"All I need is a few more dead ASPs. Especially the Black Asp himself.
He's blackened this earth long enough."
- The Mongoose
Paint It Black
By Norman McMullen
ASP attack plans have been leaked to the public with increased frequency lately. With most of the attacks stopped by local duelists, the National Guard, GNATS and DEATH, things are not looking good for ASP. Recently, duelists have charged that ASP and the dueling chapter MADD have been working together. The Federal Government and the AADA investigated the claims. They've turned up some very interesting things. Namely, ASP members are being trained by Lt. Col. Jeff Stevens - MADD President. Can things get any worse? A couple months ago, ASP and GNATS joined forces for mutual aid. They have executed a few attacks and met with little success, all due to leaked information. ASP's counter-intelligence branch has recently uncovered the leak in the form of a GNATS agent by the name of Robbi Lynn Allen. Unfortunately, she and her GNATS special-ops crew had just stolen ASP's greatest weapon - the Darkwing stealth bomber. They' headed for Hartford with the intent to bomb the city. The Black Asp ordered his planes up to intercept the bomber and recover it. But GNATS flew escort. "So much for the treaty; this means WAR", screamed the Black Asp. The National Guard and GHOST were alerted by satellite tracking about the upcoming attack. Both groups launched airplanes to defend the city. While Hartford sleeps, the air war began.
Set up: Use the Midville or City Blocks maps for the city. The GNATS enter from the West with the ASP Darkwing bomber and six GNATS Fireflies. The crew skills are: Pilot +1, Gunner +1, and Handgunner. They have IBA, a parachute, a heavy pistol, and 2 grenades. Robbi Lynn Allen's skills and equipment are: Driver +3, Gunner +3, Pilot +2, Handgunner +1, Martial Arts +3, Disguise +1, Stealth +2, Lockpicking +2, Investigation +2, Parachute, Computer +3 and Electronics +2. She has impact armor, a parachute, a heavy pistol, and a grenade.
ASP enters from the South with one ASP Boa and six ASP Viper IIs. Their skills are: Pilot +2, Gunner +2, and Handgunner. They have body armor, a parachute, a heavy pistol, and 3 grenades. The ASP troopers in the Boa have the following skills and equipment: Driver, Pilot, Gunner, Parachute and Handgunner +2; they have body armor, a parachute, a machine pistol, and a limpet mine.
The National Guard has $2,500,000 to build at six jet airplanes; they enter from the North. They have IBA, $2000 for handweapons, and 100 skill points (maximum of +3 in any skill). No military equipment or jet fighters allowed.
GHOST enters from the East with at least six jet airplanes total value of $2,000,000. They have 80 skill points with a maximum of +3 in any skill, and have IBA and $2000 for handweapons. No military equipment or jet fighters allowed.
The GNATS objective is to bomb Hartford and get away with the bomber. They must fully cross the maps from West to East to accomplish this. The ASP objective is to take the Darkwing bomber using the ASP Boa transport's troops and get it back to their base. Let's talk dangerous! The National Guard and GHOST objectives are to stop ASP and GNATS, of course.
Vehicles:
ASP Boa: Cargo Airplane, 3 10-space jet engines (2 in wings and 1 in fuselage), 35 gallon dueling gas tank with jet fuel, 6 HD tires, pilot, co-pilot, 5 gunners, 20 troopers, 4 lasers in 2 universal turrets top, HL linked to 5 RLs front, 7 hi-res computers, aircraft radio, radar, LGLs, laser battery, IFE, retractible landing gear, IFF, extra driving controls, assault ramp rear, LR Armor: F48 RF47 LF47 RB47 LB47 B47 TF47 TB47 UF47 UB47, accel 15, top speed 510 mph, HC 0, 29,993 lbs , $613,468.
ASP Darkwing (By Craig Sheeley and Don Viner): Large Cargo Flying Wing Airplane, 30 space HP jet engine, 205 gallon racing gas tank with jet fuel, improved controls, radar altimeter, radar ID, refueling probe, retractible landing gear, search radar, 6 HD FP tires with 10 pts RPFP wheelguards, streamlined, TFR, 16 long-barrelled HMGs w/HD ammo in 4 universal turrets (2 T, 2 U), 4 ATS, pilot, co-pilot, 4 gunners, 4 cyberlinks (gunners), military radar jammer, 4 IR/laser rangefinders, IR shielding, 4 1000 lb. bombs or 4000 lbs. of bombs, IR/thermograph, silencer/flash suppressers for HMGs, weapon stabilizers for HMGs, ATAD sensor-laser based, IFF, man. foils with 10 pts RPFP armor, sloped FPRP Armor: F133 B133 and 122 pts on each of the other 16 locations with 10 pts of RPFP wing armor, accel. 15, top speed 520 mph, HC 0, 78,000 lbs, $2,893,885.
ASP Viper II: Medium Airplane, 5 space HP jet engine, 35 gallon dueling gas tank, 3 PR tires, pilot, laser linked to 2 RLs (in fuselage) and 2 VFRPs (in wings) front, radar, aircraft radio, swept wings, retractable landing gear, LGLs, hi-res computer, IFF, LR Armor: F80 R75 L75 B80 T75 U80, accel 15, top speed 750 mph, HC 2, 10,000 lbs, $284,705.
GNATS Firefly: Medium Airplane with swept wings, 40 points of RPFP wing armor, 6 space HP jet engine with a 50 gal. racing gas tank with fuel, 3 PR tires, retractible. landing gear, pilot, 3 linked VMGs (1F, 2W), 2 CDs linked in wings, imp. tail assembly, HRSWC, aircraft radio, radar, radar detector and jammer, refueling probe, infrared, man. foils with 20 pts of FPRP armor. FPRP Armor: F90 L90 R90 B90 T92 U92, Accel. 15, top speed 830 mph, HC 2, 9995 lbs., $365,220.
Game Notes: This is a nighttime adventure, with a modifier of -3 on
all to hit rolls. Radar and infrared sensors will help in targeting; radar
reduces the to hit modifier to -2, and infrared negates the modifier altogether.
Any radar-shielded vehicle will have 12 on 2d6 chance of being spotted,
radar jammer will increase the chance to 11 or 12 on 2d6. Infrared-shielded
vehicles will be detected on 12 on 2d6. Military radar has the same chances
as normal radar of detecting a shielded vehicle. Image enhancement and
light-amplification work as normal against shielded vehicles.
Targeting the wings of Flying Wing : microplanes
can be targeted from top or bottom at a +2, airplanes at a +4 and jet fighters
at a +4. This due to the increased wing area of a flying wing. The fuselage
can be targeted normally. This supersedes the Aeroduel rules.
The Darkwing bomber is infamous for being the only
ASP vehicle without laser reflective armor. It first successful use was
the bombing of NOVA's decoy headquarters on December 24,2039. Since then,
it's been in storage at one of East Coast bases. As replacing it would
cost ASP millions, it is not used regularly. It may carry a variety of
bombs. Due to the events of The "Murphy's Law"/Terrorcon (Midwest Atlas)
and "No Nukes is Good Nukes" (Operation: No Shoulders I) adventures, ASP
or GNATS could have up to 4 nuclear bombs. The Duelmaster may use this
option however he or she feels. Normal bombs are deadly enough for normal
play, but if want that real nuclear scare, here you go.
Unbeknownst to everyone involved, Robbi Lynn Allen
has escaped through other means than the Darkwing bomber. To the ASP's
chagrin, she has taken a lot of information on them, which spells their
future demise. To answer everyone's questions, no, she is not the Mongoose.
Victory conditions: GNATS wins if they cripple or destroy the ASP, National
Guard and GHOST forces, and escape with the bomber and at least half it's
escorts. ASP wins if they take back the bomber and cripple or destroy all
other forces. The National Guard and GHOST wins if all the ASP and GNATS
aircraft are crippled or destroyed.
There is a Mountain
by Norman McMullen
ARF finds the ASP clone bank on Mount St. Helens and raids it. In the battle that ensues, all ARF forces are repelled. Another old friend shows up to torment ASP: GNATS. Unknown to the terrorist groups, the National Guard has been alerted to the base's presence. The information leak in ASP continues. ASP destroys their base and flees, but in so doing they set off the volcano. The battle is about to blow it's top - literally.
Set up: Use Car Wars Tanks or Chopper Challenge maps. ASP starts out at the North end of the maps with six Anacondas. The ASP personnel skills are: Driver +2, Gunner +2, and Handgunner. They have body armor, an assault rifle, a heavy pistol and 2 grenades each. GNATS enter from the East with six Maggot/Flys. Their skills are: Driver +1, Pilot +1, Gunner +1, and Handgunner. They have IBA, an assault rifle, a heavy pistol, and a grenade each.
ARF enters from the West with six vehicles worth $600,000 total. Their personnel have 80 skill points, with a maximum of +3 in any skill. Each character has body armor and $1500 for handweapons. The National Guard enters from the South with $1,500,000 worth of ground (no tanks) or airborne vehicles (at least 12). They have 100 skill points, with a maximum of +3 in any skill. They have military body armor, and $2500 for handweapons. No military equipment allowed.
ASP must escape off the South end of the maps with at least half their vehicles to win. The other forces win depending on how many of the their respective enemies they destroy or disable. For GNATS it in is order: ASP, ARF and the National Guard. For ARF it's ASP, GNATS and the National Guard. For the National Guard it is: ASP, ARF, GNATS = alphabet soup.
Vehicles:
ASP Anaconda: Luxury with CAF, x-hvy chassis, OR suspension, super power
plant w/PCs and SCs, 4 OR solid tires, driver, gunner, 2 linked RLs w/incendiary
ammo and pulse infrared Laser front, infrared LL linked to a MML w/incendiary
ammo in an universal turret, SD w/explosive. ammo rear, 2 bumper triggers,
vehicular computer w/computer navigator., 2 hi-res computers, LD radio,
overdrive, ABS/HD brakes, tinted/no paint windows, LGLs, LR Armor: F40
R40 L40 B40 T40 U16, accel. 5, top speed 112.5/132.5 mph, HC 2, 6596 lbs,
$92,404.
GNATS Maggot/Fly: Luxury w/CA Frame, x-hvy chassis, mini-copter gas engine, OR suspension, 4 OR solid tires, driver/pilot only, VMG in universal pop-down turret, VMG front, smart link for VMGs, HRSWC, grasshopper equipment, infrared, radar, 15 gallon racing fuel tank with fuel, four sets of tire chains, spoiler, airdam, overdrive, ABS/HD brakes, 10 pts. stabilizing rotor armor, 10 pts. main rotor armor, FPRP Armor: F49 R49 L49 B49 T15 U40, accel. 15 (ground) and 5 (airborne), top speed 125 (ground) and 155 (airborne), HC 2 (ground or airborne), 6595 lbs , $99,890.
Game Notes: The maps are sloped at 35 degrees from South to North, The North being higher. This modifies speed by +/-5 mph, depending on which direction the vehicle is traveling. Rock slides will move down the maps at 20 mph. Any vehicle encountering a rock slide takes a D3 hazard. The rock slide is a half inch wide and will move in a straight path down the maps. The slide will stop if it hits a large stream or river. A lava flow will begin at the Northern edge of the map. It is two inches wide and will move an inch per turn. Any ground vehicles going into the lava, takes a D3 hazard and 3 dice of flame/fire damage to all exposed sides. Hovercraft and low flying air vehicles (within a half inch above the ground) will take a D1 hazard and a die of damage to exposed surfaces. Any grass, shrubs and trees touched by the lava will be incinerated, creating smoke clouds above them.
The Black Asp was once an ARF General. Several years ago he split from
the Anarchist Relief Front (ARF) to form the organization known as Assassination,
Sabotage and Protectism (ASP). He's viewed as totally insane in other terrorist
circles. ARF has ignored ASP for years until recently, when ASP became
the disgrace of the terrorist world. ARF decided that they would help rid
the world of ASP then live with them. So they declared war on ASP. If any
ASP vehicles are captured somewhat intact, the National Guard will find
ASP financial records and membership lists. The money trail will lead to
Dr. Darksun- a Midwest terrorist and land scams. When they have thoroughly
gone through them, they will find that MADD is supported by ASP and is
listed as a training base.
Burnin' for You
by Norman McMullen
ASP has had a bad time lately. With the loss of much needed funds and allies, ASP bases and vehicles have been attacked at will by numerous enemies. A leak continues to give the Black Asp headaches. To boost moral, the Black Asp planned an attack on Austin, Texas. He commanded his troops to destroy without mercy and sent them on their way. GNATS, BLAAST and ARF heard about the attack and planned to intercept their enemies outside the city. A wild brush fire started by a nearby duel raced across the countryside towards the unsuspecting combatants. All the ingrediants were present to make one hot battle!
Set up: Use the Car Wars Tanks or Chopper Challenge maps. ASP enter
from the North with six Venoms. Their crews' skills are: Driver +2, Pilot
+2, Gunner +2, and Handgunner. They have body armor, an assault rifle,
a heavy pistol and 2 grenades. GNATS enters from the West with six Locusts.
Their skills are: Hover +1, Gunner +1 and Handgunner. They have IBA, an
assault rifle, a heavy pistol and a grenade. ARF enters from the East with
six vehicles with a total value of $450,000. They have 80 skill points
each with a maximum of +3 in any skill with body armor and $1500 for handweapons.
BLAAST enters from the South with six vehicles with a total value of $500,000.
They have 80 skill points each with a maximum of +3 in any skill, with
IBA, firesuit and $2000 for handweapons.
The ASP force must make it off the South side of
the maps with at least half their force to win.
Vehicles:
ASP Venom: Luxury w/CA Frame, x-hvy chassis, small helicopter power plant, OR suspension, 4 ORPR tires, driver, Infrared Laser linked to 2 RLs front, LGLs, Grasshopper gear, radar detector and jammer, tinted/no-paint windows, HD/ABS brakes, vehicular computer, computer navigator, hi-res computer, LD radio, LR Armor: F17 R17 L17 B17 T17 U17, accel. 15 ground or 5 air, top speed 197.5 mph, HC 2, 6590 lbs., $78,230.
GNATS Locust: Large Hovercraft, 400 ci with a 15 gallon dueling gas tank and gas, std. skirts, pilot, gunner, universally turreted VMG, HVMG front, vehicular computer with computer navigator., tinted/no-paint windows, overdrive, LD radio, infrared, 2 hi-res computers, turbofans, FPRP Armor: F44 R40 L40 B40 T40 U42, accel. 10, top speed 110 mph, HC 2, 10,492 lbs., $75,251.
Game Notes: The wildfire will race onto the East side of the map at 10 mph or 1 inches per turn, it will cover the length of the maps. It will do a die damage to all exposed surfaces (tires, underbody, lift fans, rotors, etc) with the same fire modifiers as a regular flamethrower. As a side effect hot smoke will be created above the fire, which infrared can't penetrate. Visibility is cut to 15 feet or 1 inch and normal smoke penalties apply within it. Smoke rising from the fire will go to 1500 feet or 100 inches game scale before dissipating, the last 10 inches visibility is 150 feet or 10 inches game scale for anyone flying through it.
Depending on wind conditions wildfires may move up 40 to 60 mph and
the dryness of the area, also matters. The map placement will help determine
the speed of the fire. Regular and infrared lasers will not penetrate the
smoke. But the X-ray lasers can fire through the smoke with a -2 to hit
per half inch of smoke. Laminated maps and water soluble markers are very
useful in these adventures, namely because the destruction of things. This
saves loads of smoke, debris, obstacles, etc... counters used normally
during the adventure. The cost of laminating a map sheet is only a few
dollars and money's well spent.
Blinded by the Light
by Norman McMullen
ASP over the past month has been beaten, pillaged and raped at will by its enemies. Only a few ASP bases still exist in the USA. The Black Asp orders the consolidation of the remaining bases. The survivors of the Mt. Helens base make their way to the Southern California base on the Pacific Coast Highway (I-1). The mysterious leak persists, despite the efforts of the Black Asp to silence it. Somehow, GNATS, DEATH and some duelists hear of the ASP movements. As ASP travels South on the PCH in the early morning, a blinding fog forms North of San Francisco. In the fog a reception committe waited.
Set up: Use road sections (1d6; 1-4: straight, 5: left turn, 6: right turn). See Game Notes for more details. The ASP enter on the North end of the road sections with eight Cottonmouths. Their crews' skills are: driver +2, gunner +2, and handgunner. They have body armor with an assault rifle, a hvy. pistol and 2 grenades each. The GNATS enter from the South end with three Silverfish. Their skills are: driver +1, gunner +1 and handgunner. They have IBA with an assault rifle, a hvy pistol and a grenade. The DEATH car enters any where along the road sections in the second turn. The driver's skills are: driver +3, gunner +3, handgunner +2, and running +1. He wears blended body armor and has any handweapons he wants. His shots will be to disable (tire shots and weak armor) and has 2 firing actions per turn. See Game Notes for more information. The Autoduelists enter from the East. They have $600,000 to build six ground vehicles. Each gets 80 skill points with a maximum of +3 any skill. They have IBA and $2000 for handweapons. They enter on the third turn on the South end of the road sections.
Vehicles:
ASP Cottonmouth: Mid-size, x-hvy chassis, sports power plant with PCs and SCs, hvy suspension, 4 solid tires, driver, Infrared LL linked to 2 RLs front, vehicular computer, comp. navigator., radar detector and jammer, LD radio, tinted/no paint windows, LGLs, hi-res computer, ABS/HD brakes, LR Armor: F40 R40 L40 B40 T40 U28, Accel. 10, top speed 135 mph, HC 3, 5756 lbs., $46,863.
GNATS Silverfish: Mini-Bus, x-hvy chassis, small truck power plant, 10 PR tires, driver, 2 gunners, 3 HVMGs linked front, HVMG universally turreted, 2 HDFCE linked rear, 2 passenger accomidation., galley, IFE, 3 hi-res computers, infrared, smart link for HVMGs, Armor: F50 R47 L47 B48 T48 U31, Accel. 2.5/5, top speed 102.5 mph, HC 1, 14,394 lbs., $95,372.
DEATH Car #3: Luxury, x-hvy chassis, special power plant, variable suspension, 4 advanced solid tires (18 DP), driver, passenger, disrupter front, solar cells, anti-theft system with 10 AP grenades exterior, deadman sensor linked to an explosive charge, tinted/no paint windows, advanced vehicular computer, IFE, radar, radar detector, radar jammer, streamlining, stealth gear, grasshopper gear, sound enhancement, IR targeting, virtual reality hi-res targeting computer, sonar, military/aircraft radio, spoiler, airdam, amphibious. mods, 10 rocket boosters rear, 10 jump jets rear, Sloped Laminated FPRP Armor: F60 R58 L58 B58 T56 U20 with 4 10-pt laminated FPRP wheelguards, Accel. 10 (ground and air), top speed 220mph+, HC 5 (on and off road) HC 2 airborne, 6600 lbs. $250,000+.
Game Notes: The early mourning fog is worse than your average fog. The
visibility is reduced to 15 feet (one inch game scale) with to hit modifier
of -6 because of the blinding fog. Alternate targeting systems are useful
in the fog. Infrared will penetrate up to twenty inches in any direction.
Radar is unaffected. The fog goes up to 10,000 feet above sea level. Air
vehicles without sighting enhancement will have to rely on their instruments
and maps for navigation. Lasers and fog don't mix, because of the suspended
water drops in the fog defuse the laser's energy. For each quarter inch
the laser travels reduce the damage by one damage point. Laser guided rockets
have a base to hit of 7, instead of the normal of 4 because of the fog.
Remember, the fog covers the whole combat area.
The Pacific Coast Highway runs along the California
coast, usually along cliffs facing the ocean. For this adventure, the highway
runs on such a cliffside with a 300 foot drop into the ocean to the West.
And a 100 foot cliff face to the East. Combat will be tight and deadly
on these twisting two lanes of death.
DEATH is a highly mysterious vigilante organization.
They are known by their black cars. With their drivers are known by colorful
names, like; The Knight, Wraith, Burner, etc... DEATH is known to control
firepower and force to stop criminals, terrorists, etc..., not to kill
them. But leave them for city or state law enforcement to pick up. No one
knows where or how DEATH comes from. Somehow they know where the trouble
is. It is known there isn't very many of them around. Their selection process
is unknown at this time. To date no DEATH driver has ever been seen, or
if they have been seen people aren't talking.
DEATH cars have an unnerving ability to look like
common cars. Such as: The Rocket, Python, Naginata, Piranha, Chameleon,
etc... Their armor takes damage as metal armor. It is destroyed on a 6
per die of damage done. It will self destruct if the driver is killed.
The DEATH car will leave the map if it two-thirds damaged. In combat the
DEATH car has two firing actions per turn.
New Items:
Virtual Reality Targeting Computer: Costs $6,000, Weights 25 lbs., no
space and +1 To hit. The Virtual Reality Targeting Computer is a high definition
targeting computer, that ties in other targeting systems. Such as: radar,
infrared and sonar. The other targeting systems must be purchased separately.
Virtual Reality is a computer generated landscape or anything else, so
detailed that it is difficult to tell it apart from the real thing. The
targeting systems uses this to generate the heads-up display on the inside
of the windshield of the vehicle.
The VRTC can negate the targeting modifiers for:
smoke, paint, hot spots ( infrared effects of: FOJs, FCEs, Flamethrowers,
etc...) and weather (rain, fog, etc...). The user just needs to press a
button to negate any or all firing disruptions. Blinding effects of Searchlights
or flash grenades are not normally negated, unless tinted windows are purchased
for the vehicle. Its to hit bonus is +1. Two upgrades are available: +2
upgrade (hi-res): Costs $10,000 and Weights 40 lbs. It gives a +2 to Hit.
Full Virtual Reality upgrade: Costs $30,000, Weights
100 lbs. and 1 space. This upgrade makes the whole driving environment
virtual reality (the car, the road, the sky and everything else). The drive
can actually look through his own car completely or through any section
of it, he wishes. The to hit bonus is +3 and it takes a little getting
use to. To fully use the Full Virtual Reality you need either; a Neurolink
or a Virtual Suit. A Virtual Suit is a jumpsuit that converts the person's
body from normal reality to virtual reality context. It does this by using
sensors within the suit to read all movements of the body and give sensory
input back. A Virtual Suit costs $1000 and is unarmored. Armored versions
are available as regular body armor types: Virtual Body Armor costs $2000.
Virtual IBA costs $4000 and Virtual Impact Armor
costs $3000.
Disruptor: To hit 6, Costs $30,000, Weights 150
lbs., 3 DP, 3d+1d damage, drains 1 power unit per shot, 1 space and area
effect. The disruptor uses an ultrasonic beam of sound to damage its target.
Due to the nature of this weapon, it will do an additional die of damage
to the interior or second armor layer of the vehicle. The secondary effect
is caused by the sound vibrations at the point of attack. The Disruptor
is not affected by smoke, paint, etc, like a laser is. Targeting penalties
still apply, but damage is unaffected. Disruptors will function normally
above and below water, but will not work in outer space. They cannot be
used guide rockets, missiles or bombs.
The disruptor can be used to stun pedestrians as
a concussion grenade with full effects if it hits or can be used in the
same manner for area effect fire. It does full damage to laser reflective
armor and a third damage to metal armor.
Example: a metal armored car gets hit by a disruptor,
doing 12 points of damage. The metal loses 4 points of armor and the disruptor
does an additional die of damage to whatever is next inside that side.
Victory conditions: ASP must get off the South end of the road sections
with at least half their vehicles to win. GNATS must destroy or disable
most of the ASP vehicles to win, while at least two of their Silverfish
survive. The DEATH driver wins if it disables or helps destroy most of
the ASP and GNATS vehicles. The Autoduelists wins if they disable or destroy
most of the ASP and GNATS vehicles.
Thanks: Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of Operation: No Shoulders. Especially: Michael Garrity, Chris French, Tim Jacques and the other NOVA members. And a BIG thanks to Craig Sheeley for creating ASP in the first place.