System Reference Document

ASH & AEGIS

System Reference Document

v0.8 — RIG Held vs Fixed Weapons

Robert Graham 2026
https://ash.robgraham.info

This document contains all game system rules produced to date. It covers the core resolution system, attributes and skills, character creation, advancement, neural lace and Frame piloting, personal gear and armour, RIG-class platform rules, vehicles, Chimera, the full combat system, and extended hazard rules covering addiction, thrown weapons and area of effect, and contamination and exposure.

All rules in this document are v0.7 drafts. Content is functional but subject to revision during playtest.

Contents

Table of Contents

Contents 2

Section 1 — Core Resolution 6

Target Numbers 6

Equipment Modifier Scale 6

Critical Results 7

Probability Reference 7

Frame-Scale Resolution 7

Section 2 — Attributes (FASCIA) 8

Derived Values 8

Section 3 — Movement & Stability 9

Movement Paces 9

Sprint Charges 9

Stability States 9

Section 4 — Skills 10

Skill Structure 10

Skill List 10

Section 5 — Neural Lace & Link States 13

Link States 13

Frame AP 13

Section 6 — Bleed & Overclock 14

Bleed 14

Overclock 14

Section 7 — Character Creation 15

Creation Overview 15

Attribute Costs 15

Skill Costs 15

Equipment at Creation 16

Derived Values at Creation 16

Example Builds 17

Combat Soldier — 'Hardcase' 17

RIG Pilot — 'Cascade' 17

Field Medic — 'Stitch' 17

Jack of All Trades 17

Section 8 — Advancement 18

Earning XP 18

Spending Advancement XP 18

Section 9 — Traits & Talents 20

Positive Traits 20

Negative Traits 21

Tier 1 Talents — 20 XP each 22

Tier 2 Talents — 40 XP each 24

Negative Talents 25

Section 10 — Personal Armour 26

Section 11 — Weapons 27

Melee Weapons 27

Range Bands 27

Ranged Weapons 28

Section 12 — Equipment 29

Section 12b — Weight, Bulk & Encumbrance 30

Carry Thresholds 30

Armour Bulk 30

Unwieldy Weapons 30

Packs & Carry Equipment 31

Section 13 — Exo-Frames 31

Section 14 — RIG-Class Platforms 33

Platform Tiers 33

Frame Attributes 33

Location HP 34

Fixed Armour Rating 34

Hit Location 35

Armour Bypass & System Checks 35

Section 15 — RIG Systems 36

Section 16 — A-RIG Redundancy 36

Section 17 — RIG Quirks 37

Passive Quirks 37

Conditional Quirks 38

RIG Weapons 39

Section 18 — Vehicles 40

Crew Positions 41

Vehicle Damage 41

RIG Jump Jets 42

Hover Stability 42

Section 19 — Chimera 43

Origin & Nature 43

Tier Overview 44

Field Catalogue — Role-Forms 44

Core Resolution 49

Character 49

Neural Lace 49

Armour & Weapons 49

RIG Platforms 50

Vehicles & Chimera 50

Section 20 — Combat Structure 51

Initiative 51

The Combat Round 52

Action Menu 52

Section 21 — Attack Resolution 53

Making an Attack 53

Target Number Modifiers 54

Hit Location 55

Section 22 — Fire Modes 55

Burst Fire 55

Full Auto 56

Section 23 — Ammunition & Magazine Tracking 56

Magazine Capacity 56

Round Consumption Per Action 57

Running Dry 57

RIG Weapons & Ammunition 57

Section 24 — Damage & Armour 57

How Damage Works 57

Armour Integrity 58

The Bypass Threshold 58

Scale and Base Damage 59

Section 23 — Wound Conditions 60

Two Pools Per Location 60

Location Conditions 60

Temporary Field Fixes 61

Section 24 — Critical, Dying & Stabilisation 62

The Death Clock 62

Stabilisation 62

Section 25 — Suppression & Pinned 63

Suppression 63

Section 26 — Addiction & Dependency 64

Dependency Levels 64

Gaining Dependency 65

Craving Triggers 65

Getting Clean 66

Section 27 — Thrown Weapons & Area of Effect 67

Throwing an Attack 67

STR and Maximum Range 67

Scatter on a Miss 68

Area of Effect — Two Blast Zones 68

Grenade and Thrown Explosive Reference 69

Section 28 — Contamination & Exposure 70

The Two Tracks 70

Soft Contamination Track 70

Hard Contamination Track 71

Gaining Exposure Stages 71

Contaminant Types 72

Treatment 73

Ward Re-entry and Decontamination 74

PART 1 — CORE RESOLUTION SYSTEM

Section 1 — Core Resolution

Every action with a meaningful chance of failure uses the same formula. One system for personal-scale play, one for Frame-scale — both use the same dice expression and the same principles.

2d10 + Attribute + Skill Rank + Equipment Modifier vs. Target Number

Roll 2d10 and add your relevant Attribute, your Skill Rank (or 0 if untrained), and your Equipment Modifier — a value printed on your gear. Compare the total to the Target Number. Meet or exceed it to succeed.

No additional modifiers are applied to the roll by default. Circumstantial factors are handled by the GM adjusting the TN, not by stacking roll bonuses.

Target Numbers

TN	Tier	When to Use
12	Common	Anyone could try this. Failure is still possible under stress, injury, or bad conditions.
16	Trained	Requires real skill. Untrained characters fail more often than not. Trained professionals succeed reliably under normal conditions.
GM Modified	Variable	Either base TN adjusted up or down by circumstances. GM adjusts TN — not the roll.

When in doubt, use TN 12. Reserve TN 16 for actions where training genuinely matters. If a task is something any person off the street could attempt, it is TN 12.

Equipment Modifier Scale

The EquipMod is printed on the equipment stat entry. It does not need to be calculated — it is a fixed value added directly to the roll.

EquipMod	Quality Level	Examples
0	No modifier / improvised	Found tool, civilian item with no special value
+1	Basic / functional	Standard medkit, basic firearm
+2	Professional grade	Military rifle, professional tool kit, sealed suit
+3	High-end / specialist	Precision weapon, advanced sensor suite
+4	Elite / rare	Prototype, exceptional military hardware

Critical Results

Roll	Result
Both dice show 1	Critical Failure. Automatic failure regardless of modifiers. Something goes wrong beyond the normal result.
Both dice show 10	Critical Success. Automatic success regardless of modifiers. Something goes exceptionally right.

Crits override all modifiers. A natural 1+1 fails regardless of how high the total would be. A natural 10+10 succeeds regardless of how high the TN is.

Probability Reference

The 2d10 roll produces a bell curve — most results cluster between 8 and 14 before modifiers. Skilled characters with good gear succeed routinely at tasks within their expertise.

Modifier Total	vs TN 12	vs TN 16	vs TN 20	Represents
+0	25%	5%	<1%	Untrained, no gear
+3	52%	15%	3%	Average person, basic kit
+6	75%	35%	10%	Competent, decent gear
+9	90%	60%	25%	Skilled professional, good kit
+12	98%	80%	48%	Expert, excellent equipment
+15	99%	92%	68%	Elite — near ceiling of human capability

Frame-Scale Resolution

RIG-class Frame combat uses the same formula. Frame Attributes replace personal attributes. Frame AWR replaces personal AWR for targeting. The pilot's skill rank (Frame Operation specialties) applies as the Skill Rank component. Equipment Modifier comes from the weapon's listed value.

The pilot's personal attributes do not directly affect Frame combat rolls. Their skill governs how well the hardware is used. A high-AGI pilot in a slow Frame still has to work with the Frame's AGI for AP purposes.

PART 2 — ATTRIBUTES, SKILLS & MOVEMENT

Section 2 — Attributes (FASCIA)

Six attributes define every character's baseline capability. All attributes start at 3 at creation — the baseline of a functional, capable adult. The XP budget is spent raising them above that baseline.

Attr	Name	Governs	Used For
STR	Strength	Physical force, load, melee base	Melee damage, forced movement, carrying
AGI	Agility	Speed, reflexes, fine motor	AP, movement, evasion, firearms accuracy
FOR	Fortitude	Endurance, resilience, health	HP pool, sprint charges, resistance checks
INT	Intelligence	Knowledge, problem solving	Technical skills, investigation, medicine
CHA	Charm	Persuasion, presence, social	Influence, command, deception, negotiation
AWR	Awareness	Perception, situational awareness	Detection, recon, targeting, lace integration

Derived Values

These values are calculated once and updated whenever the relevant attribute changes.

Value	Formula	Notes
AP per Turn	1 + AGI ÷ 2, rounded up	Target range 3–5 for most characters
HP: Head	Pool 1: FOR | Pool 2: FOR ÷ 2 (round up)	Most exposed, least HP. Depleted: Concussed. Gone: Dying.
HP: Torso	Pool 1: FOR × 3 | Pool 2: FOR × 1.5 (round up)	Largest location, most HP. Depleted: Critical. Gone: Dying.
HP: Each Arm	Pool 1: FOR × 2 | Pool 2: FOR	Depleted: Disabled. Gone: Mangled (surgery required).
HP: Each Leg	Pool 1: FOR × 2 | Pool 2: FOR	Depleted: Broken (half move, no Sprint). Gone: Mangled.
Sprint Charges	FOR	Endurance pool for sprinting
Sprint Recovery	FOR ÷ 2, rounded down, per Recover action

Section 3 — Movement & Stability

Every character has three movement paces. The fastest pace used in a turn determines the character's Stability State, which governs what actions are available and what penalties apply.

Movement Paces

Pace	Distance	AP Cost	State	Penalties
Walk	Up to 5m	1 AP	Steady	None. Recover action available.
Run	Up to 10m	1 AP	Moving	+1 TN per Run AP on your attacks. Attackers targeting you +1 TN. No Aimed Shots.
Sprint	Up to 30m	2 AP (fixed)	Sprinting	+4 TN all your actions. Attackers +2 TN targeting you. Only 1 AP actions available after. Costs 1 Sprint Charge.

Sprint Charges

Sprinting consumes Sprint Charges. Maximum Sprint Charges = FOR. When charges reach 0 the character cannot Sprint until recovered.

• Recover Action: Costs 1 AP. Available only when Steady (Walking or stationary). Restores FOR ÷ 2 Sprint Charges, rounded down.

• The Recover action forces a conscious choice: spend AP acting or spend AP recovering for next round.

Stability States

State	Triggered By	Effect
Steady	Stationary or Walking only	Aimed Shots available. Full action range. Recover action available.
Moving	Any Run AP used	No Aimed Shots. +1 TN on your attacks per Run AP used.
Sprinting	Sprint used this turn	No Aimed Shots. +4 TN all actions. Only 1 AP actions available.

Movement TN penalties stack with cover, range, and circumstance modifiers. A sprinting character firing at long range from behind partial cover is working against a very high TN. This is intentional.

Section 4 — Skills

Skill Structure

Type	How It Works
General Skill	Broad capability — a single rank applies to all uses of that skill. Example: Athletics rank 3 applies to climbing, swimming, sprinting endurance, and any other physical challenge.
Specialised Skill	Contains multiple individual specialties, each ranked separately. Example: Firearms contains Rifles, Pistols, Heavy Weapons — each bought and ranked independently.
Rank 0	Untrained. Character may attempt with attribute alone at +2 TN penalty for trained tasks.
Rank 1–2	Competent. Trained and functional. Rank 2 represents reliable professional-level performance.
Rank 3–4	Expert. Genuinely skilled. Rank 4 represents the upper range of standard human capability.
Rank 5–6	Mastery. Post-creation only. Dedicated long-term development. Double cost per rank.

Skill List

Skill (Attribute)	Type	Notes
COMBAT
Firearms (AGI)	Specialised (Rifles / Pistols / Heavy Weapons / Shotguns)	Ranged combat. Each specialty is separately ranked.
Melee (STR)	Specialised (Blades / Unarmed / Heavy Weapons)	Close combat. Unarmed always available.
Tactics (INT)	Specialised (CQB / Urban / Badlands / Command)	Situational awareness in combat contexts.
Stealth (AGI)	General	Moving unseen. Concealment. Ambush setup.

PHYSICAL
Athletics (AGI)	General	Running, climbing, swimming, physical endurance.
Recon (AWR)	General	Scouting, observation, route finding, tracking.
Survival (FOR)	Specialised (Badlands / Urban / Cold / Marine)	Environment-specific survival knowledge and practice.
Decon & Containment (INT)	General	Hazard identification, decontamination procedures.
TECHNICAL
Engineering (INT)	Specialised (Mechanical / Electrical / Field Fabrication / Demolitions)	Construction, repair, and destruction of physical systems.
Medicine (INT)	Specialised (Field Care / Trauma / Surgery / Pharma)	All forms of medical treatment.
Systems (INT)	Specialised (Comms / Security / Diagnostics / Electronic Warfare)	Electronic and digital systems.
Navigation (AWR)	Specialised (Land Nav / Electronic Nav / Void Nav)	Route-finding and positional awareness.
SOCIAL
Influence (CHA)	General	Persuasion, negotiation, social pressure.
Command (CHA)	Specialised (Small Unit / Morale / Logistics)	Leadership and direction of others.
Insight (AWR)	General	Reading people, detecting deception, emotional intelligence.
Investigation (INT)	General	Information gathering, evidence analysis, pattern recognition.
Deception (CHA)	General	Lying, disguise, misdirection.

FRAME & LACE
Frame Operation (AGI)	Specialised (RIG / A-RIG / Gear-Frame / I-RIG / Advanced Mobility)	Piloting RIG-class platforms at all Link States.
Frame Systems (INT)	Specialised (Weapons Control / Damage Control / Sensor Suite)	Operating Frame hardware and systems mid-engagement.
Lace Interface (AWR)	Specialised (Pilot Grade / Combat Lace / Overclock / Eidolon Interface)	Neural lace operation, Link State transitions, Overclock.

PART 3 — NEURAL LACE & FRAME PILOTING

Section 5 — Neural Lace & Link States

Neural lace is the interface technology that connects a pilot's nervous system to a RIG-class platform. The depth of that connection is governed by Link State — a graduated scale from basic hardware control to full neural merge with the Eidolon AI.

Link States

State	Name	Requirement	Effect
0	Shuttered	Pilot Grade lace fitted	Baseline operation. Full pilot control. No Bleed accumulation.
1	Coupled	Pilot Grade rank 1+	Sync Bonus active: +1 Frame AWR, AP floor raised by 1 if Frame AGI warrants it.
2	Integrated	Combat Lace rank 2+	Frame and pilot share sensory feedback. +2 Frame AWR. Pilot receives damage feedback as sensation.
3	Merge	Eidolon Interface specialty or Deep Lace Compatible Trait	Full neural merge. Maximum sync bonuses. Bleed accumulates every round. Disconnection without preparation is dangerous.

Shifting Link State requires the pilot to be inside the Frame. Hot Start Talent allows one free shift per engagement. Otherwise shifting costs 1 AP.

Frame AP

The Frame's AP per turn derives from its hardware attribute: Frame AP = 1 + ceil(Frame AGI ÷ 2). At Link State 1+, certain sync bonuses may raise the effective AP floor. The pilot's personal AGI does not contribute to Frame AP.

Section 6 — Bleed & Overclock

Bleed

Bleed is the accumulated cost of deep lace coupling. It represents neural strain, sensory overload, and the physiological cost of operating at high Link States. Bleed is tracked as a running total and imposes escalating penalties.

Bleed accumulates from: State 3 Merge (1 per round), Overclock use (per use), certain Chimera effects, and Eidolon Compensation.

Bleed reduces from: Disconnecting and resting, Lace Calibration Kit use, Stim Pack use, certain Talents.

Bleed Level	Effect
1–2	Mild. Minor perceptual distortion. No mechanical effect.
3–4	Moderate. –1 to all rolls while at this level.
5–6	Heavy. –2 to all rolls. Headaches, sensory bleed-through.
7–8	Severe. –3 to all rolls. GM may call for disorientation checks.
9+	Critical. –4 to all rolls. Forced disconnection recommended immediately.

Overclock

Overclock is a deliberate spike of neural coupling beyond normal safe parameters. It produces immediate tactical benefit at a Bleed cost. Available at Link State 2+ (or 1+ with Overclock Specialist Talent modification).

Overclock Effect	Cost
Gain 1 additional AP this turn	1 Bleed
Reroll one failed Frame roll	1 Bleed
Extend Link State 3 Merge one additional round without disconnecting	2 Bleed
Force a Frame System Check reroll	2 Bleed

The Overclock limit per scene is 3 by default. Overclock Specialist raises this to 5. Attempting to Overclock beyond the limit requires a FOR check (TN 16) or the pilot takes 1 personal damage to the Head location and gains 2 Bleed.

PART 4 — CHARACTER CREATION

Section 7 — Character Creation

Character creation is a freeform XP-spend system. No classes, no backgrounds, no fixed paths. You build who you want to play by spending XP. The only constraints are creation caps and the budget.

500 XP Budget | All attributes start at 3 for free | Unspent XP carries forward

Creation Overview

Step	What	Notes
1	Start at baseline 3	All six attributes begin at 3 for free. Capable adult baseline.
2	Spend 500 XP	Buy attribute raises, skills, Talents, Traits, and equipment. Unspent XP carries forward.
3	Raise attributes	10 × new level. Max 6 at creation.
4	Buy skills	Scaled cost per rank. Max rank 4. No more than 5 skills above rank 2.
5	Choose Talents & Traits	Positive cost XP. Negative return XP. Max 100 XP returned from negatives.
6	Buy starting equipment	XP purchase. You own it — paperwork included.
7	Calculate derived values	AP, HP by location, Sprint Charges.
8	Bank unspent XP	Carries forward as advancement budget.

Attribute Costs

All attributes begin at 3 for free. Raising above 3 costs 10 × the new level.

Raise To	Cost	Total from 3	Notes
4	40 XP	40 XP	Average to capable.
5	50 XP	90 XP	Professional level.
6	60 XP	150 XP	Elite. Creation cap.

Skill Costs

Skills use scaled costs — each rank costs more than the last. Breadth is affordable. Depth is earned. ✦ marks post-creation-only ranks.

Rank	General	Gen. Cumulative	Specialised	Spec. Cumulative
1	2 XP	2 XP	3 XP	3 XP
2	4 XP	6 XP	6 XP	9 XP
3	6 XP	12 XP	9 XP	18 XP
4	8 XP	20 XP	12 XP	30 XP
5 ✦	10 XP	30 XP	15 XP	45 XP
6 ✦	12 XP	42 XP	18 XP	63 XP

• Maximum skill rank at creation: 4.

• Maximum 5 skills above rank 2 at creation.

• The cap is per skill entry — Firearms: Rifles 3 and Firearms: Pistols 3 count as two separate skills above rank 2.

Equipment at Creation

Starting equipment is purchased with XP. Everything purchased at creation is yours — it has paperwork and legal standing. It can be lost or damaged in play but starts legitimately owned.

Tier	XP Cost	Examples
Standard	10 XP	Civilian sidearm, basic medkit, work clothing, standard tools, comms unit.
Professional	25 XP	Military rifle, sealed enviro-suit, professional tool kit, light body armour.
Restricted	50 XP	Heavy combat armour, military crew weapons, pilot-grade lace hardware, advanced medical equipment.
Rare / Illegal	75+ XP	Prototype weapons, black market augmentation hardware, modified lace, unregistered weapons.

Derived Values at Creation

AP = 1 + AGI ÷ 2 (round up) | Sprint Charges = FOR | Recovery = FOR ÷ 2 (round down)

Head: FOR / round up (FOR÷2) | Torso: FOR×3 / round up (FOR×1.5) | Arms & Legs: FOR×2 / FOR (First pool / Second pool — see Part 13)

Example Builds

Combat Soldier — 'Hardcase'

• AGI 5, FOR 5, AWR 4, INT 4 — all others at 3. Attributes: 260 XP.

• Firearms: Rifles 4, Pistols 2 | Tactics: CQB 3, Urban 2 | Athletics 3 | Stealth 2 | Recon 2 | Survival: Badlands 2 | Medicine: Field Care 2. Skills: 107 XP.

• Quick Draw + Sure Footed + Suppression Instinct + Wardline Veteran. Talents/Traits: 90 XP.

• Military Rifle + Sidearm + Military Body Armour. Equipment: 60 XP. Total: ~517 XP. Take Slow Starter (–15) to balance.

RIG Pilot — 'Cascade'

• AGI 5, INT 4, AWR 4 — all others at 3. Attributes: 170 XP.

• Frame Op: RIG 4 | Frame Systems 3/2 | Lace Interface: Pilot Grade 3, Combat Lace 2, Overclock 2 | Tactics: Badlands 3 | Firearms: Rifles 2 | Navigation 2 | Recon 2. Skills: 77 XP.

• Frame Sense + Hot Start + Overclock Specialist + Natural Sync. Talents/Traits: 110 XP.

• Military Rifle + Pilot-Grade Lace Hardware. Equipment: 75 XP. Total: ~432 XP. 68 XP banked.

Field Medic — 'Stitch'

• INT 6, AWR 4, CHA 4 — all others at 3. Attributes: 230 XP.

• Medicine: Trauma 4, Field Care 4, Surgery 3, Pharma 2 | Engineering: Mechanical 3, Field Fabrication 2 | Systems: Diagnostics 3 | Influence 3 | Investigation 3. Skills: 79 XP.

• Field Medic + Hardened Constitution. Talents/Traits: 50 XP. Equipment: 60 XP. Total: ~419 XP. 81 XP banked.

Jack of All Trades

• All attributes at 4 except STR at 3. Attributes: 200 XP.

• 5 skills at rank 3 (Pistols, Influence, Field Care, Tactics, Insight) + 7 skills at rank 2. At cap. Skills: 111 XP.

• Read the Room + equipment package. Total: ~411 XP. 89 XP banked — broad coverage now, depth comes in play.

PART 5 — ADVANCEMENT & XP

Section 8 — Advancement

Advancement uses the same XP system as creation. Costs are identical. The rules around what requires permission or story justification are what change post-creation. Equipment can no longer be purchased with XP — everything after creation comes from the world.

Earning XP

Award	Trigger
10–15 XP	Base session award. Showing up, engaging, moving the story forward.
+5 XP	A Negative Trait was brought into play and caused real consequences.
+5 XP	A Negative Talent actively impacted a scene significantly.
+5 XP	Character acted on a personal goal, faction tie, or relationship.
+5 XP	A Critical Success or Failure changed the direction of a scene.
+5 XP	Significant Pilot-Eidolon bond moment. Pilot characters only.
+10 XP	Major story milestone — arc resolved, faction relationship fundamentally changed.

The GM should not chase every trigger mechanically. A quiet character-focused session earns the base award. A session full of driven roleplay and consequences earns bonuses. XP should feel like it reflects what actually happened at the table.

Spending Advancement XP

What	Permission	Notes
Attribute raise	GM sign-off recommended	Same costs as creation. Above 6 requires a Trait.
Skill raise / new skill	None required	Same scaled costs. Suggested to have in-game reason. Rank 5+ costs double.
Tier 1 Talent	GM awareness	20 XP. GM should know to reflect it in play.
Tier 2 Talent	GM awareness	40 XP. Prerequisite must already be held.
Negative Talent buyoff	GM approval + story reason	XP equal to original return. Fiction must be established first.
Positive Trait	In-game event required	XP cost listed. Fictional event must happen first.
Negative Trait removal	Story resolution only	Cannot be bought off with XP.
Equipment	In-game acquisition only	Cannot be purchased with XP post-creation.

• Negative Traits cannot be removed with XP. Resolved only when the underlying fictional cause is resolved. GM must bring them into play at least once per major arc.

• Negative Talents can be bought off with XP equal to the original return value. GM approval and a story reason established in play first. Glass Jaw is a physical fact — it cannot be bought off without the Augmented Trait.

• Equipment post-creation comes from salvage, in-game funds, faction rewards, and story events. The XP economy and the in-game economy are separate after creation.

PART 6 — TRAITS & TALENTS

Section 9 — Traits & Talents

Traits are what you are. Passive, identity-level, always true. They cannot activate. They are facts.

Talents are what you can do. Active or conditional, representing learned capability. They have trigger conditions or activation costs.

Type	Cost	Notes
Tier 1 Talent	20 XP	Available at creation if prerequisites met.
Tier 2 Talent	40 XP	Requires Tier 1 in same area, or minimum skill rank.
Positive Trait	30–50 XP	Listed per Trait.
Negative Talent	Returns 15–25 XP	Mechanical drawback. Buyoff requires GM approval + story reason.
Negative Trait	Returns 20–50 XP	Narrative drawback. Story resolution only. Max 100 XP returned from all negatives at creation.

Positive Traits

Trait	Cost	Effect
Natural Sync	50 XP	Bleed accumulates at half rate — round down. Neurology adapted exceptionally well to lace coupling. Cannot be trained.
Hardened Constitution	30 XP	+2 to all FOR resistance checks against toxins, radiation, and environmental hazards.
Ghost	40 XP	NID passes routine checks. Deep S-Class queries or biometric cross-referencing may surface inconsistencies — a story event when triggered.
Wardline Veteran	30 XP	Recognised military status. Opens doors in formal military contexts. May attract attention.
Augmented	40 XP	Cybernetic implant (type specified at creation). Post-creation requires surgery in play.
Deep Lace Compatible	50 XP	Can attempt State 3 Merge without Eidolon Interface specialty. Bleed still accumulates normally.
Dual Identity	40 XP	Second legitimate NID under a different name. Both identities real in the system.
Faction Tied	30 XP	Deep allegiance to a specific faction. Significant access and trust. May complicate rival faction interactions.
Combat Veteran	40 XP	Never suffer the Slow Starter penalty. Personal initiative rolls +1. Identity forged under fire, not in training.
Uncanny Calm	30 XP	AWR checks under sudden extreme stress — ambush, explosion, unexpected contact — are not penalised. Reaction is clean where others freeze.
Photographic Memory	40 XP	INT-based recall checks automatically succeed. The GM provides verbatim detail when requested. Cannot be trained into existence.
Chimera-Touched	50 XP	Minor and Standard Chimera do not initiate hostility unless directly provoked. No explanation exists. Others notice. GM tracks how Major+ Chimera respond over time.
Ward-Born	30 XP	+1 to social checks with Ward City civilians in any Ward City. Recognised as a native. Carries weight in local contexts.

Negative Traits

Trait	XP Return	Effect
Lace Sensitive	30 XP	Bleed accumulates at 1.5× rate — round up.
Chronic Injury	20 XP	One body location (chosen at creation) has max HP reduced by FOR.
Known Criminal	40 XP	Active criminal record. Social penalties in formal Ward contexts.
Wanted: [Faction]	30 XP	Specific faction actively hunting you. GM brings into play per arc.
Lace Dependent	20 XP	–1 all rolls after 12 hours disconnected from lace.
Undocumented	50 XP	No valid NID. Every gated service requires a workaround. Returns most XP — complicates nearly every Ward-side session.
Flagged NID	30 XP	Valid but marked NID. Routine checks pass. Deeper scans surface flags.
Night Terrors	20 XP	Cannot benefit from rest in field conditions. Recovery of HP and Sprint Charges requires a secure, sheltered location. What follows you in sleep is your own business.
Service Debt	25 XP	A significant obligation to a specific faction or creditor exists. GM uses this as active leverage at least once per arc. Ignoring it escalates the consequence.
Chimera Sensitivity	30 XP	All resistance checks against Chimera toxins and pheromone effects are at +2 TN. Some Chimera variants respond to this character differently than expected — GM tracks this.
Marked	30 XP	A specific named faction has flagged your NID. Routine scans pass. Deeper or targeted checks surface the flag. GM decides when it activates.

Tier 1 Talents — 20 XP each

Talent	Cost	Type	Prerequisite	Effect
Athlete	20	Passive	AGI 4+	Recover action restores +1 Sprint Charge.
Iron Lungs	20	Passive	FOR 4+	Max Sprint Charges +2.
Sure Footed	20	Passive	AGI 4+	Reduce Run TN penalty by 1 per AP (min 0).
Quick Draw	20	Passive	AGI 4+	Draw/holster costs 0 AP once per turn.
Snap Shot Trained	20	Passive	Firearms specialty rank 3+	Snap Shot available from Moving state.
Suppression Instinct	20	Passive	Firearms specialty rank 2+	On miss: target +1 TN on next attack this round.
Field Medic	20	Passive	Medicine: Field Care rank 3+	Medicine (Field Care) checks cost 1 fewer AP (min 1).
Overclock Specialist	20	Passive	Lace Interface: Overclock 2+	Overclock limit per scene +2.
Read the Room	20	Passive	AWR 4+, Insight rank 2+	GM gives general disposition when entering new social situation.
Voice of Command	20	Active	CHA 4+, Command rank 2+	1 AP. Once per scene: an ally takes 1 AP action outside their turn.
Frame Sense	20	Passive	Frame Operation rank 3+	+1 AWR checks while piloting at Link State 1+.
Hot Start	20	Passive	Frame Op: RIG rank 3+	Shifting Link State costs 0 AP once per engagement.
Ghost Step	20	Passive	AGI 4+, Stealth rank 2+	Moving state does not break active Stealth. Covers terrain at speed without betraying position.
Dead Ground	20	Passive	AWR 4+, Recon rank 2+	When taking cover, identify one additional valid cover position within line of sight as a free action.
Jury Rig	20	Active	Engineering rank 2+	Field repair attempt on weapon or armour using salvage material. Engineering check TN 14 — success restores 1 Integrity. 1 AP.
Demolitions Trained	20	Passive	Engineering rank 3+	Breaching Charges require no check on standard structural doors. Precisely placed charges deal +2 Base damage.
Hard Living	20	Passive	FOR 4+, Survival rank 2+	Environmental hazard checks — exposure, temperature extremes, dehydration — at -1 TN.
Badlands Reader	20	Passive	AWR 4+, Survival rank 2+	GM tells you whether active Chimera sign is present before entering a new zone outdoors.
Triage Instinct	20	Passive	Medicine: Field Care rank 2+	Assessing a Dying character’s remaining round count costs 0 AP.
Steady Hands	20	Passive	INT 4+, Medicine rank 3+	Surgery and precision medicine checks are not penalised by field conditions, low light, or environmental distraction.
Fast Talk	20	Active	CHA 4+, Influence rank 2+	On a failed social check, the GM must give you one piece of genuine information before the interaction ends.
Hard to Read	20	Passive	AWR 4+, Insight rank 2+	Opposed Insight checks made against you are at +2 TN.
Pattern Recognition	20	Passive	INT 4+, Investigation rank 2+	When searching a scene, the GM tells you how many clues are present before you roll.
Terrain Reader	20	Passive	AWR 4+, Navigation rank 2+	Moving through difficult terrain costs no additional AP.
Wheelman	20	Passive	AGI 4+, Piloting rank 2+	Vehicle handling checks made under fire or at speed are at -1 TN.
Called Shot	20	Passive	Firearms specialty rank 3+	Aimed Shot costs 2 AP instead of 3 when Steady. Standard prerequisites and restrictions still apply.
Weapon Retention	20	Passive	AGI 4+, Melee rank 2+	Cannot be disarmed. Disarm attempts against you are at +2 TN.
Combat Reload	20	Passive	Firearms specialty rank 3+	Standard Reload action costs 1 AP instead of 2. Once per engagement.
Weapons Free	20	Passive	Frame Systems: Weapons Control rank 3+	Frame weapon attacks from Moving state are at only +1 TN instead of the standard movement penalty.
Reactive Systems	20	Active	Frame Op rank 3+	Once per engagement, reduce an incoming damage bypass of 5 or more by 3 before it is applied to Frame HP.

Tier 2 Talents — 40 XP each

Talent	Cost	Type	Prerequisite	Effect
Explosive Start	40	Passive	Athlete	If Steady at start of turn, Sprint costs 1 AP instead of 2.
Conditioning	40	Passive	Iron Lungs or Athlete	Recover action restores 1 further Sprint Charge. Stacks with Athlete.
Double Tap	40	Active	Firearms specialty rank 4+	After successful firearm attack, make second attack on same target for 1 AP instead of 2. Once per turn.
Overwatch	40	Active	Tactics specialty rank 3+	1 AP. Declare while Steady. If enemy moves into LoS before your next turn, make a Snap Shot at no AP cost.
Merge Trained	40	Passive	Frame Op: RIG rank 4+, Hot Start	State 3 Merge generates Bleed every 2 rounds instead of every round.
Overclock Endurance	40	Passive	Overclock Specialist, Frame Op rank 3+	First Overclock per scene inside Frame at State 2+ costs 0 Bleed.
Shadow	40	Passive	Ghost Step, Stealth rank 4+	Stealth checks while Sprinting are at only +2 TN instead of the standard +4 TN movement penalty.
Overclock Hardware	40	Active	Jury Rig, Engineering rank 4+	Push a damaged weapon or system past its limit once per scene — it functions normally for that use, then is broken and requires workshop repair.
Iron Stomach	40	Passive	Hard Living, Survival rank 4+	Contamination Soft Track only advances on a Critical Fail. Hard Track is unaffected.
Trauma Surgeon	40	Active	Steady Hands, Medicine: Trauma rank 4+	On a successful Medicine: Trauma check, clear one active Wound Condition in addition to stabilising the character.
Social Engineer	40	Active	Fast Talk, Influence rank 4+	Once per scene, reroll a failed Influence check. You must take the second result.
Crowd Reader	40	Passive	Read the Room, Insight rank 3+	Read the Room now provides specific threat assessment and individual NPC intent, not just general disposition.
Executioner	40	Active	Double Tap, Firearms rank 5+	If the first attack of a Double Tap kills or incapacitates the target, redirect the second attack to any new target within 5 m at no additional AP.
Evasive Driver	40	Passive	Wheelman, Piloting rank 4+	Passengers in your moving vehicle treat it as partial cover (+2 TN against them) as long as you are driving.
Combat Sync	40	Passive	Frame Sense, Frame Op: RIG rank 4+	At Link State 2+, use Frame AWR instead of personal AWR for initiative if forced to dismount mid-engagement.

Negative Talents

Negative Talents are mechanical drawbacks — ingrained patterns that can theoretically be trained out, but only through story and GM approval. Unlike Negative Traits, they do not carry narrative obligation for the GM to bring into play. They are purely mechanical at the table.

Negative Talent	XP Return	Effect
Glass Jaw	20 XP	Head maximum HP halved — round down. Physical weak point.
Tunnel Vision	15 XP	After any attack action, AWR checks –2 until start of next turn.
Reckless	20 XP	Cannot take Aimed Shots. Instinct over precision.
Slow Starter	15 XP	First round of any combat: AP reduced by 1.
Lace Averse	25 XP	Cannot progress Lace Interface above rank 1. Overclock unavailable.
Heavy Handed	15 XP	Fine motor checks (surgery, electronics, precise work) +2 TN.
Hair Trigger	15 XP	On Critical Failure with firearm: spend 1 AP clearing weapon before it can fire.
One Track Mind	15 XP	Cannot attempt same non-combat skill check twice in same scene.

PART 7 — PERSONAL ARMOUR & WEAPONS

Section 10 — Personal Armour

Damage Applied to HP = Raw Damage − DR at that location (minimum 0)

Armour provides DR per body location. Coverage matters — an unarmoured location has DR 0 regardless of what else the character is wearing. Each armour piece has an Integrity track. When a hit deals damage that clears the DR — that is, when the raw damage exceeds the DR and a positive number is applied to the HP pool — the armour at that location loses 1 Integrity. A hit fully stopped by the DR does not degrade the armour. At 0 Integrity, DR drops to 0 until the piece is repaired.

Armour	DR	Integ.	Coverage	Tags & Notes
Padded Work Clothing	1	3	Torso	Basic protection. Haz-Filter variants available.
Tactical Vest	3	4	Torso only	Concealable. Common Ward security.
Reinforced Vest	4	4	Torso only	Visible military/security issue.
Partial Combat Armour	4	4	Torso / Arms	Shoulder and arm guards included.
Full Combat Armour	5	5	Torso / Arms / Legs	Military-grade plating.
Combat Armour + Helmet	5 / 3	5	All locations	Head DR 3, all others DR 5. Haz-Filter optional.
Sealed Enviro-Suit	2	4	All locations	Sealed, Haz-Filter, Rad-Resist. DR lower — built for hazards.
Heavy Assault Armour	6	6	All locations	Restricted. Powered Assist. Reduces movement penalty.

• Armour Tags: Sealed (protects vs airborne hazards), Haz-Filter (filtration only), Rad-Resist (radiation reduction), Powered Assist (reduces movement penalty, requires power), Ablative (sacrifices Integrity faster, higher DR while it lasts).

Section 11 — Weapons

Melee: Base + STR + die roll | Ranged: Base + die roll (no attribute adds)

Every weapon has a base floor and a damage die. You always deal at least the base — the die adds variance. STR adds to all melee weapons including knives. Ranged damage is purely the weapon — the bullet does what the bullet does.

Aimed Shot (3 AP, Steady only) lets the attacker choose the hit location instead of using the lower-die system. No automatic damage bonus — precision is the reward.

Melee Weapons

Weapon	Base Dmg	Die	Notes
Unarmed	STR	d4	Always available. Base equals STR directly.
Knife / Blade	1 + STR	d4	Fast, concealable. Throwable (loses STR at range).
Combat Knife	2 + STR	d4	Military-spec, heavier.
Short Sword / Machete	3 + STR	d6	Badlands tool and weapon.
Sword / Long Blade	4 + STR	d6	Reach advantage: +1 TN vs unarmed/knife.
Blunt (pipe, baton)	2 + STR	d6	Stagger on max die result (GM call).
Heavy Blunt (sledge)	4 + STR	d8	3 AP to swing. Ignores 2 DR on impact.
Powered Blade	5 + STR	d8	Restricted. Vibro or plasma-assist. Ignores 3 DR.

Range Bands

Band	Distance	Notes
Close	0–10 m	Pistols, shotguns, SMGs ideal. Rifles awkward at +1 TN.
Short	10–50 m	Most weapons effective. Pistols beginning to degrade.
Medium	50–150 m	Rifles ideal. Pistols very difficult. Shotguns ineffective past 80m.
Long	150 m+	Marksman and anti-material only. All others at maximum TN penalty.

Ranged Weapons

Melee: Base + STR + die roll | Ranged: Base + die roll (no attribute adds)

TN columns show the penalty added at each range band. Range penalties stack with movement, cover, and circumstance modifiers.

Weapon	Base	Die	Close	Short	Med	Long	Notes
Pistol	3	d6	—	+0	+2	+6	Concealable. Standard sidearm.
Heavy Pistol	4	d6	—	+0	+2	+4	More stopping power.
SMG	3	d6	+0	+0	+2	+6	Burst capable.
Shotgun	5	d10	+0	+2	+6	N/A	Devastating close. Useless at long.
Assault Rifle	4	d8	+1	+0	+0	+3	Standard military. Versatile.
Battle Rifle	5	d8	+2	+0	+0	+2	Heavier round. Better penetration.
Marksman Rifle	5	d10	+4	+2	+0	+0	Aimed Shot required for full effect.
LMG	6	d10	+1	+0	+0	+2	Suppression capable. 3 AP to fire.
Anti-Material	8	d12	+6	+4	+2	+0	Restricted. Frame-threatening. 3 AP, Steady only.
Grenade Launcher	8	d10	—	+0	+0	+2	Area effect. Indirect capable.

PART 8 — EQUIPMENT

Section 12 — Equipment

Equipment falls into three types: Passive (EquipMod indefinitely, maintenance only), Consumable (Supply rating — limited uses), Powered (Power track — runs on charges or battery).

Item	Tier	Mod	Supply	Notes
Personal Comms Unit	Std	+0	Passive	Basic Ward comms. Encrypted at Professional tier.
Navigation Kit	Std	+1	Passive	+1 Navigation checks.
Basic Medkit	Std	+1	3 uses	Field Care checks. Each use addresses one wound.
Professional Medkit	Prof	+2	5 uses	Trauma and surgery capable in field.
Repair Kit	Prof	+2	4 uses	Engineering field repairs. Weapons and armour.
Sealed Enviro-Mask	Std	+0	Passive	Haz-Filter. No head DR.
Rad Counter	Std	+1	Passive	+1 Decon checks. Passive radiation detection.
Sensor Suite (portable)	Prof	+2	Powered	+2 Recon/AWR checks. Needs battery.
Stim Pack	Prof	—	1 use	Removes 1 Bleed OR restores 1 AP next turn.
Trauma Kit	Prof	+2	2 uses	Stops bleed-out, stabilises critical.
Breaching Charge	Restr	—	1 use	Demolitions. Structural breach or door removal.
Lace Calibration Kit	Prof	+1	3 uses	+1 Lace Interface checks. Reduces Bleed by 1 after calibration.
Power Cell (standard)	Std	—	5 charges	Powers powered equipment. 1 charge per scene.
Power Cell (high-cap)	Prof	—	10 charges	Extended duration. Bulkier.

PART 8b — WEIGHT, BULK & ENCUMBRANCE

Section 12b — Weight, Bulk & Encumbrance

Characters are not warehouses. What they carry shapes how they move, how long they last, and what they can do in the field. Every item in the Equipment Supplement lists a weight in kilograms. Add up everything on your person — worn armour included — and compare against your carry thresholds. That is the whole system.

Carry Thresholds

Thresholds are based on STR. Worn armour counts at full weight — it is on your body. Weapons are assumed to have slings or holsters and are included in your load total. Holstered sidearms are always considered carried regardless of other weight.

Normal — Up to STR × 15 kg. No penalty.

Encumbered — STR × 15 + 1 kg up to STR × 30 kg. −1 AP. Sprint Charges halved (round down).

Overloaded — STR × 30 + 1 kg up to STR × 45 kg. −2 AP. No Sprint. +1 TN to all AGI and FOR checks. Above STR × 45 kg the character cannot move meaningfully — GM call on what is possible.

Example: STR 3 baseline gives 45 / 90 / 135 kg thresholds. STR 5 gives 75 / 150 / 225 kg — a soldier in full kit with weapons stays well under Normal carry.

Armour Bulk

Weight alone does not prevent armour stacking — physical volume does. Each armour piece has a Bulk rating of Light (L), Medium (M), or Heavy (H). Only certain combinations fit over one another at any given body location.

Per location: 1H — or — 1M + 1L — or — 2L. No more than one Heavy piece at any location, ever.

RIG interior: Medium bulk and below only. There is not enough space in a cockpit for Heavy armour.

Exo-Frames: Worn over Medium and below by default. An Exo-Frame that specifies Heavy Compatible can be worn over Heavy bulk at the locations it covers.

Ballistic weave (L) under a tactical vest (L) works — 2L at the torso. A tactical vest (L) under full combat armour (H) also works — 1H + 1L. What does not work is stacking two Heavy pieces at the same location, or wearing Heavy armour inside a RIG.

Unwieldy Weapons

Crew-served and heavy direct-fire weapons carry the Unwieldy tag. A character may have only one Unwieldy weapon slung or ready at a time. A second must be stowed in a pack — retrieving it costs 2 AP. Weight handles most of the practical restriction; Unwieldy prevents the edge case of someone slinging both an LMG and an anti-material rifle simultaneously.

Unwieldy weapons: LMG, Anti-Material Rifle, Standalone Grenade Launcher, Disposable Rocket Launcher, Shoulder Missile, HMG (crew-served).

Packs & Carry Equipment

Bags and packs organise load but do not increase your STR-based capacity. A pack with an ergonomic load frame reduces the effective counted weight of its contents by a flat amount — the frame distributes load across the body rather than concentrating it at one point. The pack itself always counts at full weight. Items inside a pack cost 1–2 AP to retrieve; quick-access items on a Tactical Harness cost 0 AP.

Sling Pack (0.5 kg) — Up to 8 kg contents. No frame reduction. 1 AP to retrieve items.

Field Pack (1.5 kg) — Up to 20 kg contents. Frame reduces counted weight of contents by 5 kg. 1 AP to retrieve.

Rucksack (3.0 kg) — Up to 35 kg contents. Rigid frame reduces counted weight of contents by 10 kg. 2 AP to retrieve. Drop as a free action.

PART 9 — EXO-FRAMES

Section 13 — Exo-Frames

Exo-Frames are worn, not piloted. They augment the wearer's physical capability through powered mechanical assistance. The pilot's own AGI still governs AP — the Exo assists, it does not replace the human inside. No neural lace required for basic operation.

Exo-Frames use an equipment stat block. Attribute boosts apply only while worn and powered. Exo DR adds to any personal armour worn underneath at covered locations.

Exo-Frame	Attr Boost	DR (coverage)	Power	Tags
Light Work Exo	STR +1	DR 1 — Torso/Arms	8 charges	Powered Assist. Load cap +STR. Industrial.
Tactical Exo	AGI +1, STR +1	DR 2 — Torso/Arms	8 charges	Powered Assist. Military-grade joints.
Heavy Lift Exo	STR +3	DR 2 — All	6 charges	Powered Assist. Load ×3. Cannot Sprint.
Combat Exo	STR +2, AGI +1	DR 4 — All	6 charges	Powered Assist. Restricted. Sealed.
Hazard Exo	FOR +2	DR 2 — All	5 charges	Sealed, Haz-Filter, Rad-Resist, Thermal.

• Power track: Each charge = one scene of active use. When power runs out the Exo is dead weight.

• Integrity: Degrades like personal armour — 1 Integrity lost when damage clears the Exo DR and a positive number reaches the HP pool at a covered location.

• Heavy Lift Exo cannot Sprint. Mass distribution and actuators don't support it while the suit is active.

PART 10 — RIG-CLASS PLATFORMS

Section 14 — RIG-Class Platforms

RIG-class platforms range from Gear-Frames used for industrial work to Eidolon-series frames designed for long-range Badlands operations and sustained combat. All share the same core stat block structure and location tracking system.

Platform Tiers

Platform	Frame STR	Frame AGI	Frame FOR	Frame AWR	Typical DR	Redundancy
Gear-Frame	8–12	4–6	6–8	3–4	6–8	None
I-RIG	10–14	4–6	8–10	3–5	4–6	None
RIG	12–16	6–10	10–14	6–10	12–16	None
A-RIG	14–18	5–8	14–18	8–12	16–22	1–3 per location
Eidolon	16–20	8–12	16–20	12–16	18–24	2–3 per location

A-RIG AGI is slightly lower than standard RIG despite better everything else. The heavier chassis and armour slow the base frame. Link State bonuses compensate in practice — a skilled pilot at State 2 gets the AP back.

Frame Attributes

• Frame STR: Physical force, melee damage, load capacity at RIG scale.

• Frame AGI: Source of Frame AP. Movement speed and reaction.

• Frame FOR: Basis for all location HP.

• Frame AWR: Sensor capability, targeting, threat detection.

Frame attributes are fixed hardware values on the Frame card. They do not derive from the pilot's personal attributes. Pilot skill governs how well those hardware values are used.

Location HP

Location	Max HP	Notes
Head / Sensor Array	Pool 1: Frame FOR | Pool 2: Frame FOR ÷ 2 (round up)	Houses sensors, comms, targeting.
Torso / Core	Pool 1: Frame FOR × 3 | Pool 2: Frame FOR × 1.5 (round up)	Reactor and capsule. Most armour concentrated here.
Left Arm	Pool 1: Frame FOR × 2 | Pool 2: Frame FOR	Weapon or tool hardpoint.
Right Arm	Pool 1: Frame FOR × 2 | Pool 2: Frame FOR	Weapon or tool hardpoint.
Left Leg	Pool 1: Frame FOR × 2 | Pool 2: Frame FOR	Mobility.
Right Leg	Pool 1: Frame FOR × 2 | Pool 2: Frame FOR	Mobility.
Front Left Leg *	Pool 1: Frame FOR × 2 | Pool 2: Frame FOR	Quad Legs / Adaptable only.
Front Right Leg *	Pool 1: Frame FOR × 2 | Pool 2: Frame FOR	Quad Legs / Adaptable only.

Rows marked * apply only to frames with Quad Legs passive Quirk or Adaptable conditional Quirk in quad mode.

Fixed Armour Rating

RIG armour is built into the chassis — not swappable without significant engineering work. Each location has its own DR printed on the Frame card. Torso/Core always has the highest DR. Arms typically have lower DR than the torso.

Hit Location

The lower of the two d10s determines which location is struck:

Lower Die	Location	Notes
1	Head / Sensor Array	10% — Sensor damage, targeting penalties.
2–5	Torso / Core	40% — Most likely. Reactor and capsule risk on sustained hits.
6	Left Arm	10% — Hardpoint damage.
7	Right Arm	10% — Hardpoint damage.
8	Left Leg	10% — Mobility damage.
9	Right Leg	10% — Mobility damage.
10	Attacker chooses	10% — Called shot or narrative best fit.

Armour Bypass & System Checks

System Check: 2d10 + Frame FOR vs TN 14

When a hit's raw damage exceeds a location's DR by 5 or more, a System Check is triggered regardless of remaining HP. A bypass of 10+ sends a failed check directly to Offline rather than Degraded.

• Pass: Systems hold. Only HP damage applies.

• Fail: Location's linked system takes a Condition — Degraded, Offline, or Destroyed.

• A location can be Degraded with HP remaining — the system is damaged but not physically destroyed.

Section 15 — RIG Systems

System	Location	Degraded	Offline	Notes
Sensor Suite	Head	–2 Frame AWR	Frame AWR = 1. Blind beyond Close.
Comms Array	Head	Short range only	Full blackout. No IFF.
Capsule Life Support	Torso	Pilot +1 personal dmg/torso hit	Pilot takes full personal dmg/torso hit	Triggers at 50% / 25% Torso HP
Reactor Core	Torso	–1 AP/turn, systems degrade	Frame shuts down. Breach possible.	Breach may damage nearby units
Lace Interface	Torso	Max Link State –1	Link State capped at 0	Eidolon: Sync Bonus halved
Hardpoint — Left	Left Arm	–2 EquipMod left weapons	Left arm weapons offline	A-RIG: see Redundancy
Hardpoint — Right	Right Arm	–2 EquipMod right weapons	Right arm weapons offline	A-RIG: see Redundancy
Mobility — Left	Left Leg	Sprint +1 AP from left leg	Cannot Sprint from left leg	Both Offline = immobile
Mobility — Right	Right Leg	Sprint +1 AP from right leg	Cannot Sprint from right leg	Both Offline = immobile

Both Mobility systems Offline = Frame cannot move. Both Mobility Destroyed = recovery equipment required to move at all.

Held vs Fixed Weapons

A RIG has hands. A weapon carried in a RIG’s hands is a held weapon — it follows the same rules as a weapon carried by a character. Fixed and integrated weapons are part of the frame’s chassis and follow different rules.

The distinction matters mechanically and in the fiction. Know which type you are dealing with.

Held weapon — Carried in the frame’s manipulator. Uses Firearms skill (Frame AGI + pilot’s Firearms rank). Can be dropped, knocked free on a Disarm result, picked up, run dry, or left behind. Purchased and tracked separately from the frame. A frame specification listing a weapon as Primary Armament means the frame typically carries that weapon — it is not bolted on.

Fixed weapon — Mounted to a hardpoint on the frame’s chassis. Cannot be dropped or disarmed. Uses Frame Systems: Weapons Control skill. May fire independently of the arm location — check the frame card for arc and mount position. Rack weapons (missile systems, rocket pods) are consumed and must be reloaded at depot.

Integrated weapon — Built into the frame structure — retractable blades, point defence systems, salvage claws. Cannot be removed without significant engineering work. Degrades with the location it is mounted to. No separate purchase required; listed on the frame card.

When a held weapon arm location goes Offline, the frame drops the weapon (it lands in the frame’s hex — GM call on scatter). When a fixed weapon arm location goes Offline, the weapon is Offline with it. When an integrated weapon’s location goes Offline, the weapon is Offline but remains part of the frame.

RIG Ammunition Tracking

Held weapons track ammunition exactly as personal weapons do — use the same Magazine Tracking rules from Section 23. The scale is different but the mechanic is identical: the pilot knows roughly how many shots remain (Full, Partial, Low, Dry), calls a Reload to swap cassettes, and tracks spare loads carried by the frame.

Frame STR determines how many spare magazines a frame can carry in the same way STR governs personal carry — though at RIG scale the limiting factor is usually logistics (resupply vehicle capacity, depot turnaround) rather than the frame running out of carrying room. The GM should track ammunition as a resource that depletes between depots, not round-by-round mid-engagement.

Reload (held weapon) — 2 AP. The pilot swaps the spent cassette for a spare. If no spare is available the weapon is dry.

Rack reload (fixed weapon) — Cannot be done in the field. Expended racks are restocked at depot only.

The R-19’s Onboard Dart Fabrication is the only exception to the resupply requirement — it generates ammunition from raw feedstock over time. This is a classified Eidolon system, not a general rule.

Section 16 — A-RIG Redundancy

Platform	Redundancy Rule
Standard RIG	No redundancy. Location at 0 HP = destroyed, system Offline immediately.
A-RIG (1× redundant)	When location hits 0 HP: restores to 50% HP. System Condition does not reset. Exhausted on second hit to 0.
A-RIG (2× redundant)	As above twice. Two restorations before exhausted.
A-RIG (3× redundant)	Three restorations. Only on most heavily engineered chassis (e.g. Ironhold legs).
Eidolon Frame	Standard redundancy (1–2× per location) plus Eidolon Compensation conditional Quirk.

• System Conditions do not reset when redundancy triggers. HP restores to 50%, Condition remains.

• Redundancy is tracked per location — exhausting left leg redundancy does not affect right leg.

• Torso/Core has no redundancy on any platform. Reactor protection comes from armour, not backup systems.

A heavily damaged A-RIG with exhausted redundancy in multiple locations is one hit from catastrophic cascade. The GM should make the Frame's state clear through sensation, warning tones, and flickering displays — the pilot needs to make an informed decision about pushing on.

Section 17 — RIG Quirks

Quirks distinguish one chassis from another of the same class. Listed on the Frame card. A Frame may have 1–4 Quirks. New frames from a manufacturer typically have 1–2.

Passive Quirks

Quirk	Effect
Thermal Masking	+2 TN for sensor-based detection. Heat signature suppressed.
Hardened Reactor	System Checks for Reactor Core made at +3.
Reinforced Capsule	Life Support triggers at 40% and 20% Torso HP instead of 50% and 25%.
Overbuilt	+2 to all Frame System Checks.
Quad Legs	4 legs. Adds Front Left and Front Right Leg locations. Load capacity doubled. Sprint +1 AP. Very hard to destabilise.
Long Range Loadout	+1 Frame AWR at Medium and Long range.
Jury-Rigged	–1 to all Frame System Checks.
Dead Weight	Frame AGI treated as 1 lower for AP calculation.

Conditional Quirks

Quirk	Trigger	Effect
Adaptable	Pilot spends 2 AP	Switches bipedal/quad. Quad: load ×2, Sprint +1 AP. Only frame that can carry another RIG. Switching back costs 2 AP.
Aggressive Actuators	When Frame Sprints	+1 AP on the turn immediately after a Sprint.
Veteran Machine	First System Condition in engagement	Once per engagement: first System Condition reduced one step.
Siege Mode	Frame has not moved this turn	+2 DR all locations. Ends if Frame moves.
Sympathetic Cascade	Reactor takes System Condition	All other systems make System Check TN 12 or take Degraded.
Lace Affinity	Pilot at Link State 2+	+1 all Frame AWR rolls.
Last Stand	Any two systems Offline simultaneously	Frame AP +1 for remainder of engagement.
Eidolon Compensation	AI active, any Link State	Eidolon only. AI spends 1 Bleed to ignore one System Degradation threshold for one round.

RIG Weapons

RIG weapons use Base + die at a scale that makes personal armour irrelevant. A direct hit from a standard RIG weapon on a personal-scale target is not a damage roll — it is a narrative event.

Weapon Class	Base	Die	Notes
Light Autocannon	12	d10	Personal armour meaningless. Likely fatal on any direct hit.
Medium Cannon	18	d12	Instant kill to personal-scale targets. No saving throw of armour.
Heavy Ordnance	25	d12	Area effect. Used against structures and vehicles, not individuals.
RIG Melee (fist/stamp)	Frame STR	d8	Even a glancing blow is lethal to personal scale.
RIG Blade / Spike	Frame STR + 4	d10	May penetrate partial DR on high rolls.
Point Defence System	6	d6	Close range. Designed for personal-scale threats near the Frame.
Salvage Claw (tool)	Frame STR	d6	Not a weapon. Deals significant incidental damage.

When a RIG weapon hits a personal-scale target, describe the result. Do not roll damage against HP. The outcome is not in question. The story question is whether the hit landed.

PART 11 — VEHICLES & TELLURIC LIFT

Section 18 — Vehicles

Vehicles are tools of transit and logistics, not combat platforms — though many can be armed. Unlike RIG-class frames, vehicles have a single Integrity pool and no location tracking or system architecture.

All hover vehicles use Telluric Lift — a burst-correction capacitor bank technology. It is not a continuous power source. It handles lift stabilisation and instant yaw corrections. Telluric Cell banks are heavy and dangerous at scale — catastrophic breach causes arc flash, blast, and thermal venting.

Vehicle	DR	Integ.	Speed	Crew/Cap	Lift	Tags
LIGHT / CIVILIAN
Hoverbike	0	2	Fast	1	Yes	Telluric Lift. Rider fully exposed. Badlands-rated variants available.
Hovercar (2-seat)	2	3	Fast	1+1	Yes	Sealed cabin. Badlands variant: reinforced skirt, sealed.
Hovercar (4-seat)	2	3	Med	1+3	Yes	Common Ward city transport.
Wheeled Runner	1	3	Med	1+1	No	ICE or electric. Preferred by some for Badlands reliability.
Wheeled 4x4	2	4	Med	1+3	No	Off-road. Can mount weapon rack with modification.
INDUSTRIAL / TRANSPORT
Hover Cargo Skimmer	3	4	Slow	1+1	Yes	Heavy freight lift. Compact fusion. Badlands-rated available.
Hover Personnel Carrier	3	4	Med	1+8	Yes	Sealed, filtered. Directorate logistics standard.
Heavy Hauler (wheeled)	4	5	Slow	1+2	No	Multi-axle. Compact fusion. Industrial load.

MILITARY / ARMOURED
Armoured Personnel Carrier	10	6	Med	1+8	No	Sealed, Haz-Filter. Weapon mount. Compact fusion.
Hover APC	8	5	Fast	1+6	Yes	Faster, less armoured. Telluric Lift. Weapon mount.
Armoured Command Vehicle	12	6	Med	1+4	No	Hardened comms, sensor suite. 2 weapon mounts.
Heavy Gun Platform	14	7	Slow	1+3	No	Weapon carrier. Ground stability required for firing.

Crew Positions

• Driver / Pilot: Controls movement. Vehicle movement costs the driver's AP. A driver at full speed cannot also fire a weapon.

• Gunner: Operates mounted weapons using their own AP. A gunner's stability state matches the driver's movement state.

• Passenger: May fire personal weapons from open positions at +1 TN from vehicle movement. Sealed vehicles require a hatch or firing port.

• Co-pilot / Comms: Operates vehicle systems (sensors, comms, navigation) while driver focuses on piloting.

Vehicle Damage

• Full: Functions normally.

• 50% Integrity: Hover stability reduced — speed drops one step. Wheeled: minor handling penalty.

• 25% Integrity: Hover: loses stability, slow movement only. Wheeled: steering compromised.

• 0 Integrity: Vehicle out of action. Hover crashes — occupants take impact damage based on height and speed. Telluric Cell breach possible on hover vehicles.

RIG Jump Jets

Jump Jets are a rare mission-specific RIG retrofit using a minimal Telluric Cell bank for short burst vertical movement. The cell weight and breach risk is why standard combat RIGs don't carry them.

Rule	Details
Activation	1 AP. Cannot combine with standard Sprint in same turn.
Vertical movement	Up to 15m vertical or 20m diagonal burst. Not sustained altitude.
Charges	3–5 charges. Each jump costs 1. Recharges at powered facility only.
Landing state	Frame lands in Moving state. Advanced Mobility specialty may allow Steady landing.
Failure risk	Torso System Check failure while charged may trigger Telluric Cell breach — damage to Frame and immediate area, all charges lost.

Hover Stability

When a hover vehicle or active-hover Frame takes damage that bypasses DR by 3 or more, make a Stability Check: 2d10 + AGI vs TN 12.

• Pass: Platform holds course.

• Fail: Involuntary movement 1d6 × 3m random direction, speed drops to Slow until stabilised.

• Critical Fail: Uncontrolled spin or fall — GM determines outcome.

PART 12 — CHIMERA

Section 19 — Chimera

Origin & Nature

Chimera is the Ward-era label for hostile biological organisms derived from the original Reclaimer remediation ecosystem. They are not wildlife. They are produced, iterated, and deployed through the cradle infrastructure originally built to stabilise the post-collapse wastes.

Reclaimers were engineered as self-maintaining remediation biology — distributed systems capable of operating without sustained human support, binding contaminants into the nodules that later became Veil Pearls. The programme functioned until Demeter and Osiris began falsifying strain registries in 2057, using the cradle network as a covert weapons foundry under the cover of legitimate Reclaimer production.

The first Chimera attack on a populated centre occurred at Gatefall in April 2057 — a predator-form that used reclamation corridors as approach lanes, killing over 10,000 before a response could be mustered. That detail defines the threat posture: Chimera move through infrastructure built to carry them. Killing the creature does not end the problem behind it.

By the Wardline era, the Sovereign-backed Chimera programme has produced dozens of distinct strains. Most field contacts involve animal-grade predators responding to Sovereign steering through pheromone shaping, lure placement, and feedstock manipulation. Chimera do not plan. They are directed.

Tier Overview

Tier	Scale	Attributes	Natural DR	Examples
Minor	Personal	3–8	0–2	Stalker juvenile, crawlers, parasitic scouts. Individual threat.
Standard	Personal	6–12	2–4	Adult Stalkers, Pack Hunters, Corroders, Harvesters. Squad threat.
Major	Personal/Frame	10–16	4–8	Warden alphas, armoured forms. RIG support recommended.
Apex	Frame	14–20	8–14	Heavy burrowers, siege precursors. RIG engagement required.
Behemoth	Beyond Frame	20–30+	14–20+	City-siege organisms. Multiple RIGs required.

Chimera Minor and Standard tier use per-location HP tracking identical to personal scale — the same two-pool system applies. First pool depleted triggers a location Wound Condition. Second pool depleted triggers the Gone state. Apex and Behemoth tier use a Vitality track with Threshold conditions — they are too large for location tracking to feel meaningful.

Field Catalogue — Role-Forms

The seven documented Chimera role-forms represent behavioural archetypes, not individual species. The same role-form may appear in dramatically different physical configurations across different theatres.

1. STALKER FORM		Tier: Minor – Standard
Threat Behaviour	Solitary ambush predator. Does not hold ground. Strikes at close range, targets the isolated, withdraws before coordinated response.
Typical Attributes	STR 8–12 / AGI 10–14 / FOR 8–10 / INT 4 / AWR 12–14
Natural DR	2–4. Lean and low profile. Survives by not being hit.
Primary Attack	Lunge Strike: Base 4 + STR + d8. On critical success: target knocked prone and Stalker disengages without triggering a reaction.
Secondary Attack	Rend (grapple): AGI vs target AGI. On success: grappled. Target spends 1 AP per round to resist. Stalker deals STR damage automatically while holding.
Vulnerabilities	Loses cover advantage in open ground. Coordinated fire from multiple angles removes the dead-angle approach. Sensor enhancement denies initial surprise.
Sovereign Steering	High responsiveness. Pheromone shaping and movement lures reliable. Among the most precisely directable forms.

2. BURROWER / UNDERCUT FORM		Tier: Standard – Major
Threat Behaviour	Ground-failure organism. Undermines terrain and earthworks. Creates voids, collapse points, and sudden emergence locations.
Typical Attributes	STR 12–16 / AGI 6–8 / FOR 12–16 / INT 3 / AWR 6–8
Natural DR	4–8. Heavy forward plating adapted for ground resistance. Ventral surface less protected.
Primary Attack	Emergence Surge: all characters within 3m of emergence point make AGI check (TN 14) or knocked prone. Anyone directly above takes STR + d10.
Secondary Attack	Ground Pull: character on compromised ground makes FOR check (TN 12) per turn or loses 1 AP to unstable footing.
Vulnerabilities	Seismic sensors detect movement before emergence. Flooded ground and solid rock stop burrowing. Above ground, Burrowers are significantly less dangerous.
Sovereign Steering	Moderate. Feedstock placement and vibration lures reliable for positioning.

3. PACK HUNTER FORM		Tier: Minor – Standard
Threat Behaviour	Group predators. Mob pressure, tempo drain, and straggler targeting. Pressure from front while others swing wide.
Typical Attributes	STR 6–10 / AGI 10–14 / FOR 6–8 / INT 4 / AWR 10–12
Natural DR	1–3. Fast and light. Survivability through numbers and speed.
Primary Attack	Mob Strike: when 2+ Pack Hunters attack the same target in the same round, each gains +1 to hit and target takes +1 cumulative TN on defence checks per additional attacker.
Secondary Attack	Fixate: any character with a Depleted location (first HP pool at 0) is treated as priority target — Pack Hunters redirect unless physically blocked.
Vulnerabilities	Suppression and area denial breaks the mob mechanic. Killing leading elements causes brief retreat before re-commit.
Sovereign Steering	Very high. Most commonly deployed steerable strain. Mass triggering through pheromone release.

4. CORRODER / CAUSTIC FORM		Tier: Standard – Major
Threat Behaviour	Denial organism. Compromises filters, seals, and equipment. Forces movement and evacuation rather than direct kills.
Typical Attributes	STR 8–10 / AGI 8–10 / FOR 10–14 / INT 3 / AWR 8–10
Natural DR	3–6. Chemical-resistant hide. Partially immune to own payload.
Primary Attack	Caustic Spray: Short range, 3m area. Anyone not Sealed makes FOR check (TN 13) or gains Corroder Exposure — 1 damage per round to exposed locations until treated. Haz-Filter gear loses effectiveness.
Secondary Attack	Equipment Corrosion: armour Integrity –1 per round of direct contact on affected locations.
Vulnerabilities	Sealed suits negate most Corroder threat entirely. The organisms themselves are not especially dangerous in direct combat to a properly equipped team.
Sovereign Steering	High. Precision deployment into approach corridors and work sites.

5. WARDEN FORM		Tier: Standard – Major
Threat Behaviour	Territorial defender. Same geography repeatedly. Violent response to intrusion. Withdraws then returns. Predictable ambush that grinds patrols down over time.
Typical Attributes	STR 12–16 / AGI 8–10 / FOR 12–16 / INT 5 / AWR 12–14
Natural DR	5–8. More heavily built than pursuit forms.
Primary Attack	Territorial Strike: Base 5 + STR + d10. On hit in defended territory: target makes FOR check (TN 13) or staggered — loses 1 AP next turn.
Secondary Attack	Hold Position: within territory, +2 to all defence checks and +1 all attacks. Outside territory, no bonuses. Does not pursue past boundary.
Vulnerabilities	Distance. Engage past the territory boundary to deny territorial bonus. Mapping Warden territories before close-work operations is standard doctrine.
Sovereign Steering	Moderate. Territory expansion and adjustment through feedstock seeding and aversion chemicals.

6. HARVESTER / PEARL-PROCESSOR FORM		Tier: Standard – Major
Threat Behaviour	Retains remediation function — collection and processing of contaminated material. Creates yield zones that draw humans into contact. Protected by escort fauna.
Typical Attributes	STR 10–14 / AGI 6–8 / FOR 12–16 / INT 4 / AWR 8–10
Natural DR	3–6. Processing-form body — thick and chemical-resistant, not built for pursuit.
Primary Attack	Processing Lash (defensive): Base 3 + STR + d6. Will not flee from a processing site.
Secondary Attack	Nodule Cluster: a destroyed Harvester releases a pearl yield in the immediate area. A deliberate Sovereign lure mechanic.
Vulnerabilities	Harvesters without escort are not especially dangerous. The threat is what they represent: a productive site that may already be under Sovereign observation.
Sovereign Steering	High but indirect. Pearl recovery operations encountering Harvesters should treat the area as a potential controlled trap zone.

7. BEHEMOTH CLASS		Tier: Apex – Behemoth | Multi-RIG Response Required
Threat Behaviour	Siege biology. Printed to break city-works and crush fortified positions. The body is the method. Pushes until something stops it.
Typical Attributes	STR 22–30 / AGI 4–8 / FOR 22–28 / INT 3 / AWR 8–12
Natural DR	14–20+. Bone-plating, layered dermis, chemical resistance. Standard RIG weapons work — not quickly enough alone. Anti-material and heavy ordnance required for sustained engagement. Personal weapons produce no meaningful effect.
Vitality Track	Total = FOR × 10. No per-location tracking.
Threshold — 75%	Movement unaffected. Prioritises source of damage.
Threshold — 50%	Movement speed reduced 1 step. May shift approach route or trigger secondary attack form.
Threshold — 25%	Aggravated state. Attacks more frequent and less precise. Area damage increases. Nearby Chimera may be agitated by distress signals.
Threshold — 0	Collapse. Chemical release and body mass create hazard zone. Clear the area before full expiry.
Primary Attack	Structural Impact: when moving through a position, treat as structural attack on everything in path. Frame-scale: Base 20 + d12 vs RIG DR. Personal-scale: describe the result — do not roll.
Secondary Attack	Ground Pressure: within 20m of a moving Behemoth, all ground-level combatants make Stability check (TN 14) each round or destabilised by tremor.
Tertiary Attack	Cascade Swipe: when Behemoth does not move, attacks everything in 15m arc. All targets make AGI check (TN 14) or take full impact damage.
Vulnerabilities	Sustained concentrated fire from multiple RIGs on the same location can trigger System Check equivalents on biological systems. Coordinated fire, not volume, is what degrades a Behemoth.
Engagement Doctrine	Minimum 3 combat-rated RIGs. A-RIGs preferred — redundant systems matter when the Behemoth changes direction toward you. Directorate fire support if available.
Sovereign Steering	Limited. Pointed at a target and released. Behemoths are not precise instruments.

A Behemoth contact is a story event, not a standard combat encounter. The question is not whether it can be killed — it can. The question is whether the team can survive long enough for sufficient force to arrive, and what the Sovereigns were trying to accomplish by deploying it here, now.

MASTER QUICK REFERENCE

Core Resolution

2d10 + Attribute + Skill Rank + EquipMod vs TN | TN 12 Common | TN 16 Trained

• Critical Fail: 1+1. Critical Success: 10+10. Both override modifiers.

Character

AP = 1 + AGI÷2 (round up) | Sprint Charges = FOR | Recovery = FOR÷2 (round down) per Recover action

• Walk: 5m/AP, Steady. Run: 10m/AP, Moving, +1 TN/AP on attacks. Sprint: 30m/2AP, Sprinting, +4 TN all actions.

• Creation: 500 XP, attributes start at 3. Max attr 6, max skill rank 4, max 5 skills above rank 2.

• Skill costs: Gen 2/4/6/8 per rank. Spec 3/6/9/12 per rank. Rank 5+ costs double, post-creation only.

Neural Lace

• Link States 0–3. Bleed accumulates at State 3 (1/round) and from Overclock.

• Overclock: gain 1 AP / reroll / extend Merge — costs 1–2 Bleed. Limit 3/scene (5 with Specialist).

Armour & Weapons

• Armour: DR subtracts from damage. Integrity loses 1 when damage clears DR and reaches HP pool. At 0 Integrity, DR = 0.

• Melee: Base + STR + die. Ranged: Base + die. Aimed Shot: choose location, 3 AP, Steady only.

• Range TN penalties stack with movement, cover, and circumstance modifiers.

RIG Platforms

• Frame HP (two pools): Head=FOR/round up(FOR÷2). Torso=FOR×3/round up(FOR×1.5). Each Arm/Leg=FOR×2/FOR.

• System Check: 2d10+Frame FOR vs TN 14 when bypass ≥5. Bypass ≥10: Offline on fail, not Degraded.

• System Conditions: Degraded → Offline → Destroyed. A-RIG redundancy restores HP to 50% — Condition unchanged.

• Torso/Core has no redundancy on any platform.

Vehicles & Chimera

• Vehicles: single Integrity pool. Hover: Telluric Lift, burst not sustained. Cell breach at 0 Integrity.

• Jump Jets: 3–5 charges, 15m vertical/20m diagonal burst. Lands in Moving state.

• Chimera: Natural DR permanent. Minor/Standard use two-pool per-location HP. Apex/Behemoth Vitality track.

• Behemoth: minimum 3 combat RIGs. Personal weapons irrelevant. Coordinated fire, not volume.

Hazards & Extended Rules

• Addiction: AR 1–5. Fail FOR check at addiction TN → Dependency Level +1. Levels 0–4 (Clean → Gone). Getting clean requires narrative commitment + FOR checks per downtime scene. Long-term damage is permanent.

• Thrown Weapons: 2d10 + AGI + Athletics: Throwing vs TN 14. STR sets max range band (STR 1–3: Close, 4–5: Short, 6–7: Medium, 8+: Long). Close: Base+STR+die. Short+: Base+die. Miss: lower d10 = direction, margin÷2 = scatter metres.

• AoE: Core zone = full damage, no save. Outer zone (double core radius) = half damage, AGI TN 12 to negate entirely.

• Contamination: Soft Track (field-treatable, 4 stages) and Hard Track (facility required, 4 stages). Both run simultaneously. Fail FOR check at source TN = advance 1 stage. Soft Stage 4: FOR TN 12/scene or 1 Torso damage. Hard Stage 4: Critical-equivalent.

PART 13 — COMBAT

Combat in Ash & Aegis is dangerous and fast. Characters who get shot get hurt in ways that matter — a broken leg is a real problem, a round through the torso puts you on a clock. The system is designed to reward smart play, good positioning, and the right tools for the job, while making sure that violence has consequences at every scale.

All combat — whether a knife fight in a Ward corridor or a RIG engagement in the Badlands — uses the same core resolution system and the same AP economy. The numbers change with the scale. The procedures do not.

Section 20 — Combat Structure

Initiative

When combat breaks out, everyone involved rolls for initiative to determine the order of play. Roll d10 and add your AWR. Highest result goes first and the order holds for the entire engagement — it does not reset between rounds.

Initiative = AWR + d10

Situation	Who Goes First	Notes
Normal	Highest AWR + d10 result	Highest total acts first
Tied result	Higher AWR wins the tie	Compare base AWR scores
Still tied after AWR	Same side — players choose order	Allies coordinate freely
Still tied, opposing sides	Simultaneous	Both act, resolve together
New combatant enters mid-fight	Bottom of current order	Joins properly next round

A pilot outside their Frame uses their personal AWR to set their initiative slot. Once they merge, that slot stays — they don't re-roll when they climb in. A pilot who starts an engagement on foot and mounts mid-fight acts in their original slot.

The Combat Round

A round is roughly six seconds of action. Each participant takes a turn in initiative order. On your turn you spend Action Points — AP — on actions from the menu below. When everyone has acted, the round ends and a new one begins.

AP per Turn = 1 + AGI divided by 2, rounding up

AP refreshes fully at the start of each turn. Unused AP is lost — there is no banking. How you move during your turn determines your Stability State, which affects what you can do and how hard you are to hit. A character who Runs is harder to shoot but takes penalties on their own attacks. A character who Sprints is very hard to hit but can barely aim at all. See Part 2 for full movement and Stability State rules.

AGI 3 gives 2 AP. AGI 4 gives 3 AP. AGI 6 gives 4 AP. AGI 8 gives 5 AP. For Frame combat, use Frame AGI — the pilot's personal AGI has no effect on how fast the machine moves.

Action Menu

The following actions are available each turn. AP costs are fixed. Movement — Walking, Running, Sprinting — costs AP from the same pool and is not a separate action.

Action	AP Cost	Notes
Standard Attack	2 AP	Any ranged or melee weapon not listed below.
Heavy Weapon Attack	3 AP	LMG, anti-material rifle, grenade launcher. Anti-material is Steady only.
Aimed Shot	3 AP	Steady only. Declare target location before rolling. Bypasses the hit location die.
Snap Shot	1 AP	Requires Snap Shot Trained talent. Moving state only.
Draw / Holster	1 AP	Free once per turn with Quick Draw talent.
Reload — Standard	2 AP	Pistols, rifles, shotguns.
Reload — Heavy	3 AP	LMG, grenade launcher, anti-material.
Take Cover / Go Prone	1 AP	Establishes cover state for this turn.
Stand from Prone	1 AP	—
Suppression	3 AP	Burst or Full Auto weapons only. See Section 25.
Burst Fire Attack	2 AP	Burst tag weapons only. +2 TN. On hit: roll 1d3 — that many bullets connect, each resolved separately. Consumes 3 rounds. See Section 22.
Full Auto Attack	3 AP	Full Auto tag weapons only. +4 TN. On hit: roll 2d4 — that many bullets connect, each resolved separately. Consumes 8 rounds. See Section 22.
Use Equipment	2 AP	Medkits, trauma kits, field items.
Recover	1 AP	Steady only. Restores Sprint Charges.
Overwatch	1 AP	Requires Overwatch talent. Steady only. Triggers reaction attack when enemy enters line of sight.

The GM may allow improvised actions — dragging a wounded ally, barricading a door, operating a control panel — at equivalent AP cost. When in doubt, a simple task costs 1 AP, a complex one costs 2.

Section 21 — Attack Resolution

Making an Attack

Every attack — ranged or melee, personal or Frame — uses the same formula. Roll 2d10, add your relevant attribute, add your skill rank, add your weapon's EquipMod, and compare the total to the Target Number. Meet or beat it and the attack lands.

2d10 + AGI + Firearms or Melee Skill Rank + Weapon EquipMod vs. TN

The base TN for all attacks is 14. This assumes a stationary target in the open at a reasonable range — a real shot, not a trivial one. Everything that makes the shot harder raises the TN. Nothing lowers it below 14 at base.

Melee attacks substitute STR for AGI and use the appropriate Melee skill specialty. Everything else works identically.

Frame attacks substitute Frame AWR for AGI and use the pilot's Frame Systems: Weapons Control skill rank or Frame Operation specialty rank as applicable. The weapon's EquipMod comes from the Frame weapon stat block. The pilot's personal attributes play no part.

Target Number Modifiers

The GM adjusts the TN to reflect circumstances — never the roll. A difficult shot means a higher TN, not a penalty to the dice. Modifiers stack — a soldier running hard while shooting at a sprinting target behind partial cover at long range is fighting a very high TN, as they should be.

Modifier Source	TN Adjustment	Notes
Base TN — all attacks	14	Starting point before any modifiers
Untrained — no skill rank	+2 TN	Attempting a trained skill without training
Running — per Run AP used this turn	+1 TN per AP	Stacks with other penalties
Sprinting	+4 TN	Applies to all actions this turn
Target is Running	+1 TN	Attacker's penalty against a moving target
Target is Sprinting	+2 TN	Attacker's penalty against a sprinting target
Partial cover	+2 TN	Target partially obscured
Full cover — firing around or over it	+4 TN	Target almost entirely obscured
Low light	+1 to +2 TN	GM call based on visibility conditions
Near darkness / heavy smoke	+3 TN	Firing at sound or movement, not a visible target
Range band penalty	Per weapon table	Stacks with all modifiers above

When in doubt about whether to apply a modifier, ask whether it genuinely makes the shot harder. Cover that the target is crouching behind makes them harder to hit. A slight crosswind at short range does not. Keep the modifier list short and the reasoning clear.

Hit Location

A successful attack hits somewhere on the target. The lower of the two d10 dice from your attack roll determines where — no extra roll needed, the result is already on the table.

Lower Die	Location Hit	Chance	Notes
1	Head	10%	Least HP. Most dangerous location.
2–5	Torso	40%	Most likely. Most HP. Vital organs.
6	Left Arm	10%	Weapon and equipment hand implications.
7	Right Arm	10%	Dominant hand implications.
8	Left Leg	10%	Mobility.
9	Right Leg	10%	Mobility.
10	Attacker chooses	10%	Called shot result or best narrative fit.

Aimed Shot (3 AP, Steady only) changes this entirely. Before rolling, declare which location you are targeting. If the attack succeeds it hits exactly where you called it, regardless of what the lower die shows. The trade-off is the AP cost and the requirement to be stationary — you cannot take an Aimed Shot while Running or Sprinting.

The 40% probability on the torso reflects how most rounds land in a real engagement — centre mass. The 10% on the head reflects how difficult a precise headshot actually is under fire. A natural 10 on the lower die giving the attacker a choice is that moment where the shooter gets exactly the angle they needed.

Section 22 — Fire Modes

Most weapons fire a single round per attack. Some weapons are capable of more — cycling through multiple rounds in a controlled burst or dumping the magazine on full automatic. These fire modes are not available by default. A weapon must carry the Burst or Full Auto tag to use them. Tags are listed in the weapon’s stat block in the Equipment Supplement.

Choosing a fire mode is part of the attack declaration. Once you state you are firing in burst or full auto, the AP is committed and the rounds are consumed whether or not the attack succeeds. You are pulling the trigger — the weapon does what the weapon does.

Burst Fire

Burst fire cycles three rounds through the weapon in a controlled group. The weapon stays on target but control is harder — the first round anchors the shot; the second and third follow the recoil arc. The result is more potential damage against anything that gets hit, but the +2 TN reflects the difficulty of keeping that burst on a precise point.

Burst Fire Attack — 2 AP. Burst tag weapons only.

• Make a standard attack roll: 2d10 + AGI + Firearms rank + EquipMod vs TN 14 +2 (and any other applicable modifiers).

• On a miss: the burst goes wide. 3 rounds are consumed. No further effect.

• On a hit: roll 1d3. That is the number of bullets that connect with the target.

• Each connecting bullet is resolved separately: roll the weapon’s damage die, add the weapon’s base damage, then subtract the target’s DR at the struck location. Minimum 0 per bullet.

• Hit location is determined once for the burst using the standard lower-die method. All bullets in the burst strike the same location.

• 3 rounds are consumed from the magazine regardless of how many connect.

A burst is not three separate attacks — it is one trigger pull that puts three rounds through a single point of aim. The 1d3 represents how many of those rounds beat the armour, the body angle, and the chaos of a real firefight. Against a target in heavy armour, burst fire may yield the same result as a single shot. Against an unarmoured or lightly armoured target, it hits harder.

Full Auto

Full auto holds the trigger down and lets the weapon cycle until the burst is spent. Control degrades rapidly — the weapon climbs, the grouping opens up, and many of those rounds go nowhere useful. Against the right target in the right conditions it is devastating. Against armoured targets it is expensive. The +4 TN reflects genuine difficulty: full auto is a tool, not a default.

Full Auto Attack — 3 AP. Full Auto tag weapons only.

• Make a standard attack roll: 2d10 + AGI + Firearms rank + EquipMod vs TN 14 +4 (and any other applicable modifiers).

• On a miss: the burst goes wide. 8 rounds are consumed. No further effect.

• On a hit: roll 2d4. That is the number of bullets that connect with the target.

• Each connecting bullet is resolved separately: roll the weapon’s damage die, add the weapon’s base damage, then subtract the target’s DR at the struck location. Minimum 0 per bullet.

• Hit location is determined once using the standard lower-die method. All bullets strike the same location.

• 8 rounds are consumed from the magazine regardless of how many connect.

The 2d4 spread means a full auto burst connects an average of 5 rounds, but variance is real — a result of 2 against a DR 4 target may yield almost nothing. A result of 8 against an unarmoured target ends the conversation. Full auto is high stakes in both directions. DR applies to each bullet individually, so armoured targets remain genuinely resistant.

Section 23 — Ammunition & Magazine Tracking

Ammunition is a finite resource. Magazines run dry. In a sustained engagement this matters — a character who burns through their magazine on full auto at the start of a fight is reloading while their team is taking fire. Tracking ammo is not bookkeeping for its own sake. It is part of the tactical picture.

Magazine Capacity

Each weapon’s magazine capacity is listed in the Equipment Supplement. Players track current rounds remaining against that capacity. When rounds reach zero the weapon is Dry and cannot fire until reloaded. RIG-scale weapons use the same round consumption numbers but carry significantly larger magazines — their capacity is listed in the RIG weapons table and reflects the scale of the platform, not a different tracking system.

Round Consumption Per Action

• Standard Attack: 1 round consumed.

• Burst Fire Attack: 3 rounds consumed.

• Full Auto Attack: 8 rounds consumed.

• Suppression: 10 rounds consumed. No damage dealt — see Section 27.

• Heavy Weapon Attack (LMG, grenade launcher, anti-material): 1 round consumed per attack at the heavy weapon’s own capacity scale.

Rounds are consumed on trigger pull, not on confirmed hits. A burst fire attack that misses entirely still expends 3 rounds. A full auto attack that misses still expends 8. The weapon fired. The rounds are gone.

Running Dry

A weapon is Dry when its current round count reaches zero. A Dry weapon cannot fire. The character must use a Reload action before the weapon is usable again.

• A fire mode cannot be used if insufficient rounds remain. A character with 5 rounds left cannot use Full Auto (costs 8). They must choose a different action or reload first.

• Spare magazines are equipment items. A character with no spare magazines cannot reload until they recover ammunition from the field or resupply.

• Partial magazines swapped out during a reload retain their remaining rounds. A character can pocket a partial magazine and swap back to it later if the table tracks this level of detail.

RIG Weapons & Ammunition

RIG-scale weapons operate on the same consumption rules as personal weapons — the round counts are identical. What differs is magazine capacity. A Light Autocannon on a combat RIG carries far more ammunition than any personal weapon, and resupply requires a logistics chain rather than a spare box in a vest pocket. When a RIG weapon runs Dry, the pilot must disengage and return to a resupply point or field depot. There is no field reload for RIG weapons without a support vehicle or depot facility present.

Ammo tracking works best when it has teeth. The point is not to make players count every round in downtime — it is to make fire mode choices feel real. A player who drops a full auto burst every turn should feel that magazine shrinking. The GM should enforce Dry moments when they happen. The weapon running empty at the wrong moment is part of what makes this system interesting.

Section 24 — Damage & Armour

How Damage Works

A hit deals damage. That damage is measured against the armour covering the location that was struck. Anything that clears the armour goes into the location's HP pool.

Damage Applied to HP = Raw Damage − DR at that Location (minimum 0)

Melee damage: Weapon Base + STR + die roll.

Ranged damage: Weapon Base + die roll. No attribute adds to ranged damage — the round does what the round does regardless of how strong the person pulling the trigger is.

If the struck location has no armour coverage, DR is 0 and all damage goes straight through. Wearing a chest plate does nothing for your legs. Coverage matters. An unarmoured location is always vulnerable regardless of what else the character is wearing.

Layered armour — such as wearing a tactical vest under an Exo-Frame — adds the DR values together at any location both pieces cover. A vest at DR 3 under a Combat Exo at DR 4 gives DR 7 on the torso.

Armour Integrity

Armour absorbs punishment but it degrades. Every time a hit deals damage through to the HP pool — that is, every time the raw damage exceeds the DR and a positive number is applied — the armour at that location loses 1 Integrity. A hit that is fully stopped by the DR, leaving 0 damage applied, does not degrade the armour. Only hits that actually get through do. When Integrity reaches 0, the DR at that location drops to 0 until the armour is repaired. The piece is still being worn — it just is not stopping anything anymore.

Integrity tracks the physical state of the armour, not the wearer's HP. A character who takes a round through their vest every round will find that vest failing long before their HP runs out. Keep an eye on it.

The Bypass Threshold

Not all hits are equal. A round that barely clears the armour and a round that blows straight through it are very different things. When raw damage exceeds the DR at a location by 5 or more, something significant has happened — a joint has been compromised, a plate has been punched through cleanly, or a round has found a gap. This is called a bypass, and it triggers consequences beyond the HP damage alone.

Raw Damage Over DR	Check Required	Effect
5 to 9 over DR	FOR check TN 14	Fail: Staggered — lose 1 AP at the start of next turn.
10 or more over DR	No check — automatic	Staggered immediately. Location also enters its Depleted state right now, regardless of remaining HP. If already Depleted, it enters Gone state instead.

The FOR check for a moderate bypass represents the body's ability to absorb a serious impact and keep functioning. A high FOR character has the physical resilience to take a hard hit and stay in the fight. A low FOR character is at real risk of losing AP at a critical moment.

A bypass of 10 or more is not a question of resilience — a hit that powerful at the right angle is going to do structural damage regardless of how tough the target is. This is the moment a round finds the gap behind the knee plate, a blade gets between the ribs, or a burst catches someone just right. The location degrades immediately whether or not the HP pool was anywhere near empty.

The bypass threshold is not about grinding HP. It rewards precise, powerful weapons used at the right moment. An anti-material rifle that just clears the armour of a light RIG on a bad roll is still applying bypass pressure. A knife that just scratches through leather is not.

Scale and Base Damage

Weapons are built to threaten targets at their own scale. A pistol is calibrated to hurt people. A RIG autocannon is calibrated to hurt other Frames. The base damage number on a weapon reflects this — it is the floor of what the weapon delivers before any die roll, and that floor is set against the DR values the weapon was designed to defeat.

Scale	Typical Base Damage	Typical DR Range	Notes
Personal	1 – 8	1 – 6 (armour)	Designed to threaten people and light vehicles. Personal armour is the appropriate defence.
Vehicle	8 – 15	0 – 14 (hull)	Threatens vehicles and light frames. Largely irrelevant against personal targets — overkill.
RIG / Frame	12 – 25+	12 – 24 (chassis)	Combat RIGs and Eidolons sit at the top of this range. Gear-Frames and I-RIGs carry far less — some have little to no built-in chassis armour. Personal armour provides no meaningful resistance to weapons designed for this scale.

This means cross-scale engagements largely resolve themselves through the numbers without needing special rules. A personal weapon with a base of 5 firing at a combat RIG with DR 14 is already 9 short before the die rolls. On anything less than a perfect result it does nothing at all. On the absolute best roll, it barely scratches. That is exactly correct — small arms fire should not be a credible threat to a combat RIG chassis. A Gear-Frame or I-RIG is a different calculation. Their chassis armour is substantially lower, and in some configurations a concentrated burst from the right weapon at the right range can cause real problems. Knowing what you are shooting at matters.

The exception is the anti-material rifle, the ceiling of personal-scale weaponry at Base 8 + d12. On an exceptional result it can just reach the floor of Frame-scale DR. This is intentional — it should not be reliable. But the possibility is there, which creates genuine tactical decisions about whether to expend the resource.

When a Frame-scale weapon hits a personal-scale target, do not roll damage against HP. Describe the result and move on. A Light Autocannon round delivering Base 12 against DR 5 armour is not a damage resolution — it is a narrative event. The question the table should be asking is whether the shot landed, not whether the person survived it.

Section 23 — Wound Conditions

Two Pools Per Location

Each body location has two HP pools. The first is the full pool derived from FOR. When this reaches 0 the location is Depleted — damaged and impaired, but not destroyed. The character is still in the fight, just in a worse position than before.

The second pool is half the first pool, rounded up. This represents the last margin between damaged and gone. When the second pool also reaches 0 the location enters its Gone state — a serious injury that cannot be addressed by field medicine alone.

Location	Full Pool	Depleted State	Second Pool	Gone State
Torso	FOR × 3	Critical	Round up (FOR × 1.5)	Dying
Head	FOR × 1	Concussed	Round up (FOR ÷ 2)	Dying
Each Arm	FOR × 2	Disabled	FOR	Mangled
Each Leg	FOR × 2	Broken	FOR	Mangled

Example: a character with FOR 4 has Torso pools of 12 and 6. They can absorb 12 HP of torso damage before entering Critical, then another 6 before entering Dying. Their arms and legs have pools of 8 and 4. Their head has pools of 4 and 2 — the head is fragile, and rounds that find it count.

Location Conditions

Location	Depleted Condition	Gone Condition	What It Means
Torso	Critical	Dying	Critical: still fighting but on the clock. Gone: unconscious and counting down.
Head	Concussed	Dying	Concussed: −2 AWR, lose 1 AP per turn. Gone: out cold and dying.
Arm	Disabled	Mangled	Disabled: that arm is out of action. Mangled: needs surgery, not field treatment.
Leg	Broken	Mangled	Broken: movement halved, no Sprinting, +1 AP to move. Mangled: needs surgery.

Depleted conditions are bad, not fatal. A character fighting on a Broken Leg with a Disabled Arm is in serious trouble, burning through resources and working against penalties, but they are still a combatant. Getting out of the fight or getting treatment is the right call — but it is still a call they get to make.

Gone conditions end that calculation. Mangled means the limb is beyond field repair — not necessarily missing, but damaged to the point where no amount of battlefield medicine is going to restore function this mission. The character needs a surgeon. Dying means they need one now.

Temporary Field Fixes

Field equipment can restore partial function to a damaged location. It does not heal anything — it buys time and keeps characters operational when they have no better option. The condition is still there. A second hit to a braced or stimmed location triggers normally.

Item	Effect	The Catch
Combat Splint	Broken Leg acts as Disabled for one scene	The leg still needs real treatment. A second hit to it still triggers normally.
Stim Injector	Ignore one Wound Condition for one scene	Costs 1 Bleed. The condition returns when the scene ends — possibly at the worst time.
Trauma Seal	Halts the Critical → Dying progression for FOR rounds	Does not restore HP. Field surgery still required afterwards.
Field Brace	Disabled arm can grip and hold a weapon for one scene	Fine motor work — reloading, equipment use — is still out. The arm is braced, not healed.

Stim Injectors can be stacked. Suppressing two conditions at once is possible if the character has the injectors and is willing to pay the Bleed cost. When both expire — at the end of the scene, or when the character takes a hit severe enough to break through — both conditions return at once. Plan accordingly.

Section 24 — Critical, Dying & Stabilisation

The Death Clock

When a character's Torso HP is fully gone — both pools depleted — they enter Critical. When their Head HP is fully gone they skip Critical entirely and go straight to Dying. These states represent how close to death the character actually is, and they run on a clock.

State	What Happens
Critical	Conscious and able to act, but at −2 to all rolls. At the start of each round make a FOR check TN 12. Pass: hold on, stay Critical. Fail: drop to Dying.
Dying	Unconscious. No actions possible. The character has FOR rounds before death. Only stabilisation stops the clock.
Stabilised	Death clock stops. Character remains unconscious at 0 Torso HP. Not safe — another hit while Stabilised restarts the Dying clock from scratch.

The Critical FOR check is 2d10 + FOR vs TN 12. It uses the character's raw FOR — no skill applies, no talent applies. It is purely a test of how much the body can absorb before it gives out. A character with FOR 5 is rolling +5 against TN 12 — they pass more often than not, but they are not safe. A character with FOR 3 is in real danger every round.

A Critical character is still acting. They can fire a weapon, call out a target, drag themselves behind cover, or jam a Trauma Seal into their own torso with a Medicine check. They are hurt and on the clock, not removed from play. Some of the best dramatic moments come from a Critical character who refuses to go down.

Stabilisation

Stopping Dying requires a Medicine: Field Care check using a Trauma Kit or Professional Medkit. Base TN is 12. If the character has taken significant internal damage — multiple bypass hits to the torso, deep wounds — the GM may raise this to TN 16. Success stops the death clock. The character is Stabilised: unconscious, at 0 Torso HP, no longer counting down.

Stabilised is not safe. A Stabilised character who takes further damage to the Torso immediately re-enters Dying, death clock restarting at their full FOR rounds. Get them out of the engagement. Stabilisation is not a solution — it is time bought.

Pulling someone back from Critical — not just stopping the clock but restoring them to a functional state — requires Medicine: Trauma, TN 16. Success means the character is no longer on the clock. They remain at low HP with active wound conditions, but they are stable and conscious. This is the difference between a field medic keeping someone alive and a trauma specialist actually getting them back.

Actual recovery — restoring HP, clearing wound conditions, addressing Mangled locations — cannot be done in the field. It requires a proper medical facility, time, and in the case of Mangled locations, surgery. Stabilisation buys the trip to get there.

Section 25 — Suppression & Pinned

Suppression

Suppression is the tactical use of sustained fire to deny an enemy the ability to act freely. You are not trying to hit anyone — you are filling a zone with enough incoming fire that anyone inside it has to stay down. Available only to weapons with the Burst or Full Auto tag.

Suppression Action: 3 AP. Declare a zone — an area within the weapon's effective range and no wider than a 90-degree arc. Every enemy in that zone makes an AWR check TN 12. Failure means the target is Pinned until the start of their next turn.

Pinned: A Pinned character must spend 1 AP to leave cover or stand up before doing anything else. They cannot take Aimed Shots. That is all Pinned does — it costs them an AP and locks out precise shooting.

This is a resource problem, not a skill problem. A Pinned character is not suddenly a worse shot — they just cannot get into a position to use that skill without spending the AP to break the state first. A world-class marksman behind a wall with an LMG chewing up the brickwork above them is not impaired. They are stuck, and fixing that costs time.

Suppression does not deal damage and does not require a hit. Its value is entirely in the AP it costs the targets and the Aimed Shots it denies. An LMG operator suppressing a position while the team's marksman repositions is doing exactly what the weapon is designed for. The Suppression Instinct talent adds a layer on top — a miss that still taxes the target, setting up the follow-through.

PART 14 — HAZARDS & EXTENDED RULES

This part covers three rule systems that apply across personal-scale and wider play: the mechanics of addiction and getting clean, the rules for thrown weapons and area of effect damage, and the contamination and exposure system that tracks what the Badlands and its hazards do to the body over time.

Section 26 — Addiction & Dependency

The pharmaceutical table in the Equipment supplement lists Addiction Ratings and withdrawal symptoms for each substance. This section defines what those ratings actually do — how dependency accumulates, what it costs a character to be hooked, and what it takes to get clean.

A note on intent: the short-term benefit of these substances is real and will matter in desperate moments. That is by design. The dependency system exists to make sure those benefits carry a cost that the table actually engages with — not a distant consequence that never arrives, but a mechanical and narrative pressure that shows up in play.

Dependency Levels

Each character tracks a Dependency Level (0–4) for each substance they use. All characters start at 0 for every substance. The level rises when addiction FOR checks fail — and falls only through deliberate effort to get clean.

Level	Name	What It Means	Withdrawal Active?
0	Clean	No dependency. No mechanical effect.	No
1	Habit	Regular use noted. No mechanical penalty. Narrative flag only — the GM marks it and may introduce craving triggers.	No
2	Dependent	The character needs the substance to feel baseline normal. Missing a scene where they would normally use: FOR check TN 10 or mild withdrawal activates (see substance entry).	On fail
3	Hooked	Missing a use in any scene: FOR check TN 13 or full withdrawal symptoms activate. Even on a pass: -1 AWR that scene from distraction and craving.	On fail (partial on pass)
4	Gone	The substance is physiological baseline. Cannot skip a scene without full withdrawal. Attempting cold-turkey without medical support: FOR check TN 16 or take 1 Head damage (withdrawal shock).	Every scene

The difference between Level 1 and Level 2 is important. Level 1 is a flag, not a penalty — the character is using regularly, the GM knows it, and craving triggers can begin to appear in play. Level 2 is where the body starts demanding what it has been given. The check to avoid withdrawal at Level 2 is not hard — it is a reminder that the dependency is real.

Gaining Dependency

AR 2 and above: every time the character uses the substance, the GM may call a FOR check at the listed addiction TN. A failed check increases Dependency Level by 1.

AR 1 substances: checks are only triggered after the number of uses listed in the 'Add. Check' column — typically every 5–10 uses. Low-AR substances are genuinely hard to get seriously hooked on, but not impossible with enough exposure.

Maximum rate: Dependency Level cannot increase by more than 1 per scene, regardless of how many times a substance is used. The body adapts over time, not all at once.

Craving Triggers

From Dependency Level 1 onwards, the GM may introduce craving triggers — specific scene elements that make using the substance tempting. This is a narrative tool, not an automatic compulsion. The character can always choose not to use.

What makes a craving trigger is the GM's judgment. It might be seeing someone else use the substance. It might be a high-stress moment where the character knows Seven would get them through it. It might be a quiet moment where there's nothing stopping them. The trigger should feel true to the character's situation — not contrived, not punishing, just present.

If the character uses when triggered: they gain the substance's benefits normally and must immediately make the addiction FOR check again. At Level 3 and 4, choosing to use when triggered does not reset any withdrawal already active — it extends the cycle.

Getting Clean

Getting clean is not a single check. It is a process that requires commitment from the player and engagement from the GM. A character cannot quietly stop using between sessions and arrive at the next one clean — the table has to see it happen.

Step	What Happens
1 — Declare	The player states the character is getting clean. The GM acknowledges it as an active story thread. This cannot happen silently in the background. Getting clean is a narrative event.
2 — Commit	The character must spend at least one full downtime scene on the process per Dependency Level they need to reduce. They cannot use the substance during this period. Withdrawal symptoms from their current level activate automatically — no check to avoid them at this stage.
3 — Check	At the end of each downtime scene dedicated to getting clean, roll FOR against the substance's addiction TN. Success: Dependency Level -1. Failure: level holds, symptoms persist, and the GM introduces one craving trigger — a scene element that makes the substance tempting.
4 — Clear	At Dependency Level 1, a final FOR check at TN 10 clears the character to Level 0 (Clean). Craving triggers no longer carry mechanical weight at Level 0, though the GM may still use them as story texture.
Level 4 Rule	Getting clean from Level 4 requires medical supervision. A Medicine: Trauma check TN 14 is needed each downtime scene to manage withdrawal safely. Without it, the character takes 1 Head damage per scene from withdrawal shock in addition to all other symptoms.

The craving trigger introduced on a failed check is not punishment — it is the GM doing their job. The story of getting clean is the story of those moments where it would be easy to stop trying. Make them real.

Long-term damage is permanent. The attribute penalties and long-term effects listed in the drug table — cardiovascular stress, INT loss, lace degradation — are not reversed by getting clean. They represent physical change that already happened. Getting clean stops the accumulation. It does not undo the past.

Section 27 — Thrown Weapons & Area of Effect

Thrown weapons and explosive ordnance follow the same core resolution system as any other attack — 2d10 + AGI + Skill vs TN 14 — but with two additional considerations: how far you can throw, and where the projectile lands when you miss.

Throwing an Attack

Skill: thrown weapons use 2d10 + AGI + Athletics: Throwing vs TN 14. Standard TN modifiers apply — cover, movement, darkness. An untrained character (no Athletics skill) takes the +2 TN untrained penalty.

Damage at range: at Close range, a thrown weapon deals Base + STR + die — the same as a melee strike, because the throw is short and muscle-driven. At Short range and beyond, it deals Base + die only. The weapon carries momentum, not the thrower's force.

Hit location: the lower d10 of the attack roll determines hit location, exactly as with any other attack. An Aimed Throw works like an Aimed Shot — 3 AP, Steady only, declare the target location before rolling.

STR and Maximum Range

Your STR score sets the maximum range band you can reach with a thrown weapon. Attempting a throw beyond your STR maximum is an automatic miss — the weapon falls short regardless of the roll. Scatter still applies.

STR	Maximum Range Band	Notes
1–3	Close (0–10 m)	Anything beyond arm's reach is a desperate lob, not a controlled throw.
4–5	Short (10–50 m)	Standard throw for most adults. Grenades, knives at practical combat range.
6–7	Medium (50–150 m)	Trained throwers. Anti-material grenadiers. Javelin-range for explosives.
8+	Long (150 m+)	Exceptional physical capability. Rarely relevant outside of very large engagement areas.

A character with STR 4 throwing a fragmentation grenade can reach Short range — 10 to 50 metres. That covers most room-clearing and street-level engagements. Getting a grenade across an open plaza or into a building across the road requires either a stronger arm or a grenade launcher.

Scatter on a Miss

When a thrown weapon misses — either because the attack roll fell short of TN 14 or because the throw exceeded the character's STR maximum — it lands somewhere other than the intended point. Use the lower d10 from the attack roll to determine direction and the margin of miss to determine distance.

Miss Margin	Scatter Distance	Direction
1–4 under TN	1d4 metres	Lower d10: 1–2 = forward of target (overshot). 3–4 = right. 5–6 = short (undershot). 7–8 = left. 9–10 = attacker's choice.
5–9 under TN	2d4 metres	As above. A more significant miss carries the projectile further off course.
10+ under TN	3d4 metres	Badly off. The throw was wild. The GM should describe the physical cause — slipped grip, poor timing, off-balance.

Explosive scatter: when a grenade or other AoE weapon scatters, the detonation point shifts to the scatter position. The weapon still goes off — it just goes off somewhere else. The attacker must track where that is, because the blast zones move with it.

Catching a grenade: a character who sees a live grenade land within arm's reach may attempt to kick or throw it clear as a reaction costing 1 AP (if they have it). AGI check TN 14. Success: they redirect it — apply scatter from their position as if they had made a Short-range throw with STR 3. Failure: it detonates where it landed.

Area of Effect — Two Blast Zones

All explosive and area-effect weapons produce two zones: Core and Outer. The weapon entry lists the Core radius. The Outer zone is always double the Core radius. Damage and effect vary significantly between the two.

Zone	Who It Catches	Effect
Core	Within core radius of detonation point	Full damage. No saving throw. Cover may reduce damage at GM discretion — treat as 2 DR equivalent if the target is behind hard cover at the blast edge.
Outer	Between core radius and double core radius	Half damage (round down). AGI check TN 12 to dive clear entirely — on a pass the character moves up to 2m to a safe position and takes nothing. Characters already in hard cover auto-pass this check.

Stacking AoE: if a character is somehow caught in the Core of one blast and the Outer of another in the same round, resolve each separately. They do not combine into a single damage roll.

Frames and vehicles in AoE: personal-scale explosives apply their damage against Frame and vehicle DR normally. A grenade at Core does full damage minus the Frame's DR at the hit location — but Frame DR values make personal explosives largely irrelevant against anything above a Gear-Frame. This is intentional.

Grenade and Thrown Explosive Reference

Thrown Explosive	Base Dmg	Die	Core / Outer Radius	Notes
Fragmentation Grenade	6	d8	4 m / 8 m	Standard anti-personnel. Common contractor issue.
Concussion Grenade	4	d6	3 m / 6 m	Core: full damage + Staggered. Outer: half damage only. Less lethal, more AP disruption.
Smoke Grenade	—	—	6 m radius	No damage. Blocks line of sight. +3 TN to all ranged attacks through smoke. Lasts 3 rounds.
Incendiary Grenade	5	d6	3 m / 5 m	Ongoing: Core zone catches fire. 2 damage per round to anyone remaining in Core. Armour Integrity -1 per round in Core.
EMP Grenade	—	—	5 m / 10 m	No HP damage. All powered equipment in Core: FOR check TN 14 or Offline until rebooted (1 AP). Outer: TN 11. Neural lace affected — Lace Interface -2 for scene.

Grenades are Consumable items — each grenade is one use. Standard fragmentation grenades are Licensed in NewTex; contractors and militia carry them routinely. Incendiary and EMP variants are Restricted. Smoke grenades are Open — they are considered safety and signalling equipment and face no meaningful restriction.

Section 28 — Contamination & Exposure

The Badlands are not uniformly hostile in the same way. Some contamination is chronic — the slow accumulation of FAD particulate, low-level radiation, chemical residue from the old industrial collapse. The body can fight this with the right protection and treatment. Some contamination is acute — high-intensity radiation, internalised isotopes, Chimera biochemical agents. This the body cannot compensate for without medical intervention.

The system tracks both on separate tracks, because they are different problems with different solutions.

The Two Tracks

Soft Contamination is environmental and chronic. It represents surface exposure, inhaled particulate, chemical agents, and low-level radiation. It can be treated in the field with the right equipment and cleared over time with medical care. Characters working the Badlands regularly will accumulate Soft exposure and need to manage it.

Hard Contamination is acute and structural. It represents high-intensity radiation events, internalised isotopic material, and deep biochemical penetration. Field medicine can slow the progression — it cannot reverse it. Hard stages require a proper medical facility to clear, and at the upper stages, time is the other variable in play.

Both tracks use four exposure stages. A character can have stages on both tracks simultaneously. Effects from both tracks stack.

Soft Contamination Track

Stage	Name	Mechanical Effect
0	Clear	No effect.
1	Trace	No mechanical effect. Registers on bio-monitors and Ward sensors. Cosmetic — skin irritation, mild smell. A flag, not a wound.
2	Exposed	-1 FOR. Nausea and disorientation — +1 TN to all actions requiring sustained concentration (any INT or AWR check, Aimed Shots).
3	Contaminated	-1 FOR, -1 STR. Persistent fatigue — Wound Conditions take one additional scene to recover from. Visible physical symptoms. Ward medical assessment flagged.
4	Acute	-2 FOR, -1 STR, -1 AGI. FOR check TN 12 at the start of each scene or take 1 Torso damage (systemic failure). Cannot be cleared without medical treatment.

Hard Contamination Track

Stage	Name	Mechanical Effect
0	Clear	No effect.
1	Trace	-1 FOR. Headache, light sensitivity, disorientation. Hard Track Trace registers on specialist sensors only — standard bio-monitors may miss it.
2	Exposed	-1 FOR, -1 AWR. Head location enters Depleted state (Concussed) if not already. The nervous system is being affected — not just the surface.
3	Contaminated	-2 FOR, -1 AWR, -1 STR. FOR check TN 13 at the start of each scene or take 1 Head damage. Symptoms are severe and obvious. Quarantine protocols apply at Ward entry.
4	Acute	Equivalent to Critical state — FOR check TN 14 each scene or drop to Dying. Cannot be stabilised without a full medical facility. Field medicine extends time, nothing more.

Gaining Exposure Stages

Environmental exposure (persistent): at the end of each scene spent in a contaminated environment without adequate protection, the GM calls a FOR check. The TN depends on the source (see table below). Fail = advance one stage on the relevant track.

Acute exposure (direct contact): for immediate events — a Corroder acid hit, direct contact with a radiation source, Chimera toxin injection — the check is called once per round rather than once per scene. These escalate fast.

Protective gear reduces the TN of these checks, not the frequency. Haz-Filter and Rad-Resist gear make the check easier to pass. Sealed gear prevents the check entirely for exposure routes they cover. See the gear entries and the table below.

Contaminant Types

Source	Track	Check TN	Check Per	Protection / Notes
FAD Particulate	Soft	12	Scene	Haz-Filter halves stage gain (check at TN 10 instead). Sealed gear prevents exposure entirely.
General Radiation — field level	Soft	11	Scene	Rad-Resist gear: +2 to check. Sealed gear: +4 to check. Distance is the best protection.
General Radiation — hot zone / acute source	Hard	13	Round	Rad-Resist: +2 to check (partial protection only). Sealed gear: +3. Evacuate as fast as possible.
I-131 / Isotopic (internal)	Hard	14	Scene	KI Tablets taken before or within 24hrs: prevents Stage 1–2 gain for I-131 specifically (+2 to check vs I-131). Sealed gear: prevents inhalation/ingestion route. Once internal, Sealed gear cannot reverse it.
Corroder Acid — direct hit	Soft	13	Round	Decon Foam neutralises active exposure — clears Stage 1–2, halts Stage 3–4 progression until treated. Sealed gear: prevents exposure. Standard armour: no protection.
Chimera Toxin	Soft	12	Round	Anti-Chimera Toxin Vial: reduces ongoing damage, does not clear stages. Chimera Venom Antidote: halts progression if applied within 3 rounds. Sealed gear: no protection against contact vectors.

I-131 is a thyroid-targeting isotope — the specific danger of nuclear fallout and certain industrial accidents. KI Tablets work by saturating the thyroid with stable iodine so it cannot absorb radioactive I-131. They must be taken before exposure or within 24 hours. They do nothing for other isotopes or other organs. They are cheap, lightweight, and standard Badlands carry for anyone who knows what they are doing.

Treatment

Treatment	Track / Stage	Effect
Decon and rest (downtime scene)	Soft, any	Medicine check TN 11 — success reduces 1 Soft stage. One attempt per downtime scene.
Decon Foam (Corroder)	Soft 1–4	Clears Stage 1–2 immediately. Halts Stage 3–4 progression for the remainder of the scene. Does not reduce Stage 3–4 — get to a medical facility.
Rad-Flush Injector	Soft only	Reduces 1 Soft stage immediately. No effect on Hard Track — the radiation causing Hard contamination is already internalised.
Hazwalk drug (active scene)	Soft, non-isotopic	Prevents stage advancement during that scene. Does not treat existing stages.
KI Tablets (preventive)	Hard, I-131 only	Prevents Hard Stage gain from I-131 if taken before or within 24 hours. No effect on existing Hard stages or other isotopes.
Field medicine (Medicine: Trauma TN 13)	Hard, any	Halts Hard Track progression for 1 scene. Cannot reduce stages in the field. Buys time to reach a medical facility.
Medical facility + Medicine: Trauma TN 14	Hard, any	Reduces 1 Hard stage per treatment scene. The only way to actively clear Hard contamination.
Natural recovery (no exposure)	Hard, stages 1–2	Hard Stage 1–2 reduce by 1 per week away from exposure. Stage 3–4 do not clear without medical treatment.

Stacking contamination from multiple sources: if a character has both FAD Soft exposure and Corroder Soft exposure active, treat them as a single Soft track — the stage reflects total systemic contamination, not individual source tracking. The GM notes which exposures are active for treatment purposes, since Decon Foam clears Corroder specifically while Rad-Flush handles radiation.

Ward Re-entry and Decontamination

All personnel and salvage re-entering a Ward City from the Badlands are subject to C-Day decontamination screening. This is not optional and is not roleplayed around — the Ward perimeter infrastructure runs continuous detection.

C-Day Decon (standard): automatic clearance of Soft Stage 1–2. The process takes roughly an hour and is standard practice — most Badlands operators go through it as routine. No check required, no cost.

Soft Stage 3+: flagged for medical assessment before clearance. The character is held until a physician clears them. This is a scene event, not a block — the Ward medical system wants healthy workers, not martyrs.

Hard Track (any stage): Ward sensors will detect Hard contamination. The character is flagged for quarantine processing. Getting through Ward entry with active Hard contamination requires either medical certification of ongoing treatment or other means the GM determines. This is not a casual obstacle — it is a meaningful consequence of acute exposure events.

Salvage-tagged gear from the Badlands requires its own decon pass before Ward re-entry. The Availability entry for Salvage items notes this — it is not flavour, it is a functional step. A recovered RIG chassis that has been sitting in a hot zone carries whatever that zone carries until someone washes it down.