Travel & Vehicles

ForeSight (1986), pp. 57–64 — a best-effort cleanup of the machine-extracted original; expect residual OCR noise. Compare with the source PDF. About this restoration.

ISoft Tech Level 9 Helijet I

[5.0] TRRVEL G VEHICLES

Vehicle Table

*Every sample vehicle. PURsuit / MANeuver / REDline are ease-factor ratings; Cruise & Max in km/h; CLG = ceiling (or dive depth for subs); DT = damage track; SIZ = size class; Cargo in kg, Pass = passengers. Multi-mode vehicles (Crawler, Amphibious ATV) note their alternate modes on the card. Reconstructed from the pixel-art chart — verify against the original.*

Terrain Value Chart

Terrain Contour × Terrain Feature → the terrain value; a vehicle's Cruise/Max is divided by (Modified Terrain Value)/2 (or 1 if that's lower), and its Pur/Man are reduced by it. Higher = harder going. Suburban / Urban extend the features: Suburban [SU] 0 / with cover [SF] 1; Urban [UR] 0 / built-up [SB] 2.

ForeSight [S.O] Travel

[5.0] Travel                                                 Slz: the relative size of the vehicle, given as a modifier
                                                               to h~ it.with other vehicle mounted weaponry (the low-
Designer's Notes: travel in FS is important, and to this       er thiS IS, the smaller, and harder to hit, the vehicle).
 end there are a fair quantity of rules and guidelines
 relating to this topic presented. Most travel will be in    Cgo: the cargo the vehicle is capable of carrying
 vehicles and so forth, and to this end I begin the           expressed in kilograms.                          '
 Travel section with a look at vehicles.
                                                             Pass: the number of passengers, ie. other than the
                                                              driver, the vehicle is designed to carry.
[5.1] Vehicles
                                                             The parenthesised value after name is the vehicle's
Definitions: vehicles in ForeSight are evaluated in            price (in SVU). An * indicates that the vehicle may be
 terms of the following variables:                             purchased at a Tl O.S higher for 7S% of the stated
                                                               price, and at a Tl one higher for SO% of the stated
Type: vehicles can be broadly categorised, and this in         price.
  turn affects what they are designed to do, and rather
  than eval.uate every vehicle's capacities individually,
  I categorise them by type, and then attribute each
                                                             Terrain Effects
  type of vehicle some capacity to perform in given          Each vehicle type has a varying ability to cope with
  terrain types. Eg. a vehicle may be wheeled, four-
                                                              different terrain types. This is covered by two charts:
  wheel drive, hydrofoil, or short take off and landing.
                                                              !he Terrain Value Chart (see Tables) gives relat-
                                                               Ive values for the difficulty of traversing various sorts
TL: the technological level required to produce a given
                                                               of terrain, and the Vehicle Type Characteristic
  vehicle is fairly important.                                 Chart tabulates the varying abilities of vehicles to
                                                               cope with terrain, or, in the case of aircraft, land on
Pur: vehicles can not only be used to travel, but also to
                                                               them.
 pursuelflee other vehicles. Pur is a performance
  modifier (PM) used for situations requiring
                                                             Note: [SF] stands for Surface, and [58] stands for
  acceleration of a vehicle.
                                                              submerged.
Man: sometimes a vehicle's ability to maneuver
 s~arply, ~~lfely, andlor accurately is important, and
                                                             Vehicle Type Characteristic Chart
 thiS modifier reflects a vehicle's ability to do these
 things.                                                     TYPE          LAND    MARSH      WATER      ICE LIMIT
                                                             Wheel(ed)      +1                           +1     3
Designer's Note: Movement may be in one of three             4WD             0        +3                 0      3
 categories: ground, air, and water' the statistics in       6WD             -1       +2                 0      3
 ForeSight apply only to those categ~ries of movement        2-wheel(ed)     0                           +3     S
 in which a given vehicles type in FS can attempt, ie. a     Tracked         -1       +2        (+3)     0      S
 car's Pur modifier is not comparable to that of a           Biped           0        +2          0      0      8
 monoplane, but only to those of other ground                Quadruped        0       +4        (+4)      0     6
 vehicles.                                                   Crawler         -2       +3        (+3)      0     S
                                                             Hovercraft       0       -1         (0)      0     2
Red: the vehicle's speed redline reflects the point          Boat                     0          (0)            2
 beyond which it is unsafe to push a vehicle's               Ship                                (0)            1
 performance; in some sense the vehicle's top speed.         Submarine                            -1            1
 The lower this number is, the better.                       Airboat                  -1         (0)            2
                                                             Hydrofoil                           (0)            1
Cruise: the vehicle's cruising speed (in kilometres per      Monoplane*      0                  (+1)     0      2
  hour) determines how far the vehicle will transport its    STOl*           -1       +1         (-1 )   -1     3
  occupant in normal circumstances.                          VTOl*           -2       0          (-1 )   -2     4

Max: the vehicle's maximum speed in kilometres per            Each vehicle type is thus given a rating for a given sort
                                                                of terrain (land includes all non marsh, surface,
 hour.
                                                                submerged, or ice environments; the other categories
Clg: the maximum altitude the vehicle can attain in             are obvious), either '-' or a number.
  Earth-like conditions (thicker atmospheres and lower
  gravities increase this, while the reverse holds for        A '-' indicates vehicles of this type may not be used in
  thinner atmospheres and higher gravities). For                this sort of terrain.
  submersibles this represents the depth (of water) the
  vehicle can safely withstand at Earth gravity (this         LImit: this is the highest (unadjusted) terrain value in
  varies inversely with gravity).                               which such a vehicle can operate.

 DT: the damage track the vehicle uses to convert             A plus or minus sign followed by a number is the
                                                                adjustment that vehicle makes to the terrain
  wound level into damage status.
                                                                values in that category before using them. (Negative
                                                                values are good.)

                                                       Page S01

Note: *aircraft use the net terrain value as a negative modifier to any Aircraft roll to land the aircraft in that sort of terrain. Aircraft always use their normal speeds for travel (although these may be altered by the atmosphere and gravity of the planet on which they are being operated.

. "

The Cruise Speed of a vehicle in a given (permitted) terrain type is its normal Cruise rating divided by (Modified Terrain Value)/2 (or 1 if that is lower). The Maximum Speed of a vehicle in a given (permitted) terrain type is its normal Max rating divided by (Modified Terrain Value)/2 (or 1 if that is lower). The net Pur(suit) Modifier of a vehicle in a given (permitted) terrain type is its normal Pur modifier minus the Modified Terrain Value. Designer's Note: this can, and is intended to, nearly cripple some vehicles (pursuit-wise) in adverse terrains. The net Man(euver) Modifier of a vehicle in a given (permitted) terrain type is its normal Man modifier minus the Modified Terrain Value. Designer's Note: this can, and is intended to, nearly cripple some vehicles (pursuit-wise) in adverse terrains. The net Red(line) rating of a vehicle in a given permitted terrain type is equal to its normal Red rating minus

⟶ ERRATA (Oct 1987): This printing prints the net Red(line) rating as minus (Modified Terrain Value)/2 — a downright error. It should be plus (Modified Terrain Value)/2. (Page 502L.)

(Modified Terrain Value)/2.

[5.2] Long Distance Travel When travelling some considerable distance in FS the important things to know are the Time the trip required, whether any Accidents took place en route, and whether the traveller(s) reached his/her/their destination. Note that speeds for a person on foot are given under the rules for Fatigue [2.6]; they choose a rate of exercise which yields a speed for overland movement (Running is the appropriate skill) which is treated as Cruise, while the next speed up (if any) is treated as Max. H long distance swimming is attempted, divide the speeds by five. The maximum time a character may travel on foot depends on how long his/her fatigue holds out. Also note that a driver should have to stop for rest breaks every WP hours, and thus this is the greatest period anyone Driving (or Navigation) roll can apply to. Navigation: in unfamiliar terrain one of the characters must navigate (ie. make a Navigation roll), and the worse of this and any Driving roll is used to determine the duration of any journey, with the exception that a QR 10 result for navigation indicates that the characters are lost, and at best are considerably offcourse. Normal Travel: if characters are not in a hurry, then they choose a driver (if applicable) and he/she makes a normal driving roll, the result of which yields a mean

speed for that leg (see below). If this speed is insufficient to finish the journey in the driver's WP hours, thlSn simply this speed multiplied by the driver's WP km are covered in that time (the characters may then rest, or select a relief driver), otherwise the journey is completed in the distance, of the journey (in km), divided by the mean speed hours . QR 1, 2: Mean Speed is average of Cruise and Max speeds of vehicle (adjusted for terrain). QR 3, 4: Mean speed is Cruise speed of vehicle (adjusted for terrain). QR 7: Mean speed is half the Cruise speed of vehicle (adjusted for terrain). QR 10: the vehicle has suffered some sort of mishap (probably non-serious in nature), eg. a flat tyre, ruptured fuel line, or faulty tape deck. This simply means that a few hours have been wasted without making progress (alternatively the GM may spice up the situation by forcing the characters to tramp off for spare parts, or whatever). A person on foot may have injured himlher self, ego sprained an ankle. Hasty Travel is handled a little differently: it is assumed the characters are in a hurry to get somewhere, and want to minimise the time taken. Hasty travel may not be attempted by people on foot (they use normal travel, above, and increase their rate of exercise). The procedure is otherwise as for normal (unhurried) travel, with the following changes: QR 1: the Mean speed is the Max speed of the vehicle adjusted for terrain. QR 2: the Mean speed is 90% Max speed of the vehiclEl adjusted for terrain, or the speed for OR 3 if that is higher. QR 3: the Mean speed is the mean of the Max and Cruise speeds of the vehicle adjusted for terrain. QR 4: the Mean speed is the Cruise speed of the vehicle adjusted for terrain. QR 7: the vehicle has suffered an accident of a minor sort, and is delayed for a few hours, but otherwise has a Mean speed as under QR 4. QR 10: some time into the leg a serious mishap occurs, damaging the vehicle, and perhaps the characters. The driver should make another driving roll at Man rating of vehicle - 3. OR 1, the accident is easily avoided, treat as QR 4 above; OR 2, the accident causes the vehicle light damage, treat as QR 7 above with a delay of one hour; OR 3, the vehicle suffers medium damage, and must be repaired before the journey can continue (at least in it); OR 4, the vehicle suffers heavy damage, and everyone inside suffers damage indicated by indexing a random OR with DC 4; OR 7, the vehicle suffers incapacitation (4), the passenger suffer DC 8 (random OR); OR 10.

e 502

the vehicle suffers incapacitation (5) and the passengers DC 10 (random OR). Designer's Note: there is deliberately almost no chance of killing a healthy character using this system; that's the idea. It's pretty frustrating for players to lose characters in the comparatively mundane area of travel.

[5.3] Pursuit Sometimes characters will either desire to catch up to, overtake, or escape from, someone in a vehicle; in such a case, Pursuit occurs. Long distance pursuit can be handled in an obvious way by the longdistance travel system above, detailed pursuits are a different matter. Detailed pursuits are really only of interest when comparable vehicles are involved: obviously a jethelicopter will rapidly outrun or overtake an automobile, while a submarine would probably escape an SR-71 (high speed reconnaisance plane). Furthermore the ratings given for various vehicles are only designed for comparison within a certain range: land, water, or air. In some cases comparisons may be required: for ground vehicles chasing water vehicles, or vice-versa, subtract one from the water vehicles' Pur, Man, and add one to Red (water vehicles are slower and less maneuverable than ground vehicles). Aircraft chasing ground vehicles (and not vice-versa) have their Red and Man ratings reduced by three, and their Pur ratings increased by three. Comparison between water and air craft follows from this. Note: Pur, Man, and Red ratings of air and water craft are altered by terrain values. A Detailed Pursuit begins when a situation warrants it, and the GM has decided [a] who is in front, and who is behind, [b) what range the pursuit begins at (5, within sight, to 0, tailgating). Detailed Pursuits are conducted in turns, each (very approximately) representing fifteen seconds (for ground, or mixed pursuits), one minute (for water), or three seconds (for aerial) in the Game-World, and each is divided into segments. Designer's Note: Taking these estimates as even vaguely accurate can lead to strange conclusions. Pursuits should be thought of as being dramatic rather than accurate. [i) Each side, beginning with the fleeing party, bids an EF, at most 2, and decreasing with each bid (to a negative number, if desired). The last side to bid is said to have the initiative. [ii] The side with the initiative decides whether it or the others will move first. [iii) Each side, in the order determined by the side with initiative, chooses a maneuver, and makes a driving roll using the modifiers stipulated in the maneuver

description. The OR yields a result indicated in the maneuver description. [iv] Both sides may fire any weapons if within range: pursuers fire before their quarries. [v] Unless the pursuers wish to cease their pursuit, or their quarry has escaped (ie. is at range 7), start a new turn. Characters who are running, swimming, or otherwise using muscle power, lose one point of fatigue (two if laden, four if burdened) at the end of each turn.

Physical Ranges Represented By Pursuit Ranges Range Number

o

Ground Water Air 5m 10m 250m 20m 40m 1000m 50m 100m 2500m 100m 200m 5000m 5COm 1000m 10km 1km 2km 20km 2km 4km 40km The pursuers have completely lost contact.

The ranges indicated above are used for determining the range for purposes of any weapons fire. Note that while turns can be (much) longer than the normal Combat [4.0) turns, and somewhat (very) approximate in length, the rates of fire given for combat still apply (since fire is being performed whenever the opportunity presents itself, rather than continuously).

Manoeuvers Note Driving rolls are assumed to be made using the appropriate vehicle skills. PursuelFlee: the Driving roll is modified by sum of the final bid, and the vehicle's Pur modifier. A pursuing vehicle subtracts S·QR from the range, while a fleeing vehicle adds this much; range may not be modified to below zero. If unsuccessful, a safety roll must also be made. Force: the target of a force maneuver must be at range o from the vehicle performing the maneuver. The driving roll is modified by the sum of the final bid, and the vehicle's Slz, DTI2, and Pur, minus the sum of the target vehicle's Slz, DT 12, and Pur. If successful, the target vehicle's driver must make a safety roll; otherwise the forcing vehicle's driver must make a safety roll. Quick Turn: this may only be performed by the fleeing party (and only if the situation is deemed appropriate by the GM, ie. there is somewhere to turn), and the Driving roll is modified by the vehicle's Man rating; if performed at range S2 it counts as a flee maneuver; at range 3 or 4 if performed successfully, the vehicle is assumed to escape, unless the pursuers successfully perform a Search roll at EF - OR (of Ouick Turn), in which case the range drops to 1 or 2 (respectively); at range 5 or 6 if performed success-

fully the vehicle is assumed to escape unless the pursuers successfully perform an EF .. OR (of Ouick Turn) Scan roll, in which case the range drops to 3 or 4, respectively. Reverse: may only be initially performed by fleeing party, and the Driving roll is modified by the sum of the vehiclQ's Pur, and Man, and the final bid. If unsuccessful then Range is reduced to 1, unless it was already S1, in which case it is reduced to o. H successful, range will go to 0, 6 and then 7, on the subsequent three turns, unless then pursuer is able to successfully double back during one of them, in which case normal pursuit is resumed. Trick: one or another party is attempting to perform an unforseeable maneuver, and the GM must decide what modifiers apply (the final bid should always apply, however) and what the effects of success and failure are. Climb: (or Dive), may only be performed by a vehicle with a elg rating. Modifier is the sum of the vehicle's Pur and Man, and the final bid, otherwise treat as Pursue/Flee, with following exceptions. During any turn in which the quarry Climbs, the pursuer may only close the range by climbing also. If fleeing party has larger (ie. greater and positive, or smaller and negative) ceiling then treat range 6 as range 7 (treat range 5 as range 7 also, if the fleeing party's ceiling is double that of the pursuer's).

A Safety Roll must be made by the driver of any vehicle which failed to perform a maneuver, and/or whose vehicle's Red rating exceeded the final bid for the turn. A Safety Roll is modified by +(the final bid the vehicle's Red), and is performed using the appropriate driving skill (of the character steering the vehicle). If the result is a QR4, then the vehicle increases its Damage Status by one (eg. light damage becomes medium) - note the effect on performance this has; if the result is a QR7, then the vehicle is out of action, and the passengers suffer damage equal to that indicated by a random OR against DC (8 - Vehicle's DT), while the vehicle is considered to be damaged to some degree (GM's discretion, varying upon circumstances); if the result is a QR10, then the vehicle is totalled, and the passengers suffer DC (12 - Vehicle's DT), or worse (if they're in a plane, or submarine, for example). Optionally subtract (the final bid + 2) to the DCs listed for accidents (resulting in a net increase for high-speed accidents). Damage to Vehicles from weapon fire (or whatever) has its DC reduced (by the vehicle's DT, if a melee attack, or the result of an accident or collision; DT/2, if an impact attack; or DT/4, if a beam attack; as well as by any additional armour) and then is assessed as follows: roll 010 and consult the table below for damage inflicted on a vehicle:

Pag

Roll R•• ult 1-4

The damage has affected the vehicle's motive systems, and aggregates normally.

5-7

The damage has affected the vehicle's accessories (eg.weapons, radar, air-conditioning, tapedeck), and has no effect on its damage level unless it is an aircraft· or submarine, in which case it aggregates normally.

8-10 Compartment hit: divide the vehicle's cargo into 100kg lots, and give each passenger and each 100kg of cargo an equal likelihood of recieving the damage, which has no effect on the vehicle unless it is an aircraft· or submarine, in which case it aggregates normally. Not.: * an aircraft other than a helijet, helicopter, or aircar.

ge 504

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                                             Terminal
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                                                                                   Sighting
                                                                                   Headset
                           Likewise, you'll find vehicles in [5.0], but personal fliers are here ...
                                                                                                                 Personal Flyer
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                                      I Planetary I                               ISearch & Scan           +11

     .<. ....::::::
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                                                   n                               Datastick
                                                                                                                      llill
                                                                                                                      -- -
    Observation                                                                    Camera, Audio Recorder,       Explosives
    Drone                              Headset Radio                               Flashlight, Thermograph       250g PlasDex

      These, a nd other pop ular items, are ava itab Ie at any 5 EI=i R5 5 P I=i CEBUCK reta iter...
                                      Suitcase                                     Attache Case                  I Electronics                                              +1\

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                                                                                                                  HdL'anced Electronics I<it
    Microphone

                                        [6.0] GEnERAL EQUIPmEnT

The sighting helmet weapon, and the heads ultra-violet laser in the the weapon's current t

The PLASDEX Ve,sacharge nc suitable for use unskilled personn DEXAX), and a variety of detonat controls allow from 5g to 250g of e charge, with either a delay, proxim detonation. (The unused explosiv

The Personal Flyer, o perfected in the late 20 comprising a haversac design shown (incorpo favour. Faster versions

The Datastlcknc is con "in the field" an indispe performs the functions IR and UV scanner, an

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Remote Probes are us television reporters to lo vantage point. Most such to those used to fly mode itself, which may be one

You can never ha shapes and sizes, degree of sophist tech, lightweight to and difficult to get

Almost as vital to the typical adv Radio-transceivers are, barring u reliable, and generally the simple starts falling. When sufficiently s Two catch-words here are "scree (encrypting the information). Also

comprises an attachment which fits onto the barrel of a set shown. The attachment points a low-powered direction the weapon will fire, while the headset projects arget onto its wearer's retina.

is a simple-to-use, mUlti-purpose demolition charge, nel. Each unit contains 250g of PLASDEX (plasticicized tors, controlled by a small microchip. Easy to understand explosive to be set off either as a shaped or general mity, coded radio signal, or electrical impulse bringing ve is, of course, Iost.). TL8, 750g, 100svu.

or Jetpack, represents the culmination of technology 0th Century. A sort of one-person VTOL, earlier versions, ck-like unit were found impractical, and the more stable orating stirrups, saddle, and handlebars) slowly gained s have more bodywork to reduce air-resistance.

nsidered by most people whose professions call for work ensable aid. A flashlight sized and shaped unit, the datastick s of video-camera, telescope, microscope, geiger counter, nd it can even function as a (visible, IR, or UV) flashlight.

sed extensively by spies, police forces, naturalists, and ok at listen to things from a difficult to reach, or hazardous, h units, such as that shown, comprise a control box, similar el aircraft but incorporating a video-recorder, and the drone of a number of types.

ave too many toolkits ... Toolkits come in a variety of , and are distinguished by their Tech Level, Purpose, and tication/quality. Naturally, sophisticated (high quality), high oolkits are the most desirable, but also the most expensive t. Many ForeSight characters will carry a variety of toolkits.

venturer will be a reliable, secure form of communication. unusual natural phenomena or deliberate interference, est option when the population density of visiphone booths sophisticated, radio communications can also be secure. eching" (sending information very fast) and "scrambling" o see the Designer's Commentary for further information ...