Fan rules ideas - new weapons and cars!

[Mathyoo]

I've always found grotesque, unfortunate, sad mutants somewhat appealing. If nothing else, a group of mutants is your bitz box' best friend!

Dagonites were by far my favorite group until I saw the kindred, so here is an idea for a cult:

Kindred Kult (working title )
Magus: Kindred Patriarch or Cult Leader
Congregation: Kindred, Degenerate, Maniac, Deadly Spawn, Witch
Allowable cultists: Human

I was thinking about swapping Cult Leader for High Priest, as Patriarch is kind of a priest, but then again, that could be a reason not to use it. As High Priest is quite a powerful lurker and is used in 3 of 5 cults, I rather went with Cult Leader. I guess Mad Scientist could also work as bunch of mutants is his playground. Perhaps a Mad Scientist with new reagent, that would add mutations to Kindred or something?

As for Deadly Spawn, by rules it is a Beast so it shouldn't be in a cult, but I felt it adds much to the flavor. I am sitting on a fence with With and Maniac as they're both pretty common, but they both fit right in.

What do you guys think?

[jnr]

There is a Dunwich Folk in VUK that should cover mutants in it.

[LidlessEye]

Yup, the expanded version of VUK that was recently distributed to Cult of the Black Goat members includes a Dunwich Folk cult, which looks very much like what you've outlined here.  They also get access to a few very unique backwoods weapons and implements.  Nothing like chugging a bit of moonshine as you rev up the old chainsaw for battle!  This cult will definitely be included in the final release of the game, along with the five introduced in the original playtest edition.

[Mathyoo]

Oh, for the Cult you say? Seems like I am running out of a reasons not to join ASAP!

So there are 6 cults in at the moment?

[Mason]

Already something very similar in Kulten?

Shows that you had the right idea, Mathyoo!
 

[Mathyoo]

Cheers Mason!  

There must be something in the air as I can't put myself to sleep for past few days and as usual, that (and the shower!) is the best time to think about everything that doesn't really matter!

Now, this is a bunch of ideas that I'd like to share, but I hadn't playtested anything. Neither will I be able to as I won't be home much for the remainder of the month. I've decided to post them anyway and if anyone finds a time to try them out, please do.  I've changed the topic name to better show the current content.

Firstly, two weapons:
                          
Sawn-off shotgun range: 5" rate: 2D damage: 1D+2 Special: Blast, Power BP: +1
So, you pay less for a smaller range. I was thinking of giving it 6", but for those that always take double barreled and get in 6" to use blast, it would be a cheaper DB shotgun. Giving it 5" range puts shooter close enough to suffer from terror and most of other dangers.

Buckler Special: Parry, Parry BP: +1
I've seen an existing topic on shields here, but giving it bonus for range and close combat seemed to greatly complicate a simple game. As shield doesn't stop bullets, there was no use making special rules for bows only. As armor gives con, shield's main function is to parry. It gets too parries because it is a defensive piece of equipment.
VARIANT: Special: Parry, 6+ save BP: +1
As having a Saber and a buckler would give you 3 parries and that seems just silly, perhaps a parry and a 6+ save would work better. It seems a bit cheap, but I'd like to keep it on BP +1 to swap it for .45 in "Dark Ages" adoption. Perhaps making 6+ save range only or even simply giving it nothing but 6+ save (ccb and shooting). On other hand, dodge costs 1BP and it gives you 5+ save (given you have the needed dexterity)

Now, for the fun part - VEHICLES
Before I start, the more I think of it, the more I believe vehicles do not belong in a game of Strange Aeons. The reason is, giving them any realistic move value would greatly break the balance as the side with a vehicle could simply drive from one objective to another and win. Imagine a bag man or escape into danger scenario, treshold team sitting in a car, driving across the map and winning in 1-2 turns!

There is a possibility of devising special scenarios where cars could be used. I was roughly thinking about a raid scenario, where treshold and the local police/army forces would make a massive attacking force, supported by armored cars for the attack on  fortified cultist hedquarters...something like Waco siege: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waco_siege

Anyways, this is what I've came up with:

Civilian car: grants 5+ save for people inside, moves 7" per action
Civilian car with armor plates: grants 5+ save and +1 armor constitution to people inside, moves 6" per action
Armored car: grants 4+ save, +2 armor constitution to people inside, moves 5" per action

*Civilian car is your ordinary car. Civilian car with armor plates would be your ordinary car where you'd bolt some plates on it for limited protection. Armored car is purpose built armored car, but could technically be a well protected civilian truck.
I gave them no points, but I'd imagine them hideously expensive. The idea is you would fire on people inside the car, which are basically in a mobile cover, not at a vehicle as such. To nerf the vehicles to a certain degree, here are proposed special rules:

Bad communication: There are no nominations possible from outside to inside of vehicle (or vice versa). This would mean that a character in a vehicle an only nominate agents inside the same vehicle. Character outside vehicle can't nominate anyone in vehicle. This would mean that per turn, a side would only move vehicle or everything but a vehicle. If anyone needs an explanation, noise from the motor and enclosed space deafens the crew inside.

Limited vision: Vehicles aren't that well made and you can only see 15" from a civilian car. Only 12" from armor plated civilian car and only 10" from an armored car. So, a .30 call in an armored car turret could only fire up to 10". - Now that I think of it, this rule doesn't seem all that great

The effects of fire weapons: The car is on fire if hit by weapons with fire attribute. - This is a nice rule to give cheap weapons a chance to destroy vehicles but would demand a separate stat line for vehicles - something in a line of inanimate objects.
Alternative: Weapons with fire attribute negate cover and constitution benefits of a vehicle.
Alternative 2: Weapons with fire attribute lower vehicle's cover and constitution benefits for 1 level.
Ergo: If armed car is hit by a flamethrower, targeted miniature is damaged as if it is in a armor plated civilian car.
If armor plated civilian car is hit by a molotov cocktail, targeted miniature is damaged as if it is in a civilian car.
If civilian car is hit, there are no benefits.

At this moment, so in theory, I'd go with alternative 2.

Introduction of vehicles would demand an introduction of counter measures:

Anti-Tank rifle: range: 12" rate: D1 damage: 1D+1 special: Ready, Power, AP3 BP: +3
The low damage in AT rifle represent the bulkiness of weapon and the difficulty of hitting a fast moving person with it. AP attribute represents its ability to knock out armor. I was thinking of giving it more damage, but it would simply make an op weapon, plus I didn't want to go over 3BP cost to keep in the line with existent weaponry.

K-Round (ammunition): applicable to Bolt-Action rifle and .30 cal Machine gun Effect: AP2 -5 range
A range modifier seems huge at first, but not that much when you see the ranges of both weapons. It represents armor-piercing capability of a round on closer distances.

I believe that vehicles and counter-measure weaponry should only be used if both sides agree. So, if one (or both) use vehicles, they're both entitled to use special weapons (okay weapon and ammunition type) to counter them. Then again I don't think AT rifle and K-round are made overpowered as they only work against armor, so could be used in normal games as well.

Lastly, here is a quick idea of using civilian cars in your normal games:

Treshold (or Lurkers) can buy a civilian car for additional 5 BP (Could be raised for 1 perhaps)
The point cost comes from plot points - there you can get 6+ save for a certain type of lurkers for 4 points. Here, a vehicle provides 5+ save for up to 4 or 5 men and a movement boost, but limited movement.
A car can't enter opponents deployment area. A civilian car is still quite vulnerable machine and nobody wants to enter enemy held territory in a light skin vehicle. A car can enter no-mans land, if there is none such thing (Problem with the dead thing scenario for example) - tough luck for Treshold.
Battlefield taxi: Once a car stops (a driver isn't nominated or doesn't use both actions to move) it can't be moved any more. It has lost its speed.
Option: for +3BP mount a 30. cal Machine gun on back of your flatbed. A machine gun needs a dedicated gunner, all rules apply - including 2 man. So, a machine gun is manned by someone who uses it instead of his personal weaponry. A machine gun's field of fire is everything in 180° from back of the truck.

For leaving/entering the car, simply use move action with no modifiers. Car has to be stopped for people to move out safely. If a miniature decides to exit the car or is forced to leave the car while car is still moving (thrown (okay, I haven't yet figured how a lurker would jump on it) or power), it is hit by another D+5 hit, which represents a jump out of a fast moving vehicle.

Entering the moving car (here it is!): A miniature can jump on a bypassing car if a car ends its action in move distance from this miniature. To try and jump on the car, it costs 1 action.  A miniature that wishes to jump has to pass a dexterity check. If failed, the miniature ends up D3 inches from a car (placed by an opponent) and is hit by a D+5 hit (representing a fall).


Shooting from a moving car: Add +1 to DEX, can't shoot with weapons that have ready attribute.
Exception to shooting from a moving car: No penalties for mounted .30 call machine gun (ready and 2 man still take effect)
Shooting from a standing car gives no penalties.


So, this is a result of a bit of brainstorming. While most of it is just a rough idea, I believe last paragraph could be used in action. Please share your thoughts and if you think it is viable, give it a try. I will be able to check on the comments later today, next week and last week of april from where I will be able to playtest it myself as well.