podracing

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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


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


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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