THE ULITMATE VEHICLE • A guide to all things would have been much less complete without their contributions. that move in The Hero System Steve adds: We’d also like to offer our special thanks to the Authors: Bob Greenwade, Steven S. Long Digital Hero playtesters and testreaders who reviewed the TUV manuscript. Their help was invaluable in fine-tuning the rules, Editing & Development: Steven S. Long eliminating typos and math errors, and generally making the Layout and Graphic Design: Andy Mathews book as good as it could be. Special thanks also goes to the fans who participated in message board and mailing list discussions Cover: Nate Barnes of what TUV should contain — as I’ve said before, it’s great to Interior Artwork: Nate Barnes, Andrew Cremeans, have the help of enthusiastic fans! As always, though, the errors Storn Cook, Keith Curtis, Malcolm Harrison, Nick remain my fault. Last but not least, thanks to Jason Walters for assistance Ingereni, Brad Nault, Newton Ewell, Klaus Scherwin- with the motorcycles. ski, Greg Smith, Chris Stevens, Derek Stevens A WORD OR TWO OF APPRECIATION Dedication: Thanks to George MacDonald and Steve Peterson for creating the Hero System in the first place; to Steve Long for resurrecting it; to my wife, Colleen, and best friend, Karen McGuire, for all their support; to Dave Mattingly and the rest Sample file of the crew at the Haymaker! APAzine; to Jesus Christ, with- out whose intervention I’d be dead; and to Reneé Zellweger, who has never heard of me and would have no idea why I’d be thanking her but who really did have a significant, if unwitting, impact on my dedication to complete this book. Special Thanks. Bob writes: In addition to the books, games, movies, and other resources listed in the Bibliography (page 226), the people on the Hero Mailing List were also a great help to me. (As much as they might deserve individual thanks, space does not permit it here.) However, Steven Long, Dave Mattingly, and Damon Griffin were also kind enough to thoroughly evaluate the original manuscript for this book, provide many ideas and bits of additional material, and point out potential problem areas. (Steve’s input at this stage was well before DOJ bought Hero Games, so he gets double thanks for that and for giving me a new shot at the manuscript after the takeover.) To all of these people, I give my sincerest thanks. This book Hero SystemTM ® is DOJ, Inc.’s trademark for its roleplaying system. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, Hero System © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or computerization, or by The Ultimate Vehicle © 2003 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Champions © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Publisher: DOJ, Inc., 1 Haight Street, Suite A, San Francisco, California 94102. Star Hero, Justice Inc., Danger International, Dark Champions, Fantasy Hero, Pulp Printed in the U.S.A. First printing January 2003 Hero, Western Hero © 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Produced and distributed by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. Stock Number: DOJHERO104 • ISBN Number: 1-58366-009-7 http://www.herogames.com TablE OF CONTENTS Introduction .....................................4 Sample Air Vehicles .......................74 Vehicle Initiative ...........................171 Vehicle Speed..............................171 Chapter One: Vehicle Chapter Five: Vehicle Actions ............................172 Creation Rules Space Vehicles Multiple-Power Attacks ..............173 Holding And Aborting .................174 Vehicle Basics ...............................6 Space Vehicle Basics ...................85 Characters In Vehicle Combat .....174 Vehicle Types ..............................6 Space Vehicle Types .......................85 Character Actions In Vehicle When Is A Vehicle Not A Vehicle? ......7 Vehicle Characteristics ...................86 Combat ..................................174 Vehicle Characteristics ....................8 Power Systems ..............................86 Crew Skills ..............................175 Standard Vehicle Characteristics .....8 Propulsion Systems .......................86 Crew Casualties ......................175 Optional Additional Vehicle Acceleration ................................86 Movement And Maneuvering .....177 Normal Propulsion .......................87 Characteristics ..........................15 Movement Basics ........................177 Faster-Than-Light Propulsion .......90 Skills ............................................17 Dramatic Movement .....................178 Other Space Vehicle Systems .........92 Perquisites ..................................20 Vehicle Maneuvers ....................178 Sample Space Vehicles..................93 Talents .........................................21 Vehicle Fighting ...........................181 Calculating Combat Value .............181 Powers ........................................22 Chapter Six: Mecha Attacking And Defending ..............182 Power Advantages .......................28 Mecha Basics ..............................105 Sensor Locks ............................182 Power Limitations........................29 Mech Types .................................105 Powers In Vehicle Combat ..........183 Disadvantages .............................32 Mech Movement ..........................105 Combat Modifiers ........................184 Mech Skills .................................106 Combat Maneuvers ......................185 Chapter Two: Mech Equipment And Systems .....106 Determining Damage ...................188 Ground Vehicles Sample Mecha .............................109 Vehicle Damage Basics ................188 Simple Vehicle Damage ................189 Ground Vehicle Basics .................35 Complex Vehicle Damage .............189 Ground Movement (Running) ..........35 Chapter Seven: Vehicle Equipment Vehicle Hit Location Tables ...........190 Powering Ground Vehicles ..............35 Other Damage Effects ................207 Maintaining Ground Contact ...........38 Equipment Rules .......................116 Repairing Damage .......................207 Other Modes Of Movement.............40 Vehicle Design And Focus ............116 Vehicular Pushing ........................208 Ground Vehicle Summary .............40 Use Of Vehicular Equipment .........117 Optional Combat Rules ................209 Other Parts Of A Ground Vehicle .....41 EquipmentSample Mass And file Volume .......118 Ground Vehicle Everyvehicle Chases And Pursuits ....................209 Weapons ......................................119 Equipment ..................................42 The Random Road Generator .....209 Defenses ......................................135 Stunts And Maneuvers .................212 Sample Ground Vehicles ..............43 Types Of Defenses .......................135 Optional Non-Mapped Vehicle Movement Systems .....................147 Combat .....................................213 Chapter Three: Dogfight Combat .......................214 Water Vehicles Personnel Systems ......................150 Intercept Combat .......................215 Power Systems ............................153 Water Vehicle Basics .....................55 Miscellaneous Combat Rules ......216 External Power Sources .............153 Swimming ......................................... 55 Equipment That Does Not Cost Powering Water Vehicles .................... 55 Chapter Nine: Endurance ..............................153 Vehicle Characters Other Parts Of A Water Vehicle ........... 59 Endurance Reserves ..................153 Water Vehicle Everyvehicle Equipment 60 Sensors And Communications .....158 Character Archetypes ................218 Sample Water Vehicles ................61 Miscellaneous Equipment............165 Character Creation ....................220 Characteristics ............................220 Chapter Four: Aircraft Chapter Eight: Vehicular Skills ...........................................220 Air Vehicle Basics ........................70 Combat And Adventuring Perquisites ..................................223 Flight ..........................................70 Talents ........................................224 Gliding ........................................71 Entering Vehicle Combat ...........169 Disadvantages .............................225 Methods Of Flight ..........................71 Vehicular Perception ....................169 Bibliography .................................226 Other Parts Of An Air Vehicle ..........73 Operating A Vehicle In Combat ......169 Air Vehicle Everyvehicle Equipment .. 73 Control Rolls .............................169 4 Hero System 5th Edition INTRODUCTION DUPLICATION; HERO GAMES TEXT elcome to The Ultimate Vehicle, the sections. The first, including Chapters One through ONLY (-2) latest book in Hero Games’s Ultimate Seven, discusses how to create vehicles. Chapter series. As the title indicates, it looks at One, Under The Hood, reviews general vehicle cre- the subject of vehicles — everything ation rules — rules that apply to all vehicles, or to The Ultimate Vehicle W from the most primitive wagons and chariots to the contains some text more than one type of vehicle. It includes, among reprinted from the most advanced starships. It discusses how to build other things, an expanded Vehicle Size