Custom Rules

Custom Rules

Adding depth to a campaign is mainly about storytelling and interaction, but a few extra mechanisms for translating events in the story into game effects can be useful. Most of these optional rules add a little colour to the general campaign setting, enhancing the players’ feeling of immersion and involvement in a living, breathing world.

Financial

The financial rules are designed to expand upon the manner in which characters handle their finances. Costs of living are a drain on the characters’ resources, but for characters who choose to roleplay the extra depth added is worth the price. Stocks and shares allow shrewd players to make their money work for them, and for some to even work the stock market themselves, adding another level of interaction with financiers and other corporates. The Operative Credit Scheme enables characters the opportunity to recover from otherwise potentially fatal financial disasters, at a price to be paid later.

Cost of living

When a player sees the bonus scheme for a BPN they will generally mentally tally up how closer the sum will take them to the next bit of equipment on their shopping list. A character, however, will also be thinking of how they can use the money to get new shoes, a better apartment, a new TV, or sometimes even basics like food and heating. Frothers particularly are driven by their insatiable need for expensive drugs, but all characters will see their money dwindling over time as they spend it on the general cost of life. Tracking the cost of living needn’t be pin-point accurate, and if done on a general level can release players from having to track trivia such as buying drinks on BPNs, as these can be included in the overall costs. Tracking the characters’ outgoings means a GM will also have to track the in-game date, but this isn’t as much of a bind as it sounds if done only roughly. Costs can be tracked most easily by taking a lump sum off each character at the beginning or end of the month. Almost every credit a character spends will go to a SLA owned subsidiary, and so consider their monthly bill as balancing their credit. Listed here are rough cost examples for a character’s cost of living by month. Some of these choices are set by advantages and disadvantages taken during character creation, some are at the player’s discretion and some are set by the GM. A player may dispute that their cost of living is too high, but a GM should remind them that many people in real life are also at a loss to explain where much of their money goes. Remember, the GM’s decision is final.

Housing

A character’s housing is initially dictated by their rank in the housing advantage or disadvantage. If a character wishes to move to better accommodation then they may apply, but they aren’t guaranteed to get anything. Lower grade housing is in short supply, and luxury housing is allocated by committee. If a player wishes to move to a new home the GM should make a roll against the housing availability, adding the character’s reputation (whichever the GM deems appropriate, but generally SLA or public image). This may be done once a month, and will incur a one off charge of a month’s rent in addition to the rent due for administration, moving expenses and modifications carried out to make the house secure for an Operative. Ranks 8 and upwards of housing advantage represent the character owning the lease for their property and therefore pay no rent, and as such are not included in the list.

Homeless

The character lives on the streets in Downtown. A homeless character may not own more equipment than he can carry unless he has an alternate place to store it, such as a vehicle. A GM should use their discretion with regards to equipment storage, thefts and general health of a homeless character. Remember that SLA forbids homeless Operatives from staying with friends.

Rent:	Rank:	Availability:
0	-10	Always

Lower Downtown bedsit

A bedsit in Lower Downtown is little more than a room with a bed and a TV in it. It will have access to a shared kitchen and a shared bathroom with a shower and toilet. Being in Lower Downtown, the building will be old, dilapidated, and badly in need of repair. Necessities such as power, heating and water will be intermittent and security is limited to a simple lock on a thin door. Even the walls are thin and weak, allowing the sounds of the neighbours to constantly penetrate and offering little resistance to any physical stress. The other residents of a bedsit in Lower Downtown are likely to be thin and unhealthy, forgotten by SLA’s welfare system and resentful of an Operative neighbour because of it. Despite the terrible conditions in these slums, the low cost puts them under great demand by those desperate to get off the streets.

Rent:	Rank:	Availability:
8c	-9	-6

Small Lower Downtown apartment

Most housing in Lower Downtown is in a poor state. The buildings are ancient and neglected, and basic amenities are a luxury. This rank is typical apartment in Lower Downtown, occupied by the majority of the residents here. Nobody lives here by choice, but there are less comfortable options and so these little dwellings are under constant demand. Despite only having one small combined bedroom/living room/kitchen, and a tiny bathroom, many of these dwellings will have an entire family living in them.

Rent:	Rank:	Availability:
12c	-8	-4

Large Lower Downtown apartment

Describing any Downtown apartment as large is misleading – it is still tiny, but compared to other housing there it is relatively large. This rank of housing will have a single bedroom, small living room, and a small bathroom and kitchen. Occasionally these are two small apartments knocked into one, usually accidentally. While a Lower Downtowner may see this as being luxurious, it is still fraught with the problems of living in such a squalid area.

Rent:	Rank:	Availability:
20c	-7	-2

Upper Downtown bedsit

Bedsits in Upper Downtown are typically of the same size as the ones in Lower Downtown, but they have the advantage of having working electricity and water most of the time. The quality of the structures is good enough to stop people being able to kick holes in the walls, and so this is the minimum level of housing where an Op can consider leaving things unattended at home. Even so, security is poor and space is very limited. Other occupants of such poor housing are likely to feel resentment towards SLA and their employees for being made to live there.

Rent:	Rank:	Availability:
30c	-6	-4

Small Upper Downtown apartment

Upper Downtown consists of millions of these small apartments. They are mass produced in vast concrete towers and consist of a single room that acts as bedroom, living room and kitchen, with a small bathroom attached. These are the staple housing of most of Mort’s population, and SLA provides them free for the unemployed. Operatives, however, have to pay for them.

Rent:	Rank:	Availability:
45c	-5	-5

Large Upper Downtown apartment

While still very small, by Downtown standards this rank of housing is above average. Many Ops who grew up in Downtown choose to live in these locations as they prefer to be close to the areas where they spend most of their BPNs, and some feel more comfortable in their home environment. These apartments are similar to the average small apartments found in abundance, but have a separate bedroom and living room/kitchen. This allows an Op to fit a secure closet for equipment without dramatically reducing their living space. SLA sees this security as an important asset for its Ops, and will often prioritise them for this sort of housing.

Rent:	Rank:	Availability:
55c	-4	0

Upper Downtown family apartment

One of the successes of SLA’s benefits scheme is the family apartment. While many families in Downtown are forced to share a single room, lucky ones may get one of these multi-room apartments. Most are a result of an ongoing modernization programme run by the Dept of Housing, and demand for them is extreme. Consisting of two bedrooms, a living room, a bathroom, and a separate kitchen, this grade of housing is comparable to housing in Suburbia apart from the location. The rooms in a family apartment branch off a separate corridor, allowing particularly large families to use the living room as a third bedroom. All this is provided rent free to families on benefits. Operatives may apply for one of these large apartments, as a few are privately owned and exempt from allocation by the Dept of Housing. Those that aren’t occupied by families, though, are usually owned by influential gang members and other Downtown profiteers, so Operatives are advised to be cautious when dealing with potential landlords. Of course, an Operative with enough influence can always find a way around the red tape to get one legitimately.

	SLA Owned
Rent:	Rank:	Availability:
80c	-3	-10
	Private
1000u+	-3	-5

Suburban bedsit

The economic gap between Downtown and Suburbia is huge, and it shows in the quality of the housing. While uncommon, a bedsit in Suburbia may seem less inviting than an apartment in Downtown, but the presence of the inner wall and larger numbers of Shivers make it far safer. Suburban bedsits are usually used as temporary accommodation for those found without somewhere more suitable to live, or who are between homes. This makes them more like a motel or hostel, and rooms are usually available. Some choose to live there though, such as students needing a cheap but safe place to stay, and Shivers who use them like barrack blocks and thrive on the sense of camaraderie encouraged by shared accommodation.

Rent:	Rank:	Availability:
50c	-2	+5

Suburban Apartment

The Suburban apartment is even more standardised than those in Downtown. They form row upon row of squat, cube-like concrete buildings and are depressingly identical. With few exceptions they resemble a smaller version of the family apartments found in Downtown, with a central corridor feeding into a bathroom, separate kitchen, living room and bedroom. Many Operatives live in such places, and often the living room is used as a second bedroom instead so that the rent can be shared.

Rent:	Rank:	Availability:
150c*	-1	+3	*75c if shared

Standard Uptown apartment

SLA pledges to try to house Operatives in these purpose built apartments. Whole buildings are set aside specifically for this purpose, with each apartment fitted with security doors and armoured cabinets to store weapons and armour. Additionally, CCTV and permanently manned reception provide an extra, active, level of security. The security of these buildings combined with a heavy Shiver presence make thefts of Operatives’ equipment rare. The apartment itself is small, with only one combined bedroom and lounge, a separate kitchen and a bathroom, but for most Ops this is entirely satisfactory. Standard apartments are well constructed in order to accommodate potentially energetic residents such as Frothers and Brain Wasters, and are usually well decorated. Operative housing, as with many residential buildings in Uptown, has underground parking for its residents.

Rent:	Rank:	Availability:
200c	0	0

Extended Uptown apartment

Operatives who would like a little more space can choose to apply for one of the extended apartments. These are usually located on the corners of buildings and are less numerous, which of course makes them more desirable. Extended apartments are almost identical to the standard apartment, but are slightly larger with a separate bedroom and lounge/kitchen.

Rent:	Rank:	Availability:
250c	1	-2

Two-bedroom Uptown apartment

While more commonly occupied by families, Operatives do occasionally shun their purpose built accommodation in order to live among real people. This grade of housing is typically occupied by executives and successful freelancers such as reporters and financiers. As well as comfortable housing, the central parts of these buildings are usually given over to sporting facilities and children’s play areas, enabling the residents to relax in safety. Civilian apartment buildings in Uptown are administered by resident committees, and Operatives wishing to live in one must first convince the residents that they will not endanger them or their families, and that they will not lower the tone. A two-bedroom apartment in Uptown typically has a bathroom with bath and shower, a separate kitchen, lounge and two comfortably sized bedrooms.

Rent:	Rank:	Availability:
350c	2	-6

Three-bedroom Uptown apartment

These large apartments often share the same buildings as their two-bedroom counterpart. Similar in design, they have a spacious bathroom, separate kitchen, living room, dining room and three bedrooms. Rent: Rank: Availability: 500c 3 -6

Two-bedroom Uptown penthouse suite

At the top of every tower block in Uptown are the penthouse suites. These expensive apartments are spacious, beautifully decorated, and offer stunning views of the city. The two-bedroom suites are the most affordable of these, but are rarely within an Operative’s price range. Typically a two-bedroom penthouse will have a large bathroom, separate kitchen and lounge, and two large bedrooms with smaller en-suite shower rooms.

Rent:	Rank:	Availability:
600c	4	-8

Two-bedroom luxury Uptown penthouse suite

All Uptown penthouses are luxurious, but some are more luxurious than others. Luxury suites consist of two bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, a generous kitchen, large living room and separate dining room. The typical luxury penthouse also has a balcony that hosts a small garden in addition to all the features of a regular penthouse. Chemically treated soil leeches the pollutants out of the rain, and biogenetically engineered plants never require cutting, allowing busy executives to enjoy their little patch of greenery. Most gardens have retractable covers to allow the residents to relax there without getting wet, or entertain guests on the lawn. Alternatively, some luxury apartments don’t have the garden but have individual underground garages.

Rent:	Rank:	Availability:
750c	5	-10

Three-bedroom luxury Uptown penthouse suite

The three-bedroom suite is very similar to the two-bedroom luxury suite, but is slightly larger and has an extra bedroom.

Rent:	Rank:	Availability:
900c	6	-10

Two-bedroom Uptown executive suite

Executive suites are the most decadent homes on Mort, found spanning the tops of residential buildings. They are vast, often occupying two levels and fed by private elevators. Each huge bedroom has a spacious en-suite bathroom complete with Jacuzzi, fitted music systems, and biogenetic self-tending plants. Often the centre of the suite is occupied by a lounge that rises through both levels, overlooked by balconies leading to the bedrooms and with glass ceilings and huge windows. Many executive suites have modest gardens, similar to luxury penthouses but larger. Access to these homes is by private elevator, which also leads to a private underground garage large enough for several vehicles.

Rent:	Rank:	Availability:
1500c	7	-12

Food

Everybody’s got to eat, but some characters are more discerning about what they eat. Few Ops will choose to eat badly though, and players wishing to have their characters live on 12c a month should be prepared to accept a -1 phys due to malnutrition. Basic food represents a typical Op’s diet – a mix of fast food, nutrient snacks and an occasional bar meal. While this may not seem particularly healthy, Ops are usually extremely physically active and the nutrient snacks they supplement their basic diet with provide everything that pizza and burgers lack. Shaktar and Wraith Raiders tend to be more discerning about what they eat, and tend to prefer food prepared in the manner they are accustomed. Much of what they eat is shipped to Mort from off-world, and so is more expensive. SLA does what it can to subsidise these specialist ingredients though, so the price isn’t as high as it would normally be, and while the alien races prefer their own food they can survive on a basic diet as well as a human could. Stormers rarely care what their food tastes like. For them it is simply fuel, but as Stormers burn a lot more fuel then they eat much more. Most Stormers tend to eat food designed for them – a sort of protein rich tofu that other races find tasteless and plasticky. This is designed to be cheap enough for the Stormer to be able to consume enough of it and not suffer financially, and so it works out about the same as a basic human diet. Stormers are perfectly capable of eating normal food though, and often supplement their diet with red meat.

Poor (low quality and quantity)	12
Basic (fast food, nutri-snacks)	30
Good (some prepared meals)	45
Very good (some restaurants)	60+
Stormer – basic	30
Stormer – supplemented	40
Wraith Raider – basic	35
Wraith Raider – racial	60
Shaktar – basic	40
Shaktar – racial	60

Lifestyle

Lifestyle is why many Ops are who they are. Their dangerous occupation gives them the money to be able to go out when they like, take recreational drugs whenever they like, sleep with whoever they like. This can be expensive. A GM should allow a player to choose a lifestyle that suits their character, but should also be prepared to step in should the lifestyle be inappropriate. It comes down to the player’s roleplaying. A player may choose several lifestyles if they are feeling particularly affluent, or a GM may allow them to combine some or create their own, providing the end cost seems reasonable. A character’s lifestyle has more effect than just a drain on finances. Life as an Op is stressful, and letting off steam stops it driving them crazy. The stress system is described in the Contract Circuit sourcebook, and each lifestyle will reduce stress by a certain amount to represent the amount of recreation and relaxation they allow themselves.

Simple – 30c

Following a simple lifestyle is very cost effective way of living, but it is also a very difficult way. Few other than Shaktar have the self discipline to abstain from all vices, and a player should be ready to justify why their character lives like a monk to their GM. The basic costs incurred from a simple lifestyle represents replacing worn out clothing and other day-to-day paraphernalia.

Game effects:

Non-Shaktar characters receive no reduction in stress from recreation. Shaktars receive a reduction of 1 per day spent not working through meditation. All characters suffer a -1 penalty to public image and media reputation.

Clean – 100c

Some Ops like to be professional. They eat healthily, train hard, and prepare for their work like athletes. They rarely go out to bars and clubs, instead preferring healthy physical and social pursuits. It is common to find Shaktar, Ebons, Wraith Raiders, and many humans living in this manner. It is very rare for Frothers and Brain Wasters.

Game Effects:

Characters lose one stress for each day not spent working from physical or intellectual hobbies.

Regular – 150c

Most Ops are relatively moderate in their lifestyle. They go out partying once or twice a week, get decent clothes when it takes their fancy, buy the odd gadget or luxury.

Game effects:

Characters lose 3 stress per week as a result of their recreational activities.

Party – 250c

Some Ops love to go out clubbing and drinking, Frothers and Brain Wasters particularly. Partying three or four times a week can really hit a person’s wallet though, and these characters often find themselves cutting back on other things to compensate. There are advantages to counterbalancing working hard with playing hard though.

Game effects:

Characters lose 6 stress per week through partying, drinking and relaxing.

Elegance – 300c

More refined Operatives, such as Ebons and human financiers and media Ops, prefer a more civilised lifestyle. They dress smartly, eat in restaurants, and enjoy the arts. While this doesn’t allow as much scope for releasing pent up frustration, it makes a character so much more approachable on a business level and respected among corporates as professionals.

Game effects:

Characters lose 2 stress per week as a result of their recreation. Characters also gain +1 reputation with regards to business transactions with corporate representatives.

Fashion – +150c

Some people are fashion victims, and can’t be seen dead without the latest clothing and accessories. Whether it be Arducci suits or Sigerson Airwear and Clown Fabrics, a character who splashes out on the latest fashions and ensures they are never seen in the same outfit twice will stand more chance of grabbing the public’s attention.

Game effects:

Being fashionable gives a character a +1 bonus to public image and media reputation.

Smoking – +5c/Addiction Rank

Smoking is still a common vice of many people in the World of Progress. While most Ops are aware of the health implications of smoking, few expect to live long enough to suffer from them. Even if they do, they’d most likely be wealthy enough to afford the medical treatment.

Game effects:

Nil

Drinking - +10c/Addiction Rank

Alcoholism is a common problem on Mort, and far more common among Ops. The pressures of the job often lead to them turning to drink to numb the pressures. This additional cost is not applicable if the character takes the Party lifestyle – more than enough booze to feed any addiction is provided by such a hedonistic lifestyle.

Game effects:

Characters lose 1 stress per week.

Drugs – variable

Characters who are addicted to one or more drugs will have to pay to feed their addiction. The GM should work out how many doses the character will need for the month and charge them accordingly. Frothers tend to find that this drives them to work particularly hard.

Vehicle maintenance

The cost of owning a vehicle doesn’t end with the price of purchase. Most vehicles use a rechargeable power supply, so fuel bills are negligible, but repairs and maintenance can be expensive. While most vehicles won’t need maintenance every month, the amount describes the average cost over the course of a year, including servicing, testing, tyres, and suchlike.

Vehicle:	Cost:
Small civilian motorcycle	5
Large civilian motorcycle	25
Small SLA motorcycle	15
Small SLA car	30
Large SLA motorcycle	35
SLA military motorcycle	45
Large SLA car	75
SLA military jeep	100
SLA military APC	260

Debt

Debt is a common thing in the World of Progress. Everybody wants to live beyond their means, and some don’t consider the consequences of doing so. Operatives are discouraged from getting into debt, but many still do. Gambling is the biggest cause of debt for Operatives, and SLA looks very disfavourably on employees with such poor financial sense as they put themselves in a position where they can be manipulated by external agencies. Administrative burdens such as these usually have short careers. Others, though, get into debt through less irresponsible means. Some suffer a disastrous fine or loss of payment that causes their living expenses to exceed their income temporarily. Others incur charges while in hospital or at a LAD facility and have to work to pay them back. Some simply need a cash boost to purchase equipment desperately needed for a BPN. SLA understands this, and offers a system of loans called the Operative Credit Scheme. The rates are designed to discourage using a loan as a source of temporary cash, but they do not negatively affect an Op’s progress – on the condition he is prompt with payments. The amount Operatives may borrow depends on their SCL. A higher SCL Op is more likely to earn money faster and therefore pay off more.

SCL:	Maximum credit:	SCL:	Maximum credit:
10	1000c	6	9000c
9	2000c	5	15,000c
8	3500c	4	30,000c
7	6000c	3+	Unlimited, by appointment with Dept of Finance

The maximum credit an Operative can request is adjusted by 10% per rank of reputation with the Dept of Finance.

SLA expects their employees to be financially responsible, and has a harsh rate of repayment. Interest and rates are deliberately kept simple for several reasons. SLA stands a better chance of getting their money back, Operatives are more likely to appreciate the impact of the loan, and fewer employee hours are spent by Ops and financiers alike trying to untangle their accounts. Every loan incurs a flat rate charge of 20% as soon as it is credited to the Operative’s account. From then on, a fixed interest charge of 5% a month of the remainder of the amount is incurred. In order to relieve Ops of the responsibility of repayment, a fixed 10% of the total loan will be debited from their account every month. Of course an Op may opt to pay more off and no extra charge is incurred – after all, the Operative Credit Scheme is designed as a financial safety net, not a money maker. SLA has civilians for that. Should the funds not be available from the Op’s account at the time of payment, an emergency payment of 5% (interest) will be taken instead to prevent the debt escalating, and a formal letter dispatched warning the Op of their financial predicament. Should the funds for the emergency payment not be available, the Op will be put into financial support by the Dept of Finance and will be called in to discuss their cash flow problems. Characters under financial support will automatically have 25% of any payment from a BPN redirected into paying off their loan until their case is reviewed at the end of the month. Should the amount recovered be equal or greater than the standard loan payment then the Op will be removed from financial support and continue with standard payments. If the amount recovered is greater than the emergency charge then the Op will remain on financial support. If the Op fails to make payment a second time they will be called into the Dept of Finance again. The Dept has several methods of recovering funds from those unable or unwilling to pay. Least drastically is to issue them BPNs to cover the costs. These are usually Yellows (retrieval), and are compulsory. The payment is the minimum for the colour, of which 100% is taken by the Dept, and no SCL increase is gained. If compulsory retrieval BPNs fail to pay off the entire outstanding loan amount (and the Dept is more than happy to issue one a day) then the Dept has the option of issuing a Yellow BPN against the Operative to repossess enough equipment to pay off the loan. Any equipment in decent working order can be recovered at 50% value up to the outstanding amount, and the Operatives confiscating it will not be sympathetic about which equipment is taken, as they are likely in debt too. If an Operative has shown themselves to be incapable of supporting their own finances, too incompetent to complete enough BPNs to pay off the amount, and owning insufficient equipment to cover the amount, final action will be taken. Usually the Op is homeless, penniless, and with no equipment by this stage. They are given two options: service or prison. Those who choose service are made employee status (SCL 11) and drafted into one of the more undesirable jobs in the World of Progress, ranging from Shiver, to Artery factory worker, to soldier. Of course the former Operative is not told which employment they will be used for until they agree to service. Prison is generally considered to be a better option than the military, but a worse option than a factory world. Penal colonies in the World of Progress are little more than slave camps. There is little in the way of health and safety, most waking hours are spent working in conditions that make Artery seem pleasant, and of course they receive no pay for it.

Fault	Penalty
Failed to pay monthly charge	Defaulted to emergency charge
Failed to pay emergency charge	-1 reputation with Dept of finance
	Enrolled on Financial Support
Failed to pay emergency	-2 reputation with Dept of Finance
charge on financial support	-0.1 SCL
	Issued compulsory BPNs
Failed to recover from financial	-2 reputation with Dept of Finance
support by compulsory BPN	-0.5 SCL
	Repossession of equipment
Failed to recover from financial	SCL reduced to 11
support after repossession	Re-employed or incarcerated

Example of a loan payment

The following chart is an example of a character borrowing 1000c and paying back the standard charge of 10% each month. The initial 20% (200c) charge is applied and the first month’s interest applied after the initial payment. Therein the Operative pays off the loan over fourteen months, incurring a total amount repaid of 1591c.

Month	Debt	Repayment	Remaining	Interest
1	1200	120	1080	54
2	1134	120	1014	51
3	1065	120	945	47
4	992	120	872	44
5	916	120	796	40
6	835	120	715	36
7	751	120	631	32
8	663	120	543	27
9	570	120	450	22
10	472	120	352	18
11	370	120	250	12
12	262	120	142	7
13	149	120	29	1
14	31	31	0	0

Stocks and Shares

Operatives often invest in stocks to make their spare cash work for them. Usually they will get a financier to deal with all the paperwork, but many Business package Ops actually dabble themselves. If an Op wants to get a financier to deal with his stocks, the financier will give him monthly reports and the opportunity to reap any profits. If the Op chooses not to, the financier will simply take his percentage of the profits and re-invest the rest. If the Op wants to sell some shares, however, the financier will take a cut and give the Op the remaining profits. The broker’s fee varies, depending on the skill of the financier, but always involves a set fee. As a rough guide, the fee is usually ten times the financier's Business Finance skill and the monthly percentage is usually two times the financier's skill. If a character wants to dabble himself, he doesn't pay any fees but is probably not going to make as big a profit and has modifications according to his Business Administration skill. An Op is required to have a trade license before he can invest on the stock market himself, which is limited to the Business package.

Every month, a Business Finance roll is made to find out how well the shares are doing. The amount above or below 11 is equal to a 2% profit or loss on the amount invested. If an Op is managing his own shares a Business Administration roll must first be made, and if the total is 11+ the transactions are worked out in the normal way. SLA, however, is notoriously awkward when it comes to giving money away and there are many bureaucratic traps to fall into. If the Op fails his Business administration roll, the transactions get lost in the red tape and the shares are frozen for that month. If at any point a double one is rolled, something has gone terribly wrong. Another roll should be made with the amount rolled being used as an additional loss of 5% per point.

Social

The social rules allow the GM to represent the character’s interactions with the world on a larger scale than just BPNs. Reputations and sponsorships add another level to the campaign that helps bond the BPNs together into a cohesive story where actions in one job may affect the results of others.

Reputations

Reputations are a neglected aspect of the game, but can be very important to a more advanced campaign, so here are some guidelines.

Situation:	Modifier:	Reputation:
No coverage in a month	-2	Public image
Little coverage in a month (1 BPN)	-1	Public image
Average coverage in a month (1-2 BPNs)	0	Public image
Good coverage on a BPN	+1	Public image
Causing civilian casualties	-1 or more	Public image
Hitting a reporter (depending on popularity)	+/-1 to -2	Public image
	-1 to -2	Media
Deliberately providing good camera footage	+1	Media
Successful BPN with extra effort	+1	Department
Successful BPN	0	Department
Unsuccessful BPN	-1	Department
Spectacularly failed BPN	-1 or more	Department
Successful BPN for company	+1	Company
Unsuccessful BPN for company	0	Company
Spectacularly failed BPN for company	-1 or more	Company
Plugging a sponsor on TV	+1	Company
Dropping a sponsor	-3	Company
Being dropped by a sponsor	-1	Company
Being dodgy	-1 or more	Cloak/IA
Causing unnecessary civilian casualties	-1 or more	Cloak/IA
Pissing off an agent	-1	Cloak/IA

These are just guidelines, but something not covered is if an Op does something REALLY bad he may have relevant reputations turned negative. If this is public image (and it frequently is) he could end up severely screwed.

Sponsorship

"Man, I hate KPS. Okay, I punch a reporter a bit an' everyone gets pissed at me, so KPS cancel their sponsorship deal. Which is shitty to begin with 'cos now I have to do a BPN a week to pay off my loan, but what makes things worse is I can't afford to respray my armour an' so I leave their logo on my shoulder. Next thing I know some asshole lawyer is ringin' me and tellin' me KPS are gonna sue me for copyright infringement! 'Cos I'm wearing their fuckin' logo!"

Seamus Leary, Human Death Squad Op with Red October squad.

While lucrative sponsorship deals are mainly the domain of Contract Killers, successful Operatives can also attract lesser fortune if they have a knack for appearing on camera. SLA realises the potential for Ops to provide popular TV in a style that the Contract Circuit can’t provide, a sort of reality TV that is very popular. However, Operatives have a job to do and so to prevent them from being distracted too much by the bright lights and cameras there are restrictions placed upon how much they can benefit from sponsorships.

The amount of sponsors an Operative can have is limited by his SCL, but depends upon his reputations. The higher SCL an Op is, the more influential sponsors they are allowed to sign to. The quantity of sponsors a character can have is less tangible, and is dependant on their public image. As abstract a system as it is, a character can have a total of sponsorship points to allocate. Sponsors of different levels cost different amounts of points, and the total number of sponsorship points cannot exceed a character’s public image rating. If public image drops below the total sponsorship points, the highest SCL sponsor (ie, the best) will contact the Op and give him an ultimatum, either drop a smaller sponsor (to bring the sponsorship points back in line with public image) or lose their sponsorship. Public image is a fickle thing, and a particularly bad move on TV could cause an Op to lose all his sponsors in one fell swoop!

SCL Requirement	Example Sponsor	Points cost	Income
9	Coffin Cigarettes	1	50c
8	Sigerson Airwear	2	100c
7	Gorezone	3	150c
6	FEN	4	200c
5	Karma	5	250c

Sponsorships are arranged on a contractual basis. The Op may usually choose which type of deal he wants and they are by no means limited to these examples. The standard sponsorship contract works on a monthly basis. The Op wears the sponsor's logo on his armour and gets paid every month for doing so. The sponsor may cancel this contract at any time, and the Op may cancel at the beginning of the month. Another common form is for the sponsor to supply equipment for free in return for the sponsorship. This usually takes the form of working out how long it would take the Op to cover the cost of the item in sponsorship money and wearing the logo for that amount of time. The deal is then either cancelled or re-negotiated at that time. The payment and perks an Op gets from his sponsors depends upon his reputation with them. Payment is standardised by SLA to prevent Operatives becoming too much like Contract Killers, but other perks such as free clothing or equipment are not uncommon with particularly photogenic Ops.

Reputation with sponsor Effect

Less than 0	Sponsor immediately cancels contract
0	Sponsor will not sign new sponsorship
1	Op may approach SCL 8 or 9 sponsors
2	SCL 9 sponsor may approach Op
	Op may approach SCL 7 sponsor
3	SCL 8 sponsors may approach Op
	Op may approach SCL 6 sponsor
4	SCL 9 sponsor may offer free goods up to 25c/month
	SCL 7 sponsors may approach Op
	Op may approach SCL 5 sponsor
5	SCL 8 sponsor may offer free goods up to 50c/month
	SCL 6 sponsors may approach Op
6	SCL 9 sponsor may offer free goods up to 50c/month
	SCL 7 sponsor may offer free goods up to 75c/month
	SCL 5 sponsors may approach Op
7	SCL 8 sponsor may offer free goods up to 100c/month
	SCL 6 sponsor may offer free goods up to 100c/month
8	SCL 7 sponsor may offer free goods up to 150c/month
	SCL 5 sponsor may offer free goods up to 175c/month
9	SCL 6 sponsor may offer free goods up to 200c/month
10	SCL 5 sponsor may offer free goods up to 250c/month

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Automatic Weapons

• Burst Fire:

When a weapon is fired in a burst (three or more rounds at once at the same target) the character's pistol or rifle skill is used to hit the target with the standard rules for a single shot. If the shot is successful, the character's auto/support skill plus the rate of fire of the weapon is used to see how many rounds hit. Every two points over 11 counts as a hit, so an 11 is one round, 13 is two and so on. No extra damage is done for a roll over 20 as in normal hits. All normal bonuses and penalties for a single shot apply.

• Auto Fire:

Auto fire is when a character sprays an area with bullets. This is indiscriminate and so anything in the area risks being hit and all hits are worked out in order of difficulty, with the easiest targets being hit first. The roll to hit is the same as any other shot, but using only modifiers for cover, range, rate of fire and visibility. When working out how many rounds hit, one round hits for every three points over 11, i.e. 11, 14, 17 etc.

Locational hits

Realistically, when attacking an opponent, there should be some chance of accidentally hitting a location you didn't aim for. To represent this, near misses are relocated to a limb to represent a slightly dodgy hit. When a single round is being fired or in close combat, a final result of 11 will hit another location. For auto/support, another location is hit if the result was exactly enough to make a certain amount of rounds hit. For example, burst firing at a target and getting exactly 13 would result in one round hitting a limb, whereas a result of 14 would mean both rounds hit the torso. This only applies when aiming at the torso. The location that was hit is determined randomly. A D10 is rolled and a result of 1-4 is a leg hit, 5-9 results in an arm hit and a roll of 0 is a head hit.

Melee Weapons

Melee weapons are pretty dire as far as the rules go, and so upping their stats a bit should even them out a little. Powered blades receive an extra +2 penetration and +4 damage, while unpowered blades receive +1 penetration and +2 damage. Blunt weapons receive +2 damage.

Weapon Jamming

If, at any point, a double 1 is rolled when firing a weapon there is a chance of it jamming. This depends on several factors: the calibre and type of the ammo, whether the weapon has been customised, the rate of fire and how well looked after the weapon is. Should a double 1 be rolled a weapons maintenance roll should be made with the appropriate modifiers (see below). If the roll is passed then the result is a simple miss, but if the roll is failed the gun will jam and several minutes (and another weapons maintenance roll) must be spent to un-jam it again. If the unfortunate firer rolls a double 1 for his weapons maintenance roll the round will explode in the chamber, destroying the weapon and doing its damage (but no PEN) to the hand of the firer.

Cased Rounds

Calibre:	5mm	9mm	10mm	11mm	11.35mm	12mm	12.7mm	14mm	17mm	Blank
Modifier:	0	0	-1	-1	-1	-2	-3	-4	-5	-2

Special Ammo

Type:	Hotline	Chopper	70mm Disc	Flechette	Needle	BB
Modifier:	-2	-4	-2	-2	-2	0

Shotgun Shells

Type:	Shot	Slug	Duster	Star	Buck	B&B	Flechette
Modifiers:	-1	-2	-1	-2	-3	-2	-1

Ammo Types

Type:	STD	AP	HP	HEAP	HESH	DU	HIVE
Modifiers:	0	-1	-2	-2	-3	-1	-1

Rate of Fire

Rate of Fire:	1	3	5	10	20
Modifiers:	0	-1	-2	-3	-5

Other

Other:	Gauss	Extended Clip	Custom Repeat Action	Rebored	Maintenance Kit
Modifiers:	+1	-1	-2	-2	+3

Paired Weapons

The rules as they stand do not cater for paired weapons. Under these rules, a character can use two weapons at once, but must halve his skill for each and receives modifiers based on how far apart the targets are (about -1 per 2 meters) relative to the character. A character attempting to do this without the ambidexterity advantage must first make a concentration roll. If this roll is failed the character simply forgets to use the offhand weapon. If it is passed the character fires as normal, but has an additional -3 to the offhand weapon. The effect of using two weapons at once is being able to attack twice per phase.

Bringing to bear

A character can bring to bear on an area he suspects an enemy will emerge from. In this case a DEX roll -2 can be made to bring a weapon to bear for free on said target when he appears. Similarly, a character who is auto-firing can bring to bear and fire on the same phase with a DEX-4 roll. This represents the character trigger-locking as he brings to bear, and as such applies a -3 to the attack roll.

Torso Hit Points

The problem with having the same amount of hits in the torso as total body is that it is very cut and dry between being alive and fighting and being dead. With the torso at two thirds of total body means the character can be effectively taken out of combat without killing him.

Injuries

If a location reaches negative hit points, that location becomes useless until restored to positive hits. However, serious damage has been sustained and Kick Start or normal Ebb healing cannot help. Negative hit points must be healed by Ebb regeneration or with surgery and cannot be restored in the field. This has the effect of reducing the maximum number of hits the location can be healed back to by the negative amount. Example, an Op's leg goes to -3 hits. As well as risking a broken leg, his leg can now only be healed to 3 points below it's normal level. When a location goes to negative amounts it will be bleeding badly and as such every point below zero counts as a wound. Also, because these are very painful injuries, the negative is used as an additional negative modifier to any actions performed, although Pain Away can counter this. Lastly, there is a 10% chance per negative point that serious damaged will be sustained such as losing an eye or finger, or having an organ damaged. Such damage will need a replacement, as described under LAD. If a location reaches minus half its normal hit points it is destroyed. This will probably be very painful or even fatal.

• Hospital Treatment

After sustaining serious injuries, Ops must seek medical attention. The basic cost for this is 20 credits per negative point of the injury. Extra fees will be incurred, for example Killcopter evacuation or an ambulance will cost 50 credits and 10 credits respectively, and if the Op is still down hit points or is bleeding he will have to cover the cost of the Kick Start used to stabilise him. The Op will be hospitalised for an amount of days equal to the negative. People can also opt for Ebb regeneration, which is faster but more expensive (and a bit creepy for non-Ebons). Limbs cost 30 credits per negative hit point and take between 5 and 10 minutes, while torso and head costs 50 credits per point and take around an hour.

Formulae and Ebb Abilities

Formulae is an Ebon's knowledge and experience concerning the Ebb, therefore it is fair to say that the higher an Ebon's Formulae, the more skilled he is. This can be well represented by limiting the rank an Ebon can put his abilities to by 10 plus his Formulae, and also prevents them getting very powerful very quickly. As in the book, Ebons start with one point of formulae which restricts their starting ranks to 11.

Drugs

• Ultra-Violence & Blaze UV:

UV is sick, no two ways about it. Taking half damage represents the frenzied junky not feeling any pain, but this isn't really very realistic is it? A better way of doing it would be to allow UV users to ignore bruising damage from bullets (ie, if the DAM & PEN doesn't exceed the PV, but a point of damage is taken from bruising) and the negative skill modifiers from wounds.

• Multiple drugs:

Only one dose of any drug will take effect per phase. Multiple doses of medical drugs will have no extra effect, while multiple doses of combat or recreational drugs may cause an OD. To work out if a character overdoses, the two addiction statistics for the drug are used. The first statistic (eg, -1 PHYS per 15 doses) indicates how many doses are needed to overdose. The second statistic (eg, 1 dose/day) is the amount of time the aforementioned doses must be taken in to OD. If a cocktail of any types of drugs are used, except a cocktail of medical drugs, the worst case of the two is taken for each statistic. Once these conditions are met, the character must make a PHYS roll at -1 for the first dose, and any subsequent doses will accumulate another -1 PHYS. If the character fails a PHYS roll, he will OD.

The effects of overdosing are the same as the detox effects of the drug, or the combined effects of all the drugs in a cocktail. Flush may be used to prevent an ODing character taking any detox effects, effectively forcing the character to pass his PHYS roll for that occasion.

Martial Arts

With Mutilator gloves and Gash fists using unarmed combat and few characters fighting without weapons, it seems the martial arts skill would benefit from a few modifications. Whereas unarmed combat is simply hitting an opponent, martial arts could be expanded to include throws, trips and reverses. These are not only useful, but look really good on camera.

• Punches:

Punches are fast but relatively weak attacks which are pretty useless against an armoured target. Punches can be aimed at the head, torso and arms and can also be used to disarm an opponent or grab a weapon.

• Kicks:

Kicks are more powerful attacks but are slower than punches and only one can be done per phase. A kick gains an additional +1 damage and can be targeted at any location. A kick can also be used to trip an opponent. The target of a kick must make DEX check minus the attacker's strength or stumble. This doesn't have much effect unless they are on dangerous terrain such as the roof of a building.

• Flying kicks:

Flying kicks are spectacular airborne attacks that have the same effect as normal kicks but look cooler. The attack is made as normal but the rank of martial arts is restricted by the character's acrobatics. Due to the speed and angle of a flying kick, an opponent receives -2 to his parry.

• Throws:

Throws do not do any damage but are useful for temporarily disabling an opponent. A successful martial arts roll is required and the result will see your opponent on the floor, regardless of his size (unless he is in Shock or Sarge obviously).

Life After Death

The rules regarding LAD are rather vague and open to exploitation and need modifying and clarifying. Firstly, because of the new hit point rules, the torso and head can go below zero and can still be repaired so long as they haven't dropped below minus half. The cost of repairs depends on the damage and the location, the same as in Karma, but extra costs are also possible. The 'patient' will have to be given Chain in order for the process to be successful and he must cover the costs of the amount used during his recovery and Kilcopter evacuation will cost 50 credits. Obviously, the patient will have to pay for any organ or limb replacements, with the quality of the replacements depending on the amount of credit in their account. Any superior implants are not freebies, they will be deducted from the account if there is enough money, otherwise they will be replaced with the nearest affordable set. Sorry, no 3000c Nuke Tendons.

As well as the financial costs, there are other prices to pay for dying. The character will be addicted to Chain and must take one dose a day as per the rules under Chain. Also, death is quite a disturbing experience and has been known to send Ops insane. A character who receives LAD treatment must make a cool roll minus the amount below zero their total hits was on after their death (remember +3 cool from the Chain). If the roll is failed, the amount below 11 is equal to a rank of psychosis. The psychosis should be relevant to the death and discussed between the player and the DM.

• Replacement Limbs:

The replacement limbs and organs section in Karma offers very little explanation as to what the limbs actually do. The price is varied but all the description says is 'See LAD'. This isn't very helpful and so here is a list of what they actually do.

Di-San

Hands:	Claw	250c each	Claws (1 PEN to punch attack)
	Gripper	200c each
	4 Paw	200c each	No little finger
Arms:	Bi-Tech	450c each	+2 STR for lifting capacity (per pair)
	Flex	400c each	+1 STR for lifting capacity (per pair)
	Frontier	300c each
Feet:	Sprinter	300c each	+0.1 run and sprint rate (per pair)
	Stretch	250c each
	Far reach	200c each	no toes - -1 to all rolls involving balance
	Frantic	300c each	+1 to all rolls involving balance (per pair)
Legs:	Sprinter	450c each
	Frantic	600c each	+0.2 run and sprint rate (per pair)
	Bi-Tech	650c each	+0.3 run and sprint rate (per pair)
	Gripper	500c each	+0.1 run and sprint rate (per pair)

Cut 'N' Tuck

Arms:	Brute II	500c each	+3 STR for lifting capacity (per pair)
Legs:	Bi-Sport 3000	800c each	+0.5 run and sprint rate (per pair)

Driver Limbs 'N' Ligaments

Hands:	Club	175c each	-1 to all rolls using hand
	Flexer	200c each
	Prehensa	195c each
Arms:	Flexer	325c each
	Stretch Limb	300c each
	Bi-Limb	350c each	+1 STR for lifting capacity (per pair)
Feet:	Flexer	350c each	+2 to all rolls involving balance
	Bi-Pad	200c each	only has two large toes
	Sure Foot	270c each	+1 to all roll involving balance (per pair)
Legs:	Bi-Pad	500c each	+0.1 run and sprint rate (per pair)
	Flexer	540c each	+0.2 run and sprint rate (per pair)
	True Step	495c each	+0.1 run and sprint rate (per pair)

Creeper

Skin:	Easy Flow	600c	No hair, slightly plastic looking
	Body Wrap	750c
	Hugg	650c	No hair

Royal

Hands:	Excel	300c each	No little finger, +1 to all rolls using hand
	Excel II	375c each	+1 to all rolls using hand
Arms:	Excel	500c each	+3 STR for lifting capacity (per pair)
Feet:	Excel	450c each	+3 to all rolls involving balance (per pair)
Legs:	Excel	700c each	+0.4 run and sprint rate (per pair)

Equipment Limitations

Certain powerful items of equipment have limitations to prevent just anyone using them. These are mainly to stop inexperienced Ops letting powerful equipment falling into the wrong hands. All 17mm weapons and ammo are limited to Ops of SCL 7 or above, although Death Squad Ops can have access to 17mm at SCL 8. The Operative's Handbook states that it is against company regulations for Operatives to use drugs, however this only applies to combat drugs. In order to be able to use combat drugs an Op must first have a medical exemption certificate. All Frothers begin play with medical exemption certificates, nobody else does although they may acquire them later.

Training Packages

Operatives, during the course of their career, may wish to pick up extra training packages. This can be done by applying to Orange Crush, who will send the Op a Reality Overlay course to follow. The course takes two months to complete and trains the Op in the specialist forms of the package. Once the two months are passed an exam at Meny is taken and if it is passed the Op can now be classed as the new package as well as the old one. This is kind of like accumulating qualifications. SLA doesn't want their Ops studying constantly instead of completing BPNs, however, and so limit package changes to one at SCLs 8, 6 and 4, and at SCL2 an Op can train in as many packages as they like. The Operative will gain all of the advantages of the new package, as well as retaining any existing ones, but no skills are given. When the Op takes the exam, first he must pay a fee, which is usually 100c. At the end of the course (2 months) the Op goes to Meny for the exam, and must have all the skills in the package at a level set by the GM and which must be unknown to the player. The player must then put the relevant skills up to the level required by the exam, using experience from BPNs, in the two months. If all of the skills are equal or above this level the exam is passed and the package is earned. If any of the skills are lower than the required level the exam is failed and if the Op wishes to re-sit he must take (and pay for) the course again. The Sector Ranger package is not available as a secondary package due to the intense specialist training required.

Course:	Cost:	Advantages:
Death Squad	100c	Lower SCL requirement for 17mm.
Kick Murder	100c
Investigation & Interrogation	100c
Medical	100c	Access to SLA medical database.
Mechanics	100c
Pilot & Navigation	100c
Business	100c	Trader's license.
Strike Squad	100c
Scout	100c	Use of Scout helmet, 3 month course.
Media	140c	Link to 'control'.
Point	100c
Sabotage	100c	Explosives License.

UV and IR vision

What's the difference between UV and IR? Well realistically none, but this doesn't really add to the game does it? So, a good way of doing things would be to have UV as light amplification (night-vision) and IR as thermal. This way there is a difference between the two, each of which is useful in its own way. UV can provide high resolution black and white images in very low light conditions, but is useless when there is no light. IR, on the other hand, is lower resolution and detail is difficult to make out because the user is seeing heat, rather than light (think Predator in black and white). IR is useful in extremely dark conditions where UV wouldn't work, and warm things (such as a body, armour, or a recently fired gun) can be seen through thin obstructions such as curtains. IR vision also makes warm targets stand out more against a cooler background, making camouflage less effective.

• IR vision: -2 to all vision related activities, no visibility modifiers.
• UV vision: -3 to darkness modifiers.