LASERBURN sci.fi. combat rulesLA SERBURN | Those Fules vere written oFiginally aa On odjunct te the various Sei Fi role playing rules available, to give a detalled and satisfactory method for simulating the heroic ose0s of uv characters In Lhe assorted robberies, sictomishes and boarding actions they were in= walved in. But they soon grew to be m set of selfafulfilling Sei Fi cules that can be used as 8 role-playing aysten in their own right. LASCA OUNN rules ere designed aruund w game Lwvulviey aluul 12 Lu 20 Plgwes @ side, but can be used guccesTully with fur fewer oF many nore. Tou Can USC LABS BUEN G8 4 method oF FesdLving combat situations in Sci Fi campaign, or you can uz than ae we do, to play a connected series of ysnes which will form a kind of saga involving your oun characters. Wo use them mainly to simulate battles involving roving banda af apace pirates, outlaun and revolutionaries, intent on commiting sundry felanies, versus the farces of Law and Order, oF rival groups, if Eole-playing (©) Copyright Grymn Ansell Auguat 1980 ae Froduced by Tabletop Gasae With special thanks to Tony Ackland and Tony Yetes for inspiration and ideas. Ard to Tony Yates for al] the nice drewind INOEX = Page 40 lem. Figures ovallable -The Rules with 2 cispie starter eceneric, perhapac 6 bard of cutlows coidii the bank dive Frontier town on sone far-flung arm of the Galexy, of revolutionaries springing = comrade frou priswi. The devisor of the acensric can act G6 beth Uspire si comander of the cpp sition; the palice, oF perhaps & detachment of Imperial Infantry. Even monbers of the aresded Lepetial Inquisition! Cech of the autlaw players ahwld howe a persunud Cy representing himself, and s group of fallowers under h cunmand, in sufficient nuwwers to cope with the situation. For thair first bottle they should heve fairly low charact- erigtics (Conscripts), though the character figures could be qiven spacial ebilities (usualy only one} mach, and ba areed with simple side arne, As the characters ond their non Prnofese (assuming they curving) they vill gain ekille and areater abilities, wealth, and sore sophisticated weaponry ond e@uiprent. Record the performances of all indiviuala involved in each action, so that impravenent in charactor— dabica ard skiLs ear be Ge yelied using Ube expert ence rules. After the action one of the participants should be seaigned the role of crestor and umpire of the next scenario, he then devieos the scenariv and invents the plot Line ta comect it with the situation at tne end of the last action, Thus tne opic tale of btw deede-and edy— wntures wf your heraic oand of adventurers unfaios vitnout recourse to campaign rules or complicated lagistice, 4 group just beginning their Jife of adventure will involve themelves in arall scale caida wand eo while Uy Guild uy Unde caebl prowes wd buy ur ale Uremoclvee yuu selection of herduare. Then the universe becanes their oyster; they can hire themselves out 58 OOdyqUaTOS, RERCENAEIes, BABBESING, |tAE & FevOlUtion, go Space puratin|, DecorE bounty hunterajei ETE So Gang wal is voll vorth setting their exploits down on paper 90 you have @ permenant record of their saga as it unfolds, mesorsble characters (friend ar foe) ran be reintroduced to provide interest and continuity - the law enfoccorent officers you qutshot in that berfight on Andorous, way Bok when you were till atreatpunks on the prod, Fuoppocre eo your company comender shen you eign on ee er weuUIt commundo in the Claxite Revolutionary Army, will he tecognise you? You'd certainly be best advised to watch your bak Tndivirtinle un rereiue 8 mieahling wnund during the cures nf 2 crenarin will need time to recover and they cannot take part in the next section(s) (throw a Ds to determine the punter), Ik ia @ good idea rover ts allow your personél Sharecter te dic, o clooe quarters exchenge vith energy weapons is a deadly effair, and unless you etear clear of all the Bxcilmnt you ate certainly yuing Lo yet yourself "killed" jatrtodicaliy, we wnaik w kidd result on your personal figure asm dissbling serious wound, und count no experience for your exploits in that epioode, Whale "you" recuperate you can fun = secondary character, &, 60 its mot too realistic, Out Soi Fi heroes (nearly) allways get to Live to Fight an other day. The Scenario The crestor of the scenario should try to keep things fairly evenly balanced, the terptatian is lo allow the belarce Lo swing towards the adventurer 4 but resiot thet impulocl af the situation ka tough, end thinga don't qo thear way, they should know enougt to pull out and cut their losses when things get sticky. Give them an experience bonue if they 0 manage te senginly neat a Fighting retreat things do end disnsteroualy, they'll only fing thesselves incarcerated in a prison hospital, or the gickhay of penal colonisation ship, nr maybe the atnrage arctina af an organ hadk, geod starting points for a new acenerio, If they do win through, than thay!iL onjoy their victory all the nore For knowing they've been ins Tight. If 9 group wants tc isprove their armoury, they can rely an stesling from the hociek of their aneminn, OF they can obtain soney with which to buy them.