Walk Jockeys: Near-Future Vehicle Combat

[Doomsmile]

I finally got this D20 modern add-on (that I've been working on on-and-off for the past year and a half) up to a state when I feel I can pass it around for comments. The files are still a bit of a jumble and I'm still not satisfied with the background, but I'm hoping to get some feed-back on balance issues I've missed, things I might want to add or subtract, and comments in general.

Anyway, I'd appreciate any comments on this. Expect more concept art eventually, too.

EDIT: This thread was originally passed around a much smaller group of people, back before Cognative Yammering existed. Now that this forum is here, it seems the perfect place to pass this around.

Last Updated: 2/11/07

Changelog:
(2/11/07)
Added Hammer war-walker
Missiles given higher damage, less amo, and higher amo costs.
"Launcher" re-named "Coil Gun."
Coil Guns can be fired from hiding with less of a penalty.
Coil Guns may now misfire.
Railguns now require replacement rails when firing.
Added "Autofire Conversion" option to railgun.
Added Battle Cannon.
Torpedo damage heavily increased, lowered amo, raised amo costs.
Added hand-held heavy missile launchers.
Background removed until I finish fiddling with it.
Lots of other fiddling that I don't recall at the moment.

(8/30/06)
Re-designated the NW-20 Shrieker the NW-19A Stinger-Shrieker.
Added micro-lasers to NW-12A Stinger-Shrieker.
Links to additional concept art can be found here: (the Stinger-Shrieker (http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/38970358/) light assault walker)

(8/29/06)
Gave NW-19 Stinger a second micro-laser.
Micro-lasers can now be fired in pairs with the same action.
Links to additional concept art can be found here: (the Stinger (http://www.deviantart.com/view/38907313/) scout walker)

(8/24/06)
Added ArcWright-100 Skirmisher tank
Added ArcWright-111 Tortoise tankette
Added manipulation specs. to all vehicles
Links to additional concept art can be found here: (the Barrage (http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/36219930/?qo=9&q=by%3Adoomsmile+sort%3Atime+-in%3Ascraps) and the customized Nightshade "Scourge" (http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/36977419/?qo=4&q=by%3Adoomsmile+sort%3Atime+-in%3Ascraps)- the inspiration for Flight Kit. I'd have 'em in the .zip, but they don't fit.)
Changelog added here.

[The Hive Custodian]

"Near-Future Vehicle Combat?" As opposed to 31st-century combat?

Anyhow, I'll review this when my hands stop hurting. I should really spend less time on the computer...

[Takkaryx]

Lots of typos, and it looks like you just copy/pasted alot of the PrC and re-named them. With a little work, this could happen.

[nightinverse]

Anyhow, I'll review this when my hands stop hurting. I should really spend less time on the computer...

For me as well. I'll be seeing a doctor about carpal, and on a related point, I accidentally burned my left hand today.

[Takkaryx]

Sounds painful.

[Doomsmile]

Ouch. Anything bad enough to see a doctor about is... oww.

On another note, Prestiege Classes I is the old advanced classes. I just made a few touch-ups to some of them. Prestiege Classes II where the original classes are. Both of them. The rest are modifications on existing ones. Most of my work went into designing vehicles and their components.

[Doomsmile]

I've updated both the Weapons and Equipment sections.
The updates to the weapons have mostly been fixing wordings and removing referances to rules that are no longer being used, though most weapons will now carry and come with a slot of ammunition.

The only update to the Equipment section is modifying flight kits to allow wing-mounted weapons. That rule is kinda' experimental- I'm not sure if it's ballanced and/or if I should keep it.

[The Hive Custodian]

The Shadow Moon needs 2 slots in the turret to be able to hold a Basic Sensor Array. Also, its speed is 50 ft., but the Hover Turbines only say 40 ft.

[Doomsmile]

Ah... I missed that. I'm making the change now- it will be included in the next update.

[The Hive Custodian]

A walker may only have one type of special armor. Does this restriction apply to other vehicles? Also, the Earthshaker has two types of armor (heavy and hardened).

Some designs I've made...

"Cumulonimbus", Honden 329 Savior II
The Cumulonimbus (often referred to as simply "CB") variant of the Savior II, carries the meterological name of the thundercloud. This moniker is apt, for this vehicle is but a shadow on sensor systems and is capable of dispensing both thunderbolts and water. Its primary armament is a Thunderbolt missle launcher, capable of pinpoint accuracy at a range of nearly a mile. It carries more than two dozen missiles, enough for five minutes of continuous fire. Matched with this weapon system is an Advanced ECM Suite, which, in combination with the CB's ARAM skin, makes it unlikely that its unfortunate target will be able to return fire. For its own targeting, the CB mounts an Advanced Radar Array. The CB is not completely helpless at close range; its right arm is free to wield a weapon, and it carries a Water Cannon in its torso. A favored tactic is to knock an enemy over with the Water Cannon before running out of range of enemy weapons.

All of this is protected by reinforced structure and heavy armor, ensuring that the CB will last long in any shootout.

Hit Points: 175 (-20 ARAM Skin, +40 Rugged)
Strength: 22
Size: Huge (10 ft. x 10 ft./15 ft.)
Speed: 55 ft.
Armor Check: -5 (-2 Rugged)
Max Dex: +4
Power: 22 generated, 20 used
Armor Bonus: +8 (+4 Heavy Armor) (++2 shield = +10)
Hardness: 10

Weapons: Shield (left arm), Thunderbolt (shoulder), Water Cannon (torso)
Ammunition: 25 rounds Thunderbolt (shoulder), 30 rounds Water Cannon (torso)
Equipment: Advanced Radar Array (head), ARAM Skin (head), Advanced ECM Suite (torso), Heavy Armor (torso weapon), Rugged (torso weapon)

Partial Attack:
Water Cannon (1 shot)
Damage: 4d6 subdual
Critical: 20/x2
Range: 50 ft. line
Full Attack:
Thunderbolt (1 shot per 2 rounds)
Damage: 10d6 + 10 explosive
Critical: 20/x2
Range Increment: 1,000 ft.
"Fibrillator", Sikorsky E-21 Thunderbolt
Favored by ace copter pilots, the Fibrillator exchanges the large and deadly Surge Cannon of the standard Thunderbolt for the even larger and deadlier Pulse Cannon. This weapon is so power-intensive that the standard jets have been removed to make room for an auxiliary power plant. The thick shielding required by the Pulse Cannon and its power plant have the secondary effect of making this helicopter nearly twice as durable as the standard. A skilled pilot can fly in under the shroud of its Stealth Plating and annihilate the enemy in a storm of energy bolts.

Hit Points: 90 (+40 Rugged)
Strength: 18
Size: Large (15 ft. x 10 ft./0 ft.)
Speed: Fly 100 ft. (good)
Armor Check: -1 (-2 Rugged)
Max Dex: +3
Power: 35 (+15 External Generator) produced, 28 used
Armor Bonus: +2
Hardness: 5

Weapons: Pulse Cannon (chassis)
Equipment: Advanced Radar Array (chassis), External Generator (chassis), Rugged (chassis), Stealth Plating (chassis)

Partial Attack:
Pulse Cannon (3 shots)
Damage: 3d12 + 5 force + 2d4 electric
Critical: 20/x2
Range Increment: 90 ft.
Full Attack:
Pulse Cannon (6 shots)
Damage: 3d12 + 5 force + 2d4 electric
Critical: 20/x2
Range Increment: 90 ft.
"Firestorm", NW-7 Legionnaire
A curious close-range walker, the Firestorm variant of the aging Legionnaire is a dream for the pyromaniacal gun nut. Mounting more than a dozen Light Machine Gun Arrays, the Firestorm lives up to its name by using nothing but Incendiary rounds. Although not capable of penetrating thick armor, the sheer volume of projectiles often results in several lucky hits against heavy opponents. Those not blessed with such armor are, of course, instantly immolated.

To compensate for its short range, the Firestorm has ARAM skin and a reinforced structure to increase its stealth and durability.

Hit Points: 115 (-10 ARAM Skin, +40 Rugged)
Strength: 22
Size: Large (5 ft. x 5 ft./10 ft.)
Speed: 30 ft.
Armor Check: -4 (-2 Rugged)
Max Dex: +2
Power: 10 generated, 1 used
Armor Bonus: +8 (+4 Heavy Armor)
Hardness: 10

Weapons: 2x Light Machine Gun Array (left arm), 6x Light Machine Gun Array (right arm), 6x Light Machine Gun Array (torso)
Ammunition: 90 rounds Incendiary Light Machine Gun Array (left arm), 225 rounds Incendiary Light Machine Gun Array (torso), 225 rounds Incendiary Light Machine Gun Array (torso)
Equipment: Basic Radar Array (head), Heavy Armor (head), ARAM Skin (torso), Rugged (torso)

Partial Attack:
Light Machine Gun Array (2 shots)
Damage: 2d3 + 5 ballistic + 1d4 fire
Critical: 19-20/x2
Range Increment: 65 ft.
Full Attack:
14x Light Machine Gun Array (42 shots)
Damage: 2d3 + 5 ballistic + 1d4 fire
Critical: 19-20/x2
Range Increment: 65 ft.
"Typhoon", ArcWright-121 Shadow Moon
Filling the naval destroyer role, the Typhoon variant of the Shadow Moon is armed with one of the most powerful laser weapons in existence: a Turbo Laser Cannon. While its rate of fire is poor, this massive weapon concentrates fully half of the Shadow Moon's impressive power capabilities into one singularly destructive beam. With its Hover Turbines, the Typhoon can keep out of the enemy's strongest medium while returning full firepower. Its Reflective Armor, capable of deflecting anything up to and often including Laser Cannons, discourages attacks from opposing laser-armed vessels.

Hit Points: 150 (+40 Rugged)
Strength: 22
Size: Huge (20 ft. x 10 ft./0 ft.)
Speed: fly 40 ft. (good), swim 100 ft.
Armor Check: -5 (-2 Rugged)
Max Dex: +2
Power: 60 generated, 40 used
Armor Bonus: +6
Hardness: 15

Weapons: Turbo Laser Cannon (turret)
Equipment: Hover Turbines (chassis), Life Support (chassis), Reflective Armor (chassis weapon), Rugged (chassis weapon), Basic Sensor Array (turret)

Full Attack:
Turbo Laser Cannon (1 shot)
Damage: 16d6 + 5 fire
Critical: 20/x3
Range Increment: 110 ft.

[Doomsmile]

As for the introductory question, any vehicle can only utilize one kind of armor plate- the Earth Shaker needs fixin'.

Next, I can see by the fact that every vehicle presented in the above post has the "rugged" custom job that I'm going to need to do something about it. That one always has been a problem child...

Other than that, I really like the CB. Unfortunately, I have no idea why I put weapon slots in the torso- there isn't much torso that isn't covered up by the Savior II's big 'ol head, you see. Still, there's no reason to worry too much about CB being killed by this change, since it's still got a perfectly good hand with which to use a hand-held water cannon.

Firestorm genuinely scares me. I'm going to crank down the threat range of the machine gun array from 19-20 back to 20. I'm also considering getting "rid of the full attack rate of fire when battery firing" thing, though I'm afraid that might screw the poor little weapon over.

That Fibulator 'copter doesn't scare me nearly as much, since the pulse cannon has a garaunteed 1 in 400 chance of exploding each shot it makes.

Anyway, this is why I love people making vehicles before I do actual play-tests: it tells me what is rediculously scarry. For instance, if Firestorm's pilot were to take the Mobile Battery feat. *Shudders*

[Takkaryx]

Give me a few hours. I'll make the numbers dance.

[Takkaryx]

When I'm looking at the loadout on a walker location, what do the X/Y/Z mean?

[Doomsmile]

Just as it says underneath the location and slots diagrams: Weapons/Equipmen/Amo slots. I think I gave a fairly good demonstration in VehicleCustomization.rtf in the Rulebooks zip file.

[Takkaryx]

Are there weapons anywhere?

[Doomsmile]

The Weapons(Vehicle) file in the Weapons,Equipment zip file.

..... it's moon speak, isn't it?

[Takkaryx]

The only thing in that zip file is mounted equipment.

[Doomsmile]

What!? But I coulda' swore... I'll fix it.

[Doomsmile]

Well, the file was in there. I don't know why you couldn't see it, though. At any rate, I switched it over to an RTF, which turned out to be frickin' huge. This meant that I had to juggle zip contents around to fit in the 5 zip files of no more than 100 Kb each.

[The Hive Custodian]

Question: Do you plan to eventually move this to Cognitive Yammering?

[Doomsmile]

I had never thought of that. That would be a good idea!

I should probably give it another once-over first, though. I have a pair of new tanks I've been meaning to add, too.

[Doomsmile]

Well, with the addition of easily PC-able tanks, I'm going to move this into Cognative Yammering... once I figure out how...

EDIT: Aah! There we go! Didn't take that long at all.

[nightinverse]

And nobody has even touched this thread. I'm shocked, something new is always of interest!

The changes continue to look progressive, though I'll withhold further comments until I have more time to review.

What is your stance on additional material by other authors specifically for Walk Jockeys? Any interest?

[Doomsmile]

Totally. I'm still developing what organizations exist in the world (currently, I'm plugging away at mercenary organizations/guilds), though I think I also need to figure out international relations as well- without the threat of nuclear Armageddon, nations can afford to express hostility with each other, and I see many border skirmishes (minor or major) taking place all over the world.

[Doomsmile]

Anyone remember this thing? I've given it a lot more work since the last update, and I would really appriciate someone taking a look and giving me some feedback.

EDIT: I also gave this thing a tag, but can't seem to re-name the tread to get rid of the old, impromptu tag. Help?

[itches]

EDIT: I also gave this thing a tag, but can't seem to re-name the tread to get rid of the old, impromptu tag. Help?

Fixed it. Are you sure you want the d20 tag and not d20 Modern?

[Doomsmile]

Ugh. I need to read things before I okay them- curse my misclickings. Thanks.