SOE21 – Modern Espionage RPG System Introduction Character Creation to Knowledge checks generally (does not stack with hacking bonus). During the second world war an elite secret force Attributes Blaster: The use of explosive devices to do was formed to attack the enemy from within. Its New Operatives have ten points to divide everything from open a lock to collapse a methods were subversion, sabotage, between the four attributes below. Each building. +2 to Craft checks with explosives. assassination and terror. Many of its agents did attribute must be given between one & four Burglar: How to avoid and disarm modern not survive. Often captured, tortured and points. security systems. +2 to Craft checks when executed, their work was cloaked in secrecy and Strength [STR] Dexterity [DEX] burgling. all but forgotten. They were the Special Intellect [INT] Willpower [WILL] Cat: Expert at climbing, abseiling, jumping etc. +2 Operations Executive (SOE). to Agility related tasks. At the end of the war they were sacrificed upon Skills [calculated from Attributes] Diver: Expert swimmer, SCUBA diver and in the the altar of political necessity and disbanded. The Skill Aptitude Examples underwater environment. victims of inter-agency rivalry. Or were they? Agility DEX x 2 Climb/Leap Evader: Able to avoid tails and surveillance. +2 to In the world of SOE21, not so very different from Craft DEX + INT Make, Repair Stealth. our own, Churchill secretly ordered that the SOE Fighting STR + INT Kill Grifter: Able to perform elaborate confidence was to continue, as the hidden and deniable Knowledge INT x 2 Analyze tricks. Also known as a Front Man. +2 to agent of Britain’s otherwise less acceptable Perception INT + WILL Spot, Hear Persuasion when fooling people. activities. Persuasion WILL x 2 Charm, Con Hacker: Breaking and entering the virtual One by one SOE’s top wartime agents ‘died’, environment. +2 to Knowledge checks when apparently at the hands of the fledgling KGB, and Shooting DEX + INT Kill hacking. even MI5 and MI6. In fact they took on new Speed STR + DEX Run, React Interrogator: Forcing people to tell you identities and became a deadly and effective Stealth DEX + WILL Sneak, Hide everything. +2 to Persuasion when beating or underground army. Even after Churchill lost Toughness STR + WILL Grit, Courage coercing information out of a target. power he continued to command the actions of Training Linguist: Fluent in five languages as well as the SOE. With the help of loyal civil servants the New Operatives are Trained in two skills & English, this person is trained also in the culture, SOE recruited men and women, to train and, in Familiar with three others of their choice. politics and accents of the countries whose times of need, to act on behalf of British The remainder are Untrained. languages he speaks. interests. Marksman: High level capability with firearms. +2 When Churchill died, he left as his legacy an Level Bonus Level Bonus to Shooting checks. independent and well-supported organisation, Untrained -1 Experienced +2 Martial Artist: You are a master of close combat. led by an appointed Council of former Familiar +0 Mastered +3 +2 to Fighting checks. Operatives, and working to the Charter. This Trained +1 Pilot: Able to fly helicopters, prop and jet Charter has 21 clauses and guides all actions of Skill Check aeroplanes. the Council and its active Operatives. Roll 15 or more on a twenty-sided die, modified Seducer: Making people want to tell you The SOE, now renamed SOE21, has Council by Aptitude and Training. Other modifiers from everything. +2 to Persuasion when charming members in all areas of Government and the equipment, background and specialities may information out of a target. British intelligence community. It has infiltrated apply. Survivalist: Able to survive in the wilderness. the top levels of the armed forces and many of Includes hunting and trapping prey. Britain’s largest corporations. Background Watcher: How to observe without being seen. +2 SOE21 recruits from all walks of life and has up to Everybody comes from somewhere. There are a to Perception or Craft checks when surveilling a 150 active Operatives both home and overseas at common range of backgrounds that SOE target. any one time. These Operatives are supported by Operatives are commonly recruited from that Wheel Man: Handling a vehicle at high speed, in nearly 1,000 other staff, many of them former give them modifiers to certain skills and a dangerous environment. Operatives. A commitment to SOE21 is for life as situations. Example: Jason Bourne has: Martial Arts, Burglar, you have to ‘die’, be willing to give up everything If you think of a different background discuss it Hacker, Marksman, Wheel Man and Evader. you own, to join. with your Controller and see if he will allow it. Although many of their methods are more subtle Military: Special Forces Troops are a common Improving Operatives nowadays their core competencies remain in source of high quality, well-motivated operatives. After an adventure the Operatives are given subversion, sabotage, assassination and terror. Former soldiers get +1 to Fighting, Shooting and Mission Points by the Controller, that they can Their main brief is to defend Britain and her Toughness. save up to use for improvements. legitimate interests from its enemies, foreign and Spook: The Secret Service and the Security Cost Improvement domestic. Service are another common recruiting ground. 50 Improve Attribute by +1 Churchill was well aware of the possibility that Former spooks get +1 to Knowledge, Perception 25 Improve a Skill’s training by +1 SOE21 could itself become a weapon for and Persuasion. 100 Acquire a new Speciality. subversion of the British government and put Law Enforcement: Police Officers from the into place his ‘Hounds’. These are an elite and Investigation, Anti-Terrorist and Special Branches shadowy group of Operatives who fanatically make good operatives. Former coppers get +1 on Operative Equipment ensure that the Charter is obeyed by the Council Knowledge, Craft (Surveillance) and Shooting. Weapons and its Operatives. Anybody in SOE21 could be a The Press: Journalists have contacts all over the CE74 - Ceramic Pistol ‘Hound’, and their only tool is assassination. world and a good nose for a lead. They are skilled These slender and elegant weapons are the Break the Charter and you die, simple as that. In at getting people to tell them things other, more sidearm of preference for most Operatives. They the last 50 years the Hounds have executed 37 official service would never hear. Former are 5.56mm calibre automatics with a maximum Operatives and 6 Council members. They also Journalists get +2 to Persuasion & Knowledge magazine capacity of 12 caseless rounds. They publicly executed a former ‘Master of Hounds’ in (Research). are accurate up to about 150m which is normally a particularly gruesome fashion (a slow burn The Underworld: Criminals are used to working is more than enough for most uses. incendiary device in a public telephone box on a world without rules, and avoiding unnecessary Their slender profile and low weight makes then the Strand). attention. Former Criminals get +1 to Stealth, eminently concealable. As there are no metallic In this role-playing game the players are a new Craft (Burglary) and Fighting. components they do not set off most standard team of Operatives, recently ‘recruited’ from a detectors. range of backgrounds. The 21st century is already Specialities However, they are somewhat fragile and should proving very challenging for SOE21 and its There are no set professions in this game. Instead not be used to club opponents senseless. Their resources are being stretched to the limit. Thus it players choose three specialities from the list fragility also means that every 240 rounds or so has set about a large campaign of recruitment. below: they need to be returned for maintenance. Analyst: Bringing information together from There are no accessories for the CE74 other than disparate sources to form a useful hypothesis. +2 a silencer. Again this is ceramic and extends the

© Craig Cartmell May 2011 September 2010 SOE21 – Modern Espionage RPG System barrel length by 50% making it less concealable. It M101 Glove Each mobile has an emergency 'man-down' code also halves the accurate range. These appear to be simple black leather gloves. (triple *) as well as an autodestruct code (triple Their ammunition is as unusual as the weapon The fingers and knuckles are lined with ridged #). The autodestruct charge is in the battery. itself being made of a carborundum grit set in a ceramic plates backed with gel pads. These Operatives also frequently make use of ‘burn hard resin. This gives is good body penetration protect the hands of operatives in fights and phones’. These are pay-as-you-go phones that characteristics and after entry it tends to shatter prevent suspicious bruising. Operatives have can be discarded after one or two uses. removing all ballistic evidence. These rounds are named these 'Tysons'. 2. Credit cards. Every operative has a Chameleon not good against body armour though and Other weaponry. Card or 'C-Card'. This card can mimic any type of operatives often carry one magazine with Sniper rifles, machine pistols, and larger amounts card and can have the ID details changed in tungsten tipped ammunition when expecting to of explosives are all available for the right seconds. To change the card requires a call or come up against it. missions. SOE21 don't tend to go in for large text through to the 'Secure Lending Centre' at The CE74 has a vicious built-in safety feature. scale, and thus public, acts of violence. Thus it is SOE21and they change it through the mobile Should the magazine be removed a fresh one better not to ask for RPG's or grenades. phone's wireless data port. Chameleon Cards will must be put in within 15 seconds or an integral Operatives are discouraged from carrying autodestruct if folded in half, a small incendiary charge will explode. This shatters the CE74 unapproved firearms, though taking and using device melts it to unrecognisable slag. reducing it to powder, and is also powerful the enemy's own weaponry is quite acceptable. 3. Vehicles are stolen to order and re-plated with enough to mangle a man's hand. Captured Thus when you are with the mujahedin you carry verifiable numbers. A full document package is Operatives frequently drop the magazine and an AK-74. provided in the glove compartment linked to the hand the weapon over to their captors. In operative driving it. Once a mission is completed extremis operatives have been known to hold it Armour the cars can be abandoned and burnt out, or to their own head or chest. Archer Mk4 Lined Coat returned for reuse. SK12 - Shredder Originally developed by Lionel Archer in the late Specialist Armoury Vans are available for certain Popular amongst assault teams the Shredder is a 1950's the latest version has taken full advantage operations, as are Remote Surveillance Team one-shot, 28mm calibre flechette tube weapon. It of SOE21's advanced ceramic technology. The vehicles. Both these latter types are armoured is generally used to punch holes in doors, light previous versions of the coat could weigh in at as and protected by accompanying security details. walls and vehicles. It is also used occasionally in much as 80lbs. Even the Kevlar-based Mk3 4. Sunglasses including a polarising anti-flash an anti-personnel role. Its short range (less than topped 40lbs. capability are standard issue. More specialist 15m) and single-shot nature makes it a specialist The Mk4 though weighs just over 11lbs. Its Head Up Display (HUD) and night vision glasses tool. It can be reloaded, but this takes a full turn. combination of high impact ceramic plates are available on a mission requirement basis. There are a limited number of the variant SK13 - encased in a carbon Nanotube weave offers The HUD Glasses work in concert with the Mobile Bouncer available as well. In this the flechette excellent protection against most small arms. Phone. ammunition has been replaced with a gel bag One thing about the coat though is that the 5. ID. SOE21 can reproduce the ID cards and which is excellent for stunning a recalcitrant protection will degrade if heavily used as the other devices for every British government captive. The gel contains a paralytic agent so plates can shatter while absorbing the ballistic department and service, public and covert. This even if the impact doesn't knock the fight out of energy of incoming rounds. includes in-depth backgrounds. They have fairly them the nerve toxin soon will. It provides protection to neck, torso, abdomen, good facsimiles of the ID of pretty much every In its favour though its short length means it can arms and legs. Assault teams tend to supplement foreign service as well. However, these may fail if be concealed up a coat sleeve, and its extremely this protection with a Kevlar Ballistic Vest and double-checked by more sophisticated security robust construction allows it to double as a club. Carbon-Nanotube helm. services. The Mossad, in particular, are very hard It is known for its vicious recoil which does Most Archers are made in Diffusion Grey. This to fool. reduce its accuracy considerably. special fabric is extremely dull and reflects less 6. Burglary equipment is available to operatives KV05 and KV10 Stuncard than 5% of applied light. In effect it helps trained in its use. This includes mechanical and Possibly the most reliable explosive device ever operatives meld into the shadows. It also negates electronic kit. Generally operatives are expected produced by SOE21's armament's division. A most of the advantages of laser sights and to improvise wherever possible. Stuncard is the same shape as a credit card, but marking. 7. USB Sticks. These are pre-loaded with software about twice as thick. To activate it simply crack it To the public the Archer appears as a not very that can exploit backdoors specially built into by folding it in half and then you have five or ten fashionable businessman's coat. 'Nondescript' is practically every firewall and antivirus software in seconds depending upon the type. the adjective the designers were trying to get to. use in the world. These backdoors were put in by The KV will blow open locks, destroy hard drives, All Archers have an integral underarm holster for the Echelon programme. It also contains ignite petrol tanks, and act as a small radius stun a CE74, and a number of concealed pockets for advanced hacking programmes for operatives grenade (about 3m in an enclosed space). spare magazines etc. The collar of the Archer is who are skilled in their use. Like most specialist Armaments have produced these in a number of frequently modified to contain short range kit it will self-destruct if used by someone who common credit card prints. For some reason microwave comm's equipment. doesn't know its procedures and codes. many Operatives like the AMEX Gold Card print Archer Mk5 Lined Tunic Operatives commonly call these 'Buccaneers'. with the customer name G.W.Bush. A more concealable version of the Mk4, this can 8. Covert Gel. This is issued in tubes that mimic One operative once mistook it for his own card be worn under a jacket or baggy top such as a common skincare products. Before a covert and blew the guts out of his bank's ATM. hoody. It provides comparable protection to the mission operatives smear this over their hands SF07 Combat Knife MK4 but only to the torso and abdomen. and any other areas of exposed skin. It prevents An advanced version of the original Sykes- Versions with sleeves are also available. skin flaking that might lead to DNA identification

Fairbairn Commando Knife. Like the CE74 it is Miscellaneous Equipment and also smudges fingerprints. It is usually ceramic and thus undetectable to most sensors. Operatives can call upon a wide range of provided in a clear form, but black and green gels These are very popular with operatives who like standard equipment which has been modified for are readily available for appropriate missions. It to get up close and personal with their targets. SOE21 use: generally lasts 3-4 hours. Covert Gel has been It has a small self destruct charge in the handle 1. Mobile Phones. Any type you want. All have nicknamed 'Glop' by operatives. that will turn it to dust in an instant. Operatives international SIMs and effectively unlimited 9. Activated Paper. This special paper compound have been known to activate the self-destruct credit. The SIM card carries an advanced looks like blank sheets of Copier A4. If held over a and then stick it into a target for maximum effect. encryption algorithm that is normally just ahead suitable heat source, even against the skin, it will One used this method to kill a bear that was of the latest GCHQ/Echelon capability. Some darken and reveal whatever has been printed mauling him and ignoring his increasingly feeble operatives like full smart phones with all the upon it. Crumple it up and it ignites, burning to stabbing. works, others very simple and anonymous fine dust in a couple of seconds. The production SF07's come with a sculpted, self-adhesive mobiles. SOE21 mobiles are waterproof to 20m process doesn't allow for operatives to write on it forearm/calf sheathe that will fool most people and have GPS trackers built in. though. patting an operative down through his clothing. SOE21 Mobiles have excellent cameras that can It is used to deliver Eyes-Only instructions to They are generally skin-coloured. give 30x zoom as well as reading documents and operatives in the field. They call them 'Decrees'. A taking fingerprints. 'Decree Nisi' in operative slang is an order to

© Craig Cartmell May 2011 September 2010 SOE21 – Modern Espionage RPG System rough someone up or threaten them. A 'Decree CIA Covert Op's unit. Field Logistics are very the game and its rules. Never let a rule get in the Absolute' is a termination order. proud of their record in this regard. way of the story or people having fun. Outside this area delivery can take longer and As the Controller you should follow three simple Equipment Tables Operatives are expected to improvise and adapt laws: Note that some equipment has a price and some with what they find around them. 1. Having Fun is more important than any is marked ‘Issue’. The latter is stuff that they can The Field Logistics team are incredibly secretive rule, get at any time from Field Logistics. about their delivery methods. They often seem to 2. KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid), and Other equipment they may have to buy during a be able to predict what might be required and 3. Rules are for the guidance of wise men and mission, so approximate prices are given. have it close at hand. Wherever they deliver they the obedience of fools. do like to get a signature and can be quite As you read SOE21 you will quickly realize that Armour Stops Examples truculent with impolite operatives. there aren’t rules for every eventuality. The None - Normal Clothing Operatives requiring non-specialist equipment desire to do this is what has led many games Light 1 Archer Mk4 Lined Tunic are expected to buy or steal it and then abandon companies to create rulebooks that are hundreds Medium 2 Archer Mk5 Lined Coat, it after use. of pages long. People who have been games Ballistic Vest All new Team Members begin with a set of masters in some of the commercial role-playing Heavy 3 SWAT Carapace suitable clothes and £3,000 to buy their initial games may have a bit of unlearning to do. V.Heavy 4 Osprey Body Armour equipment. So when your players come up with a new way to

Weapons Range Bonus £ risk their Operatives’ lives you will have to assess Rules of Play their chances of success on the spot. Auto Pistol 50 +0 250 When things get interesting the game is played in Never say something is impossible, instead point CE74 Ceramic 150 +0 Issue ‘Turns’ of about ten seconds in length. Each turn out the obvious risks and ask how they intend to CE74 Tungsten 150 +1 Issue follows the sequence below: get around these. Once you have this information SK12 Flechette 15 +2 Issue you can decide whether they succeed SK13 Nerve Bag 15 +2 Issue 1. Movement automatically, or if they need to make some sort Shotgun 75 +0 200 Operatives can choose to move before or after of dice roll. Sawn-off 20 +1 200 their enemies. Note that squares are 5’ across. Your credo when faced with an odd request from SMG 50 +1 500 They can move up to 3 + Speed in squares, -1 if in a player should be ‘Why Not?’, not ‘Why?’. Assault Rifle 250 +1 1000 Medium Armour, -2 if they are in Heavy. Hunting Rifle 500 +0 750 You cannot move through a solid object over Sniper Rifle 1000 +2 2000 waist high or another figure (unless they let you). KV05/KV10 3m rad +1 Issue You can climb over or up an object but this is at half speed. Stealthy movement is also at ½ speed. Plastic Exp. 0 +3 50 Ammunition is 10% of Weapon Cost for 24 2. Combat rounds. Operatives & enemies can attack once each in a Note that weapons are illegal in some nations. In turn. You can only fight another figure in a square those places the cost can be double or triple that next to your own (including diagonally). listed. You can shoot at any figure that is in line of sight

Weapons Bonus £ & range, even if they are fighting. SF07 Combat Knife +1 Issue The Operatives always attack first. M101 Glove +1 Issue The attacker makes a Fighting or Shooting skill check minus their opponent’s DEX. Truncheon/Night-stick +1 20 If there is more than one attacker attacking an Katana +2 500 opponent in close combat each one gets +1 to Specialist Kit Bonus £ their Fighting. Burglary Tools Burglary +1 Issue The amount the attacker scores below what they Climbing Kit Climbing +1 Issue need is the damage. Covert Comms Issue Armour stops the first few points of damage. Decent Laptop Analyst +1 Issue Light Armour stops 1 point, Medium Armour De-encryption SW Hacker +1 Issue stops 2 points, Heavy Armour stops 3 points. Demolitions Tools Demo +1 Issue If his armour doesn’t stop all the damage the Diving Kit Diving +1 Issue defender must make a Toughness skill roll. Good Camera Watching +1 Issue He must roll less than his Toughness, minus the remaining damage, or he becomes Wounded. Hacking SW Hacking +1 Issue A Wounded figure has all his skills are reduced by Lock Picks Pick Locks +1 Issue three points (including Toughness). Night Scope Issue If wounded a second time he is knocked out Secure USB Issue (KO’d). A KO’d figure can be easily killed or Tailored Clothing Seduction / Issue captured. Grifting +1 4. Use other Skills Anti-toxin Kit Issue Anything not listed above can now be done. This is a limited list. Much more is available if you know where to get it…. The Controller Getting equipment in the field The role of the Controller is to create the plot, Anywhere in the UK, the Commonwealth, Europe people it with characters, set the scenes and lay and the USA operatives can call for specialist down a trail of half-truths and red herrings for equipment to be delivered to their locations. This the players to fight their way through. is done from field depots that the operatives will The world of SOE21 is dangerous, grim and above never know the location of. all Cinematic. It is based upon all those spy The equipment is often delivered, and usually programmes and films we grew up with such as within the hour, by what look like Motorbike James Bond, Alias, Harry Palmer, Get Smart, Couriers, Postmen, or even Pizza Delivery men on Jason Bourne, Spooks and Mission Impossible. Scooters. Operatives have got used to a young Becoming a Controller in SOE21 can be great fun, lad turning up on a bicycle with extra ammo right especially when everyone is enjoying themselves. in the middle of a fire fight with a terrorist cell or The real key to doing this is to be relaxed about

© Craig Cartmell May 2011 September 2010