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DEVASTATOR
Introduction
e-Future Tiles
The Devastator design is based on SkeletonKey
Games e-Future Tiles: Star Chasers, Star
Freighter, and Star Patrol tile sets. While this PDF
can be easily used on its own you will get a lot more
use out of it in your game sessions if you construct
the ship at miniatures scale using the printable
tiles. The only tiles you will need that are not available in the SkeletonKey Games tiles sets are the
wing extensions which have been thoughtfully
included at the end of this PDF and two wing tiles
found in Future: Starship 3.
To learn more about SkeletonKey Games please
visit their website at www.skeletonkeygames.com.
R.I. INFANTRYBOT
SERIES 1.X (PL 5)
With the growing intolerance for human casualties among the United States population in the latter stages of PL 5, yet with no lack of conflict, there
arose a need for a robot replacement for the common infantryman. With its InfantryBot the recently
formed Republican Industries won the lucrative
first U.S. military contract for combat robots by
besting seven other models in a live combat simulation.
DEVASTATOR
despite constant updates, obsolescence could not be
staved off indefinitely and the arrival of the first
biodroids marked the death-knell of the Series 1.x.
The R.I. InfantryBot Series 2.x represented a
quantum leap in the InfantryBot series, being an
almost complete redesign from the ground up.
Interestingly enough, although carrying the artificial intelligence and other software improvements
of biodroids, Republican Industries chose to retain
a version of the armature frame from the Series 1.x.
Although many dismissed this move as a cost-saving measure, the fact was that the armature frame
was widely recognized, and respected, and would
show an evolutionary consistency from model to
model; there was also no need to make a military
robot resemble humanity.
The Series 2.x variants looked like a bipedal
humanoid skeleton covered from top to bottom in
duralloy plates. With its hands and legs a Series 2.x
was capable of almost all actions that a regular
infantry soldier was; it was especially suited for
urban and other low-visibility environments.
Standard equipment for the Series 2.x was an
infantry-issue laser rifle, although the Series 2.x
was capable of using any infantry weapon.
R.I. INFANTRYBOT
SERIES 2.0 (PL 6)
DEVASTATOR
what they would do to buildings).
By comparison, a laser rifle does 3d8 points of
damage (or an average of 13 points of damage).
Given that even the weakest of the starship armors
have a Hardness of 20, this wouldnt even dent
them. Makes you wonder why in all those Sci-Fi
shows a starship doesn t simply go out and take
over some backwoods planet? And that doesn t
even take into consideration that a starship laser has
a range increment of 3,000 feet versus 80 feet for a
laser rifle so that the starship can fly out of range of
the laser rifle-wielding character while still shooting at what amounts to point-blank range.
Okay, so maybe I ve oversimplified a bit here,
but the fact is that competently piloted starships are
almost impossible for characters to defeat in
straight-up combat unless they too have a starship.
Of course, people aren t just simply going to accept
this; planets and characters without starships are
going to have some means of defending themselves
from starships. If they didn t, every colony would
have to have starships of their own or fall prey to
any wanna-be Jesse James with an old fighter.
Fortunately, although the standard rules don t
actually have rules for planetary defense, they do
provide us with the means for creating such defenses. And, no, I don t mean by having other spaceships; I m talking about creating mobile and fixed
weapons capable of dukeing it out with the biggest
starships. How is this done, by putting starship
weapons on ground-based vehicles and in fixed
positions?
For instance, take a fusion beam, add some
Vanadium armor, and put it all on the back of a
Cretan Motors Hecaton (which happens to be a
Gargantuan vehicle and thus fits in with the starship
STARSHIPS VS.
PLANETS AND
CHARACTERS
Starships are the single most powerful battlefield element in starship campaigns, both in space
and planet-side. The fact is that, as the standard
rules are written, starships pack unmatched firepower, incredible protection, and go-anywhere
maneuverability and can only be challenged by
other starships; a gang of bandits with a single
fighter could take over an entire planet, as long as
that planet doesnt have a starship of its own to protect itself from it. Dont believe me?
Starship lasers, one of the weakest of starship
weapons, cause 6d8 points of damage (or an average of 27 points of damage), more than enough to
overcome the massive damage threshold of any
character and cut down all but the most heroic characters in just a couple of rounds (not to mention
Youve undoubtedly already noticed that a PL 6 Hecaton equipped with a fire-linked fusion
beam would be capable of 10d8 points of damage per shot, which would make it almost as powerful offensively as a PL 7 M-300 Hovertank with a Rhino mass cannon, and thats before taking into
account that the fusion beam on the Hecaton has a range increment of 3,000 ft. versus 100 ft. for the
Hovertanks mass cannon.
Doesnt seem fair, does it? Thats okay. Simply equip the Hovertank with starship weapons and
you are good to go. After all, considering that the engagement range for a present-day (PL 5) M1
Abrams battle tank is 3,000 meters (which, if we assume that this is the maximum range, would mean
it has a range increment of 300 meters or almost 1,000 feet), I would expect a PL 7 mass cannon to
at least match that range. Heck, even the standard rules give the M1 Abrams a 150 ft. range increment and you wouldnt think that youd trade down in range as you improved in technology, would
you?
DEVASTATOR
planet/vehicle/PC battles are a regular occurrence
in the campaign.
The other is for the GM to simply play any such
encounters as abstractly as possible by having the
battle go which way will serve the adventure and
the campaign best. The GM simply writes down
some basic guidelines for him- or herself (i.e.
weapon damage, armor, etc.) to pay attention to as
the battle unfolds and then lets things rip. After all,
the PCs only know how well they are shooting, not
how well the opposition is, so it should be easy for
the GM to fudge things to create drama and have
things turn out the way they should to meet the
adventure and campaign goals.
In any case, whatever choice the GM makes,
encounters between ground forces and a starship
with the PCs involved should always be memorable. After all, having the PCs take down an enemy
fighter that is harassing an agricultural colony with
some guns mounted on the back of a turnip truck is
always a satisfying ego boost.
Basic Information
Along with its well-trained crew, the Devastator
class also carries a complement of half-a-dozen
InfantryBot Series 2.0s. Onboard, these bots provide the ships security detail and also its final line
of defense against boarding actions. However, their
primary purpose is to serve as planet-side scouts
(reconnoitering likely targets for the gunship) and
as clean-up detail (sifting through the wreckage left
in the gunships wake to take prisoners, recover
intelligence materials, etc.). The fact that they are
capable of operating efficiently in almost any environment is a great boon in accomplishing these
tasks.
A Devastator is rarely alone; it is far too expensive to risk on solo missions. Rather, its standard
role is in fire support for planet-side operations;
Devastators often spearhead planetary invasions.
During such operations a screen of fighters and its
own ground forces invariably protect a Devastator;
everyone on the battlefield knows the importance of
a gunship and much as the enemy will do anything
to bring one down, so will its own forces do everything they can to protect a Devastator.
DEVASTATOR
game statistics
Type: Ultralight
Subtype: Gunship
Defense: 11
Flat-footed Defense: 7
Autopilot Defense: 7
Hardness: 30
Hit Dice: 30d20 (600 hp)
Initiative Modifier: +2
Pilots Class Bonus: +5
Pilots Dex Modifier: +4
Gunners Attack Bonus: +4
Size: Colossal (-8 size)
Tactical Speed: 3,500 feet (7 sq.)
Length: 135 feet
Weight: 1,200 tons
Targeting System Bonus: +3
Crew: (+8 expert)
Passenger Capacity:
Cargo Capacity: 100 tons
Grapple Modifier: +16
Base Purchase DC: 56 (57 as equipped)
Starship Key
DEVASTATOR
or by opening the bays floor and having the robots
either parachute or jetpack to the planets surface.
12. Robot Repair Room - The robot repair room
is used by the robot technician for robot maintenance
and recovery. The databank holds all of the necessary
software to restore InfantryBot programming (a
process that takes 1 hour per chip/progit and requires
no Computer Check) as well as to create new programs (per the standard rules). An overhead lift and
diagnosis module aids in robot maintenance, repair,
and if necessary, resurrection. The room also holds
complete electronic and mechanical repair kits.
13. Bathroom - Fully outfitted if somewhat
cramped, this bathroom serves the senior crew and
executive officer.
14. Executive Officer Quarters - This singlebunk cabin is home to the ships second-in-command. Although confined, it is private.
Adventure hooks
AIRBORNE!
DEVASTATOR
TOP VIEW
DEVASTATOR
Gunship
8
DEVASTATOR
DECK PLAN
DEVASTATOR
Gunship
8
7
11
12
2
13
14
10
11
1. Cockpit
2. Bridge
3. Medical Bay
4. Bathroom
5. Mess
6. Junior Crew Quarters
7. Gunnery Bay
8. Engine Bay
9. Captains Quarters
10. Senior Crew Quarters
11. Robot Bays
12. Robot Repair Room
13. Bathroom
14. Executive Officer Quarters
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DEVASTATOR
Open Game License
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is
Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (Wizards). All Rights
Reserved.
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Distribute means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast,
publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)Open Game
Content means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not
embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art
and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content
by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License,
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6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT
Future: Starship 9 Devastator is copyright 2004 Michael Hammes. All text in this book is designated as open game content. You may not distribute this PDF without permission of the author. d20 Modern is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast,
Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and is used with permission. Wizards of the Coast is a registered trademark of Wizards of the
Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and is used with permission.
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All artwork is 2004 - Edward Bourelle and may be reproduced for personal use only.
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All artwork is 2004 - Edward Bourelle and may be reproduced for personal use only.