DP9-004
Back Cover Blurb
Soldat Beringer winced as the heat from the melted circuits penetrated his insulated gloves. The cooling shroud of the Long Fang Naga’s surviving field gun had been damaged and excess heat had poured into the weapon’s articulation circuitry when it had last fired.
“Hurry up. They’re almost here!” Beringer knew Soldat Hennan tracked the approaching Jaguars on her sensors. He gritted his teeth and ripped out the melted wiring.
“One minute,” he mumbled into his helmet comm. Taking out a standard pack of replacement wiring and a surplus cerachip control board, he jury-rigged a new connection, praying the glue would hold.
Explosions boomed over the ridge behind which they were hiding as the Iguana in their cadre tried to slow down the incoming Gears. Beringer knew he wouldn’t last long without fire support. He climbed over the massive gun to get at the auxiliary cooling vent.
“Merde!” The vent had been fused shut by autocannon hits during the last attack. Beringer hastily took out his plasma torch and began cutting.
“I’ve got them tagged! They’re going to make it inside minimum range.” If the Jaguars got in close, the Naga wouldn’t stand a chance. The twisted square of metal finally fell off and Beringer scrambled into his cockpit. “Go!”
The field gun opened up with a deafening blast and the lead Jaguar vanished from Hennan’s sensor screen.
Nothing drives technological advancement quite like warfare, and Terra Nova has seen more than its fair share. In TN 1933 (6132 A.D.) almost every aspect of technology has greatly advanced: from new armor-grade materials and deadly Heavy Gears, to the ability to perform extensive genetic manipulations and design computers that learn by themselves. The Technical Manual examines the technology of the world of Heavy Gear and provides full background and development information along with technical illustrations. Also featured are complete rules for using, repairing and modifying technology in Heavy Gear campaigns and games, along with twenty-three new types of ammunition for projectile and missile weapons.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.0 BITS AND PIECES
1.1 THE TECHNOLOGY OF HEAVY GEAR
1.2 TECHNOLOGY LEVELS
CHAPTER 2: MATERIALS
2.0 DIAMONDS AND STEEL
2.1 MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES
2.1.1 METAL ALLOYS
2.1.2 CERAMICS
2.1.3 POLYMERS
2.1.4 COMPOSITES
2.2 FASTENERS
2.2.1 SMART GLUES
2.2.2 WELDING
CHAPTER 3: ELECTRONICS
3.0 ON THE RUN
3.1 TYPES OF ELECTRONICS
3.1.1 CERAMIC CHIPS
3.1.2 NEURAL NETWORK
3.1.3 OPTICAL NNET
3.1.4 NEURAL NETWORK EVOLUTION
3.2 COMMUNICATIONS
3.2.1 REMOTE CONTROL
3.3 SENSORS
3.3.1 OPTICAL SENSORS
3.3.2 RADIATION-BASED SENSORS
3.3.3 SPECIALIZED SENSORS
CHAPTER 4: MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
4.0 LIFE LINES
4.1 MEDICINE IN THE 62ND CENTURY
4.2 GENETICS
4.3 PROSTHETICS
4.3.1 TYPES OF PROSTHETIC REPLACEMENTS
4.3.2 PROSTHETIC MAINTENANCE
4.4 WEBBLING
CHAPTER 5: WAR AND TECHNOLOGY
5.0 DEADLY GAMES
5.1 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY IN THE 62ND CENTURY
5.1.1 THE INFLUENCE OF STEALTH TECHNOLOGY
5.1.2 ACCURACY AND DAMAGE
5.2 OFFENSIVE TECHNOLOGY
5.2.1 PERSONAL WEAPONS
5.2.2 VEHICULAR WEAPONS
5.2.3 AMMUNITION TYPES
5.3 DEFENSIVE TECHNOLOGY
5.3.1 ARMOR
5.3.2 STATIC DEFENSES
5.3.3 ELECTRONIC DEFENSES
5.4 COMMAND, CONTROL AND COMMUNICATION.
5.5 AERIAL AND NAVAL WARFARE
5.5.1 AERIAL WARFARE
5.5.2 NAVAL WARFARE
CHAPTER 6: HEAVY GEARS
6.0 NO GUTS, NO GLORY
6.1 THE HEAVY GEAR COMBAT VEHICLE
6.2 HEAVY GEAR DEVELOPMENT
6.3 COCKPIT
6.3.1 CONTROL APPARATUS
6.3.2 INFORMATION DISPLAY
6.3.3 CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT
6.4 SENSOR SYSTEM
6.4.1 MAIN SENSORS
6.4.2 SECONDARY SENSORS
6.5 MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
6.5.1 POWERPLANT
6.5.2 TRANSMISSION
6.5.3 MANIPULATORS
6.5.4 JOINTS
6.5.5 SECONDARY MOVEMENT SYSTEM
6.6 ARMOR
6.7 WEAPONS
CHAPTER 7: VEHICLES
7.0 WALKING ON EGGSHELLS
7.1 VEHICLES IN THE 62ND CENTURY
7.2 GROUND VEHICLES
7.2.1 COCKPITS AND SENSORS
7.2.2 POWERPLANT
7.2.3 TRANSMISSION
7.2.4 WEAPONS AND ARMOR
7.2.5 HOVERTANKS
7.3 STRIDERS
7.3.1 COCKPITS AND SENSORS
7.3.2 POWERPLANT
7.3.3 TRANSMISSION
7.3.4 WEAPONS AND ARMOR
7.4 LANDSHIPS
7.4.1 COCKPITS AND SENSORS
7.4.2 POWERPLANT
7.4.3 TRANSMISSION
7.4.4 WEAPONS AND ARMOR
CHAPTER 8: ENGINEERING NOTEBOOK
8.0 NIGHTCRAWLERS
8.1 DESIGNING VEHICLES IN HEAVY GEAR
8.1.1 STEP ZERO: CONCEPTUALIZING THE VEHICLE
8.1.2 STEP ONE: CREW
8.1.3 STEP TWO: MOVEMENT
8.1.4 STEP THREE: MANEUVERABILITY
8.1.5 STEP FOUR: ARMOR
8.1.6 STEP FIVE: WEAPONS
8.1.7 STEP SIX: SENSORS
8.1.8 STEP SEVEN: FIRE CONTROL
8.1.9 STEP EIGHT: COMMUNICATIONS
8.1.10 STEP NINE: DEPLOYMENT RANGE
8.1.11 STEP TEN: PERKS AND FLAWS
8.1.12 STEP ELEVEN: THREAT VALUE
8.1.13 STEP TWELVE: DEFAULT SIZE AND COST
8.1.14 STEP THIRTEEN: SIZE AND PRE-PROD COST
8.1.15 STEP FOURTEEN: PRODUTYPE AND LEMON ROLLS
8.1.16 STEPS FIFTEEN: FINAL COST AND NAMING
8.2 WEAPON QUALITY
8.2.1 ACCURACY
8.2.2 DAMAGE
8.2.3 RANGE
8.2.4 RATE OF FIRE
8.2.5 POOR WORKMANSHIP
8.3 AMMUNITION TYPES
8.3.1 COMMON AMMUNITION
8.3.2 UNCOMMON AMMUNITION
8.3.3 AMMUNITION FEED
CHAPTER 9: TECHNICIAN’S CORNER
9.0 MINDS AND MACHINES
9.1 TECH-RELATED RULES
9.1.1 SMART GLUES
9.1.2 ELECTRONICS
9.1.3 PROSTHETICS AND CYBS
9.1.4 WEBBLING
9.1.5 GUN EMPLACEMENTS
9.1.6 HEAVY GEAR NNETS IN THE GAME
9.1.7 VEHICULAR ARMS
9.2 VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS
9.2.1 MODIFYING MOVEMENT
9.2.2 MODIFYING ARMOR
9.2.3 MODIFYING WEAPONS
9.2.4 MODIFYING PERKS AND FLAWS
9.3 SCRATCHBUILDING VEHICLES
9.3.1 DESIGNING A SCRATCHBUILT VEHICLE
9.3.2 GETTING PARTS
9.3.3 BUILDING THE VEHICLE
9.3.4 ROLEPLAYING REPAIRS AND DESIGN
9.4 VEHICLE MAINTENANCE
9.4.1 BREAKDOWNS
9.4.2 FUEL AND DEPLOYMENT RANGE
9.4.3 WEAPON MAINTENANCE
CHAPTER 10: NEW TECHNICAL SKILLS
CHARACTER ARCHETYPES
CHAPTER 11: FIELD GUIDE
DANSON WORK DRONE
FIRE EGG KILLER DRONE
OVNI RECON DRONE
WASP HUNTER DRONE
CHAPTER 12: TECHNICAL BLUEPRINTS
REFERENCES
NORTHERN & SOUTHERN GEAR DEVELOPMENT
GLOSSARY
INDEX