Hardware Unlimited ver 0.0.5

[gaby]

IS it O.K for Hardware Unlimited not only have Tech but also Magic items and Weapons?

[zerombr]

I'd rather it all be gadgets and stuff, not magic. Myself

[Warshield73]

I'd rather it all be gadgets and stuff, not magic. Myself

Agreed. I would want it to cover all the tech classes (Robots, Bionics, even special weapons of characters like the secret agent) and not just Hardware but magic needs to be separate.

[ryokoryu]

Hardware genius type Medical Genius. This character is able to create medical gadgets in addition to being a medical doctor (gets all the skills in the medical program, chemistry, chemistry analytical, electrical engineering, computer operation and programming, field surgeon) Gadgets include serum dispensers, nano-kits for repairing stabilizing and maybe medical nano-grenades (Toss one out and everything in 10 feet gets a dose) Makes implants, bionics, cyborg conversions.
Looking several times I can't find a power armor building table. I end up having to take stuff in the robot section and say it is smaller than that or works differently than that. I have to make a guess as to where the SDC in a power armor should be instead of giant robot vehicle levels. the weapons and such are also set up for giant-sized robot vehicles.
Robot vehicles and AI robots are built under the same system and it feels clunky. they need to be separated and expanded as often I am trying to find the things I need to build something similar to another palladium systems PA and just can't by the tables and listings in the book. I would love this book because the hardware stuff really is too big for the small section in the main book it got.
A specifically giant robot vehicle hardware variant, alternatively mechanical genius should have a variation option for them since it misses the piloting and combat skills required piloting robot vehicles, specifically RCE variations and robot combat basic. The robot combat elite should be a universal variation similar to the universal variations of the other hardware characters (such as the universal weapons skills of the weapons genius) same bonuses no matter what they design their robot vehicle to do.

[ryokoryu]

Reworking of AI to give options for an AI variant that would be more like other living beings being able to learn skills normally (Think something like Lt Cmdr Data from Star Trek TNG or the Doctor from Voyager. the idea is their mechanical minds are similar enough to ours that making new skills programs pre-programmed takes way more time than it would take them to learn the function (Basic Highschool level automatic) Borrow a little bit from the bionics category to give them stuff like augmented vision or hearing.

[Stone Gargoyle]

IS it O.K for Hardware Unlimited not only have Tech but also Magic items and Weapons?

No. There are other areas of the forums for magic items.

[Stone Gargoyle]

Hardware genius type Medical Genius. This character is able to create medical gadgets in addition to being a medical doctor (gets all the skills in the medical program, chemistry, chemistry analytical, electrical engineering, computer operation and programming, field surgeon) Gadgets include serum dispensers, nano-kits for repairing stabilizing and maybe medical nano-grenades (Toss one out and everything in 10 feet gets a dose) Makes implants, bionics, cyborg conversions.
Looking several times I can't find a power armor building table. I end up having to take stuff in the robot section and say it is smaller than that or works differently than that. I have to make a guess as to where the SDC in a power armor should be instead of giant robot vehicle levels. the weapons and such are also set up for giant-sized robot vehicles.
Robot vehicles and AI robots are built under the same system and it feels clunky. they need to be separated and expanded as often I am trying to find the things I need to build something similar to another palladium systems PA and just can't by the tables and listings in the book. I would love this book because the hardware stuff really is too big for the small section in the main book it got.
A specifically giant robot vehicle hardware variant, alternatively mechanical genius should have a variation option for them since it misses the piloting and combat skills required piloting robot vehicles, specifically RCE variations and robot combat basic. The robot combat elite should be a universal variation similar to the universal variations of the other hardware characters (such as the universal weapons skills of the weapons genius) same bonuses no matter what they design their robot vehicle to do.

This has already been done in more detail:
https://wiki.thedeificnmi.com/index.php ... cal_Genius

[zerombr]

I thiiink that's actually in the Hardware book, so my guess is the author posted those. Interesting. I've got a char sheet from the hardware unlimited game I played at the open house, I must compare

[ryokoryu]

Hardware genius type Medical Genius. This character is able to create medical gadgets in addition to being a medical doctor (gets all the skills in the medical program, chemistry, chemistry analytical, electrical engineering, computer operation and programming, field surgeon) Gadgets include serum dispensers, nano-kits for repairing stabilizing and maybe medical nano-grenades (Toss one out and everything in 10 feet gets a dose) Makes implants, bionics, cyborg conversions.
Looking several times I can't find a power armor building table. I end up having to take stuff in the robot section and say it is smaller than that or works differently than that. I have to make a guess as to where the SDC in a power armor should be instead of giant robot vehicle levels. the weapons and such are also set up for giant-sized robot vehicles.
Robot vehicles and AI robots are built under the same system and it feels clunky. they need to be separated and expanded as often I am trying to find the things I need to build something similar to another palladium systems PA and just can't by the tables and listings in the book. I would love this book because the hardware stuff really is too big for the small section in the main book it got.
A specifically giant robot vehicle hardware variant, alternatively mechanical genius should have a variation option for them since it misses the piloting and combat skills required piloting robot vehicles, specifically RCE variations and robot combat basic. The robot combat elite should be a universal variation similar to the universal variations of the other hardware characters (such as the universal weapons skills of the weapons genius) same bonuses no matter what they design their robot vehicle to do.

This has already been done in more detail:
https://wiki.thedeificnmi.com/index.php ... cal_Genius

Needs a bionics variant, eugenics is not what I had in mind. In addition, genetics is less hardware more belonging biology, not so much making medical gadgets. I think it would deserve a new classification, still in the genius category but hardware is more devices. This is why medical nanobots and the bionics. anyway what about the idea for a more mech oriented variant of mechanical genius with a robot combat elite ability thing.

[Stone Gargoyle]

Needs a bionics variant, eugenics is not what I had in mind.

You mean something like this: https://wiki.thedeificnmi.com/index.php ... ics_Genius

In addition, genetics is less hardware more belonging biology, not so much making medical gadgets. I think it would deserve a new classification, still in the genius category but hardware is more devices. This is why medical nanobots and the bionics. anyway what about the idea for a more mech oriented variant of mechanical genius with a robot combat elite ability thing.

Perhaps this: https://wiki.thedeificnmi.com/index.php ... ics_Genius
Or this: https://wiki.thedeificnmi.com/index.php ... :_CyberDoc

[slade the sniper]

So, just thinking about armored vehicles and came up with a few random tidbits:
Heavy weapons:

Spoiler:

From various sources:
TISSUE DAMAGE RATINGS
1. Barely Adequate 1D6
2. Fair 1D8
3. Good 2D6
4. Very Good 3D6
5. Excellent 4D6
6. Very Excellent 5D6
7. Superior 6D6
8. Light Machinegun 1d4x10
9. Heavy Machinegun 5D10 + 6 (56) or 1d6 x 10 (60)
10. Heavier Calibre Machinegun 6D10 + 6 (66) or 1d6 x 10 + 10 (70)

14.5mm HMG does 1d8 x10 per ball round and 3D8 x 10 for a 20 rnd burst per Robotech 2E Macross pg. 134
20mm cannon (frag. 2d6 x 10 or 6d6 x 10 HE) per Compendium of Modern Weapons
20mm gun: Frag. 2D6 X 10, HE 6D6 X 10 or HEAT ID4 X 100 per Compendium of Modern Weapons
20mm Hispano AP: 6D6 x 10, HE: ID4 x 100 per Compendium of Modern Weapons
25mm gun: Frag. 2D6 X 10, HE 6D6 X 10 or HEAT ID6 X 100 per Compendium of Modern Weapons

PENETRATION VALUES (other than tissue)
1. Poor: Deflects off bone.
2. Fair: Deflects off bone.
3. Adequate: May lodge in bone.
4. Good: May break bone.
5. Very Good: Shatters bone, wood; goes through cinder block.
6. Excellent'. Shatters bone, wood; goes through >/2 inch armor plate steel.
7. .50 Calibre: Goes through brick, thin metal.
8. 14.5mm
9. 20mm
10. 25mm

AP rounds add a +1 or a +2 to PV (and reduces tissue damage by 1)
DU increases PV by 50% (PV 7 becomes 10, a PV of 9 becomes 14)
HE rounds double damage on 3d6 or less, and adds 3d6 to larger rounds. Increases PV by +3

I put 14.5mm, 20mm and 25mm on there to show that with AP rounds, DU or HE rounds they will all be at or above Penetration Value of 10. This is important because now we have the rule that the highest AR in the game is 20. Going by what the PV and AR's are in the Compendium of Modern Weapons and is kinda described in other SDC Megaversal books, the general rule is that 1 PV is roughly equal to 2 AR. So a PV of 10 bypasses all AR, which maxes out at 20. This is one of the hallmarks of Megadamage. Therefore, it is my contention that some types of .50 caliber ammo, most types of 14.5mm ammo and everything except inert training ammo for 20mm+ is capable of MDC by bypassing any AR the target has... and 20mm up does MDC via doing over 100 damage per single round. The 14.5mm does 1d8x10 damage for a ball round...adding 3d6 to it for having HE would make it possibly to up to 98 damage per round, and that seems close enough to 100 points of damage for a single round (adding 2 damage for the Incendiary effect that is normally found in HE rounds for it to be HEI, and there are quite a few of those, check Wikipedia for 14.5mm ammo types).

Therefore it is my assertion that 12.7mm/.50 cal ammo with APHEI ammo such as the Mk 169, Mod 2 and the Mk 211 Mod 0 (the famous Raufoss) be considered Mega Damage weapons doing 1 point of MD per round.

Using a HEAP will increase the PV by 5 (and push it past 10 and thus able to damage MD structures) such as a Raufoss, with a PV of 12 and damage of 1d6 x 10 + 10 + 3d6 = 88 damage or 1 MD point per.

Armored vehicles:

Spoiler:

S.D.C. of the average tank:
Main body: 800 to 1200 points,
Main gun: 200,
treads: 75 each pair,
large wheels: 40 each wheel.

S.D.C. of the average light/medium armored vehicle: 400 to 700 points.
S.D.C. of the average combat helicopter: 300 to 400 points.
S.D.C. of the typical mid-sized sedan (for comparative purposes): 200 to 300 points.
Typical Weight of a Main Battle Tank: 30 to 56 tons.

If so, that would put the SDC for the main body somewhere between 800 SDC/30 tons (26.7 SDC/ton) and 1200 SDC/56 tons (21.2 SDC/ton). That is ridiculously low unless we consider tanks and other vehicles to have an AR of 19 to 20 (which seems legit since you have to go through the tank armor to get to the goodies, as opposed to other vehicles where there are weak spots that might have a chance of letting in a bullet.

Vehicle Type // Base SDC
Light Motorcycle 75
Heavy Motorcycle 100
Compact car 250
Sports car 300
Jeep 400
2 door sedan 350
4 door sedan 400
Luxury car 450
Station wagon 450
Mini-vans 400
Full size van 450
Utility van 500
Small truck 350
Pick up truck 450
4 wheel drive truck 500
Passenger bus 500
½ ton truck 600
10 wheeler 800
16 wheeler 1000

WW I tank 400 AR 16
WW II tank 600 AR 17
Light Tank 700 AR 17
Cold War Tank 800 AR 18
Modern- Tank 1000 AR 18
T-72 1100 AR 18
Modern Tank 1200 AR 19

APC Cold War- 500
APC 525
BMD IFV (light) 600 8 tons
IFV (med) 800
Bradley IFV (heavy) 950 25 tons

Scout car 400
Armored car 500
Armored car 560
BRDM 2 725

V-shaped hull mines do ½ damage
ERA Explosive damage is 1/2
CIWS/APS 90% (for 1st generation systems) to 95% (for second generation systems) skill to intercept missiles, eventually to defeat long rods and lasers

Add on Light Armor AR 14 SD 350
Add on Medium Armor AR +1 or 16 SD 700
Add on Heavy Armor AR +2 or 18 SD 1,400

Light turret armor AR 10 300 SD
Medium turret armor AR 12 350 SD
Heavy turret armor AR 14 400 SD

This would allow a modern main battle tank to have a base AR of 19 and SDC of 1200, put additional heavy armor on for +2 AR and 1400 more SDC, a V hull, ERA and a second generation active protection systems for missiles (which is all that is currently available IRL). This would give it 2600 SDC, immunity to all damage under 100 SDC, half damage from explosives, half damage from mines, and a 95% chance of destroying incoming missiles and rockets before they hit.

Does that sound acceptable?

-STS

[dataweaver]

Needs a bionics variant, eugenics is not what I had in mind.

You mean something like this: https://wiki.thedeificnmi.com/index.php ... ics_Genius

In addition, genetics is less hardware more belonging biology, not so much making medical gadgets. I think it would deserve a new classification, still in the genius category but hardware is more devices. This is why medical nanobots and the bionics. anyway what about the idea for a more mech oriented variant of mechanical genius with a robot combat elite ability thing.

Perhaps this: https://wiki.thedeificnmi.com/index.php ... ics_Genius
Or this: https://wiki.thedeificnmi.com/index.php ... :_CyberDoc

I remember one of the Powers Unlimited having HU counterparts to Rifts' Juicers and Crazies. While I wouldn't want to go that far in Hardware Unlimited, I could perhaps see it covering super-drugs and brain implants (the latter being less "Rifts Crazies OCC" and more "Rifts Sourcebook 3: Mindwerks". And I would want to get the Eugenics in here, too: ideally, Eugenics and super-drugs would be more of a "Wetware Unlimited" supplement; but Heroes Unlimited is currently on life support; so I'm going to feel lucky if we ever get even Hardware Unlimited. As such, I'm more inclined to want to pack as much into it as can be managed.

[Stone Gargoyle]

I remember one of the Powers Unlimited having HU counterparts to Rifts' Juicers and Crazies. While I wouldn't want to go that far in Hardware Unlimited, I could perhaps see it covering super-drugs and brain implants (the latter being less "Rifts Crazies OCC" and more "Rifts Sourcebook 3: Mindwerks". And I would want to get the Eugenics in here, too: ideally, Eugenics and super-drugs would be more of a "Wetware Unlimited" supplement; but Heroes Unlimited is currently on life support; so I'm going to feel lucky if we ever get even Hardware Unlimited. As such, I'm more inclined to want to pack as much into it as can be managed.

You are referring to options listed in the SuperSoldier category in Powers Unlimited 2, pages 81-83. But, yeah, we've been promised more books but who knows if we'll actually get them.

[Grammarsalad]

Can anybody direct me to any updates regarding Hardware Unlimited? Any indication that this book will or will not be released? I feel like this book could really be a great addition (and not just for HU, but also N&S).

[NMI]

Can anybody direct me to any updates regarding Hardware Unlimited? Any indication that this book will or will not be released? I feel like this book could really be a great addition (and not just for HU, but also N&S).

There are no updates to direct you to.

[Grammarsalad]

Can anybody direct me to any updates regarding Hardware Unlimited? Any indication that this book will or will not be released? I feel like this book could really be a great addition (and not just for HU, but also N&S).

There are no updates to direct you to.

[dataweaver]

As a fan of Robotech, I'd love to see the rules for Vehicles, Robots, and Power Armor standardized in a way that allows for transformation designs. This might, for instance, involve a standard Size Table that all vehicles, robots, and power armor reference (not unlike the Sizes for Mutant Animals found in TMNT/AtB), instead of the current kludgey system where robot vehicles have one set of stats and vehicles have another, even though both are supposedly “sports cars” (to pick one example).

I'd also be inclined to say that limbs, wheels, etc. come standard with your choice of a form, and only need to be purchased separately if you deviate from a standard form (such as starting with a big rig but trading out the wheels for walker-legs).

[NMI]

As a fan of Robotech, I'd love to see the rules for Vehicles, Robots, and Power Armor standardized in a way that allows for transformation designs. This might, for instance, involve a standard Size Table that all vehicles, robots, and power armor reference (not unlike the Sizes for Mutant Animals found in TMNT/AtB), instead of the current kludgey system where robot vehicles have one set of stats and vehicles have another, even though both are supposedly “sports cars” (to pick one example).

I'd also be inclined to say that limbs, wheels, etc. come standard with your choice of a form, and only need to be purchased separately if you deviate from a standard form (such as starting with a big rig but trading out the wheels for walker-legs).

Look at the FRS or Frame Reconfiguration System in Aliens Unlimited: Galaxy Guide

[dataweaver]

Yes; that's essential if you're going to make a transforming robot design. However, it doesn't address the main issue I brought up: setting up the various frames in such a way that size can be factored out.

[Stone Gargoyle]

The frame size issue is one of the things that needs to be addressed if they ever come out with a Hardware and/or Robotics Unlimited book. The Robotics category is one area they need to rework.

[Mr.Oz]

Here are a few ideas my players have had over the past ten years running the same campaign. Some are just super simple ideas and others are a bit more elaborate.

Stealth coating: “An advance coating that helps bend light around the wearer. Provides a +15% to prowl. If armour SDC is reduced to 50% or less, the armour looses its stealth coating. Cost- we priced it out to 20k per coat.

Bleed stopper: due to the dangers of bleed damage, this simple yet effective device was made. If a player is shot or stabbed this device can be used. Causes 1hp point of damage but stop the bleeding/ bleed damage can be used multiple times per wound.

VERS based image generator: This device is used to generate layouts and approximate location of people and object by using vibrations, electrical resistance and sonar. Benefit, provides a basic layout of building and location of large objects or people.


Psi Blocker. This device protects individuals from being affected by mind/ body altering effects. It works by sending out “psi noise” to disrupt a psionic and fill their victims heads with extra noise. Provides a +2 to save vs psionics. However after the device is turned off affected individuals suffer migraines (penalties apply based on GM discretion)

Robotic muscle weave: requires substantial and invasive surgery!
The RMW incorporates robotic muscle fibres into an individuals muscle. This provides additional speed strength and agility.
(Bonuses vary) but we kept it at +15spd +10ps +3pp. Increased weight by 20% and makes characters vulnerable to magnetic attacks or EMP attacks. Also electric attacks do x2 damage (due to the metal heating up and burning inside the victim. Also requires a power source, we used the either an implant or they just had to consume more calories like increased metabolic rate.

We do have more, some are just story based technology others are more roleplay based. But hope some of you get a kick out of these !