Whole communities rise and fall in the decks of a Hunter Vessel. STATISTICS

Variant
Mandaca

Body
10

WT
250

Arm.
4

MV
-5

Move
150

Mach
2

Orbit
20

SR
500

Communication range: 10 000, FTL Crew: 1 Pilot, 1 Gunner, Life support for up to 100 personnel. Bunks for 30 passengers on the upper decks. Average crew is around 50. Maneuverability: +2 dodge in space. +4 dodge of guided missiles. (not including the automatic bonus above) Additions: 12 Egg Drones Evacuation: 4 Shuttles. Range: Atmospheric: Unlimited Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 20 FTL Speed: 0.7 ly/day Cargo Slots: 2 Hardpoints: 8 Basic Armament: 4 Plasma Cannons 3 Particle Beams 1 Heavy Plasma Thrower

JAGDJA ATOLL (STANDERD MOTHERSHIP)

The monstrous Hunter motherships are mobile bases which have been rumored to exist but which no human has ever seen. They are totally independent craft where a variety of smaller vessels can dock, move around, interact, and fight. These ships hardly ever move into direct fighting with any other force, but is rather used a mobile town where Hunters can dock with and gloat about their trophies. Like the other craft, they are totally invisible to all sensors, making it virtually impossible to find in the expanse of space unless you fly another Hunter vessel. These vessels all have beacons to locate a nearby Atoll. Space is big. Really Big. It is rumored that a handful of these bases are even located in Terran space but outside normal spacelanes. Like ManDacas, the Atolls have slums and upper castes separated between decks, there is just a lot more of them. Here, warriors can seek out mates, fight for honor, and acquire new devices and weapons. Atolls dont often move but often drift when they need to between systems. They hardly ever enter systems on fear of being located. They never initiate hunts. They let the smaller vessels do that. Atolls only contain a handful of their own craft and operating crew but most that wander through the systems can have up to 500 people moving in and out at any time. Some have large numbers of the homeless dishonored with no place to go. They await until the moment they can gain the strength to return to the hunt or they wait for their death. Atolls dont often have Egg-Drones but do usually have live queens on board to distribute the eggs to whoever needs them. Even though sometimes-smaller vessels fight among themselves, no honor can be achieved from attacking an Atoll.

STATISTICS

Variant
Jagdja

Body
25

WT
95,000

Arm
10

MV
-10

Move
-

Mach
-

Orbit
8

SR
n/a

Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 1 Navigator, 90 crew bunks, Life support for up to 1 000 Maneuverability: +6 dodge of guided missiles. (not including the automatic bonus above) Evacuation: 8 Shuttles, 2 Cast Vessels Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: Unlimited FTL Speed: 0.5 ly/day Craft Slots: 8 Cargo Slots: 8 Hardpoints: n/a Weapons are fixed. Basic Armament: 2 Plasma Cannons 3 Particle Beams 2 Heavy Plasma Thrower

EQUIPMENT
NOTE: HONOR is described later as the cost required to acquire weapons. The black market cost of this weaponry in human circles is the honor x 100 000 but are extremely, extremely rare.

TYPE
Camouflage Device Hunter Padding Hunter Armor Ceremonial Armor Hunter Mask Audio Waveform Analyzer Bio Helmet Mediket Laser Sight

PD EKD EV SPECIAL
-10 16 20 25 -35 ---2 8 15 10 -15 --0 0 --2 0 0 0 0 0 Camouflage --1 Acid Resistant

HONOR
10 2 4 6 1 1 4 2 2

-See below Acid Resistant Medical Supplies +3 to Hit

NOTE: It is assumes all devices not armor can take 10 SPD before becoming inoperable, unless stated otherwise.

CAMOFLAGE DEVICE: To hunt successfully, the perfect camouflage is needed. Every Warrior is given these techniques. Perfectly mirrored with his surroundings, he becomes invisible. This arm-mounted mechanism is the source of the unique capabilities of the hunter to render him virtually invisible. It works by creating a strong field which bends light around the Hunteronly the distortion of the bend causes a slight visual apparition which can be spotted on a Competent Difficulty role (DV-18) if actively searching and a Incredible difficulty (DC-26) if not. If spotted, the target is still hard to see. No matter what conditions apply, there is always a 3 to hit anybody with active Camouflage. If someone is firing blindly (having not seen the Hunter yet) there is an additional 5 penalty. There is another 2 added to that if the Hunter is NOT moving. Also, the terran behind also plays a factor. Uniform terrain (Ship corridors, etc) offer an additional 1 but a

busy terrain (forest, etc) offers an additional 2 penalty. EG: A marine trying to fire blindly at a hunter remaining perfectly still in a forest has a 12 to hit him {-3 + -2 + -2 + -5 = -12}. The GM has to already slap a DV penalty depending on range, and the environment (usually between 14 and 18) and then +12 onto that. ON NOT MOVING MONOTONE TERRAIN BUSY TERRAIN UNNOTICED -3 -2 -1 -2 -5

The device is usually mounted on the arm and can only sustain about 30 SPD before going offline. At 10 SPD remaining, the unit fluctuates, going on and one, bringing the penalty down by 2. Only mounted weapons are effected by the cloak. This includes only concealed weapons like retracted claws and collapsed spears or other weapons kept hidden by packsacks and so forth. Once extended or revealed, the weapon is visible.

HUNTER PADDING: This is basic armor given to new warriors trying to attain a position in the upper castes. The padding is a basic mesh that doesnt offer much more protection to the thick hide of the Hunters already. Most are designed like armored jump suits meant for casual wear in the corridors of their dark vessels. This is the closest they get to flight suits.

HUNTER ARMOR: Hunter armor is the equivalent to the Marine M3 body armor, which offers protection where you need it the most. The armor is light and maneuverable but its still vulnerable to heavy strikes.

CEREMONIAL ARMOR: Usually only reserved for the upper castes and the elders, Ceremonial Armor is only found on one hunter per combat team usually, always the leader. He/She stands out from the group as a proud symbol of honor and leadership. This interchanging plate armor is somewhat clunky, offering more dazzle than heavy-duty defense. However, the ceramic plating is composed of a totally foreign compound which seem totally immune to the alien acid. This makes the armor very efficient when fighting the hostile species. HUNTERS MASK: This is the basic Mask worn by lower caste warriors. It does not offer the radical spectrum viewing seen from upper caste warrior helmets but only head protection and atmospheric support (gas filter to adjust atmosphere gases to a breathable buffer substance) AUDIO WAVEFROM ANALYZER: A function of the bio-helmet that must be bought separately, the Waveform Analyzer reacts to changes in the audio environment. A flux in the displayed waveform indicates the presence of an enemy that may or may not be in a Warriors line of sight. All Hunters with this get a +2 to initiative to strike first. The Analyzer can also imitate previous words spoken to it in an effort to communicate with alien life forms. There is a +2 to a Language skill. BIO HELMET: This is a total upgrade of the helmet when a warrior has attained enough Honor. The Helmet can filter through five settings: Infrared, Ultraviolet, Thermal Imaging, Low-Light Amplification and Air Density Pressure (movement), It can also has switches for x-rays and Microwaves. It has a built it Magnetometer and a Geiger Counter. These offer almost unlimited viewing scale to see anything in almost any environment. It also works with the Laser Sight to lock onto targets. Bio Helmet in any one setting adds +2 to Awareness. It takes one phase to switch from the five settings. If viewing through all settings, the bonus to awareness rises to +8. There is also a +1 to hit any target (added onto the laser sight if that is being used). The Helmet also offers more protection than the basic and is also acid resistant. MEDIKIT: Predator medical technology is short on pain killers but highly effective. A simple 5 round procedure can heal half his/her REC. After that, an additional hour will recover a full REC. Any more past that requires returning to the craft and gaining medical aid. A First Aid roll is still reacquired. LASER SIGHT: The Laser sight is an advanced tracking and aiming sight that works in conjunction with any weapon but is primarily designed with the Plasma Caster. Using it, the Hunter gains a +3 to hit with any weapon being used.

WEAPONS
PERSONAL WEAPONS
WEAPONS__
Scattergun Naginata Dart Gun Net Gun The Wrist Blade Acid Resistant Claws The Combi Stick The Smart Disk Shoulder Plasma Caster Self-Destruct sequence Side Blade

STR WA RNG DC ROF SHTS HNR NOTES

3 5 3 2 2 2 4 2 0 0 1 0 +2 +1 0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +1 0 +1 2 000 3 1 000 100 1 1 30+* 300 2 000 0 1 8 7 3 2 4 5 6 8 10 6k 3 6 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 3 * 1 60 -30 3 --1 -60 1 -6 8 2 1 2 3 5 7 7 10 1 1H AP, 2H, AR * 1H ENT AP, 1H AP, AR, 1H AP, 1H AP, 1H, AR * * AP

2H -- 2 Handed 1H 1 Handed AP Armor Piercing (half armor) AR Acid Resistant ENT Entanglement * -- Special, see below

SPD OF WEAPONS
WEAPONS
Scattergun Dart Gun The Wrist Blade The Combi Stick Shoulder Plasma Caster Side Blade

SPD
15 10 20 30 20 15

WEAPONS
Naginata Net Gun Acid Resistant Claws Smart Disk Self Destruct sequence

SPD
1k 10 40 30 20

NOTE: There are no ammo capacities for those weapons listed. When out, a new weapon must be purchased.

SPACECRAFT WEAPONS
Weapon
Plasma Cannon Particle Beam Heavy Plasma Thrower

WA RANGE DC
-1 -5 -2 40 000 350 000 100 000 3k 0* 8k

ROF
2 1 1

SHOTS BR
n/a n/a n/a 4m 40m 0m

TARGET
Any Any Any

DESCRIPTIONS
SCATTERGUN: The Scattergun is a hand-held plasma gun that fires a net of energy out to a long range. Any target two meters or closer to the hit target must also dodge or be hit as well, taking half DC. The weapon is, unfortunately, very clumsy, taking up a hand which can be replaced by melee weapons. Most prefer the shoulder mounted plasma caster.

NAGINATA: The Naginata is part weapon, part ceremonial trophy. It is a beautifully, plated, and encrusted pole arm with double bladed ends. Each end is a super sharp collection of knives causing devastating damage if struck upon a hapless victim. The blades can flawlessly cut through almost ever substance and is totally immune to alien acid. The Naginata also has a conducting field which allows it to be cloaked when in hand. When the weapon strikes, however, it becomes visible. The Naginata is an image of Honor and demands respect when brandished. DART GUN: The Dart Gun is the closest Predator equivalent to a pistol. It fires self propelled flachetes which inflict little damage but do come with a poisoned tip which inflicts an additional 4 DC if the subject is wounded directly (through armor). The weapon is small and easily concealed. NET GUN: The Net Gun is small and usually reserved for when a Hunter is planning to enter a major combat area and the temporary incapacitation of a subject is necessary. The net gun is not a kind weapon. The net usually pins an victim to the floor or a wall with razor sharp wire that viscously cuts into the flesh, making an escape a painful experience. The net needs a blade to be cut and required more than 15 points of damage to break the wire. Every round the victim is in the net causes an additional 2 DC. If the person tries to struggle, the damage increases by 1. This keeps up until the subject is released or is killed. The net can also release on a trigger from the weapon. WRIST BLADES: The Wrist-Blade is the weapon chosen for most yautja. Twin blades, double edged, and sharp enough to tear through bone, these retractable blades are effective against large and small opponents. Using it shows the yuatja pride, because they must fight face-toface. They are the recommended first weapon because of their effectiveness and cheap cost. Those who have fought for years, still empty this weapons, although most have upgraded to the ACID RESISTANT CLAWS: These are almost identical to normal Wrist blades. In fact the housing is the same. These new blades are only a inch longer, and are totally immune to all forms of damage including alien acid. The blades are virtually indestructible. The damage is only slightly more though. Those who have fought for many battles usually have made this simple upgrade. THE COMBI STICK: The Combi-Stick is self-powered, telescoping spear that is merely one meter at its shortest length. The Combi-stick extends by two meters at each end , making it a formidable weapon for close range attacks. Made of nearly unbreakable alloys, sharpened tips on either end produce electrical charges as it slices through any surface. The range increases by double the STR of the thrower.

THE SMART DISK: The Smart Disk is thin and ultra light. This internally powered airborne weapon is crafted of materials that produce the Combi-Stick, easily slicing through an opponent with its devastating razor edges. When thrown, it will leave the throwers grasp and do severe harm to anything living in its flight path. The Elders decree that the concentration needed to retrieve a combatstandard disk is not present in minds of young yuatja, therefore disks are not given until proven they can use it wisely. The disk will continue on its flight path and can make one turn for every WILL the thrower has, making another attack immediately after the last one. If the blade strikes a limb and causes double the capacity the limb, the limb is severed. One last round of its use must be used to bring the disk back to hand. This takes one round where it can be thrown the next. If the last attack is used in an attack, the disk will fall to the ground, awaiting pickup. While the disk is airborne, the hunter can move about and even fight. SHOULDER PLASMA CASTER: The Shoulder Cannon, the most powerful aid in a Warriors arsenal, is a mounted and lightweight weapon capable of firing multiple long-range energy bursts. The destructive power unleashed by these bursts is immense. The weapon tracks with the head movement of the firer. The weapon must be attached to a Hunters Mask or a Bio Helmet for this to work. It can be used with the Laser Sight to increase the targeting capacity. SELF-DESTRUCT SEQEUNCE: This weapon of last resort is used by warriors to keep the honor when they die. After the arm-mounted device is set, there is a one-minute countdown until a micro-nuclear weapon is detonated. It causes 6 K damage to everything 100 meters out and causes 1k less ever additional 50 meters. The device becomes part of the armor suit and can be disabled. SIDE BLADE:
This is a standard 12-inch blade common with the lower castes.

SOCIETY
Perhaps one of the most pronounced differences between us and them is longevity, sometimes as long as 300 years. This longevity suggests that sons live with their mothers for much longer then we would before leaving, for it takes longer for them to grow up and fend for themselves, and daughters stay with their mothers for the protected environment to raise their own children and maintain dominance over their clans territory. It seems reasonable that more females in a clan means they can control a larger area. Mothers during this time would teach their young to fight and survive and they hunt for and protect their own children. They are also viciously and relentlessly protective. Predators aren't big on theory, with them you learn by doing. A female clan would thus be made of succeeding layers of generations; daughters, mothers, grandmothers etc. It would be easy to

consider such a clan would be led by a single matriarch. Considering longevity once more, it takes a lot of energy to raise a child, and so individual females would probably only have a child every decade or two and would be very particular about who was to be the father, and perhaps choose favorites, but do not have permanent pair bonds. This leads to very high competition among males. Considering this difference, males live in packs of generally unrelated males and females live in clans of related females and their children. The nomadic nature of males suggests that they have no home territory' of sorts, but that their home is what they carry with them. Their ships for example, are the territory that they carry with them. Sons would be more interested in who their fathers were then daughters, for it may reflect their rank when they leave. Since females rule over their territory and generally run internal affairs, Predators have a matriarchal society. Rarely is it ever needed to be enforced however, males do not involve themselves with female politics and females are uninterested in male socialization. Should the need to enforce this arise however, the male would not only be against a female physically larger then himself, but also her sisters, and their mothers and grandmothers etc. The brethren of this unfortunate male would offer no support, only their derision. A warrior who would dare such would not be wise, for an insulted and angry yautja female was not something even a not-too-wise male wanted to create. Assuming the warrior was armed and expert, it might almost be an even match. Yautja females were bigger then males. Females of any species were usually smarter then the males. There is always the threat of castration for males, not only does it eliminate his chances of continuing his line, but also any rank he may have had in male society. Such males would most likely kill themselves in such a situation. It seems reasonable that only females would ritually castrate, males giving each other the respect of killing their opponent instead. In this atmosphere of high competition for breeding rights among males, for it is the male who must attract the female, there are many males who never get the chance to breed. These frustrated males may turn on their subordinates. But the males who do breed have proven themselves by hunting dangerous prey and gaining many impressive trophies. A second windfall of this accomplishment is the admiration of their clan brothers that they spend most of their time. Basically, males hunt for one reason, status. It is a gray area why females would hunt for trophies. Females DO hunt for trophies but it may be for somewhat different reasons then males. Dominance may certainly be a factor yet it is doubtful if it is the only reason. Perhaps to show their ability to protect their territory, from enemy female clans. Perhaps to show ability in protecting their children, both their own and their sisters. Perhaps just for a laugh. But this is entirely speculation. To conclude, the role males play in their society, that is postulated, is keeping any outside race from interfering with the internal affairs of theirs. Basically, they intimidate other races into submission to protect their females breeding grounds, plus the fact it is very amusing to them. Males conquer. Females rule. The Predator species code of honor: 1) Defeat equals death. 2) An opponent has to be matched equally in the available weapons. 3) The bugs are not opponents to be dealt honorably, buds are the rivals in a vicious war. 4) Opponents virtually in situations of feebleness (or maybe pregnancy and other things) may be spared.

THE YAUTJA CASTES

UNBLOODED: Young Yautja who are trained the skills necessary for their adult hunting. They will move to the next rank after their first hunt. YOUNG BLOODS: Recently blooded Yautja. They are young and full of ambition and feel full of pride once they have collected the skull of their kill. BLOODED: The only difference between the BLOODED and the YOUNG BLOODS is that the BLOODED have more experienced but still not classed high among the great hunters. WARRIORS: Violent, respected, solo hunters with high Yautja technology. They travel the Universe to find honorable hunting. HONORED:
skilled in all ways. The Top Dogs. They have earned more kills than the average hunter and are

ANCIENTS / ELDARS: The greatest Yautja that have ever lived, they have survived a thousand hunts. They have hunted so much that they look for other means of sport.

ARBITRATORS:
Hunt.

Yautja police that mainly consist of ANCIENTS who are bored with the

RITUAL -- THE BLOODING

A ritual where a young Yautja goes on its first hunt. The difficulty of this hunt depends on your standing amongst the community. Failure means death, while success means you are marked on your forehead.

MARK OF HONOR:
All Predators that make it to Young Blood have a mark burned into their foreheads to denote their position as successful Hunters. This mark is the shape of a wide lightning bolt. All who have this mark is recognized as a true Hunter. The mark can only be given by Elders. Ceremonies often occur but most of the time, this mark is awarded after the first hunt.

MAKING AND PLAYING A PREDATOR

Predators, of course, are much stronger and much larger than a human, so their Characteristics are different. Please note that it would be very hard for a Predator to run properly in a marine group. But many ideas are available: --A Predator in a Marine group in CL 5, 5.5, or 6 is possible. --A Predator group hunting aliens in CL 1-6. --A Predator group hunting marines CL 4 and on. --A Predator group in CL0 SELF CONTAINED GAME -- (see below) The following steps should be taken to make a Predator character.

LIFEPATH:
--GMs discretionbe inventive. --Dont roll for Family Statusgo right to childhood events. GMs discretion if he wants to evoke a 1-3 Family penalty if their is a bad childhood. --Enemies are common. --A romance may simply mean a mating. --Every time Something Good happens: +1 Honor --The Membership roll (5) adds 1 to the Family attribute (max of 10) --The Windfall (6) roll adds +1 Honor --Every time Something Bad happens: -1 Honor

CHARACTERICTICS:
--75 points allotted --There is a new Characteristic

FAMILY: This is the same as the old Money & Family from Mekton 2 that determine the status of the lineage and the Hunters current status when starting character creation. The Predator gets one HONOR for every point in FAMIILY. 2 Very Poor, 3 Poor, 4 L.Middle Class, 5-6 Middle Class, 7 Middle Class, 8 Upper M. Class, 9 Wealthy / Low Noble, 10 Wealthy / High Noble

MAX STATS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

INT: 9 WILL: 8 PRE: 5 TECH: 8 REF: 11 DEX: 10 CON: 11 STR: 13 BODY: 13 MOVE: 10 FAMILY: 10 --Predators get a thick skin armor equal to their BODY.

OPTION POINTS:
--50 points allotted. The GM can consider up to 60. --No Templates. The following skills are available --Starting characters have a +5 ceiling to all their skills. Unless they are Warriors (Family of 10), when the ceiling rises to 7. Astrogation (INT) Demolition / Disposal (TECH ) Engineer: Aerospace (Predator Ships) (TECH) Tactics (INT) Acrobatics (DEX) Climbing (STR) Contortionist (DEX) Deduction (INT) Electronics (TECH) First Aid (TECH) Hand to Hand Evade (DEX) Leadership (PRE) Melee Weapons (DEX) Mimicry (PRE) Perception (INT) Riding (DEX) Sleight of Hand (REF) Survival (INT) Tracking (INT) Ranged Weapons (REF) Paramedic (TECH) Pilot: Predator Ship (DEX) Weaponsmith (TECH) Athletics (DEX) Concealment (INT) Cooking (INT) Disguise (TECH) Expert (INT) Hand to Hand (REF) Languages (INT) Mechanics (TECH) Melee Evade (DEX) Navigation (INT) Ranged Evade (DEX) Shadowing (INT) Stealth (DEX) Surveillance (INT) Zero-Gravity Maneuvering (DEX)

TALENTS
No restrictions.

PERKS & PRIVELEGES

NONE WHATSOEVER (See below)

MENTAL POWERS PLUG-IN (Optional)

Certain skills should be banned: Mental Attack Mental Defense: Telepathy No one should have a skill above +1 at the beginning of their character. This should be enforced by the GM. Only one PC should have these skills and also consider not allowing it until later in the game.

MARTIAL ARTS PLUG-IN

None

HONOR
Honor is used both as a way to move up in the ranks and as a method of currency. Of course, Predators dont use money and the use of Honor is a very vague field. Basically, Honor is bestowed to a character upon creation to spend on equipment and weapons. To move up in the ranks and acquire more weapons, Honor must be achieved. Honor can only be achieved by bringing back trophies to be shown off. The Predator may give up trophies (and honor) in exchange for weapons and passage. If the Hunter kills enough for fifty honor but only has ten Honor in trophies, thats all she/hes got. If Honor is kept and improved, they may reach a level where they can move up in the castes. Moving up in the cast offer many perks listed in each caste. However, to be accepted in a caste requires a Predator to fight someone of the upper rank and defeat them. A Predator does not need to show off his Honor by walking with all the trophies under hand but rather show them off by visible markings, weapons, equipment, and followers. When the character starts, the Honor of their family denotes where they start in the caste. Even if a Predator has 0 honor after the creation of the character is complete, the Family standing keeps him/her in that caste. Course, it takes longer to move up to the next caste. The fastest way for a Hunter to move up is to win victories in hand to hand onlybut most dont survive this long.

FAMILY: The automatic assignment for starting Predators. Those who start at this level get the awards from the previous castes as well. HONOR: The Honor reacquired to attempt to reach this Caste. MEMBERSHIP: The equivalent Membership in the Yautja society AWARDS: In the form of mates, friends, Perks, Privileges, and even weapons. UNBLOODED
FAMILY: 1 - 3 HONOR: 0 MEMBERSHIP: 1 AWARDS: None

YOUNG BLOODS
FAMILY: 4 - 6 HONOR: 3 MEMBERSHIP: 1 AWARDS: --Acceptance by others. --Hunter Padding (Or trade in for extra honor) --+2 OP

BLOODED
FAMILY: 7 - 9 HONOR: 10 MEMBERSHIP: 3

AWARDS: --Wrist Blades (Or trade in for extra honor) -- +5 OP --Make a friend (Like a brother in arms who will die for you and you the same)

WARRIORS
FAMILY: 10 HONOR: 30 MEMBERSHIP: 5 AWARDS: --Hunter Armor --One Shuttle --1 Bio Helmet (Or trade in for extra honor) --Acid Resistant Claws (Or trade in for honor) --+ 5 OP --Make a friends --Love & War Lifepath roll. Happy love Affair results in +1 Honor and a 50% chance of a child. Either way, the mating is done.

HONORED
FAMILY: n/a HONOR: 70 MEMBERSHIP: 7 AWARDS: --Ceremonial Armor (Or trade is for honor) --+5 OP --Love & War Lifepath roll. --Make a friend --Renown Level 3 --Leadership skill +2 --+ 1 family (max 10)

ANCIENTS / ELDARS
FAMILY: n/a HONOR: 100 MEMBERSHIP: 9 AWARDS: --One Standard Caste Vessel --+5 OP --Love & War Lifepath roll. Happy love Affair results in +1 Honor and a 50% chance of a child. Either way, the mating is done. --Make two friends (Like a brother / sister in arms who will die for you and you the same) --Renown level 6 --Leadership skill +2 --Family set to 10 (if not already)

ARBITRATORS
FAMILY: n/a HONOR: 200 MEMBERSHIP: 10 AWARDS: -- +5 OP --Love & War Lifepath roll. Happy love Affair results in +1 Honor and a 50% chance of a child. Either way, the mating is done. --Renown level 9

--Leadership skill +2 --Family set to 10 (if not already)

HONOR AWARDS
The following Trophies offer the following Honor

KILL
Unarmed Adults* Pregnant Females Medium Armed Adult Synthetic Slightly Dangerous Animal Alien Egg Alien Chestburster Alien Royal Guard Bug Man*** Reaper*** Young Blooded Predator**** Warrior Predators **** Ancient / Elder Predator**** Defeat and survival@ Accepted Trophy (See below) Outcasted Predator

HONOR KILL
0 -6* 2** 2 1 0 0 3 2 5 1 3 7 -5 2 5 Unarmed Children Lightly Armed Adult Heavily / Assault Armed Adult Prestigious Adult Very Dangerous Animal Alien Facehugger Alien Drone Alien Queen Jockey Alien*** Unblooded Predator**** Blooded Predator **** Honored Predator**** Arbitrator Predator**** Betrayal (GMs discretion) Crime (Murder, Theft, etc.) Revenge Killing

HONOR
-5* 1 3** 5 2 0 1 10 10 0 2 5 10 -1 to -10 -5 to -20 2 + Kill value

@ This is if the Predator is defeated and spared by his opponent. * Obviously, no trophies should be taken. This is inflicted if the kill is discovered. ** A weapon or symbol must be recovered. Otherwise, it is considered only 1 *** Another Plug In **** Combat must be approved by the opponent. If notit is an automatic 2. If this is a fight to move into a caste, there is no honor awarded.

DISHONOR
A Predator at zero honor simply means he must prove himself in the new caste he finds himself in (or herself in rarer cases). They may have weapons and armor but no trophies, having traded them off for newer trinkets. When a predator finds dishonor and his caste discovers this, he must either face consequences or be outcasted.

CONSEQUENCES: When the Predator is placed in the negative, his weapons will be removed to off the balance. He is never removed from his caste, but is considered a dishonored member of it. Obviously, because of the high honor of honored and elders, the chances of them being dishonored in this nature is virtually impossible. Usually only Warriors and under find this level of punishment. Eventually, if the dishonor is so great, the warrior must give up all possessions. If this eventually puts him back into the positive honor, he may still continue in the fight. If, however, he remains in the negative, he is considered less of a person. These dishonored live without quarters in the slums of the ships, forced to live on whatever they can find. Most here dont believe they will ever be strong again. Some try to fight for honor and challenge other Predators for their honor to be acknowledged again. If they continue to loose, their dishonor grows deeper. If their dishonor continues and drops below 10, this Predator is no longer allowed in the Caste. They cannot be reduced to another castethe Predator is forced to endure discomidation. Stripped of his honor and banished, this Predator is left with his clothes and maybe a side blade on a planet to live the rest of his life without

honor. Some of these Predators continue the hunt in their own mind, some others kill themselves. Others.adapt. These Predators are not outcastes, just discomidated and not acknowledged. Outcastes are different. If a dishonored predator who freely accepted his punishment is needed again, there have been reports of an elder making a special case and letting a trained discomidated Predator on a hunt. They usually have no major weapons and armor. If they survive, they are accepted. This is extremely rare. A hunt occurs on a planet with a dishonored Predator and that Predator saves the life of the leader. That Predator may be brought and accepted back.

BAD BLOODS / OUTCASTS: The criminals among the Yautja have committed crimes such as murder, dishonorable hunting and failure. Strangely enough, Outcasted Predators can be recognized on sight by other Predators, like their face is placed on a bulletin board for all to see. If discovered to have dishonored the caste, and the Predator flees rather than accept punishment, there can be no forgiveness. The Predator flees with what he or she can carry--some of them already earned a ship or they might continue their dishonor by stealing onenever to return. Outcasted Predators that leave this way are never accepted back. Upon seeing them, honored predators are ordered to eliminate these dishonored fools. Outcasted Predators dont often hunt except for food. They travel, always alone, from place to place, aimless, without purpose. Some are evil incarnate, hunting and slaying anything alive, even other Predators. This is the unfortunate norm since most dishonor is had not by defeat, but by crimes against the caste. There have been reports of a rare few predators that have been outcastes, only to exist as farmers on an abandoned distant world. It doesnt matter what life they have chosen. Outcastes are outcastes and those who help them are as bad as they (10 honor if an Predator helps an outcast and is discovered).

RECOGNIZING HONOR IN OTHERS

Predators are, in many ways, isolationists, which do not accept others into their broods. However, if a member of another species shows to have amazing honor, there have been known to have been reports of a mutual respect between species. Most of the time, however, the Predator considers this an opponent and worthy trophy. This is always the case with hunters in Honored castes or less because they are in the constant search for more honor and will find it anywhere. However Elders are more laid back, having earned enough honor for a permanent position, they consider honored fighters of other species as respected as their own kin. Elders have often let warriors of other species live after they have proven themselves honored warriors. This usually only occurs if the subject has killed a predator or fought alongside a predator in a fight. There is also a common practice in these cases, to maintain honor by exchanging trophies by both sides. This can offer equal or more honor than killing the opponent. Currently, there has only been one story of a human living in a yautja community. This came from her fighting alongside an elder predator in a hunt. When he died, the human was accepted into the caste because of the obvious endorsement from a late elder. She was given the Mark of Honor, and therefore, became accepted.

CONSPIRACY LEVEL 0
As it is known, the Hunters have moved through space for centuries. They have even been to Earth before mankind even attained space travel. If a GM wants to run a campaign outside the alien setting, he can configure the game to CL 0. This means all the technology from the core game is OUT. Refer to the FUZION rules for technology appropriate to the year the GM sets the story in, whether it be in the jungles of Southeast Asia or the crime filled streets of LA. Unlimited options become available from any time period and place. The moment the GM sets the story in the alien setting, the alien core rules come into play but unless set that way, the core rules of ALIEN-FUZION are not even necessary. As a result, this PLUG-IN can be a totally enclosed game system if the GM wishes it to be. If he wants aliens however, the core rules will be needed. Just imagine what a Predator-Hybrid would be like. Enjoy the variety.

EXAMPLE PREDATORS
UNBLOODED PREDATOR
INT: 6 WILL: 6 PRE: 3 DEX: 7 CON: 9 STR: 10 FAMILY: 5 HONOR: 0 STUN: 50 SD: 18 HITS: 50 PD: 10 SKILLS Astrogation 1 Demolition / Disposal 2 Acrobatics 2 Climbing 3 First Aid -- 3 Hand to Hand Evade 3 Zero-Gravity Maneuvering -- 1 EQUIPMENT Hunter Padding Dart Gun Hunter Mask Wrist Blades Mediket Side Blade TECH: 4 BODY: 10 REF: 10 MOVE: 5

Ranged Weapons 2 Weaponsmith 4 Athletics -- 2 Concealment 3 Hand to Hand 3 Melee Weapons -- 4

Melee Evade 3 Navigation 3 Ranged Evade -- 3 Shadowing 2 Stealth 2 Survival -- 4

YOUNG BLOOD PREDATOR

INT: 6 WILL: 6 PRE: 3 DEX: 7 CON: 9 STR: 10 FAMILY: 5 HONOR: 5 STUN: 50 SD: 18 HITS: 50 PD: 10 SKILLS Astrogation 1 Weaponsmith 4 Climbing 3 Hand to Hand 4 Melee Evade 3 Shadowing 2 Zero-Gravity Maneuvering -- 1 EQUIPMENT Hunter Padding Dart Gun Hunter Mask Wrist Blades Mediket Side Blade TECH: 4 BODY: 10 REF: 10 MOVE: 5

Ranged Weapons 3 Acrobatics 2 Concealment 3 Hand to Hand Evade 4 Navigation 3 Stealth 2

Demolition / Disposal 2 Athletics -- 4 First Aid -- 4 Melee Weapons -- 4 Ranged Evade -- 3 Survival -- 4

BLOODED PREDATOR
INT: 6 WILL: 6 PRE: 3 TECH: 4 REF: 10 DEX: 7 CON: 9 STR: 10 BODY: 10 MOVE: 5 FAMILY: 5 HONOR: 12 STUN: 50 SD: 18 HITS: 50 PD: 10 SKILLS Astrogation 1 Ranged Weapons 3 Demolition / Disposal 2 Weaponsmith 4 Climbing 3 Hand to Hand 5 Melee Evade 4 Shadowing 2 Zero-Gravity Maneuvering -- 1 EQUIPMENT Hunter Padding Hunter Mask Mediket Dart Gun Wrist Blades Side Blade Acrobatics 2 Concealment 4 Hand to Hand Evade 5 Navigation 3 Stealth 2 Athletics -- 4 First Aid -- 4 Melee Weapons -- 4 Ranged Evade -- 4 Survival -- 4

Net Gun

WARRIOR PREDATOR
INT: 6 WILL: 7 PRE: 3 DEX: 8 CON: 9 STR: 11 FAMILY: 5 HONOR: 35 STUN: 55 SD: 18 HITS: 55 PD: 11 SKILLS Astrogation 2 Ranged Weapons 4 Demolition / Disposal 3 TECH: 4 BODY: 11 REF: 10 MOVE: 5

Climbing 4 Concealment 5 First Aid -- 5

Melee Evade 5 Navigation 5 Ranged Evade -- 5

Weaponsmith 5 Acrobatics 3 Athletics -- 5 Zero-Gravity Maneuvering -- 3 Pilot: Predator Ship 3 Contortionist -- 2 EQUIPMENT Hunter Armor Bio Helmet Mediket Dart Gun

Hand to Hand 5 Hand to Hand Evade 5 Melee Weapons -- 5 Electronics 2 Leadership 1 Perception -- 2 Plasma Caster Acid Resistant Claws Camouflage Device

Shadowing 5 Stealth 5 Survival -- 5 Tracking -- 2

Side Blade Net Gun One Shuttle

HONORED WARRIOR
INT: 7 WILL: 8 PRE: 5 TECH: 5 REF: 10 DEX: 8 CON: 10 STR: 12 BODY: 12 MOVE: 6 FAMILY: 5 HONOR: 80 STUN: 60 SD: 20 HITS: 60 PD: 12 SKILLS Astrogation 4 Hand to Hand 6 Zero-Gravity Maneuvering -- 4 Ranged Weapons 5 Hand to Hand Evade 6 Demolition / Disposal 5 Melee Weapons -- 6 Pilot: Predator Ship 4 Contortionist -- 3 Weaponsmith 5 Melee Evade 6 Electronics 4 Acrobatics 5 Navigation 6 Leadership 3 Athletics -- 6 Ranged Evade -- 7 Perception -- 3 Climbing 6 Shadowing 7 Tracking -- 4 Concealment 5 Stealth 7 First Aid -- 6 Survival -- 7 EQUIPMENT Ceremonial Armor Combi-Stick Bio Helmet Net Gun Plasma Caster Mediket One Shuttle Self-Destruct Sequence Dart Gun Camouflage Device Smart Disk Acid Resistant Claws Audio Waveform Analyzer Laser Sight Side Blade

ELDER PREDATOR
INT: 8 WILL: 9 PRE: 7 TECH: 6 REF: 11 DEX: 10 CON: 11 STR: 13 BODY: 12 MOVE: 6 FAMILY: 10 HONOR: 120 STUN: 60 SD: 20 HITS: 60 PD: 12 SKILLS Astrogation 6 Climbing 9 Ranged Weapons 9 Concealment 9 Melee Evade 9 Demolition / Disposal First Aid 8 Navigation 7 Hand to Hand 9 8 Ranged Evade 9 Weaponsmith 7 Hand to Hand Evade Shadowing 8 8 Acrobatics 7 Stealth 8 Athletics 9 Melee Weapons 9 Survival 8 Electronics 5 Tracking 6 Zero-Gravity Maneuvering -- 5 Pilot: Predator Ship 6 Contortionist 4 Leadership 9 Paramedic 5 Perception 5 Tactics 5 Surveillance 4 Cooking 4 Languages 3

EQUIPMENT Camouflage Device Hunter Padding Hunter Armor Ceremonial Armor The Wrist Blade Acid Resistant Claws Side Blade

Hunter Mask Audio Waveform Analyzer Bio Helmet Mediket The Combi Stick The Smart Disk One Standard Caste Vessel

Laser Sight Scattergun Naginata Dart Gun Net Gun Shoulder Plasma Caster Self-Destruct sequence

ARBITRATOR PREDATOR
INT: 9 WILL: 9 PRE: 9 TECH: 7 REF: 11 DEX: 10 CON: 11 STR: 13 BODY: 12 MOVE: 7 FAMILY: 10 HONOR: 250 STUN: 60 SD: 20 HITS: 60 PD: 12 SKILLS Astrogation 6 Ranged Weapons Shadowing 8 9 Demolition / Stealth 8 Engineer: Aerospace 4 Survival 8 Disposal 8 Deduction -- 6 Zero-Gravity Maneuvering -- 7 Pilot: Predator Disguise 4 Weaponsmith 7 Ship 8 Contortionist 6 Expert (Predator law) 7 Acrobatics 8 Athletics 9 Electronics 7 Expert (alien worlds) 5 Climbing 9 Leadership 10 Mechanics -- 5 Perception 7 Concealment 9 Mimicry 6 Tracking 8 Riding 4 First Aid 8 Paramedic 7 Sleight of Hand 3 Hand to Hand 9 Languages 7 Hand to Hand Evade Tactics 8 Cooking 6 Surveillance 6 8 Melee Weapons 9 Melee Evade 9 Navigation 7 Ranged Evade 9 EQUIPMENT Dart Gun Bio Helmet Net Gun Camouflage Device Mediket Hunter Padding The Wrist Blade Laser Sight Hunter Armor Acid Resistant Claws Scattergun Ceremonial Armor The Combi Stick Naginata Hunter Mask Self-Destruct sequence The Smart Disk Audio Waveform Analyzer Side Blade Shoulder Plasma Caster One Standard Caste Vessel

COLONIAL MARINE SPECIAL FORCES - TL 1

BY SALCOR
Within every military force there are the typical foot soldiers, then there is the elite troops. The Colonial Marines are no exception. Following the traditions of the United States Marine Corp. The Colonial Marines included the marine special forces; Marine Force Recon, and the sapper, Marine Combat Engineers. The term 'Marine Recon' conjures images of daring raids and desperate rescue missions in enemy territory. The reality, though less glamorous, still encourages the Colonial Marines' finest to sign up for recon, the most demanding and challenging mission within the Corp. Reconnaissance Marines train for 'special operations', a term covering many missions, including deep penetration reconnaissance, raids and demolitions, assassinations, the training of partisans and guerrillas and rescue operations. Recon Marines have to operate in all environments and are given extensive training in underwater, deep space, and hostile planetary environments.

Usually operating in autonomous four-man teams, the Recon Marine's job is to stay hidden in the heart of the enemy's territory, supplying the kind of vital intelligence that satellites or aerospace craft cannot information that can only be uncovered by an expert man or woman on the ground. Because the recon

mission is so flexible, Recon Marines in the field frequently have to perform special tasks - such as demolitions or raids - at short notice, and often with no more equipment than they already carry. There are many techniques for covertly inserting Recon Marines into an operating zone. Because there are a few places inaccessible from space, the most popular method is an orbital drop, either by aerospace shuttle, or by a dead-drop re-entry vehicle. The dead-drop method is the stealthiest approach, but also the most risky; it involves placing a single marine inside a small capsule which makes a ballistic re-entry. At low altitude, a drogue shoot slows the capsule, allowing the Marine to eject from it and unfold a parafoil, beneath which they can glide to the landing zone. Another variation of this method is to elect from the capsule at high altitude and perform a HALO jump. Where the Colonial Marines already own landing zones on a planet, more conventional methods of insertion are used - by aerospace craft, boat, or submarine.

FORCE RECON
MIRROR: Infantry, Heavy Weapons, Medical, Combat Engineer, Armor STARTING RANK: Lance Corporal CEILING RANK: Sergeant BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Autofire Weapons (M), Firearms, HTH, Stealth, Survival, Zero-Gravity Maneuvering, SCUBA, Parachuting O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Demolitions/Disposal (M), Heavy weapons (M), Melee Weapons, First Aid, Climbing, Drive -Buggy (M); Gunnery (M), Drive - APC, Tracking, Concealment

FORCE RECON -CareerMIRROR: OCC, NCO STARTING RANK: Officers - 2nd LT NCOs - Sergeant CEILING RANK: Officers - None NCOs - Sergeant Major BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Autofire Weapons (M), Firearms, HTH, Leadership, Survival, ZeroGravity Maneuvering, SCUBA, Parachuting O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Tactics (M), Interrogation (M), Perception, First Aid, Climbing, Engineering - Armor, Engineering - Synthetic, Tracking, Concealment, Survival. The Colonial Marine Corp of Engineers has established a reputation as an elite unit, as Marine Force Recon. The specialists handle the most hazardous demolition tasks demolishing strongpoints, clearing mine fields, preparing landing zones and laying bridges - all while under fire. It would be impossible to list all of the equipment available to the combat engineers here, though items include all manners of demolitions, mineplows, deepcore drills, portable aerospace strips, etc.

COMBAT ENGINEERS
MIRROR: Infantry, Heavy Weapons, Medical, Armor CEILING RANK: Lance Corporal BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Autofire Weapons (M), Demolitions/Disposal (M), Driving - Heavy Equipment, Engineering - Fortifications O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Security Systems (M), Heavy weapons (M), HTH, First Aid, Driving -Armor(M); Weaponsmith (M), Gunnery (M), Concealment, Engineering - Armor (M)* * Engineering - Armor includes Engineering for Heavy Equipment

NEW SKILLS
SCUBA (DEX) - This is the ability to use underwater breathing apparatus to stay under water for longer periods of time.

PARACHUTING (DEX)- This is the ability to jump out of an aircraft and successfully land on the surface. This skill includes the practice of HALO (at a -4), and HAHO jump (at a -2). DRIVING - HEAVY EQUIPMENT (REF) - This is the ability to operate heavy construction equipment like bulldozer, cranes, trenchers, and back-hoes. ENGINEERING - FORTIFICATIONS (TECH) - The knowledge of how to construct effective field defenses, like bunkers and minefields, or military installations, like airfields and landing zones.

STANDERD EQUIPMENT:
Standard Equipment applies to whatever position you end up with finally at the end of your character generation. This is not what your character walks around with but rather the standard gear he/she is equipped with in combat. Equipment going into battle can vary drastically with the situation. Additions are common. As a general rule of thumb, marines can choose any weapon they have training in. (Optional) Any rank "Lance Corporal" and higher have an automatic choice of a "third weapon" as long as they have training in the use of that weapon. The pistol is the only automatic. Shotgun, Flame-throwers and even AntiAircraft/Tank weaponry are available. @ Indicates items for an encumbered Marine. Every 3 of @ items adds 1 to your DEX. @@ indicates two marks. NOTE: All equipment is TL1. Anything with a "*" can be replaced by higher TL equivalents.

FORCE RECON
Team break down includes 2 Infantry, 1 Heavy Weapon, 1 Sniper, 1 NCO/OCC, team is issued 1 pulse communicator, and 1 intelligence unit. Additional equipment available upon request.

RECON INFANTRY
BDUs Canteen Knife Motion Tracker VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol w. 2 clips* Bed Roll @ 8 M-40 Grenades Binoculars (High Quality) @ M41A Pulse Rifle w. 2 clips* Wristwatch First Aid Kit Hand Welder Compass Personal Locator Entrenching/ Utility Tool @ Mess Kit @ Short Range Comm Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) M-10 Helmet* 6 M-94 Flares Toolknife Nylon Rope @ M-3Armor* 3 M1000 Flares 20 days rations @ TNR Lamp Ghillie Suit *@

RECON HEAVY WEAPONS

BDUs Mess Kit@ First Aid Kit M-3Armor* Hand Welder Nylon Rope@ 3 M1000 Flares Binoculars (High Quality)@ Short Range Comm Bed Roll @ 8 M-40 Grenades Wristwatch 6 M-94 Flares Compass Toolknife Canteen Knife TNR Lamp

M240 Flame-thrower w 2 canisters or MM-10 Helmet* 56 Smartgun@ Entrenching/ Utility 20 days rations@ Personal Locator Tool@ DemoKit@

VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Ghillie Suit *@ Pistol w. 2 clips

RECON SNIPER
BDUs First Aid Kit Ghillie Suit *@ VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol w. 2 clips* Entrenching/ Utility Tool @ 20 days rations @ Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) Wristwatch 6 M-94 Flares Compass Personal Locator 3 M1000 Flares Binoculars (High Quality) @ M-10 Helmet* Knife Nylon Rope @ M-3Armor* Canteen Hand Welder Toolknife Bed Roll @

8 M-40 Grenades Mess Kit @ Short Range Comm M42A Scope Rifle w 2 clips*

RECON NCO (Non Commissioned Officer)/ OCC --CAREER-BDUs Canteen 8 M-40 Grenades VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol First Aid Kit Wristwatch M-3Armor* Entrenching/ Utility Tool @ Knife with 2 clips* Nylon Rope @ Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) M-10 Helmet* 3 M1000 Flares Mess Kit @ Bed Roll @ 6 M-94 Flares 20 days rations @

Binoculars (High Compass Quality)@ Short Range Comm Toolknife

Personal Locator TNR Lamp

M41A Pulse Rifle with 2 clips OR M240 FlameGhillie Suit *@ thrower with 2 canisters OR M-42A Scope Riflewith 2 clips

COMBAT ENGINEER
Entrenching/ Utility Tool @ Mess Kit @ DemoKit Nylon Rope @ Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) 3 M1000 Flares Hand Welder Orbital Communications kit@@ Short Range Comm VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pisto with 2 clips*l 6 M-94 Flares 20 days rations @ Advanced Tool Kit@ Toolknife M41A Pulse Rifle with 2 clips OR M240 Flame-thrower with 2 canisters Knife Motion Tracker Mechanics Tool Kit Wristwatch Mission specific equipment

M22CE JACKSON MEDIUM COMBAT ENGINEERING TANK

The CE variant of the M22A3 Jackson Medium Tank was created to provide Colonial Marine Combat Engineers with a combat vehicle to assist ground units in destroying enemy bunkers, as well as assist in clearing mine fields, terrain, creating fortifications, and laying bridges. The Jackson was chosen because it was light enough to be dropped by a UD-4 Cheyanne, and still be heavy enough to perform various engineering tasks. To conform to its new mission, the CE variant replaces the Jackson's main gun with a 210mm smoothbore demolition cannon. This weapon is designed to be used against enemy bunkers and other static emplacements. It may be used against other armored vehicles, however it is suffers from extreme in accuracy. The CE variant of the Jackson retains its additional weapon mount to provide the tank with a defensive weapon. Another modification is the addition of two changeable attachments for a variety of engineering equipment. These attachments vary from dozerblades, and cranes, to bridge laying attachments. The bridgelayer requires to turret to be removed. Since the addition of the CE Jackson, the Colonial Marine Corp of Engineers have been able to provide more effective front-line combat support for the Colonial Marines' Space Forces.

PERFORMANCE
TOTAL COST: LOADED WEIGHT: $4 000 000 29 000 kg (29 t)

MANUEVERABILITY: -8 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE 7K MAX SPEED: ACCELERATION: 65 30 ARMOR 3K

VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: The M22CE has one hardpoint for its main gun. One additional hardpoint is available for additional firepower. The M22CE also has two hardpoints for civil enginnering additions. By removing the turret 4 CE hardpoints are available. BASIC ARMAMENT: WEAPON M22A3 TARGETS Ground targets BR 3m DC 5K* Range 500 WA -2 ROF 1 SHOTS 40

A 210mm HEAP round, counts a armor piercing at point of impact. All damage in blast radius normal.

ENGINEERING ATTACHMENTS:
DOZERBLADE/MINEPROW - 0 engineering space This engineering attachment allows engineering vehicles to create simple defensive structures as well as clearing mine fields. The blade is a 15K structure attached to the front of the Jackson, this blade will take the full impact of any mines detonated while clearing a minefield. Also when being fired at from the front there is a slight chance that the round will hit the blade instead of the tank (roll 1D10, on a 9 or 10 the mineprow takes the damage instead of the tanks armor). This attachment may be attached to ANY Colonial Marine vehicles, but they reduce the maneuverability to other vehicles by 3.

HEAVY WINCH - 1 engineering space This engineering attachment is to assist engineering vehicles in salvage and recovery missions. It is simple a 50 ton winch, capable of pulling even a M40 Ridgeway free of obstructions. This attachment may only be used with the mineprow if it is attached to the rear of the vehicle. CRANE - 2 engineering spaces The crane is another attachment designed to assist combat engineers on salvage/recovery missions, as well as base construction. The crane is capable of lifting up to 10 tons, but to lift anything over 4 tons braces must be put into place, and the vehicle may not move. Also when the crane is being used the main gun may not be fired (but some units have been known to alter the fire controls to allow it.) HEAVY CRANE - 4 engineering spaces (requires the turret and main gun to be removed.) The Heavy crane operates in the same manner as the normal crane, but it replaces the turret. This crane is capable of lifting up to 20 tons, however braces must secure it first. BRIDGE-LAYER - 4 engineering spaces (requires the turret and main gun to be removed.) The bridge-layer is one of the most radical alterations to the M22 Jackson. This system replaces the turret with a collapsible bridge that can span a 150 feet opening. These type of operation is usually assisted by a M22CE Heavy Crane Variant.

TAF - 21 Dragon Drop - Fighter

TECH LEVEL: 3
The TAF Dragon was an attempt by Alphatech to make a competing trans-aerospace fighter when their AD - 19 failed to reach mass - production. They took the best capabilities of the old fighter and combined newer technology from the UD-4l. The Dragon is capable of dropping out the same slot as the UD-4 Cheyenne but instead of being a troop transport, the Dragon offers a superior Air - Air and Air - Ground offensive capacity. The TAF - 21 became a popular craft with it's pilots. It handles better than most vessels in operation. Its small size and powerful engines, allow it to accomplish maneuvers impossible by other craft. It has a very small lifting body, forcing the pilot to become almost totally reliant on the flight software and lift from the vectored thrust engines which are the most advanced of any space vessel. The Dragon looses the disadvantage of the Cheyenne with its high stall speed. The Dragon no longer needs to fly nose-high to maintain control. The Dragon is nimble when in hover, making it a deadly weapons platform. The Dragon has a crew of two, comprising a Pilot and a Crew Chief / Weapons Officer. Engine thrust and nozzle settings are automatically moved to their optimum positions depending on speed, altitude, throttle and stick settings. An intelligent autopilot facility allows the automatics to fly all phases of the mission profile, including ingress and egress to the target zone as well as landing and docking cycles. Both crew sit in Martin-Siekert R2102 zero-zero ejection seats which are cleared for operation at any altitude below 10,000 m and speeds below Mach 1. In the event of an emergency, explosive cord blows the canopy off and the crew are ejected clear of the ship. Canopy transparencies are made from single-

crystal quartz, flash coated with gold, germanium, molybdenum and iridium to provide protection against bright light and short-wavelength lasers. The coatings also act as a radar reflecting surface, preventing the entire cockpit volume from becoming a radar reflecting cavity. These systems are identical to the controls of the UD-4. Pilots rated to fly the Cheyenne Dropship need little to no training to switch over to the new dynamic flight controls of the Dragon (GAME NOTE: It uses the same skill). The makers of the UD-4 often complained that the designs were too similar even to the point of having the same brand of flight seat. The Dragon is a total VTOL flight system with very little lifting surface. The size was shaved down from the Cheyenne and the cargo bay was totally removed. This reduced the flight weight and increased maneuverability. The weapon systems are almost unchanged as was the flight system. Like the Cheyenne, the Dragon can lift itself directly into orbit. It has similar sensor equipment, the same communication array and almost identical reactors. The armor is significantly less to add maneuverability and speed. Weapon systems are standardized starting with the same 25 mm Gargoyle Cannon but with a more advanced targeting system. The 120 mm rockets remain but the heavier weapons like the AGM-220C and the AIM-90 Headlocks are limited. These weapons are more specialized, meaning the dragon will usually only be equipped with air - air or air - ground exclusively and not often both. The TAF-21 was designed as an infantry support gunship which could be launched from an orbital platform directly into combat. The Dragon is smaller, allowing easier transport. It is powered by two Ryan-Cole 122 micro scramjets for Orbital/Supersonic speeds, and one Mitchallan Tf-1200 variable-cycle turbine, all of which feed into the Dragon's unique vectorable thrust exausts, allowing for greater manueverability in space and while hovering on planets. The Dragon features many of the same stealth and sensor characteristics of the Cheyenne Variant TAF -21 Body 3 WT 15 Armor 2 MV +1 Move 300 Mach 3 Orbit 7 SR 15

Communication range: 3000 km Crew: 1 Pilot. 1 Co-Pilot Life support for 2 personnel. Maneuverability: +3 dodge of guided missiles. +2 in space. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bag. Evacuation: 2 Parachutes Armament package: None Range: Atmospheric: 10 000 km Orbital: 75 AU Hardpoints: 5 Basic Armament: 25 Gargoyle Cannon (+1 to hit), 22 x 120 mm Rockets, 6-

BENEATH THE SKIN

CONSPIRACY LEVEL: 1. Schenario designed by Panos Liris (the phantom) The Aliens theme for Fuzion Original designed by Chris Dias. Fuzion Rules by the Fuzion Group 1997. Phandom@.otenet.gr I apologize for my English. :o) PROLOGUE This is my first adventure designed for Aliens Fuzion, if you are lucky it could have some playtest before it get published, to play this adventure you need to have a copy of Fuzion rules and Aliens Fuzion

from the Serena Dawn spaceport made by Chris Dias, the adventure is for conspiracy level 1, it will have no Aliens as we know them, and why is that: If aliens are to be found from the first to the last section of the game they are going to be bored (even if deadly), Aliens will be found more and more as the conspiracy levels increase. Its better as you will find out later that the players do not have pilots with them. THE STORY The players are (as we all know) Colonial marines, new in their duty at the first conspiracy level. The adventure starts at the gateway station. In the first part the marines take part in combat training with nonlethal weapons in a holographic combat environment. This will give the players the needed time to meet with the other characters that will consist of their team, (you must create some NPCs to fill in the places for a full marine squad). At this first part they will hopefully learn about the system and how it goes. After some days (you choose) the marines' Corporal receives their mission and data from the Commander the condition goes as such: Dangerous criminals were moving from their prison to another due to a virus that has been sighted. Most of the command wasnt eager to make this movement as the public could be happy if they were to die, yet high officers choose to move the criminals to another prison. In the middle of the trip, the ship was damaged and dropped out of hyperspace. Command HQ lost all communications and radar signals of the ship there. It is believed that the ship was lost, maybe even exploded, but there is a small chance that the ship crash landed in the planet Cleon. A planet very far from near colonies. The prison that the criminals were moving to was even further than the last planets colonized. If the criminals have crash landed, they might pose a threat to the colony there, its a very small colony but have a 70% finished terraforming environment. Its breathable. The mission of the players is to reach planet Cleon and find the wreckage. The colony there has limited search systems and defense to track the surface for the ship. As by now their reports have nothing to do with crash landings. For morale reasons command HQ havent said anything about this situation to the colony. By the end of briefing, the third part starts. The marines take more info about the planet, the criminals, and the way that the mission will go on. The marines will go with a standard Conestoga class ship. They will drop down to the planet's surface with their dropship and head to the colony. They are also instructed not to reveal the truth of their arrival. Instead they must tell them that they have come to place defense mechanisms (laser turrets and scanners), wich they will do. Back at the Conestoga, a synthetic will use the ship's radar to scan the planet to find the possible wreckage. If he does succeed, the marines go there and take control of any survivors. The players drop into hypersleep and before hours of their arrival they will awake. They will board into a dropship and inform the base about their arrival. They will take with them construction parts for radar and laser turrets. An hour later the marines will be on the colony The fourth part takes place at the colony. With no need for their armor and weapons, the marines will take their time exploring the colony and talking with the colonists. As the game goes on, the synthetic will find out metal signs on the surface and will inform the marines. They will take immediate action (boarding again the dropship) and head to the signal. They reveal metal fragments. When they return the marines will be aware that maybe the colonists are suspicious of the squad. The marines maybe even think that the Criminals ship has been destroyed and there were no survivors. But what is happening really?: The Criminals are already at the colony, making that they are colonists. Actually the condition is much worse than a normal. They captured of the base. The virus that infected the first prison is nothing else than a special form of a strange alien form, entering the victims brain by the ear, totally gaining control over the Victims body. Even worse the alien form can gain control over other humans by copying itself and attacking other victims. The alien form is smaller than a worm, black in color and very fast. By the arrival of the marines, the whole base is under the control of this alien form. The criminal ship did indeed crash land in the area. Only 3 criminals survived. The colonists belived that the men were pilots of the ship (they have changed clothes). They let them in the colony only to fall victims of the alien form, the 3 criminals are right now the ones with the starting creatures in their brains and so the leaders. For protection, the base commander (alien infested as all the others) still is in his place. The criminals hide from the marines when they are in the base. The alien forms are pleased with the arrival of the marines

cause they want to infest them and return to the rest of the civilization for even more expansion. By the time that the marines move to find the metel fragments, two of the marines (not players) are already infested. At the night (part five), after the synthetic reveals another strong metal position in the planets surface, the marines move to the position, just before an attack that the worms were intending to make. They board their dropship and head to the point. Then comes the big problem, the 2 marines that are under the control are the 2 pilots of the dropship and thinking that if the marines move to the crash site, they might be aware of the alien form, and so they attack while the dropship moves in the air, (no one said that the alien form are so smart!). The attack goes as such: The pilots desert their position and from their ear goes flying a worm each!, They also draw pistols to those not attacked by the worms. The players are the one attacked by pistol while the others try to avoid the worms. Gunfire starts while the dropship is on the air and it takes heavy damage. At first it hits a mountain top and one of its wings get severed. It spins a little and the dropship crash lands at a big mud swamp, saving the passengers. Some of the marines are still alive (actually all of the player marines). All of the worms die at the fire and some friendly marines are cremated. The best part is when the marines (players) dont know if they must try to take out of the burning metals a heavily wounded marine. At the end the dropship explodes killing even more marines. Most of the marines are dead. The players and some wounded marines are still alive. The worst part is that the few weapons remain. The corporal is still alive though and he orders his men to go to the possible position of the crash so that they may transmit help to the base or to their main ship, he will also order them to kill him cause he have no legs and he knows that he cant survive. At part six, the marines, wounded many of them by the drop, reach the crash landed prison ship. They find corpses of the crew and cremated criminals. They will also be able to recover information about their situation and the virus and its speed of moving from body to body. At this point the marines will be aware that possiblu 100% of the colony is under control of the creatures. Later the marines try to contact their ship but the radio is off line from the first damage caused in hyperspace. The marines may take the equipment found on the prison ship, mostly weapons and ammo. The marines are now going to be aware that the enemy is awaiting for them back at the colony fully known that they will return with hostile intentions. The marines (with a successful skill check) are going to know about their hopes. They are to infiltrate the colony and inform the synthetic on the ship to bombard the colony so that possible infestation could not spread far away from this colony. At part seven the marines enter the colony from the sewers. They do not face any opposition. Yet when they enter the colony fully, the colonists will start to come firing weapons at the marines. After some time while the fight goes on and on, the colonists will have the marines trapped by in the Comm center (tough luck for them). So the marines make a heroic movement as one of them goes out of cover to speak to the Conestoga. They tell to the synthetic to bombard the colony after some minutes so they can escape but they hear something no one wanted to hear, the synthetic has orders not to open fire on the colony as its property of waylant-yutani. He also say to them that the have orders to recapture the base and thats all. At this part (eight), the marines are fully aware that once more they are in big trouble! Not only them but many planets in reach of the colony. The synthetic is not bombing the base cause its the companys property. The marine who was on the communications table takes a shot in the head (if a npc) and drops dead. The marines must do something to destroy the colony. They quickly find out in the computer near them that a small ship is on the hangar for public use. Its easy to navigate. They might take it and go to the Conestoga. There they might fire against the colony. The marines moves once again against the colonists which dont seem to stop. The marines at the end board the small orbital ship and take off (it is going to be difficult. At this point knows how to fly a ship). In a Hollywood movie they take off while the ship blasts through the hangar doors and hits numerous colonists as it blasts off. It faces also AA fire from the lasers the marines placed days ago! By that time the marines head back to the capital ship. At this part (nine), the epilogue, the marines enter the Conestoga. The synthetic takes action and arms itself. The marines face it in a small firearms battle. At the end, the marines fire the Conestogas main

weapons. The colony bursts into a mighty explosion. In their bad luck the 3 criminals were already aware of what the marines were about to do. They have boarded the ship on a place that they could not be found. They dont get out quickly and so the marines drop to hypersleep and head back at the gateway station. Final part (ten), the marines believe that they have already lost their jobs. They destroyed a colony by themselves. The Conestoga attaches to the gateway station. The marines go outside to face the commander of the mission. He warns them that the others believe that they could have exterminated the colonists without taking out the base. Company men and the marines board the Conestoga to find the synthetic. They scan the ship for weapons. The 3 criminals strike. A worm moves against the Commander. A small fight starts, killing some troops and 2 of the criminals. The last of them hides somewhere within the ship. The marines take some weapons and their armor and head against the creature. A hunting starts. At the end, they find the criminal (alien) hiding in a position on a bridge over a pool of liquid hydrogen. He draws his knife and challenges the marines' honor to go there and fight hand to hand. Only one marine can go. If they kill him, they get themselves clear of charges as the commander has seen the worms. The marines may have shoot the bad guy to pieces and he falls down to his (usual for the main villain) terrible death, at this point the remaining marines are victorious.