HardSuits - A-Earths armor par-excellence

Universal Century EX fully integrates R. Talsorian Games' BubbleGum Crisis role-playing games' "Hard Suit" technology /rules into the Universal Century campaign universe. The conversion to Cyberpunk 2020 is fairly easy with Kills of armor representing 50SP and Kills of weapon damage equalling 14d6 dice. unlike LandMates/A.C.P.A.s the player is required to customer build his hardsuit without the benefit of pre-made models to choose 'off the lot'.

HardSuit Technology:
Based on his Boomer research. Dr. Stingray applied his mechatronics principles to design special combat armor. From those notes, scientists developed powered suits which would effectively increase the special abilities of combat infantry—this was the genesis of the now famous Hardsuits. Years ahead of comparable ACPA armor systems, all the Hardsuits share certain elements and abilities. The basic suit frame consists of a layered truss of flat actuated linear motors which are integrated within the exoskeletal armor. These linear motors work to multiply the wearer's body strength by 9 to 10+ times (depending on the model), and are powered by a super-efficient battery in the back unit, giving a Hardsuit enough power for potentially 50 hours of continuous use. A Hardsuits’ ceramic and alloy armor is invulnerable to small arms fire, is resistant to heat and pressure changes, and even absorbs momentum-based impacts. Each suit is fully sealed against nuclear, biological, and chemical contamination and provides full life support and temperature control. A Hardsuit's helmet has two visors. the outer one solid and the inner one transparent. The inner layer also functions as a heads-up display (HUD) thanks to its programmable, sandwiched video layers, allowing the wearer a full field of vision while fully armored. Each Hardsuit also has at least one powered manipulator glove which houses most of the weaponry, and a main vernier rocket nozzle on the suits back for rocket-boosted leaps—this booster is augmented by hip verniers to aid in maneuvering and to help break falls

Despite their amazing versatility. each Hardsuit still must be adjusted to match the individual Wearers body and endurance. The wearer's combat ability must be measured using a special sensor suit, once the measurements are complete, the Hardsuit can be fitted to the wearer. Given the personalized design, each is equipped with different armament and serves a different function: Some have advanced sensor systems. computers, and jamming gear; other units gain speed, maneuverability, and hand-to-hand effectiveness; many suits are designed for assault; and command armors have strength, protection, and firepower. The Hardsuits were designed so that a team four to five troopers could execute synchronized, precise attacks and attain the highest level of combat efficiency.

To operate a hardsuit, one must wear a ‘datasuit’ which, like the measuring suit, acts like a sensory film, reading electrical signals flowing through the wearer's muscles and nerves, directly translating physical motions into data. Four triangular clips which connect the neck and body sections serve as transmission plugs, feeding data back to the Hardsuit and allowing it to function as a superb combat platform.

Despite the impressive performance levels of the Hardsuits, they have suffered from inconsistent results. Lack of advance planning, missing team members. the safety of civilians, and the unexpected presence of fearsome Combat Boomers (as compared to mere industrial Cyberdroids) has often impaired their effectiveness.

The SWORD HardSuit

This powered unit represents an unusual divergence from classic HardSuit technology. Though based on principles similar to those used in other prototype powered suits, it has been heavily modified with systems utilized by the Motorslaves.

The most notable feature of this armored suit is its arms, which use a distinctive motorslave like arrangement: The wearer's arms are inside armored 'master arm" sleeves which connect to the larger, more powerful "slave arms", which are equipped with powered manipulators, hardpoints for mounting interchangeable weapons, plus subsensors and targeting systems which are housed in the wrists.

Another distinctive feature is the clamshell flight-backpack, which powers the two turbine engines mounted on swiveling hip joints. When stowed, the engines are folded down along the beltline; for flight they swing up so that the airscoop intakes point forward.

Unlike most Hardsuits, the suit does not have a separate helmet. Instead, the wearer's head is fully enclosed by a helmet-like armored turret, with scanning performed by a cluster of sensors. In non-combat situations, the visor can be opened to give the operator a clearer view.

WEIGHT.....125.25 kg........POWER......50 hours
MANEUVER..-2 REF
STRENGTH....STR 11..LIFTING.........Wearer's x11
RUNNING..+2 Move......FLYING....Move 100 (300kph)
SENSOR RANGE....2 km....COMM RANGE....80 km
ARMOR SP.....75 Hits..........STRUCTURE.......75 SDP

WEAPONS (2).....WA.....RNG.....DMG.....LOC.....SPECIAL NOTES
LASERSWORD.....+1......HTH......7D6x4*....-.......*AP
LASER GUN.........+0.....800m.....8d6x3......-......ROF = 3
RAILGUN............+0.....350m.....14D6*.....-.......ROF =2,12 bursts,
MISSILES...........+0*......2 km....7d6x6....-........Smart (16+die) 2 shots
HAND-TO-HAND...+0......HTH......10D6*.....A, A....*AP

SUBSYSTEMS
• Life Support (full sealing vs Nuclear. Biological & Chemical agents),
• Dual-mode helmet housing audiovisual, radio, targeting, ow light vision, IR & Thermograph, x32 magnification, Heads Up Display [+2 Perception] and retractable visor cover).
• ECCM System (Rank = 6) and radio scrambler.
• Maneuvering Vernier-Rockets and Variable-geometry flight pack; if a called shot at -2 is made and armor is penetrated, a component is destroyed and the suit can no longer fly.
• Emergency armor-ejection function (blows armor off wearer).
• Quick-change weapon mounts on forearms (choose 2 from list).

HardSuit Construction

This is a modular construction system which gives players and Referees a fast, easy method of building Stingray-technology Hardsuits. This system is based on our own anime mecha construction system, the Mekton Technical System (MTS for short). MTS fills most of the pages of Mekton Zeta Plus, the technical manual for our generic anime mecha roleplaying game Mekton Zeta.

Although the number-crunchers out there (you know who you are) will find that this system does not give exactly the same totals as those generated by MTS, the numbers come very close to those of both MTS and the BGC RPG. By sacrificing a little bit of technical detail, this system accomplishes the same basic task more easily, and more accurately reflects the "super-heroic" style of Bubblegum Crisis.

While this system can be used to reconstruct the mecha seen in the Bubblegum Crisis OVA series, it is primarily meant to be used to build your own brand-new, original Hardsuits. What this system does NOT do is invalidate the use of MTS—if you want to, you can still make use of the material in Z+ to create new, never-before seen technological gimmickry in the best Bubblegum Crisis tradition.

When using this system, you have the choice of designing your Hardsuit from the ground up, or using die rolls to randomly determine the suit's characteristics.

STEP 1: GENERATION
First decide whether your Hardsuit will be First Generation, like those in BGC 1-4, Second Generation, like those in BGC 8, or Third Generation, like those in Bubblegum Crash!. All Hardsuits cover the entire body and include a helmet; all costs are in Improvement Points (IP – the Experience Points of Cyberpunk 2020/UC3K)

HARDSUIT GENERATION
To randomly determine the Generation of your Hardsuit, roll 1D6:

1-3: First Generation Hardsuit (44 IP)
First Generation Hardsuits have 55 SDP, a STRength of 9 (which also multiplies the wearer's Lift value by 9), a Maneuver value of -1 to REFlexes, an MA bonus of +4, a Jumping range of 100m, a Rank-6 ECCM suite, a bonus of +1 to PREsence, Life Support, and a +2 Perception HUD. The weight of a First Generation Hardsuit is 74+2D6 kilograms.

4-5: Second Generation Hardsuit (55 IP)
Second Generation Hardsuits have 60 SDP, a STRength value of 10 (which also multiplies the wearer's Lift value by 10), a Maneuver value of ±0 to REFlexes, an MA bonus of +4, a Jumping range of 150m, a Rank-7 ECCM suite, a bonus of +2 to PREsence, Life Support, and a +2 Perception HUD. The weight of a Second Generation Hardsuit is 64+2D6 kilograms.

6: Third Generation Hardsuit (66 IP)
Third Generation Hardsuits have 60 SDP, a STRength value of 10 (which also multiplies the wearer's Lift value by 10), a Maneuver value of +1 to REFlexes, an MA bonus of +5, a Jumping range of 200m, a Rank-8 ECCM suite, a bonus of +3 to PREsence, Life Support, and a +2 Perception HUD. The weight of a Third Generation Hardsuit is 57+1D10 kilograms.

HARDSUIT COMPONENTS
In case you want to modify individual aspects of your Hardsuit, the cost for each component is listed below:

Structure: Structure costs 1 IP per 5 points of Hardsuit SDP
Strength: Strength costs 1 IP per point of Hardsuit STIR. The Lifting multiple is equal to the Hardsuit's STR.
Maneuverability: A penalty of -2 to Ref reduces cost by 4 IP; a penalty of -1 to Ref reduces cost by 2 IP; no modifier to Ref & Dex has no cost; a bonus of +1 to Ref costs 2 IP.
Design & Style: Design & Style costs 1 IP for each +1 bonus to the wearer's REP (maximum +3).
Running: Running costs 1 IP per +1 bonus to the wearer's MA.
Jumping: Jumping costs 1 IP per 10m of jumping distance.
Life Support: Full sealing versus Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical agents costs 3 IP.
Electronics: The standard Hardsuit electronic systems (targeting and lowlight vision with 1km range, radio with 10km range, and HUD instrumentation granting a +2 Perception skill bonus) costs 5 IP.
ECCM: Electronic Counter-CounterMeasures cost 3 IP for Rank-6, 4 IP for Rank-7, or 5 IP for Rank-8.
Weight: When you're building a Hardsuit with no particular Generation in mind, roll 3D10+56 to determine the suit's weight in kilograms (if you like, you can add another two D10s to get an additional decimal value).

STEP 2: ARMOR
Next, cover your Hardsuit with whatever armor seems appripriate. The SDP of a Hardsuit depends upon its Generation, but Armor protection varies from suit to suit. First Generation Hardsuits have a maximum SP rating of 50, Second Generation Hardsuits have a maximum SP rating of 60, and Third Generation Hardsuits have a maximum SP rating of 70. In any event, should the suit's armor be penetrated, any remaining damage is divided equally between the suit's SDP and the wearer's Hits. To determine your Hardsuit's Armor Protection, refer to the table below:

HARDSUIT ARMOR
Armor costs 1 IP per 2 KD (round up):
For First Generation Hardsuits, roll 1D6:
(1)= 35, (2-3) = 40, (4-5) = 45, (6) = 50
For Second Generation Hardsuits, roll 1D6:
(1) = 45, (2-3) = 40, (4-5) = 55, (6) = 60
For Third Generation Hardsuits, roll 1D6:
(1) = 55, (2-3)=60, (4-5)=65, (6)=70

CONSTRUCTION EXAMPLE
Let's say we want to construct our own original Hardsuit for our Bubblegum Crossfire campaign. In this case, we want a light, high-maneuverability Hardsuit to serve as a close combat unit, much like Linna's suit.
We begin with Structure; since the suit is supposed to be light, we give it a Structure of 50 SDP (10ip). Strength doesn't need to be too high either, so we choose a basic 9 STR (9ip). On the other hand, we want maximum maneuverability, so we choose a bonus of +1 Ref & Dex (2ip). Design & style is always a concern, but we don't want to overdo it, so we go with +2 PRE (2ip). Running and Jumping will be important, so we choose +5 MOVE (5ip) and 200m jumps (20ip). All Hardsuits include full sealing versus Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical agents (3ip), as well as targeting and lowlight vision with 1km range, a radio with 10km range, instrumentation, and a +2 Perception skill HUD (5ip). We're not too worried about ECM, so we choose Rank-6 ECCM (3ip). Thus, our basic Hardsuit costs 59ip.

Next, we add armor. We want relatively light armor, so we go with a basic 50KD, which costs 25ip.

Finally, we choose weapons. Since this is a close-combat suit we choose a Lasersword (10ip) and a Knuckle-Bomber (2ip) as the main weapons. We decide it would be cool if the lasersword really was a sword, wielded by the left hand, so we decide not to give the left hand a manipulator, but we do want the right hand (the one with the Knuckle Bomber) to have a manipulator (2ip). Feeling that the left hand is under-represented, we add a Knuckle Guard to it (6ip). Overall, the weapons cost 20ip.

Adding up the costs of all our components, our total is 104ip. Rolling 3D10 and adding 56 (and then throwing another two D10 rolls) we find that the suit's final weight is 74.26 kilograms. Now all we need is a good-looking young person from any walk of life to squeeze into this thing, and Look Out Boomers!

STEP 3: FEATURES
Now comes the fun part! Determine what special features your Hardsuit possesses, and don't forget to note where each is located; that part of the Hardsuit could be damaged during combat, in which case you could lose those Features too! Add their costs to those of the Frame and Armor, then move on.

To randomly determine the number of Features your Hardsuit has, roll 1 D6+1. For each Feature, roll 2D10 to determine what feature you get (note that if you get the same feature more than once, you have more than one of the same feature, like Sylia's three pairs of weapons).

HARDSUIT FEATURES & WEAPONS
Roll 1 D6+1 to determine number of Features; for each Feature, roll 2D10 to determine which feature it is:

2 - Ribbon Cutters (17 IP)
A pair of Ribbon Cutters costs 17 IP. They are limited to Melee range and their WA is -2, but a successful hit does 7D6x3 Armor-Piercing damage. This damage is applied twice (to represent the fact that there are two ribbons), and they are Quick, allowing two attacks in one Action.
3 - Wrist Rapier (9 IP)
A single Wrist Rapier costs 9 IP. It is limited to Melee range, has a WA of +1, and does 7D6x3 damage.
4 - Flight Wings (1 IP per 1 Move)
A pair of wings which grant flight cost 1 IP for every 1 Move of Flight (a Flying Move of 60 would cost 60 IP, for example). The maximum flying Move that can be bought depends upon the Hardsuit's Generation: 50 for a First Generation Hardsuit, 75 for a Second Generation Hardsuit, 105 for a Third Generation Hardsuit. If a flight wing is destroyed, the Hardsuit can no longer fly.
5 - Laser Sword (10 IP)
A single Laser Sword costs 10 IP. It is limited to Melee range, has a WA of +1, and does 7D6x4 damage—this damage treats any
armor as offering 20SP less protection.
6 - ECM Suite (cost varies)
Electronic CounterMeasures can be used to affect Radar, sensors, and/or missiles. They cost 35 IP for Rank-6, 45 IP for Rank-7, and 58 IP for Rank-8. The added ability to override missiles in flight costs another 26 IP
7 - Hypersensors (22 IP)
A set of wide-spectrum scanners has a 25km sensor range and adds another +1 to Perception skill checks (+3 total). It includes a 250km Radar array, thermographics, X-ray vision, seismic sensors, a magnetometer, and a Target Analyzer. This package costs 22 IP.
8 - Computer (cost varies)
A Computer costs 10 IP, plus 11 IP per 3 points of POW (max POW 9).
9 - Railgun Array (15 IP)
A multi-barrel railgun array (like the one on Priss' first and second Hardsuits) costs 15 IP. It has a range of 350 meters, has a WA of ±0, and does 7D6x2 Armor-Piercing damage. The weapon has an ROF of 2 and enough ammo for six two-shot bursts.
10 – 10 - Laser (cost varies)
A laser gun costs 1 IP per 1 D6 of damage done while on Beam set ting. Base WA is ±0 and base range is 560m plus 20m per die of damage over 12D6. The cost includes a Burstfire setting, which has an ROF of 10 but does 1/2 damage, 75% range, and suffers -1 WA. Since the output of the Hardsuits' lasers vary greatly, you can randomly determine the damage output of the laser by rolling 1D6+1D10; the result, added to 12, is the number of damage dice done by the laser gun (range is determined as normal).
11 - Manipulator (2 IP)
A powered Manipulator which converts the Hardsuit's STR-derived hand-to-hand damage to Killing damage costs 2 OR A non-powered glove is free.
12 - Knuckle Bomber (2 IP)
A single 6-shot Knuckle Bomber costs 2 IP. It is limited to Melee range, has a WA of +/-0 and does 6D6x5 damage. If you want to randomly determine the number of charges your Knuckle Bomber has, roll 1d6 1 = three charges, 2 = four charges, 3-4 = five charges, 5-6 = six charges.
13 - Increased Maneuverability (13 IP)
A higher-mobility Hardsuit (such as Linna's) gains a bonus of +1 to its Ref values, +1 to its MA, and +100m to its Jumping range. Increased Maneuverability costs 13 IP.
14 - Leg Bombers or Rocket Kicks (7 or 8 IP)
A pair of ankle-mounted Leg Bombers cost 7IP, and a pair of ankle?mounted Kick Rockets cost 8 IP. They are limited to Melee range, have a WA of -1, and do 7D6x5 damage. Rocket Kicks do not run out of shots, but Leg Bombers have six charges per leg.
15 - Combat Torch (3 IP)
A single Combat Torch costs 3 IP It is limited to Melee range, has a WA of +1, and does 7D6x4 damage; this damage treats any armor as offering 20SP less protection, but each Combat Torch only has enough fuel for one Phase of use.
16 - Knuckle Guard (6 IP)
An electromagnetic Knuckle Guard costs 6 IP. It is limited to Melee range, has a WA of ±0, and does 7D6x4 damage.
17 - S-Mines (6 IP)
A rack of three S-Mines costs 6 IP. An S-Mine does 18d6 damage, with a blast radius of four meters. A successful hand-to-hand Attack Action plants the S-Mine on your enemy.
18 - Wire-Daggers (77 IP)
A pair of Wire-Daggers costs 77 IP. They have a range of 30 meters, their WA is +1, and a successful hit does 6D6x3 Armor-Piercing Shock damage. This damage is applied twice (to represent the fact that there are two daggers) each time an attack is made.
19 - Pulse-Striker (35 IP)
A Pulse-Striker system costs 35 (!) IP. It has a range of 212 meters, its WA is +3, and a successful hit does 5D6x5 Shocking damage. This damage is applied to a five-meter area, but it takes the system one full Phase to warm up between firings.
20 - Barrier System (30 IP)
A Barrier System like Nene's costs 30 IP It offers 120 SP against energy attacks only, and once it is penetrated, the entire shield collapses and is useless until it's repaired. In addition, the Hardsuited wearer cannot move (MOVE Stat = 0) while the Barrier is up.

Hardsuit Add-Ons

HARDSUIT ADD-ONS
Listed below (and illustrated at right) is an assortment of new weapons and systems which can be added to a hardsuit to enhance its performance.

1. Gatling Cannon +9IP
WEAPON……….......WA…..RNG……....DMG……LOC……SPECIAL NOTES
20mm GATLING..-1……...440m…….12D6*……RA…….*AP, ROF 100, 5 bursts
This triple-barreled, caseless weapon attaches to a hardsuit's powerglove to greatly enhance its firepower. A linkage through the glove powers the cannon's motor, and a weight in the rear improves balance (although recoil is still very strong). It precludes use of the right hand and its weapons, and adds 49.7 kg.

2. Laser Cannon +11IP
WEAPON……….WA…..RNG……DMG……LOC……SPECIAL NOTES
Laser Cannon…..+1……..1km..…7d6x5……RA……..No burstfire ability
A powered-up version of the standard laser gun built into a hardsuit's right arm, this weapon prohibits the inclusion of a manipulator of any kind. In exchange, room is made for the high-speed capacitor which power the laser.

3.Beam Missiles +11IP
WEAPON……….WA…..RNG……DMG……LOC……SPECIAL NOTES
Beam Missiles….-2……550m…..7d6x3….Torso….*Does damage twice per hit
This system packs the power of the Hand Cannon (BGC B&A p69) in a compact package; batteries and converter packs are attached to the outside surfaces of the hardsuit's calves and thighs, linked to the main projector array on the chest. For firing, the chest panels open to clear the dual beam lenses

4. Slingers +1IP
WEAPON……….WA…..RNG……DMG……LOC……SPECIAL NOTES
Slingers…………-1………200m……..(*)……A,A…….*Entangling
This pair of arm-mounted line-throwers uses compressed gas to launch multi-role grapnels. Each grapnel is a combination articulated claw, adhesive plate and electromagnet, and is attached by a weaved monofilament line to a coreless-motor winch. The 200m lines are capable of supporting 3 tons and allow the hardsuit to easily swing from building to building and/or entangle opponents.

5. Wing Pannier +18IP
Armor: 40SP Structure: 30SDC Weight: +31.5kg FLYING MA: 101 (304kph) Ground Maneuver: -2REF & MA when worn
WEAPON……….WA…..RNG……DMG……LOC……SPECIAL NOTES
Vulcan Gun…….+0……480m…….8d6*…..Torso….*AP, ROF 80, 7 bursts
This device attaches to a Hardsuit's shoulders and back to grant full flight capability. Clamplike panels close over the chest to secure the unit, which consists of a turbofan engine, variable-geometry wings, and a triple-barreled Vulcan gun. The Wing Pannier allows the Hardsuit to fly for extended periods of time, although hovering isn't possible (the turbine would stall). When not in use, the wings can fold down over the back of the Hardsuit.

6. BB-2000 Eliminator +16IP
WEAPON……….WA…..RNG……DMG……LOC……SPECIAL NOTES
Eliminator……….+0…..166m……7d6x4*…RA…….*API, ROF5, 20bursts
This weapon uses magnetic fields to fire a mercury-like liquid (stored inside a tank on the back) like a railgun. It was designed to be attached to the right arm of Priss' first Hardsuit, but was never actually deployed in combat.