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SWRPGNetworkNet.Guide to Podracing
A Concise History of PodracingPodracing is the fastest sport in the galaxy. At speeds of up to 800 kmh, podracing is an sport
practiced only in the Outer Rim - it is outlawed in the Core and most other civilized areas of thegalaxy. It is considered too much for humans to handle, and the sport is typically dominated byalienspecies with more limbs, stronger constitutions, and better dexterity. Podracing is also a sportwhich is gambled on frequently: the Hutts, among others, have a large interest in podracing.
The sport was created several centuries ago and was based on chariot races, which are onlyseen today on the most primitive worlds in the galaxy. A daring mechanic named Phoebos usedrepulsorlift pods and jet engines to recreate the races. Then, as today, the sport was consideredhighly dangerous and popular.
The race is held on a course which can contain nearly any kind of obstacle and be located almostanywhere--from zero-gee tunnels to mining complexes to gas giants. Each race has three laps,
with each lap lasting anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Some good examples of tracks arethose on Malastare, Aquilaris, and Oovo IV. Competitors push their pods to the limit to get to theBoonta Eve Classic in Mos Espa, Tatooine--the championship race for the title of best podracer inthe galaxy.
Modern PodracingPodracers today are usually made of a durellium/tridanium alloy that can be scavenged fromanywhere. They all incorporate certain features, but have a unique design that sets them apartfrom others. A cockpit pod, control lines, telemetry package, repulsor braces, and custom controlsare all standard on podracers. The engines are separate, held together only with energy binders.If the field of the binders is broken, the engines can do unpredictable things.
Podracers are never armed in accordance with Section 2.9, Paragraph 2 of the Galactic
Podracing Circuit Code. However, some pilots have been known to outfit their pods with weaponsand other illegal devices in their maniacal drive to win...
Roleplaying PodracingThe Podrace scene from The Phantom Menace was an exciting feat of technological advances,which kept most audience members on the edge of their seats. As in the movie, podracing can bea fun addition to any roleplaying campaign if used correctly. This guide will help both players andGMs recreate the excitement of the Podrace, ready for implementation into any campaign.
The first section will describe how to design a podracer from the ground up, both by selectivecreation or random selection. It will take you through each step of the creation process and alsogive an example of a podracer generated through this system. In addition, it will featuremaneuvers and gameplay mechanics for a player to use while engaged in a podrace.
The second section will primarily be for the gamemaster, and will be similar in part to the firstsection. The majority of this section will be on the crafting of a Podracing course, and will alsofeature a random track generator system. This should get any gamemaster ready to go, andprepare her to bring this exciting scene from the movie to life.[page]
Building a Podracer
Before You Begin...
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The first step to putting together a podracer is to establish the starting stats of such a craft. Beginyour stats with the following:
Type: Custom podracerScale: SpeederSkill: Podracer operations
Crew: 1Crew Skill: VariesPassengers: 0Cargo Capacity: NoneCover: Dependant on cockpit design (up to the player)Altitude Range: 3 metersOnce these have been established, it is time to move on to the next step: selecting your engines.
Engine Selection
There are many manufacturers of engines throughout the galaxy, each one with its benefits andweaknesses. The player will construct his podracer based around his engines, with the help ofthe GM and this guide. To begin rolling up a random podracer, roll 1D: if the result is 1-2, roll 1D
again and select from table 1; if the result is 3-4, roll 1D again and select from table 2; if the roll is5-6, roll 1D again and select from table 3.
Table 1
ManufacturerMove Length Body Maneuver
Cost (perpair)
Benefits
1. Exelbrok260, 750
kmh8.69 m 4D 3D+2 5000
2. Balta Trabaat261, 752kmh
4.5 m 1D+1 5D 5600
3. Vulperteen264, 760
kmh7.92 m 3D+2 3D+1 6100
4. Irdani Performance
Group
269, 775
kmh10.67 m 5D+12D 6200
-1 Difficulty
level to modify
5. Vokoff-Strood269, 775kmh
4.5 m 1D+14D+1 6500
6. Kurtob269, 775
kmh3.81 m 1D 4D+2 6700
Table 2
Manufacturer Move Length Body Maneuver
Cost (per
pair)
Benefits
1. Galactic Power
Engineering
269, 775
kmh3.81 m 4D 3D 6800
Cooling System
2. JAK Racing273, 785kmh
9.55 m 4D+13D 7000
3. Farwan & Glott273, 785
kmh7.16 m 2D+2 3D+2 7250
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4. Elsinore-Cordova273, 785
kmh5.03 m 1D+24D 7400
5. Bin Gassi274, 790kmh
7.39 m 3D+13D 7650
6. Radon-Ulzer276, 795
kmh6.5 m 2D 3D+2 7800 Cooling System
ManufacturerMove Length Body Maneuver
Cost (perpair)
Benefits
1-2. Keizer-Volucek278, 800
kmh10.36 4D+22D+1 8000
3-4. Collor Pondrat281, 790kmh
7.24 m 3D 3D 8500
5. Manta RamAir286, 823
kmh
10.59 m 5D 1D 9500
6. Ord Pedroula286, 823
kmh6.71 m 2D+1 3D+1 9700
Once the engines have been selected, you've taken care of the main portion of the pod. Fromhere, you move on to the modifications section of the creation process![page]
Special Modifications
To randomly select the modifications to your pod, roll 1D: if the result is 1-3, roll 1D again andselect from table 1; otherwise, roll 1D again and select from table 2. Once the modification of thepod has been selected, it takes a podracer repairof the given difficulty level to get themodification installed and properly working.
Table 1
ModificationDescription Cost
Installation
Difficulty
1. Elongated Combustion
Chambers
These long tubes that attach to the rear of
a typical podracer engine allow for longer-
firing sparks when igniting the fuel liquid.The end result is that when using a turbo
boost (described later in the Maneuvers
section) the driver may add 2 rounds to theboost.
750Moderate
2. Enlarged Turbine Intakes
By enlarging the turbine intake, the driver
of a podracer can increase air flow and
cooling of the engines. This will preventthe engines from overheating, and give the
craft an additional +23 Move/+66 kmh.
1000Moderate
3. Dual Combustion Installing these dual combustion chambers 1000 Moderate
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Chambers
prevents any mishaps from occurring
during the race by ensuring that all
engines are working properly. Whenmaking the podracer operations roll each
round, the pilot may ignore the -1D
penalty for a 1 on the Wild Die. This doesnot, however, prevent the GM from
assigning a random chance event.
4. Dual Front StabalizingFins
These stabilizers are placed on each of theengines for increased stability. They
provide a +1D to the maneuver of a pod.
1500Difficult
5. Forward-mounted
Cockpit
A forward-mounted cockpit gives the
driver of the pod a better visual rangewhen looking forward, but detracts from
the driver's peripheral vision. This
provides +2D to the initial podracer
operations roll each round, but subtracts-1D from any maneuver opposed rolls
against an opponent to either side.
3000
Very
Difficult
6. Reinforced Rudder-skids
These rudder-skids make sure that thepod's engines can take more of a beating
without losing any maneuverability. This
gives the pod a +1D bonus to its hullrating.
2500 Moderate
Table 2
ModificationDescription Cost
Installation
Difficulty
1. Split-X Racing Engines
This modification can be made to
any set of engines and effectively
alters the aerodynamic structure of
the engines. This gives the pod anincredible boost to its response
time and provides a +3D to
maneuver.
3000Moderate
2. Durasteel-ReinforcedFrame
This modification is just armor
plating for podracers. It provides a+2D modifier to the Hull rating ofany pod.
3500 Moderate
3. Pressurized Power
Fluid
Pressurized power fluid ensures
that more fuel is getting into the
engines, lacing it with a somewhatillegal chemical to make it burn
faster. The upshot is a +34 Move/
7500 Difficult
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+100 kmh increase in max speed.
4. Airbrakes
Airbrakes are incredibly rare on
podracers because of the difficultyto install them and the relative
rarity of parts. Air brakes are
automatically linked to thepodracer's onboard telemetry
system and activate themselves
automatically on each individualengine when negotiating difficult
terrain. This gives the pod a +4D to
maneuver. The parts needed to
make such air brakes are quite hardto find, and are outlawed because
of their military origins. (4, X
availability)
1500Difficult
5. Secondary Turbines
Adding a pair of secondaryturbines has two major effects.
First, they increase a pod'smaneuverability by +2D. Second,
they provide an extra boost to a
pod's top speed, giving a +26
Move/+75 kmh increase in maxspeed.
6000Difficult
6. Four EnginesOR Roll on Table 3
Some racers modify their pods with
additional engines. This puts lessstrain on each individual engine,
and gives a bonus to speed andmovement based on the types ofengines used. All four engines
must be made by the same
manufacturer, and the new
movement can be obtained bymultiplying the Move and kmh
ratings by 1.25 (a boost of 25%).
Cost ofengines
Very Difficult
Table 3
ModificationDescription Cost
Installation
Difficulty
1. Fuel Atomizer The fuel atomizer is a special
modification invented by AnakinSkywalker which breaks the liquid
fuel down and feeds itinto the
engines an an increased rate,
10,000 Heroic
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thereby giving thepod more overall
thrust. By combining certain
chemicals to add to the engine fuel,the fuel breaks up at the molecular
level and enters the pod's engines
much more quickly. This gives thepod a +53 Move/+150 kmh to its
max speed.
2. Sensor Jammer
The sensor jammer is an illegaldevice which, when placed on a
pod, damages the telemetry
scanners of another pod's
computers. This gives all otherpods within a 5 meter radius a -3D
to maneuver.
6000
Very Difficult
Difficult hide roll
3. Nail Cannon
Fire Arc: Forward; Skill: Missile
Weapons; Fire Control: 1D;Range: 1-2/4/6; Damage: 3D
750
Moderate
Difficult hide roll
4. Razor Saw
Fire Arc: Side; Skill: Missile
Weapons; Fire Control: 1D;Range: 1/3/5; Damage: 4D
1200
Difficult
Difficult hide roll
5.Smokescreen
This weapon trails a cloud of
smoke behind the pod as if anengine was malfunctioning. This
gives any drivers behind the user a
-1D to maneuver, and a -2D totheirpodracer operations rolls.
1000
Moderate
Difficult hide roll
6. Flame Emitter
The flame emitter is a particularlynasty weapon which uses excess
heat from the engines to ignite asmall amount of liquid fuel emitted
through the engine's vents. They
can only face outward on eachengine, and do 5D fire damage
within 3 meters.
1200
DifficultDifficult hide
roll.
And there you have it! Ready to go. So let's finish up our randomly generated podracer. We rollour dice, and we get a pair of Farwan & Glott engines (4, then a 3), with an Air Brakes (6, then a4) modification. To get the cost, total up the engines and modifications, then add 2000 for thecockpit. Our final Podracer stats are as follows:Xavian's PodracerCraft: Farwan & Glott Modified PodracerType: Custom podracerScale: SpeederSkill: Podracer operationsCrew: 1Crew Skill: VariesPassengers: 0
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Cargo Capacity: NoneCover: 1/2Altitude Range: 3 metersCost: 10,250 (used)Maneuverability: 7D+2Move: 273; 785 kmhBody Strength: 2D+2Capsule: Xavian has specially crafted this podracer through months of careful study andplanning. Through a slick deal with an arms dealer he procured the necessary air brakes from amilitary surplus deal.
[page]
Start Your Engines!Once you have constructed your podracer, it's time to begin the actual race. Listed below aresome tactics and maneuvers podracers can use in order to gain the upper hand. All of themaneuvers below require a podracer operations roll of the appropriate difficulty level.
DraftingDifficulty: Moderate
Duration: N/ADescription: Drafting is the act of staying close behind an opponent and using the air currentscoming off the back of their podracer in order to maintain high speeds through less windresistance. This allows the driver to maintain the same relative speed at the racer whom he isdrafting behind, and on a straight path he can attempt a Difficult podracer operations roll to"slingshot" around the leader using a quick burst of momentum gained from the lack of windresistance.
Heavy ContactDifficulty: Opposed rollsDuration: 1 roundDescription: This kind of rough racing is very common on the podracing circuit. To use this typeof maneuver, roll the opposing podracer operations roll for each driver. If a driver should lose bymore than 10, she is thrown off course. If there are any immediate obstacles in the vicinity, shemust make another succesful podracer operations roll for the terrain, modified by one difficulty
level higher. If she then fails, use the Vehicle Collision damage charts on pages 109-112 of theStar Wars RPG 2nd Edition Revised and Expanded rulebook.
The "Skywalker Slip"Difficulty: Very DifficultDuration: 1 roundDescription: This refers to a type of maneuver first used by Anakin Skywalker in the Boonta EveClassic race when he was but 9 years old. Since that time, many podracers have adapted thetechnique with varying results. This move is accomplished only when there is an apparent rise inthe track nearby; this can be anything from a service ramp to a small outcropping. By temporarilyshunting power to the repulsorlifts, the pod can be "bounced" up over the pod in front of it. Asuccessful Turbo Boost reduces the difficulty to Difficult.
Turbo BoostDifficulty: Moderate
Duration: 1 round (2 if engines have CoolingSystem)Description: This is a temporary boost of speed accomplished by flooding the engines with fuelin an attempt to create a quick burst of energy. However, if the boost is extended beyond itsduration, the engines can overheat and cease to function. After a turbo boost is used, the enginesrequire anadditional 6 rounds before it can be attempted again. Note: In case of a 1 on the Wild Die whenattempting this maneuver, the engines are blown out and the pod crashes at All-Out speed (seepages 109-112 of the Star Wars RPG 2nd Edition Revised and Expanded rulebook).
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[page]
Gamemaster Section
Designing a CourseOne of the most exciting features of a pod race is the track itself, and as a Gamemaster it is yourjob to craft a course which both excites and challenges the participants. This section will walk you
through designing an interesting race.
Step 1: Select the PlanetThe first and possibly most important choice is which planet the race will take place on.Obviously, the tracks on Tatooine will vary greatly from those on the jungle planet of Thyferra, orin the badlands of Ryloth. When crafting a track, keep this in consideration in order to maintaincontinuity.
Step 2: Design the Layout of the CourseThis basically just means "draw the course out." This can be anything from a line sketch to acomplex 3-D diorama (though the former is much quicker and more preferred). This is where youwant to be really creative; everything from here on out will be dressing up the track, so don't beafraid to push your limits. The track can have multiple laps, or be a single point-to-point race.From there, divide the course into sections of 500 meters; from these divisions will we design thetrack's features and hazards, and usually 7-10 sections make a good lap-oriented race, or 15-20sections for a single-run race. You can also roll 1D on this handy chart for a quick track layout,but selecting your own is the best idea.
1. Straightaway
2. Left curve
3. Right Curve
4. Left turn 90 degrees
5. Right turn 90 degrees
6. U-turn
Step 3: TerrainThis step can be done randomly, or with careful selection. The terrain has been broken down intosix parts. For each 500 meter section of the track, choose or roll up a terrain type:
1. Valley (Very Easy)- plains, badlands, snowy field, flat desert
2. Hill (Easy)- grassy knoll, plateau, snow drift, sand dunes
3. Mountain (Difficult)- gradual slope, volcano, cliffsides
4. Canyon (Difficult)- dense jungle, rock canyon, snowy pass
5. Tunnel (Moderate-Difficult)-underwater tunnel, volcanic cave, ice passageway
6. Bridge (Difficult)- stone crossing, fabricated structure, ice bridge
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Step 4: ObstaclesOf course, no track would be complete without some sort of hazards throughout the course.These are, of course, subject to the discretion of the Gamemaster as to how they modify thedifficulty of a given section of the track, but typically they add one difficulty level to the section ofthe track.
1. Pits - lava, potholes
2. Jumps - natural, fabricated
3. Portrusions - gas vents, rocks, ice
4. Falling Objects - rocks, meteorites, stalagmites
5. Ice - slippery track, jagged wall outcroppings
6. Living Hazards - monsters, bounty hunters, Tusken Raiders
Step 5: Name It, Run It!Name your track and you're ready to run! From here, all you need to do is follow the instructionsfor Vehicle chases from the Star Wars RPG 2nd Edition Revised and Expanded rulebook andyou're set. Be descriptive and have fun with it, your players will thank you for bringing such anexciting scene to life in a roleplaying game!
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