DP9-001
Back Cover Blurb
A Hunter races past you, its rapid-fire 20 mm autocannon spitting metal death. As you watch in horror, your commanding officer’s Black Mamba erupts into a ball of raging flame, composite armor and fuel ablaze in a bright fireball.
“Fall back! Fall back!” Hastily, you have taken command. Your squadron pulls back behind a rocky outcropping and regroups. Tracers surround your temporary shelter like angry fire hornets — you all know you can’t stay there forever.
You crouch low and burst out of the rock’s shadow, zipping, zooming and ducking on powered wheels like an oversized armored skater. A hail of shells explode around your Heavy Gear, but you’re too good a pilot to be hit. Unleashing the full power of your V-engine, you head back into the firefight, emptying your shoulder-mounted 71 mm rocket pod on an enemy heavy tank.
And they told you this was just a routine patrol…
The HEAVY GEAR RULEBOOK is the Silhouette™ game system manual for DREAM POD 9’s exciting new science-fiction game. Within these covers you will find:
• A complete easy-to-use, yet realistic roleplaying game system which uses the classic six-sided die to resolve conflicts.
• A complete tactical game system that can either be played on its own or interact smoothly with the roleplaying game.
• Optional rules for tabletop gaming using metal miniatures.
• Advanced HEAVY GEAR FIGHTER™ card game rules, including Multi-Player and the all-new Duel rules.
• A brief summary of the HEAVY GEAR science-fiction game universe.
• Fully illustrated descriptions and game stats for 8 Heavy Gears, 4 ground vehicles and 2 striders.
Get ready to jump four millennia into the future and step into the world of HEAVY GEAR. Are you up to the challenge?
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1: WELCOME TO HEAVY GEAR
1.1 THE WORLD OF HEAVY GEAR
1.2 THE STORY
1.3 THE GAME
1.4 THE SILHOUETTE GAME SYSTEM
CHAPTER 2: SILHOUETTE BASICS
2.1 DICE AND DIE ROLLING
2.1.1 ACTION TESTS
2.1.2 OPPOSED ACTION TESTS
2.1.3 FUMBLES
2.1.4 RATINGS, SKILLS AND SKILL TESTS
CHAPTER 3: ROLEPLAYING RULES
3.1 WHAT IS A ROLEPLAYING GAME?
3.2 THE CHARACTER SHEET
3.2.1 ATTRIBUTES
3.2.2 SECONDARY TRAITS
3.2.3 SKILLS
3.2.4 INJURY LIST AND SYSTEM SHOCK
3.2.5 WEAPON LIST
3.2.6 EQUIPMENT LIST
3.2.7 DESCRIPTION AND PERSONAL HISTORY
3.3 ARCHETYPES
3.4 CHARACTER CREATION
3.4.1 STEP 1: LOOK AND FEEL
3.4.2 STEP 2: SELECT ATTRIBUTES
3.4.3 STEP 3: CHOOSE SKILLS
3.4.4 STEP 4: CALCULATE SECONDARY TRAITS
3.4.5 STEP 5: PURCHASE EQUIPMENT
3.4.6 SAMPLE CHARACTER
3.5 ACTIONS
3.5.1 RUNNING ACTION TESTS
3.5.2 SKILL TESTS
3.5.3 ATTRIBUTE, STRENGTH AND HEALTH TESTS
3.5.4 CHANCE TESTS
3.6 SKILLS
3.6.1 SKILLS DESCRIPTION LIST
3.7 COMBAT
3.7.1 INITIATIVE
3.7.2 ACTIONS
3.7.3 MOVEMENT
3.7.4 RANGED COMBAT
3.7.5 CLOSE COMBAT
3.7.6 SURPRISE ATTACKS
3.7.7 ATTACKER MODIFIERS
3.7.8 DEFENDER MODIFIERS
3.7.9 DODGING
3.7.10 BURST FIRE
3.7.11 GRENADE ATTACKS
3.7.11 GRENADE ATTACKS
3.7.12 INJURIES
3.7.13 UNTREATED INJURIES
3.7.14 STABILIZING INJURIES
3.7.15 DEATH
3.7.16 RECOVERY FROM INJURIES
3.7.17 PERMANENT INJURIES
3.8 HAZARDS
3.8.1 DRUGS AND TOXINS
3.8.2 DISEASE
3.8.3 FALLS
3.8.4 FIRE
3.8.5 ELECTRICITY
3.9 CHARACTER IMPROVEMENT
3.9.1 EARNING XPS
3.9.2 SPENDING XPS
3.9.3 TUTORS
3.10 TEN TIPS FOR GAMEMASTERS
3.10.1 DEVELOP AMBIANCE
3.10.2 KEEP THE ACTION MOVING
3.10.3 CREATE SUBPLOTS
3.10.4 KEEP YOUR PLAYERS CHALLENGED
3.10.5 EMPHASIZE THE VALUE OF LIFE
3.10.6 AVOID FOCUSING ON TECHNOLOGY
3.10.7 DO NOT BE A SLAVE TO THE RULES
3.10.8 USE LITERARY TECHNIQUES
3.10.9 THE Y-CUBED RULE
3.10.10FLEXIBILITY OVER PREDICTABILITY
CHAPTER 4: PERSONAL EQUIPMENT AND WEAPONRY
4.1 EQUIPMENT
4.1.1 SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT
4.1.2 CLOTHES AND PROTECTIVE SUITS
4.1.3 SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT
4.1.4 ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
4.1.5 TOOLS
4.1.6 MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
4.2 PERSONAL WEAPONS AND ARMOR
4.2.1 MELEE WEAPONS
4.2.2 COMMON SMALL ARMS
4.2.3 GRENADES
4.2.4 HEAVY WEAPONS
4.2.5 PERSONAL WEAPONS STATISTICS
4.2.6 PERSONAL ARMOR
CHAPTER 5: TACTICAL RULES
5.1 COMBAT UNITS
5.2 MAP BOARDS
5.3 VEHICLE RECORD SHEET
5.3.1 VEHICLE ATTRIBUTES
5.3.2 CREW SKILLS
5.3.3 WEAPONS
5.3.4 PERKS AND FLAWS
5.4 THE COMBAT ROUND
5.5 NUMBER OF ACTIONS
5.6 MOVEMENT AND TERRAIN
5.6.1 COMBAT SPEED
5.6.2 TOP SPEED
5.6.3 MULTIPLE MOVEMENT SYSTEMS
5.6.4 TERRAIN EFFECTS
5.6.5 TURNING
5.6.6 STACKING
5.7 LINE-OF-SIGHT AND OBSCUREMENT
5.7.1 DETECTION RATING
5.7.2 ACTIVE SENSOR LOS
5.8 FIRING ARC
5.9 ATTACKS
5.9.1 ATTACKER MODIFIERS
5.9.2 DEFENDER MODIFIERS
5.9.3 PHYSICAL ATTACKS
5.9.4 EVASIVE MANEUVERS
5.9.5 CALLED SHOTS
5.9.6 INDIRECT FIRE
5.9.7 BURST FIRE
5.9.8 AREA EFFECT WEAPONS
5.10 DAMAGE
5.10.1 SYSTEMS DAMAGE
5.10.2 DAMAGE TO ARMOR
5.10.3 EJECTION
5.11 INFANTRY RULES
5.11.1 INFANTRY RECORD SHEET
5.11.2 MOVEMENT
5.11.3 SENSORS
5.11.4 INFANTRY ACTIONS
5.11.5 ATTACKS VERSUS INFANTRY
5.11.6 INFANTRY THREAT VALUE
CHAPTER 6: ADVANCED SILHOUETTE RULES
6.1 OPTIONAL RPG RULES
6.1.1 ABSTRACT VEHICLE RULES
6.1.2 INTEGRATION WITH THE TACTICAL SYSTEM
6.2 OPTIONAL TACTICAL RULES
6.2.1 OFF-BOARD ARTILLERY AND HIGH ALTITUDE BOMBING
6.2.2 FALLING
6.2.3 AQUATIC MOVEMENT
6.2.4 ELEVATION AS RANGE
6.2.5 WALKERS FALLING
6.2.6 HITTING LARGE TARGETS
6.2.7 CLIFFS
6.2.8 WEATHER CONDITIONS
6.2.9 INCENDIARY EFFECTS
6.2.10 MINEFIELDS
6.2.11 BRIDGES, ROADS AND URBAN TERRAIN
6.2.12 TOWING CAPACITY
6.2.13 CAMPAIGNS
6.3 SILHOUETTE 3D MINIATURE RULES
6.3.1 MEASURES AND SCALE
6.3.2 MINIATURES
6.3.3 THE PLAYING FIELD
6.3.4 MOVEMENT
6.3.5 RANGED COMBAT
6.3.6 PHYSICAL COMBAT
CHAPTER 7: VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION RULES
7.1 INTRODUCTION
7.2 VEHICLE CONCEPT
7.3 TACTICAL AND STRATEGIC STATS
7.3.1 STEP 1: CHOOSE NUMBER OF CREW
7.3.2 STEP 2: SELECT MOVEMENT SYSTEMS
7.3.3 STEP 3: SELECT MANEUVERABILITY
7.3.4 STEP 4: SELECT ARMOR RATING
7.3.5 STEP 5: SELECT WEAPONS
7.3.6 STEP 6: SELECT SENSORS
7.3.7 STEP 7: SELECT FIRE CONTROL
7.3.8 STEP 8: SELECT COMMUNICATIONS
7.3.9 STEP 9: SELECT DEPLOYMENT RANGE
7.3.10 STEP 10: SELECT PERKS AND FLAWS
7.3.11 STEP 11: CALCULATE THREAT VALUE
7.3.12 STEP 12: CALCULATE DEFAULT SIZE AND COST
7.3.13 STEP 13: SELECT ACTUAL SIZE & PRE-PRODUCTION COST
7.3.14 STEP 14: SELECT PRODUCTION TYPE & LEMON ROLLS
7.3.15 STEP 15: CALCULATE FINAL COST
7.3.16 STEP 16: NAME THE DESIGN
7.4 VEHICULAR WEAPONS
7.4.1 WEAPON TURNS
7.4.2 CANNONS
7.4.3 ROCKETS AND MISSILES
7.4.4 CLOSE COMBAT WEAPONS
7.4.5 BAZOOKAS
7.4.6 LASER WEAPONRY
7.4.7 MAGNETIC ACCELERATION CANNONS
7.4.8 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
7.5 PERKS
7.6 FLAWS
CHAPTER 8: ARMY LISTS
8.1 NORTHERN GUARD
8.1.1 TYPICAL RANKS AND ORGANIZATION
8.1.2 NORTHERN MILITARY UNITS
8.1.3 UNITS OF NOTE
8.1.4 MEDALS & AWARDS
8.2 ARMY ORGANIZATION
8.3 SOUTHERN MILICIA
8.3.1 TYPICAL RANKS AND ORGANIZATION
8.3.2 SOUTHERN MILITARY UNITS
8.3.3 UNITS OF NOTE
8.3.4 MEDALS & AWARDS
8.4 THREAT VALUES AND THEIR USE
8.4.1 WHAT IS A THREAT VALUE?
8.4.2 BALANCING ONE-ON-ONE COMBAT
8.4.3 BALANCING MASS COMBAT
8.4.4 VICTORY CONDITIONS AND SPECIAL RULES
8.4.5 TERRAIN AND THREAT VALUES
8.5 HEAVY GEAR FIGHTER DUELS
8.5.1 DUELS
8.5.2 MULTI-PLAYER RULES
8.5.3 RULES UPDATES
CHAPTER 9: THE WORLD OF HEAVY GEAR
9.1 CONFEDERATED NORTHERN CITY-STATES
9.2 ALLIED SOUTHERN TERRITORIES
9.3 BADLANDS
CHAPTER 10: FIELD GUIDE
10.1 WARFARE IN THE 62ND CENTURY
10.2 HEAVY GEARS
10.3 COMBAT VEHICLES
10.4 STRIDERS
10.5 LANDSHIPS
CHAPTER 11: WHEN ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE
11.1 PRELIMINARY NOTES
11.2 MISSION OVERVIEW
11.3 PREPARATION
11.4 ADVENTURE
11.4.1 SEQUENCE 1: FLASHBACK
11.4.2 SEQUENCE 2: DROP ZONE!
11.4.3 SEQUENCE 3: THE HIDDEN MONASTERY
11.4.4 SEQUENCE 4: MONKS AMOK
11.4.5 SEQUENCE 5: BEAT THE CLOCK
11.4.6 DEBRIEFING
11.4.7 MISSION BRIEFING
APPENDIX A: REFERENCES
A-1 HEAVY GEAR GLOSSARY
A-2 GAME GLOSSARY
A-3 INDEX
APPENDIX B: MECHANICAL RECORDS