Support Equipment

Is there an existing weapon for the ammunition type to match? If there is no existing weapon, roll randomly on the ammo type table. This roll determines the type of ammo found. A weapon that uses batteries would have battery sets. A weapon that uses bullets would have magazines. A weapon that has special fuel would have both the special fuel and the batteries.

The number of ammo sets determines the amount of ammo found. An ammo set is a complete set of what is needed to arm a weapon. Ten ammo sets are entirely different depending on the weapon type. Ten sets for a rifle with a 15 round magazine would mean 150 bullets. Ten sets for a lazer pistol using one battery would indicate ten batteries. Ten sets for an antimat pistol using two batteries is ten chunks of antimatter ammo and twenty batteries.

An armoury represents an endless amount of ammunition. An ammunition dispensary is not mobile, and the expedition does not get to carry it around. An armoury could be a battery recharger or broadcast power. An armoury could be an ammo dispenser or ammunition store. An armoury conveniently justifies endless munitions for combat fun.

Ammunition wate and value are listed with each weapon type. Ammo does not earn a persona experience points.

The cell type determines the sciency fiction process that the battery employs to create electricity. An artifact may require a specific cell type and number of cells to function. Some campaigns will allow cell types to be interchangeable. Cell types should add fun to the game and not frustration.

The cells per set can be the number of batteries needed to operate an artifact or the multiplier for the number of batteries in a cache. If you are generating a new artifact, the table represents the number of batteries required for an artifact. For example, a mutation detector may have two cells per set. Two cells per set indicate that those two batteries will operate the detector for five days. If you are generating a cache of batteries, the table represents the multiplier for the Number of Cell Sets. For example, a battery cache with four cells per set and four sets would have 16 batteries.

The number of cell sets helps determine the number of cells in a cache of batteries. To determine the total number of batteries in a cache, multiply the cells per set times the number of cell sets. For example, a battery cache with four cells per set and four sets would have 16 batteries.

Power source can indicate a receptacle or generator that powers the artifact. If the artifact is mobile, there may be a charging station for the artifact. A power source conveniently justifies endless energy for combat and research fun.

Powerpacks are a collection of cells combined into one device. Powerpacks have a cell type and number of cells to power any artifact with a powerpack plug. So a power pack with 16 cells could power a four-battery lazer rifle four times over before expending. A 16 cell powerpack could power a one cell mutation detector for 80 days. Powerpacks contain a number of cells equal to a support equipment battery stash. To generate a powerpack the player jumps to Cell Type, Cells per Set and Number of Cell Sets.

A multicell is a single cell that replaces an entire battery set. The player jumps to Cells per Set to generate a multicell. If the player generates four cells per set, the multicell can replace four cells. If an artifact required four solid cells to operate, a multicell with four cells could replace them. A multicell does not work like a power pack, and a four-cell multicell cannot power a single cell artifact four times over. A multicell must have at least two cells per set.

All batteries, including multicells, have a wate of 0.1 kg (100 gm). Power packs have a total wate of 2 kg regardless of the number of cells it stores.

A basic battery cell is worth 100 eps. A powerpack or multicell is worth 200 eps per basic cell. A recharging cell is worth 1000 eps. A recharging multicell or powerpack is worth 2000 eps per cell. A psionic cell is priceless and dangerous. Late one morning, I made a table that says the same as this paragraph.

There are no experience points earned for batteries.

If the expedition is discovering a fuel cache, the referee should match it with an existing vehicle.

For more information about fuel and energy jump to the generic mythos section → Energy and Power.

Fuel amount is determined randomly by two factors. First, the player generates a random amount of fuel. Second, the player and referee decide if the fuel is for a vehicle or a space vehicle. These two elements determine how much fuel is present. If the player rolls an eight 800 km of vehicle range or eight months of space, vehicle power would be eight months.

Filling the vehicles is entirely determined by the campaign. One would expect that large space vehicles would have spaceports for filling up.

If the player rolls depot as an amount, then there is an unlimited supply of fuel present. This may be a refinery, or auto dispenser, or bubbling geographic anomaly. The depot cannot be move, but it does represent an endless supply of the needed resource.

Listing fuel amounts in kilometres of range and months of service make wate and value determination a bit tricky. Determining fuel wate is a situation that uses post factualization. Post factualization allows the referee to determine game elements retrospectively while pretending it was always so.

If the fuel is for an existing space vehicle, and the number of months worth of fuel has a wate based on the ship tonnage. If there is no existing space vehicle, the law of averages indicates that an average month of fuel has a wate of 10 tonnes.

Calculating fuel wate for inatmo vehicles is much simpler. Basic fuel types have a wate of 10kg per 100 kilometres of fuel. Rechargeable and continuous fuel types have a wate that is 3% of the vehicle wate.

The milieu of the campaign determines the value of the fuel. A scarcity based campaign may make fuel acquisition the entire point of the game. A space-faring campaign may make fuel a cheap and accessible commodity used to travel the galaxy. One eps per kilogram of fuel makes a decent reference and conversation point.

There are no experience points earned for finding fuel.

There are two types of manuals: instructional and repair. The vast majority of manuals will be instruction manuals. An instruction manual may be as simple as a pamphlet or as gargantuan as a computer system. Repair manuals are less common than instruction manuals. Repair manuals are virtually useless to any persona that is not a mechanic. A bonus of +50 on the task table roll is granted to a mechanic when using a repair manual.

Most commonly the player will generate one manual. Pairs of manuals may be connected

A half manual is somehow less than a full manual. The manual may be missing a part, in a strange language or be for the wrong equipment model. The manual should not be useless. A useless manual should not count as an artifact.

A library is a collection of instructional and repair manuals for all manner of equipment. There was a time when a library represented a fixed building full of books. Even in mundane terra, a library can live in a fancy book (electronic book). The format of the manual determines the type of library. A library full of paper sheets would be like a library from the last millennium. A library on a fancy book would resemble a tablet or computer.

The manual format is mostly for appearance and plays a role in the manual’s mobility. A built-in manual will be part of the artifact. Sheet manuals can become very large. A plastic sheet manual for a space vehicle might resemble a library, but for just one artifact.

Unless the manual is a library or built into the device, the persona should be able to carry it around. If the wate of a manual is too much for a persona to carry, then the manual had better be for a large complex artifact.

The value of an instruction manual comes from the identification and ability to operate the artifact. Repair manuals can be quite valuable. As a rule, a manual is worth 1/100 of the value of the artifact. For a space vehicle, the manual is very valuable in terms of ship function and plain value.

When a mechanic uses a repair manual in conjunction with an artifact, she is awarded the experience point value of that artifact.

Most commonly, the player will generate one programme. A group of programmes may be a suite of tools to assist the inorganic brain. A programme suite could be an accounting programme and a fraud detection programme.

A half programme is somehow less than a full programme. The programme may be missing a subroutine, in a strange language or be for the wrong equipment model. The programme should not be useless. A useless programme should not count as an artifact.

A repository is a collection of programmes that the player can search and download. The Programme Format determines the nature of the repository. The repo could be a collection of floppy disks or a crystal holding all known programmes for that inorganic brain. A repo is powerful, but it should be the tool that solves every problem. Even the best repository may have dependencies that keep every imagined programme from working.

The programme format is an esthetic choice. There is no performance difference between each of the programme formats. A format may change the wate of the programme artifact, but it cannot render it useless.

The programme type indicates computer brain compatibility. The programmes are not cross-platform, and a vocation computer programme does work with a space vehicle computer. The programme is strictly limited to the particular computer brain unless it is designated a cross-platform programme.

AI programmes work in the MOM series of artificially intelligent computers. MOM computers are part of the generic mythos of EXP. For more info jump to Autonomous Intelligence

Vocation programmes work with vocation computers. Vocation computers assist personas with technical maneuvers carried out by their vocation. A programme will decrease the difficulty of a maneuver by 0-5 (d6-1) degrees of difficulty.

Space Vehicle programmes work with space vehicle computers.

Robotic brain programmes extend the skills of a robot persona. These programmes are only for insertion and integration with a robotic brain. The robot persona will add the programme to her repertoire regardless of her robot type. The programme may be inserted through a port or nailed onto the robot with a sledgehammer. The player can choose to roll on either AI Computer Programmes or Vocation Computer Programs. A robot cannot have a space vehicle programme.

A biologic brain programme allows an organic persona (anthro or alien) to acquire new skills and abilities instantly. These programmes are only for insertion and integration with an organic brain. The programme will give the persona the described ability regardless of her vocation type or family. The programme may be inserted directly into the skull, delivered via the eyes and ears, or implanted using vet equipment. The player can choose to roll on either AI Computer Programmes or Vocation Computer Programs. An organic persona cannot have a space vehicle programme.

A cross-platform programme is usable by any inorganic computer brain system. The player rolls on the type again ignoring, robotic, biologic and cross-platform programme types. Whether the programme is an AI programme, a vocation programme or a space vehicle programme, it works in any inorganic computer brain.

A programme is a single use entity that melds with the inorganic brain. The programme cannot be reused and the brain is permanently changed. Most often the programme can be carried by the persona. If the programme is too have for one persona to carry then it must have accessories included. Space vehicle programmes can have porting, and tooling necessary for the programme to work.