SLA Industries 2nd Edition Quick Start
SLA Industries 2nd Edition Quick Start
SLA Industries 2nd Edition Quick Start
QUICK START
Version 0.9b2
Q U I C K S TA R T
QUICK START
QUICK System
S TA R T
Chris “Shep” Shepperson,
Writing
Jared Earle, Chris “Shep” Shepperson
Art
Dave Allsop, Jon Hodgson, Scott Purdy
Layout
Jared Earle
Proofreading
Marshall Oppel
Playtesting
Carl Arnold, Joshua Briggs, Kevin Case, Brendan Falconer, Darren Grainger, Mike Griffin,
Matt Jones, Gordon Parton, Marc Potter, Lee Quillan, Mark Rapson, Toby Thomas, Marc Wilson,
Corrine Winwood, Ste Winwood, James Woods
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QUICK START
Welcome to the SLA Industries 2nd Edition Quick Start. the next corner, never knowing which facts are truths and which
If you are an experienced SLA Industries player, having are lies.
picked up the original version of the game at some point
SLA Industries is a company. A huge corporate entity that
over the last 25 years, then you will already have a good
rules over not only Mort City, but the entire planet and the
understanding of both The World of Progress and of
expanding universe which Mr Slayer, the owner of SLA
roleplaying games as a whole. If this is the case, jump to
Industries, aptly refers to as ‘The World of Progress’. SLA
the Character Overview and get stuck into the new 2nd
employs Operatives. These highly trained agents are the boots
Edition ruleset. Please remember that this Quick Start is
on the ground in Mort City, a place filled with violence, drugs,
a streamlined and stripped back version of the new rules
strange alien races and built entirely on lies. An Operative will
system. Throughout this document, a number of notes have
have a job to do and they are not always glamorous; a typical
been placed to highlight to experienced players just how
assignment (known as a BPN) may consist of anything from
this version differs from the full rules.
exterminating carnivorous rats and pigs in a sewer, to securing
If you are new to SLA Industries, or even if this is the first and retrieving an ancient artefact of the Ebonite race. Operatives
time you have ever played an RPG, read on... work for the promise of two things; a solid payout with which
to buy stronger armour and bigger guns, and an SCL (Security
Clearance Level) increase, allowing them to climb the ranks of
WHAT IS A ROLEPLAYING the company.
GAME? This Quick Start contains five pre-made characters, all the
essential rules required to play the game and a single scenario for
At its most basic premise, a roleplaying game, or RPG, is a a GM and up to 5 players to enjoy, with the aim of introducing
tabletop game in which players assume the roles of different a group of players to the dark, frightening and deceitful world
characters in a fictional setting. These characters are represented of SLA Industries.
by a range of statistics unique to each. The game, and actions
within it, are resolved either through discussion and storytelling,
or with the use of dice. The GM (Games Master) is a critical WHAT DO I NEED TO PLAY?
part of an RPG, as it is their responsibility to lead the story. In
You will need access to a number of 10-sided dice (d10).
many respects the GM is analogous to the director of a movie
Ideally each player should have access to 6 of these dice (6d10),
and the players are all the actors; between them, they develop
though it is possible to pass a single set around. One die should
and drive the story and what happens.
be a different colour to the others (we suggest one black and the
rest as you see fit). As well as dice, some paper and pencils for
ABOUT SLA INDUSTRIES making notes, and a copy of this document is all that is needed
to enjoy this introduction to SLA Industries.
“That first time you take your helmet off in Downtown and
breathe in the smell of life there. Fuck me. It’s nasty.”
Danny P, Human Operative, SCL
CHARACTER OVERVIEW
10.5a, Squad ‘Drop Donkey’. In SLA Industries each player assumes the role of an
Operative. These ‘characters’ are the personas that will represent
SLA Industries is an RPG system that uses many adult themes.
the players as they venture into The World of Progress. This
Over its 25 year history, SLA has regularly been described as
document contains five pre-made Operatives for players to use
‘horror noir’. People often throw in a comment or two about
which can be found at the end of the book. There are a number
huge aliens and big guns as well, but horror noir is where every
of elements that players should know about the information on
game should begin. Mort, the planet on which the game is set,
their character sheets, particularly the different stats, skills and
is dark and it never stops raining. The players are injected into
traits that each character has.
a world that feels claustrophobic, never knowing what’s around
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Ebon path, grants the user control over cold, creating blades play nice when they need to sweet talk someone), the player is
from ice and freezing the air around them. expected to roleplay this trait accordingly, potentially leading
to unfavourable opinions from those they meet.
The full rules for SLA Industries 2nd Edition contains
Drug Addict - The character is addicted to one or more narcotic
a much larger and more varied list of available skills for
substances, most commonly the combat or soft drugs used
characters to choose from. This list has been edited down
by SLA Operatives. For full rules on drug addiction, see the
to keep only those skills relevant to the Quick Start game.
“Drugs” section later in this Quick Start
Hearing: Good - This trait represents that a characters level of
TRAITS hearing is noticeably better than their racial norm. Each rank
in good hearing adds one additional Skill Die success to any
Traits round a character off, adding to the roleplaying element Detect roll that is based on hearing.
of their personality. They represent advantages and disadvantages
that character’s can take to add more depth to their character’s Psychosis: Psychopathy - Psychopathy is a psychosis which
while also giving GM’s additional juicy bits to play with. Only manifests itself as persistently violent and antisocial behavior,
the traits possessed by the pre-made characters included with often with an uncontrollable need to unleash their anger
this Quick Start are included here. in cruel and spiteful ways. While the psychosis trait has no
specific in-game rulings, more than any other traits, the chosen
Ambidextrous - The character is able to perform equally well psychosis should be roleplayed correctly, determining the
with both left and right hands. As such the character may very foundation of the character’s existence. Psychosis can be
ignore any negative modifiers or increase in difficulty to any confusing and life threatening, both to the sufferer and those
skill tests due to having to use their off-hand. around them and the GM should ensure this fact is known.
Arrogant - Arrogance is a common personality trait among the Sterile - The character is sterile and unable to bear children,
Human population of Mort and increasingly common among even with the most expensive of fertility treatments.
other races too. Arrogance is the inflated feeling of one’s own
importance, usually manifested by an air of snobbiness, a sense Vision: Good - This trait is a measure of a characters sight,
of entitlement, or the general feeling that you’re just that bit representing that they have exceptionally good vision even
better than those around you. While the arrogant trait has no under poor lighting conditions. Each rank in good vision adds
specific in-game rulings (even the most arrogant person can
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one additional Skill Die success to any Detect roll that is based do not meet the aforementioned Passive criteria will require an
on sight. active skill roll.
As with the Skills above, the full rules for SLA Industries SKILL ROLL DIFFICULTY
contains an in-depth list of traits that are available to
characters, from illnesses and phobias to hidden savings
AND TARGET NUMBERS
and natural aptitudes towards specific areas of knowledge. In addition to the type of roll, we must also consider how
complex the task at hand is. The applicable difficulty of a task
will determine the target number for the test between a range of
RULES & MECHANICS 4 and 16. The following difficulties are used for all non-combat
skill rolls:
The following section details all the rules and mechanics
associated with running a game of SLA Industries. The system Difficulty Target Number
has been designed to provide a streamlined, cinematic gaming
Mundane Automatic Pass
experience for everyone playing the game, however there is one
golden rule that the GM should observe at all times: If any Simple 4
concept, rule, mechanic or test explained in this chapter would Challenging 7
otherwise break the flow of the game, it should be ignored.
Complex 10
SLA Industries is first and foremost a ‘roleplaying’ game and
wherever possible players should roleplay their way through Strenuous 13
the streets of Mort City. The following rules simply provide a Insane 16
benchmark for success and failure in the line of duty.
It is up to the GM to assign a difficulty to any skill roll that
may need to be made. While the GM is free to make any task
SKILL ROLLS the difficulty of their choosing, the following summaries should
be used as guidance:
The most common test made during a game is the skill roll.
Skill rolls are used to determine the success (or failure) of Mundane - A mundane task is one that is performed easily,
actions being undertaken during the game, everything, from even under duress. This might include opening doors, hopping
filing paperwork correctly to successfully spotting a tripwire over a low wall, climbing over a table etc. These events should
rigged to explosives, can be determined by a skill roll. There are never require a skill roll and can be performed by all but the
two main types of skill roll: Passive and Active. most injured of characters.
Active Insane - generally the most difficult tests receive the Insane
difficulty. Sometimes a Complex or Strenuous test is increased
An active skill rolls requires the player to roll a number of dice to this level due to the amount of pressure or stress a character
(explained below) and obtain a value, or values, higher than the is under, or maybe the task at hand puts the characters life in
target number. The number of successes will reflect the degree the balance. This might include disarming a bomb with only
of the overall success or failure of the roll. All skill rolls that
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a few seconds to spare or not giving in to the most extreme Concentration (CONC) stat. These values combined are
DarkNight torture techniques. Many characters may find known as a character’s ‘skill bonus’, which is shown on the
that their stats and skills make achieving an Insane skill roll character sheet.
entirely impossible.
After rolling the required number of dice, the player should
Increasing Difficulties add their applicable skill bonus to each die. If a character does
not possess the required skill then they just add the related stat
The GM should feel free to increase the difficulty of a roll if
to each die instead.
it makes sense for the situation at hand, such as performing
non-combat tasks during a firefight or trying to do anything If the total of the Success Die is equal to or greater than the
with your left hand if you’re right handed. Difficulty increases target number, then the test is a success. Each Skill Die that also
like this can make success very difficult, as such the GM should equals or exceeds the target number represents a higher degree
be careful not to hinder players too much throughout game of success and a bigger impact on the task being performed.
sessions.
Example: Glisten, Ebon Operative is attempting to
Unskilled Characters interrogate a suspect. Glisten has a COOL stat of 3 and
If a character does not possess the required skill, a skill roll an Interrogate skill of 2, giving her a skill bonus of 5. The
may still be attempted. In this instance, the character will only GM decides that the target is a tough one to crack and sets
consider the related stat for the purposes of any skill rolls. the difficulty at Complex, giving it a target number of 10.
Depending on how technical the task at hand is, the GM Glisten rolls the Success Die plus 3 Skill Dice (for their
should consider whether the difficulty should be increased by rank 2 in Interrogate, plus one). She rolls a 7 on the Success
one step on account of the character’s lack of knowledge. Die and get 3, 5 and 8 on the Skill Dice. She now adds her
Interrogate skill bonus to each dice, giving totals of:
MAKING ACTIVE SKILL ROLLS 7+5 = 12 (Success Die)
There are two types of dice used during all skill rolls - the 3+5 = 8 (Skill Die)
Success Die and a number of Skill Dice. 5+5 = 10 (Skill Die)
8+5 = 13 (Skill Die)
Success Die - The Success Die must be a different colour to all
other dice used. We suggest using a black die for your Success The Success Die beat the target number of 10 and so the
Die. The Success Die represents the core result for the test roll is successful. In addition, two of the Skill Dice also beat
being made. If the die total, after any modification is equal to the target number, meaning an exceptional success. Not only
or greater than the target number for the roll, then the roll is a does the target crack and tell the truth, but they also give
success. If the total is less than the target number, the roll is a up another name that would have been otherwise withheld
failure. A player will always roll one Success Die (1d10). from the players.
Skill Dice - Skill Dice must be a different colour to the Success In the same manner as a successful roll, should the Success
Die and are used to determine the margin of success of any Die be less than the target number then the result is considered
roll. At most, a player will be required to roll five Skill Dice a failure, even if multiple Skill Dice succeed. Each Skill Die that
(5d10). is also lower than the target number represents a greater margin
of failure. This means that highly skilled characters, whilst far
Note: While we suggest using a black die for your Success more likely to achieve success, are also capable of generating
Die and any other colour of your choosing for the Skill Dice, a failure that has significant impact, representing the risk or
the colour options are entirely up to you. A SLA dice pack is hubris or complacency playing its part.
available from Nightfall Games for those of you who want a
SLA branded option. MARGIN OF SUCCESS/FAILURE
To perform an active skill roll, the player must roll the The margin of success/failure is used as a measure of how
Success Die plus a number of Skill Dice equal to the much of an impact the current skill roll has on the task at hand.
rank they have in the relevant skill plus one. In this way, Though it is possible to roll more than four Skill Dice, the
a player will roll at most 6d10 at any time, comprised of a margin only considers up to four results, ignoring any additional
Success Die and between one and five Skill Dice. Each die results.
is considered independent – do not add the values together.
Important: When the Success Die results in a success only
successes on Skill Dice are considered, ignoring all failed
Example: Zack McTavish, Frother Operative, is making a Skill Dice. The same is true in reverse when the Success Die
Detect roll and has the Detect skill at rank 2, they will roll results in a failure - only additional failures on Skill Dice are
a total of four dice - the Success Die and three Skill Dice. counted, ignoring all other successes.
Note: It is important to remember that each skill is tied to The following table details the relevant margins of success and
one of 6 stats, for example, the Detect skill is related to the failure:
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The result is a failure, which would result in being left alone In addition to the base Fear Rating, a number of modifiers can
to face the cultists. Franks also has a LUCK stat of 3 and increase the rating, making the impact of the effects of fear appear
has not spent any yet this game session so decides to go far greater. The following modifiers are cumulative should multiple
ahead and spend 2 points of LUCK to alter the result on examples apply at the same time. Common modifiers include:
the Success Die to 10, changing the serious failure into an
excellent success. Modifier Examples
In a squad, outnumbering the
-1
For the purpose of this Quick Start game, LUCK should enemy at least 3 to 1
be considered a finite resource that once spent, is not Outnumbered at least 3 to 1, alone, in pitch
replenishable. When playing longer campaigns of SLA +1 black darkness, injured (lost at least 25% of
Industries, LUCK is replenished between game sessions. Hit Points), being captured or interrogated
Badly wounded (suffered at least 2 wounds),
+2
lost and alone in subterranean Downtown
FEAR +3 Being tortured by DarkNight agents
The streets of Downtown are a scary place to roam. Worse still
are the subterranean pathways of Lower Downtown, topped FEAR TESTS
only by passing the wall into Cannibal Sector 1 where a whole Whenever the total Fear Rating of any given circumstance
new world of terror awaits. While SLA Operatives are selected becomes higher than a character’s COOL stat, or at any other
for their hardy nature, not all of them have the grit needed to time that the GM deems suitable, the character is required to
face the brutal monstrosities that The World of Progress has to make a Fear Test.
offer.
To make a Fear Test, a character must roll the Success Die and
To represent this during a game, every person, scene and add their COOL to the value rolled. A Fear Test is considered
situation is assigned a Fear Rating. In most cases this will be successful if the total result is 10 or greater. If the roll is a success
0, representing that even the most timid of characters won’t then the character has overcome the fear and may continue to
be phased, but sometimes Fear Ratings need to be considered, act as normal. They are not required to make another Fear Test
particularly in times of danger or stress. for the same threat or situation again during this game session.
As with all rules, the GM and players should not get If the roll is 9 or less then the character is affected by Fear until
bogged down with Fear Ratings. Players are encouraged the threat has been removed or the character has been removed
to not think too much about them, relying on the GM to from the situation and at least an hour has passed. The effect
highlight elements that begin to affect the players. This of Fear is determined by Fear Rating that forced the test. The
allows for a much more realistic use of fear - you simply effects listed below are cumulative, so for example, if a character
don’t know something scares you until you encounter it, was affected by the Petrified result, they would also suffer the
then the reality is all too real. result of Afraid and Discouraged:
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Example: Two Operatives are facing off against a pair of to inflict additional damage, as explained in the “Hand-To-
angry Carrien. All parties roll for Initiative Values, resulting Hand Combat” section.
in the following totals:
Move & Charge Actions vs Initiative
Operative A 8
Operative B 6 As actions are declared in reverse order, it would stand
Carrien A 7 to reason that anyone who has a Charge (or Move which
Carrien B 6 ends in hand-to-hand combat) declared against them by a
combatant with a lower Initiative Value, could just choose
The Combat Round begins by selecting actions in the to move backwards, thus moving out of the range of the
following order: Carrien B and Operative B declare together incoming attacker. While this may seem like a good option
(their results are tied and both have the Detect skill at for more fragile Operatives, turing a combat into a ‘chase’,
rank 2), Carrien A, then Operative A. They will play out the GM should make it clear that most enemy combatants
the Combat Round in reverse order to that in which they are not not easily fooled. Repeated use of combatants
selected: Operative A, Carrien A and finally both Operative moving backwards to lure charging opponents whilst other
B and Carrien B acting simultaneously. squad members shoot them, or to ensure that they can
never be reached by the opposition, should be punished
MOVEMENT accordingly; leading the retreating Operative into a dead-
end or ambush will help them learn their lesson. Due to
Outside of combat, players and the GM may use the relative
primetime viewers considering ‘retreat’ a cowardly option,
Walk and Run values of a characters race to determine their
combatants with a higher Initiative Value who are charged
relevant speed compared to each other. During combat it
would be well advised to try and gun down the incoming
becomes more important to track movement more precisely,
attacker, counter charge them, or brace for impact. The
allowing players to judge the distance between themselves and
GMs overall goal is to circumvent silly games of cat and
their enemies. While attacking characters are able to move as
mouse and to provide a more realistic approach to people
a part of performing an attack, at times characters will simply
reacting to the unfolding events of the combat.
want to move about at a faster pace. To represent this, there are
two different movement actions that may be undertaken during
combat: Move and Charge. HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT
Move Hand-to-hand combat using fists, teeth, blades or other close-
range weaponry is the benchmark of Operative capability. While
Movement during combat is measured in short distances.
gun sales are significant, the high rate of bullet tax makes firing
While people are unlikely to be doing a great deal of walking
your rifle an expensive proposition. On top of that, TV ratings
during a firefight, short dashes to reposition, gain better cover or
logged by GoreZone, The Killing Floor and Crunch Time have
close the distance to the enemy are often the aspects of combat
all proven time and time again that melee weapons, martial arts
that turn the tide on the outcome of a battle.
and Stormers pulling people’s arms off are exactly what people
A combatant may move up to their Run value in metres as want to see. On the streets of Mort, civilians, gang members and
their action. This represents the combatant dashing at full other unsavories will arm themselves with knives, bats, chains
pace to take cover or move in on the opposition. In addition, and all manner of other accessible weapons. For Ops, the melee
a moving target becomes harder to hit than a stationary one, weapons catalogue is far more diverse, from powered swords
as detailed below. Movement up to a character’s Walk value and fists to the feared Chain Axe.
may be performed as a part of a hand-to-hand or ranged attack,
Each melee weapon has its own profile, which looks like this:
though such actions become easier if time is taken to steady a
weapon rather than move.
DPB Vibro Sabre
Charge Skill: Melee Weapons
Charging into combat is a risky, but potentially deadly DMG Min DMG AD
manoeuvre. The movement will result in both combatants being
1d10-2 4 1
locked in hand-to-hand combat, but with the added benefit
of the charging impact. The downside to such a manoeuvre is The information above gives us everything we need to know
that it can be hard to stop and maintain balance if the strike is about the DPB Vibro Sabre, including all the numbers we need
unsuccessful. when making an attack with the weapon:
An attack is considered a charge when a combatant starts Skill - The skill used when performing attacks with this weapon.
their action at least 2m from an opponent and chooses to move
DMG - The amount of damage inflicted by a successful attack
up to their Run value, plowing full force into their target. The
with this weapon. In the example above the damage inflicted
charging combatant must have a line of sight to their target at
is equal to the roll of 1d10, minus 2. Note: Natural weapons,
the start of the action. Charging an opponent gives the potential
such a punching, or using claws or teeth, have DMG values
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based on the character’s STR stat rather than one determined fire a weapon at point blank range, the reality of the frenzied
by a die roll. combat on the streets of Mort means that few combatants
have the capacity to ready their weapon before having it
Min DMG - The minimum amount of damage that the weapon
parried away. The last opportunity to use a ranged weapon
will inflict. In the example above, the weapon is therefore
is the round in which the combatant is charged or engaged,
capable of inflicting between 4 and 8 damage.
representing them getting a final shot off at their attacker, or
AD - The amount of armour damage inflicted to the targets another target.
armour. Armour damage is discussed in greater detail under
“Armour”. Defensive Manoeuvres
The biggest potential for modifying an attacker’s roll to hit
When performing a hand-to-hand attack, the combatant
comes from the defender performing a defensive manoeuvre;
may move up to their Walk value before performing the attack,
using their own weapon proficiency to parry or guard against
providing they are not already engaged in hand-to-hand
the oncoming attack.
combat. This allows them to close a small distance, allowing
them to strike. Effectively, every combatant has an area around
The decision to perform a defensive manoeuvre must be
them equal to their Walk value that they can attack in hand-to-
made before the attacker rolls to hit. A combatant may only
hand combat without the need to take other actions.
defend against a single hand-to-hand attack during each
All attacks require an Active skill roll, regardless of the user’s Combat Round.
proficiency with a weapon or combat style. The skill roll is made
as normal, rolling the Success Die and one Skill Die for each To perform the defensive manoeuvre, the defender may
rank that a character has in the applicable weapon skill plus allocate any number of ranks of the chosen skill - Unarmed
one and adding the relevant skill bonus (or stat) to each die. Combat, Melee Weapons or Polearm - according to the weapon
However, the normal skill roll difficulties and target numbers they are currently armed with. As action takes place quickly, it is
do not apply during attack rolls, instead there is always a static not possible for someone to decide to draw a weapon (or drop/
target number of 10 to which a range of modifiers may apply, sheath one) for the purpose of switching to a different skill,
thus any result of 10 or more after adjustment indicates a hit. Combat Defence must be performed with whatever is in hand
(or the combatant’s hands themselves!). While unarmed defence
Due to the availability of defensive manoeuvres during may take place if the character is holding a pistol, any character
hand-to-hand attacks, anyone may opt to reserve ranks of holding a two-handed firearm such as a rifle or support weapon
their relevant combat skill in order to defend if they expect may not perform a Combat Defence. Each rank allocated in
to get hit later in the Combat Round. As such, a character this way, applies a -1 modifier to all dice being rolled by the
with a Melee Weapons skill of 3 could opt to only use 2 ranks attacker. Any ranks allocated in this way are not available to
during their attack, in order to save one rank to defend with the defender during any attack they make this Combat Round,
later during the round. See “Defensive Manoeuvres” below. or during the next Combat Round if the defender has already
acted this round.
Hand-To-Hand Attack Modifiers
Example: Shae ‘Rattle’ Cross, is attacking a Downtown gang
The following modifiers are applied to the base target number member in hand-to-hand combat. She is using her DPB
of 10 for all rolls to hit in hand-to-hand combat. It is possible Vibro Sabre, which requires the Melee Weapons skill, which
for multiple modifiers to apply to a single roll. Shae possess at rank 2. Shae also has a STR of 2, meaning
she will roll 4 dice (the Success Die and 3 Skill Dice) and will
Situation Modifier add 4 to the result of each one. The Gang member will have
-1 to Success Die and his chance to strike back later during this Combat Round,
Charging a target
+1 Skill Die success but is concerned about getting sliced up before he gets the
Target charged you, or chance. He is armed with a knife and decides to allocate both
moved more than their Walk -1 to Success Die of his 2 ranks in Melee Weapons to Combat Defence, giving
value this Combat Round Shae a -2 modifier to all her dice during the roll. Shae rolls:
Target uses a defensive -1 to all dice for each skill 7+4-2 = 9 (Success Die)
manoeuvre rank allocated to defence 4+4-2 = 6 (Skill Die)
Successfully hit the 5+4-2 = 7 (Skill Die)
same target during the +1 to Success Die 8+4-2 = 10 (Skill Die)
last Combat Round
The Success Die was a failure, with a total of 9. Thanks to the
Attacking with a natural gang member’s Combat Defence he was able to avoid being
+1 to Success Die
weapons (fists, teeth, claws etc) shredded by Shae’s attack, however when the gang member
attacks this round, he will count as having a Melee Weapons
Note: Once engaged in hand-to-hand combat, a combatant
skill of 0.
may not use ranged weapons. While it may seem possible to
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Example: A Stormer chooses to attack a Juvenile Carrien Skill - The skill used when performing attacks with this weapon.
with their claws. After a successful roll to hit, the Stormer DMG - The amount of damage inflicted by a successful attack
inflicts damage equal to their STR-1. The Stormer has a with this weapon. In the example above the damage inflicted
STR of 5, meaning they will inflict 4 damage. This number is is equal to the roll of 1d10, minus 2.
modified by the margin of success as normal (see “Damage”).
Min DMG - The minimum amount of damage that the weapon
will inflict. In the example above, the weapon is therefore
Punch/Kick
capable of inflicting between 3 and 8 damage.
DMG Min DMG AD
AD - The amount of armour damage inflicted to the targets
STR -2 1 0 armour. Armour damage is discussed in greater detail under
Teeth/Claws (Stormer) “Armour”.
DMG Min DMG AD ROF - The rate of fire tells us how many rounds the weapon is
capable of firing in a single volley. The more rounds fired, the
STR -1 2 1
more likely one will hit its target, but the harder the weapon
Beak (Neophron) becomes to handle. Where multiple fire modes are available,
different numbers will be listed separated by a /. In the example
DMG Min DMG AD above, the weapon may fire 1 or 3 rounds per Combat Round.
STR -1 2 0 Rate of Fire is described in more detail later in this chapter.
Recoil - The recoil of a weapon is a measure of its ‘kick’ or how
The full rules for SLA Industries also contains a much
hard it is to keep steady when firing. Whenever different rates
deeper look into hand-to-hand combat including
of fire are available, each will have a listed recoil, also separated
alternative forms of defensive manoeuvre, using weapons
by a /. In the example above, the weapon has a recoil of 0 when
or acrobatics, and breaking off from an existing combat, as
firing 1 round and a recoil of 1 when firing 3 rounds. Higher
well as the possibility of stumbling during an attack.
recoil makes it harder to hit with the weapon.
Range - The maximum effective range of the weapon. A target
which is further away than half of the weapons stated range
is considered to be at long range and becomes harder to hit.
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With the FEN 603 above, a target further away than 30m Knowing a target’s location may be sufficient if using a weapon
would be considered to be at long range. capable of punching through a wall or barricade, though such
shots may only be attempted under the GM’s discretion,
Clip - The amount of ammunition held in a single clip/
applying the modifiers for both Heavy Cover and firing blind.
magazine. When a weapon is fired, the amount of rounds
specified by the chosen ROF should be marked off. When Cover
the weapon has fired rounds equal to its clip capacity it must
Standing in the open in the middle of a firefight is a recipe
be reloaded.
for disaster. Instead, most combatants will take cover, at least
When performing a ranged attack, the combatant may move until the capabilities of the enemy can be assessed. A combatant
up to their Walk value before performing the attack, providing in cover is harder to hit, as the cover can cause the ricochet of
they are not already engaged in hand-to-hand combat. This rounds or soak up the impact of the shot before it reaches its
allows them to close a small distance before firing. intended target.
As with hand-to-hand combat, all ranged attacks require Cover typically falls into three categories:
an Active skill roll, regardless of the user’s proficiency with a
Light Cover - Light cover includes any items with low stopping
weapon. The skill roll is made as normal, rolling the Success
power, but that is capable of concealing at least half of the
Die and one Skill Die for each rank that a character has in the
target, or obscuring their shape sufficiently. Examples of light
applicable weapon skill plus one and adding the relevant skill
cover include fencing, low walls, windows and most indoor
bonus (or stat) to each die. Also like hand-to-hand combat, a
furniture. There is a modifier of -1 to all dice when rolling to
static target number of 10 is also used for all skill rolls to hit,
hit a target in light cover.
thus any result of 10 or more after adjustment indicates a hit.
Heavy Cover - Heavy cover is cover which either conceals the
Important: Regardless of a weapon’s ROF, only one roll to vast majority of a target or offers exceptionally high protective
hit is made. The implications of being hit by multiple rounds qualities, such as solid concrete walls, steel barriers and most
in a single volley is discussed under “Rate of Fire (ROF)”. vehicles. There is a modifier of -2 to all dice when rolling to hit
Ranged Attack Modifiers a target in heavy cover.
The following modifiers are applied to the base target number Concealed - A concealed target can’t be seen, but the firer is
of 10 for all rolls to hit in ranged combat. It is possible for aware of their presence, either through observation or the
multiple modifiers to apply to a single roll. use of thermal optics etc. Firing at a concealed target comes
with the same modifier as firing at a target in heavy cover.
Situation Modifier In addition, the target is considered to have +1 or +3 PV
(depending on the material which conceals them), as specified
Target is in light cover -1 to Success Die
by the GM, for the purpose of resolving this attack.
Target is in heavy
-2 to Success Die
cover or is concealed Aim
Target moved more Rather than attacking, a combatant may choose to aim with
than their Walk value -1 to Success Die a ranged weapon in order to increase the effectiveness of the
this Combat Round eventual shot. While aiming is a no-brainer for snipers who
-1 to Success Die for each point take up position far from the action and patiently watch for the
Recoil
of recoil the weapon has right moment, aiming is also a valid response for combatants
Firing blind -1 to all dice closer to the action. Drawing your pistol or rifle on an opponent
during a standoff and taking aim can mean all the difference
+1 to Success Die or +1 Skill between a glancing blow and a killing head shot.
Aiming
Dice success (See “Aim”)
May reroll Success Die If a character elects to spend the Combat Round aiming they
Burst Fire must stay stationary, with their weapon focused on an opponent.
(See “Rate of Fire”)
When declaring an aim, the intended target must also be
May reroll any/all dice
Full-Auto declared. Aiming is possible with any weapon that requires the
(See “Rate of Fire”)
Pistol or Rifle skill, but not for other weapons, such as those
Line of Sight and Firing Blind that require the Support Weapons or Throw skills. A character
may never aim with a hand-to-hand attack.
In most cases a line of sight is required to a target in order for a
ranged attack to be able to be made. Providing a combatant can
While a combatant may aim for as many rounds as they
see a part of the target’s body or armour, they are considered to
wish, they may only gain a maximum number of Aim
have a line of sight and may perform an attack normally. When
bonuses equal to their rank in the relevant weapon skill.
a combatant is unable to see their target, they are considered
It is possible for a combatant to spend multiple successive
to be firing blind, such as when poking a gun over the top of
rounds aiming before they fire, for this reason players may
a barricade or firing at a target which is completely concealed
wish to use tokens, glass beads, or another suitable markers
behind a wall.
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Q U I C K S TA R T
to keep a tally of how many Combat Rounds have been Running Low On Ammo
spent aiming. A weapon must have the required number of rounds left in
its clip in order to use a specific fire mode. As some weapons
When the aiming combatant finally decides to fire their are not able to fire on single mode, it is possible that there
weapon, they may add one of the following bonuses for every may be fewer rounds available in the clip than the weapon’s
round that the Aim action was taken. These bonuses are declared lowest rate of fire. When this happens the weapon’s lowest
before the roll to hit is made: firing mode is used to empty the clip, applying a -2 DMG
.. Apply a +1 Modifier to the Success Die modifier to reflect fewer rounds being fired than normal.
Note that even with this modifier, a weapon’s ‘Min DMG’
.. Add 1 automatic Skill Die success to the roll
value is still observed.
A combination of both options may be used during the same
ranged attack. The aiming combatant will retain the accrued Example: A weapon that has a stated ROF of 3/10 and 1
aim bonuses for all subsequent Combat Rounds that they elect round left in its 30-round clip. It is unable to fire its usual
to fire at the same target, representing the combatant keeping minimum of 3 rounds. As such the weapon may be fired
their sights trained on the target. These bonuses are lost once normally, using the rules for burst fire, but a successful hit
any one of the following occurs: will apply a -2 damage modifier.
.. Any other action is taken, besides continuing to aim at, Generally, higher rates of fire come with an increase in recoil,
or perform a ranged attack against the designated target. making the chance of hitting with a single die roll harder. This
.. The aiming combatant moves or is moved for any reason. presents a number of choices for the weapon user, have a single
.. The aiming combatant suffers the loss of 3 or more chance of hitting the target, or multiple chances to hit whilst
Hit Points in a single Combat Round (note that the needing to obtain a higher number on the die. Firing on burst
combatant may be hit by an attack and suffer no damage fire allows for a single reroll of the Success Die should the initial
on account of their armour. In this case, the bonuses for roll be a failure. Firing on full-auto allows for a single reroll
aiming are not lost). of any or all dice, not only giving a second chance to hit, but
also a second chance of all Skill Dice coming up with a success,
.. The aiming combatant performs a defensive manoeuvre.
drastically increasing damage output.
Example: Joe Fade, a veteran Human Operative has his Important: Any die rerolled as a result of a weapon’s chosen
weapon trained on a potential Skin Trader. Joe has a Rifle ROF may not be rerolled a second time with the expenditure
skill of 4 due to his long service with SLA Industries and of LUCK.
multiple tours of Cannibal Sector 1. He decides to start
aiming. Joe may claim up to 4 bonuses over 4 Combat Higher rates of fire also inflict additional damage as described
Rounds by selecting the aim action each time. Joe may aim under “Damage Modifier - Rate of Fire (ROF)”.
for a 5th, 6th, 7th round etc. but would receive no additional
Resolving Ranged Attacks
bonus in doing so, though it would allow him to maintain
the bonuses he had accrued at that point if he wasn’t ready to If the roll to hit was a failure, the attacker’s action ends
take the shot. Joe decides to take the shot after he has aimed immediately and play continues to the next combatant’s action.
for 4 rounds, opting to apply a +2 Modifier to the Success Combat skill rolls are not subject to the usual rules for margin
Die, as well as gaining two automatic Skill Die successes. of failure.
BOOM! Joe Fade will retain the same bonuses to use again If the roll to hit is a success the round has hit its target and
during the next Combat Round if he fires at the same target damage will be inflicted according to the profile of the weapon.
again. Margin of success is used during attacks to modify the damage
inflicted by the shot. For full information on how to resolve
Rate of Fire (ROF) damage from a successful attack, see “Damage”.
Many weapons are capable of different fire modes, allowing
the user to opt for a single accurate shot or a volley of multiple Firing at Engaged Targets
rounds. All ranged weapons are capable of one or more of the Firing into an existing hand-to-hand combat situation
following firing modes as specified on their weapon profile: is a dangerous prospect. With the constant unpredictable
movements of close combat, it becomes increasingly hard to be
ROF Mode Rules sure which target will be hit. Even the most talented snipers
1 Single None must take the risk of friendly fire.
3 Burst Fire May reroll the Success Die Combatants may fire at targets who are engaged in hand-to-
10 Full-Auto May reroll any/all dice hand combat as normal, however, at least 1 Skill Dice success
is also required to hit the intended target. If the Success Die
results in a success with no additional Skill Die successes then
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SLA INDUSTRIES
16
Q U I C K S TA R T
The target may only walk. In addition, their Walk value is The full rules for SLA Industries also contains a range
halved (round up). of ammunition types which may further modify damage
The target receives a -2 modifier to all STR and DEX-related taken from ranged attacks.
skill rolls that would require them to stand or use their legs.
Damage From Other Sources
If both legs are wounded the target gains the immobile
condition and may not perform any actions that would require Damage can be inflicted to a character in a huge number of
the use of them. ways outside of combat, from falling great distances to being hit
by a moving vehicle. Rather than introducing a huge plethora of
Note: If one leg already has a wound, a second wound to the different damage rules, all such damage is inflicted at the GMs
leg will automatically be inflicted against the other one. discretion using common sense. A character falling from a 1st
storey window in full armor will be suitably hurt, but is unlikely
Hit the head - A hit to the head inflicts damage as normal. In to die, where as one falling 5 storeys is unlikely to survive the
addition, the target receives a wound to the head. fall unless they’re very lucy. The GM is free to assign damage
Damage Modifier - Strength and wounds for such instances as they see fit.
In hand-to-hand combat, particularly strong combatants
are capable of inflicting additional damage with weapons on
ARMOUR
account of the brute force they naturally strike with. To reflect
“ You spend most of your training period deciding if you go
this, the following modifiers are applied to all attacks made with
with a good gun or a suit of HARD, then when you hit the
any weapon that uses the Melee Weapons skill:
streets, the next year is spent trying to earn enough for the other
part of the puzzle. The kicker is, once you get the good stuff
Strength of User Damage Modifier
there’s always something better you want. I saw a suit of purple
1-4 - Crackshot in the PP showroom… that baby has my name on
5 +1 DMG it… just a few more white BPNs.”
6 +2 DMG Gaff Franklin, Human Operative, SCL
10.3a, Squad ‘Drop Donkey’.
Damage Modifier - Rate of Fire (ROF)
Given the uncensored brutality that most Operatives face, it
When making ranged attacks with a weapon that has a ROF
should go without saying that armour is often the first purchase
greater than 1, only a single roll to hit it made, regardless of the
that a new Op will make. Even your average street ganger is
number of rounds fired. Rather than needing to make multiple
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SLA INDUSTRIES
18
Q U I C K S TA R T
The full rules for SLA Industries also includes a number of to steal the limelight. With their high end weapons and armour,
other conditions such as burning, prone or stunned which specialised training and natural flair, the cameras will turn to
can come as a result of damage inflicted by certain weapon Operatives on the job wherever possible. Whether it’s arrogance
types. or adrenaline, something about rolling cameras and personal
belief can push an Operative to perform daring, dangerous and
Healing spectacular feats in the line of duty. These feats are made possible
through a character’s Ratings Points - a pool of available points
Characters may get hurt in the line of duty, but they can also
that can be spent during the game session.
tend to those wounds, rest up and heal their injuries. There are
a range of ways in which a character can regain lost Hit Points “ You’ve got to look your best; you never know when the sponsor
and heal wounds during a game session, such as: scouts are looking. That’s why I always wash my hair with
Medical Intervention - The most common way for a character Flaxpin QuickGo … hey, where are you going?”
to regain lost Hit Points is through medical intervention. The Meredith ‘Meggy’ Pins, Human Operative,
BOOPA Medi-kit is a common Operative essential, allowing SCL 10.3a, Squad ‘Swinging Chains’.
for basic paramedical treatment out in the field. Each of these
items will allow for the recovery of Hit Points and/or Wounds Ratings Points belong to one of three categories: Body, Brain
as specified on the item (see “Hardware”). and Bravado, with a number of points available in each as
specified on each character sheet. At any time during a game,
The Heal Ebb discipline - Ebonites are often trained in the with the GMs approval, Ratings Points may be spent to perform
art of Heal. Heal allows for medical care without the use of a Feat. Each Feat has an associated cost as specified below Feats
Medi-kits or other common medical equipment, allowing represent great cinematic moments that are awe inspiring and
them to heal people’s wounds with nothing more than the help create spectacular action, reveal great secrets, or allow an
touch of their hands. Details of the Heal Ebb discipline can Operative to clutch victory from the jaws of defeat.
be found in “The Ebb”.
Players have access to all Feats regardless of their race or
Regeneration - Some creatures are capable of regenerating training package, though many may only be triggered in specific
damage they have sustained, either because they have been situations as detailed below.
genetically coded to do so, or through some form of mutation.
For the purpose of this Quick Start, Stormers are capable of BODY
regenerating 2 Hit Points and/or Wounds every 20 minutes.
When regeneration takes place, any wounds a character has How Did You Hit That? Cost: 1
are always healed before Hit Points. Sometimes the most seemingly impossible shot can strike its
Example: Targ, a Malice Stormer recently took some target beyond all odds, passing through windows and finding
punishment during an encounter with a pack of Carrien, the tiniest crack in cover. Remove all negative modifiers to hit
resulting in him losing 6 Hit Points and taking a wound to from any ranged attack.
his left arm. Following the combat, Targ takes it easy, walking
Impossible Feat Cost: 2
and licking his wounds. After 20 minutes he regenerates the
wound and 1 Hit Point. After another 20 minutes, 2 more When faced with a physical situation that would otherwise
Hit Points are regenerated. This process continues until Targ be seemingly impossible, the character experiences a sudden
is fully healed. rush of adrenalin, allowing for incredible feats. Using this feat
allows the character to jump a gap between rooftops, smash
Whenever a character regains any Hit Points, heals any through a wall, avoid a speeding vehicle or scale the face of a
wounds or removes any conditions, their character sheet should building that seems impossible to climb. This feat should be
be immediately updated to reflect those changes. used only to remove the character from serious danger, such
as when outrunning a pack of Carrien or creating an escape
The full rules for SLA Industries also includes a deeper for their squad.
insight to health and healing, as well as the rules and effects
of toxicants, including poisons, radiation, disease and Tear Right Through Them Cost: 1
infection. The cameras love extreme violence, especially violent hand-
to-hand conflict. The greatest ratings come from seeing a
combatant torn limb from limb. This feat may be used when
RATINGS POINTS a hand-to-hand attack inflicts a wound. The target instantly
loses an additional 4 Hit points.
Ratings Points add a strong cinematic feel to games of SLA
Industries. In a world where televised violence forms the core
of primetime TV viewing and where camera drones follow
Shiver operations on both sides of the wall, it is the media
hungry, sponsorship hunting Operatives who are always quick
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SLA INDUSTRIES
sent the Frother into the arms of the company, that began the
BRAIN epidemic of the modern combat drug. Combat drugs are readily
available through official channels and are generally not too
Everyone deserves a second chance Cost: 1
hard to source on the streets of Downtown.
… and second chances make all the difference. Use this feat
after failing any KNOW or CONC-related skill roll. The Rush
character may immediately make a re-roll. No roll may be
Make a 2nd action per Combat Round (after all
re-rolled a second time by using this feat again. Effect
other actions have been resolved). 2 hour duration
I Just Read About That Yesterday! Cost: 1 Side Effect Every 2 doses, -2 Hit Points
It’s amazing how coincidence plays its part. Use this feat Above, we see the stat line for the combat drug known as
before attempting any KNOW-related skill roll with a Rush. This information gives us everything we need to know
difficulty of Complex or lower. The skill roll is automatically about the drug and its application.
passed with no roll required and is considered to be an
‘Excellent Success’. Effect - This details what the drug does for the user once
administered and the duration of the effects. The current wave
Lucky Guess Cost: 2 of manufactured drugs are highly efficient, getting to work
almost instantly. All effects listed apply from the start of the
Sometimes blind luck is all it takes to solve a problem. Use
Combat Round after they were taken, or in the case of non-
this feat to apply a characters full LUCK stat (regardless of
combat situations, take effect immediately. Note that drug
their current LUCK value) to any KNOW or CONC-related
effects are not cumulative so taking multiple doses at once
skill roll without spending any LUCK points.
does not provide additional benefits.
BRAVADO Side Effects - This list the negative effects applied to the
character for using the drug.
Charming Smile Cost: 1
This feat represents a brief moment of pure charisma, DRUG ADDICTION
smooth talking and a smile that could win over Intruder Any character with the Drug Addict trait is expected to
himself. This feat may be used to add +2 to all dice during any take the relevant drug regularly, even if its effects will not aid
CHA-related dice roll. the character. For the purpose of this Quick Start game, it is
suggested that the GM ensures the Frother character takes 1
Come and Get It! Cost: 1
dose of Rush during the first Combat Round of each combat,
The bravest act is one that puts yourself in the line of fire making sure that they run out of doses by the end of the game
for the benefit of others, while also doing something that the session.
cameras love. Use this feat during combat after all combatants
have declared their actions. Any opposing combatants that The rules for drugs have been altered significantly for use in
have elected to attack during this round must direct their this Quick Start. During a normal game of SLA Industries
attacks towards this character. If they are out of range, they there are a number of aspects to consider when using drugs,
will instead run or charge towards this character. including the addictiveness of the substance, required doses
for addicts, effects of long term addiction and kicking the
Pure Grit Cost: 2
habit, as well as detoxification effects. Drug use is serious,
The character summons up all their willpower, facing whatever so tread carefully.
The World of Progress has to throw at them. A character may
The full rules for SLA Industries contains many additional
use this feat to remove all ongoing effects of fear and to make
themselves immune to the effects of fear for the duration of the elements including encumbrance, vehicles, languages,
current encounter/scene/situation. The GM gets the final say on toxicants and a whole host of other considerations to add
the duration of this feat. depth and variation to your games.
Ratings Points are a limited resource and are lost once spent.
THE EBB
The full rules for SLA Industries provides further options
for using Ratings Points during your games. The Ebb is a representation of energy, only truly understood
by Ebonites. The Ebb exists as a deep understanding of the
energies that bind our physical and emotional existence together,
DRUGS resulting in the belief that one fundamental formula underpins
The World of Progress as we know it. This basic theory means
Drugs are one of SLA Industries’ most profitable lines. While that any slight miscalculation, or deliberate change to how that
SLA has always dabbled with medical and soft drugs, it was formula is calculated, will lead to instability and changes in
the inspiration of Hiberian culture, the very upbringing which what we perceive to be reality. The result of this thinking is that
20
Q U I C K S TA R T
21
SLA INDUSTRIES
The full rules for SLA Industries expands The Ebb Ebb Sword
considerably, offering ten different disciplines each with a The Ebb Sword is a one-handed antique blade encrusted with
multitude of different abilities, as well as a deep insight into glyphs. The handle molds itself to the grip of the first Ebonite
the history of this ancient art. that holds it, making it unique to the user. The blade of the
sword glows in line with the current state of mind of the user -
normally blue, green, pink or red when the Ebonite is engaged
HARDWARE in combat.
22
Q U I C K S TA R T
Pacifier Baton won’t let them down in the field. The weapon is a
FEN AR Assault Rifle
high-frequency shock baton that delivers a huge pulse of energy
at the point of impact. Skill: Rifle
RANGED WEAPONS
Note: The DMG statistics in the following weapon profiles
not only assume that standard ammunition is being used,
but are also reflective of a single bullet being fired. As some
weapons are not capable of firing only a single round, the
actual DMG they may inflict is in fact much higher (see
“Damage Modifier - ROF”). The values are stated in this
way to allow a direct comparison between the capabilities of
each weapon.
FEN AR Assault Rifle
FEN are market leaders in the arms race and the AR is their
shining light. A battlefield assault rifle that features incredible
ceramic construction, significant range, single and burst fire
modes and delivers enough punch to down targets with one
well placed shot. Operatives looking for a reliable assault rifle
for use on the streets of Mort need look no further.
23
SLA INDUSTRIES
the face of the wearer at will, offering the same basic protection
FEN 603 Auto-Pistol
from the elements and local toxicants that sealed armour does.
Skill: Pistol
DMG Min DMG AD Deathsuit
1d10-2 4 1 PV Resistance
5 16
ROF Recoil Range Clip
1/3 0/1 60m 20 PP10 HARD Armour
PP10 is the gold standard for entry level armour. Used by
FEN 706 Power Reaper 2.1000 Shiver Elites, off-world SLA infantry and the vast majority
SLA’s most popular squad support weapon. The 706 is an of Operative’s on the street. HARD (Heavy Ablative Recess
assault rifle-sized, ceramic-barrelled weapon that uses FENs Armour) is reliable, robust and battle-proven. The suit is
10mm caseless ammunition and has seen exceptional success fitted with an integrated power harness and 8000-hour power
in the hands of both Operatives and War World Infantry. supply, which offsets the weight in the armour and keeps it
The extreme rate of fire, lightweight frame and high-end manoeuvrable when the going gets tough.
build quality is what commonly puts the Power Reaper into
Operative’s minds when it comes to buying a bigger gun.
24
Q U I C K S TA R T
Rules: Adds 1 automatic Skill Die success when rolling The full rules for SLA Industries includes an exhaustive
to hit on single or burst fire modes, providing the target is list of hardware including all manner of weapons, armour,
within 20m. Using the laser painter does however give away drugs and vehicles for Operatives to use during the day-to-
the user’s position, granting a +1 modifier to the Success Die day grind.
of any Detect rolls made to spot the user.
FEN Pistol/SMG Stock GM ING A GAME OF
Extendable rifle stocks are regular additions to submachine
guns to aid in recoil reduction and improved aim. Many SLA INDUSTRIES
Operatives chose to use them on pistols, such as the FEN While this Quick Start includes a pre-written game session,
603, again to help with improved aim, but also because they there are a few things that the GM should know when it comes
generally look cool. to running a game of SLA Industries.
Rules: The first round of aiming with this weapon grants The World of Progress is a vast universe of sinister darkness.
both possible aim bonuses. Any additional rounds spent Running a game of SLA is all about lies. Yes, the world is violent,
aiming provide a single bonus as normal. but a GM should try to avoid creating a 3 hour long firefight for
25
SLA INDUSTRIES
their players. The players represent Operatives. These individuals besides the main antagonist/s of a story, or any significantly
have a job to do. While many jobs can be done with bullets and large, strong or threatening characters. Should an NPC become
blades, the players should be made to understand that doing so wounded and not be killed, the GM should feel free to impose
will often get them in trouble. Players will need to investigate, whatever modifiers best suit the situation. There is no need for
track, piece information together and get caught up in the great NPCs to follow the same rules for wounds as Operatives do.
web of lies that holds the fabric of reality together.
GM’S DISCRETION
Remember - Guns kill, but so does the truth.
GM’s discretion is a term used a lot throughout these rules.
While it may be obvious to experienced GMs just how to
RUNNING A GAME handle situations where this is stated, it may be a little confusing
to those who are new to running a roleplay game. The overall
While there are many ways to play SLA Industries, the most
purpose of the ruleset provided in this book is to create a
common approach, and the one included with this Quick Start
streamlined cinematic experience which is not bogged down
is to send Operatives on a BPN.
by too many rules, charts, tables or mathematical equations.
The Blueprint News System (BPN) constantly collects In order to achieve this there are situations where specific
information from SLA sources, Shiver (this is the nearest the rules don’t exist. This isn’t because we couldn’t be bothered to
city of Mort has to a police force) patrols, departmental reports, write them, it’s because the game simply doesn’t need them. A
media recordings and Operatives on the street to compile an character has fallen from a window, how much damage will they
ever-growing priority list of tasks that need completing in the take? The answer is up to the GM. What if they fell from a
name of the company. Scattered around Mort City are BPN height of 5m instead of 4m, how much more damage would
Halls, huge concrete structures, each home to hundreds of SLA they take? Again, it’s up to the GM - the right answer in this
employees tasked with issuing BPNs to SLA’s most trusted situation is: “whatever makes sense and keeps the game flowing
weapons - Operatives. smoothly”.
An issued BPN will be one of nine colours, with a tenth As the GM of a game you are ultimately in charge. If a rule
colour (Platinum) issued directly to squads rather than being states that the outcome is down to GMs discretion, then the
collected from a BPN Hall. The colour of a BPN determines the choice is yours - got an idea that will throw a spanner in the
nature of the mission it relates to. Each BPN will also provide works? Go for it! The World of Progress is yours to control, so
a department that can be contacted for more information, do as you will.
a number of Credits per Operative that can be earned and
One of the most common places that the GM will need to
the potential SCL increase that is on offer upon successful
be creative is when active skill rolls generate a large margin of
completion. Any earnings or SCL that come from a BPN will
success or failure. These situations are here just for the GM, to
be based on the colour, with blue offering little threat for little
allow them to influence or hinder the player suitably based on
reward and black or platinum representing the opposite end
the margin of the roll. Got a juicy clue you want to share but
of the spectrum. This Quick Start includes a Blue BPN, but
are not sure how? Wait for a large margin of success to occur.
one that goes off the rails, getting the characters mixed up in
A player just rolled a huge margin of failure on a Computer
something far beyond their pay-grade.
skill roll, how should you handle it? It’s entirely up to you - let
them fail, get locked out of the computer, break it, or activate a
NPCS (NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS) silent alarm they know nothing about that brings the real bad
An NPC, or non-player character, represents any character guys running. Such situations are an invitation for the GM to
that the players will meet or interact with during a game; create even more cinematic experiences and inject flavour into
NPCs are your main antagonists and the contacts, Shivers, their games.
shopkeepers and civilians that the players deal with throughout
a game session. Never forget: the GM is the ultimate controller of the story.
What you say goes!
The Quick Start game session includes the stats, skills and
information needed for each NPC the players are likely to The full rules for SLA Industries includes a wealth of
encounter (though the GM is welcome to add more if they feel information for GMs including different game types,
so inclined). NPCs function just like other characters, though creating NPCs, sponsorship deals and notes on running a
they are slimmed down rules-wise to just the essential stuff campaign, as well as character development over the course
needed to progress the game accordingly. of multiple games.
Wounds on NPCs
Due to the nature of most NPCs, tracking multiple wounds
for each one when they are unlikely to last long in serious
combat is generally an unnecessary requirement. For this reason,
we suggest that wounds are ignored with regards to all NPCs
26
Q U I C K S TA R T
THE CLEANERS
A ONE SHOT SCENARIO FOR SLA INDUSTRIES
The Cleaners is a one-shot scenario for SLA Industries, Obtaining a BPN is done by visiting one of the many BPN
meaning it can be played in isolation in a single sitting. While a halls scattered around Uptown and Suburbia. These halls, often
good GM can take source material and stretch (or reduce) that called ‘Slayer’s Crib’ are huge, sprawling concrete monstrosities
over almost any period of time, the information provided in this where hundreds upon hundreds of Operatives wait in line to
scenario is designed to provide a solid evenings worth of play; get issued BPNs. Sometimes they’re lucky; after a painstaking
lasting approximately 3 hours with the full 5-player count. wait there are sometimes multiple options for the Op to
choose from, allowing them to use their skills in situations that
Included at the end of this Quick Start are five pre- better reflect their training. Today however, luck is not on our
generated characters, representing the members of a new squad’s side. The wait in the BPN hall should set the scene –
Operative squad called ‘Blistering Rain’. Each of the five slow, frustrating and dull, a wait that is especially hard for the
characters have their own strengths and weaknesses and Stormer and Frother characters who have a natural urge to be
between them represent a good cross section of the types physical and irate.
of characters that can be created in SLA Industries 2nd
After what seems like a lifetime, and just when the characters
Edition.
are getting close to the front of the line, a well built and
noticeably attractive male Human Operative wearing high-end
A note about expanding the story: The pre-generated powder-pink armour that is covered in sponsored branding,
characters and NPCs included in this Quick Start all possess pushes his way past to the front of the line. Though there are
a number of skills that are not directly used within the a few shouts and grumbles, he responds to this by, casually
confines of the included story. These additional skills serve to turning, waving two-fingers and giving the line a smarmy wink,
round off the character’s personality as well as opening many before slamming his hands down on the counter and speaking
possible doorways for the GM to expand on the scenario with the clerk. Within moments, the same Operative is away
detailed here. with a BPN in hand, as he passes he shouts at the top of his
Want to take a little longer above ground, dealing with a voice to the back of the room,
civilian disturbance or investigating things further? No Show-off Operative: “We got the big score guys. Let’s go do
problem, those social skills will come in handy. some grownups work!”.
Got a badly wounded squad member and need to regroup
The call is met with a rowdy cheer from the rest of the pink-
and heal? No problem, use that Medical skill while others do
clad squad and they wander out of the BPN hall together, their
some investigations.
powder-pink armour cutting through the gloom of the rainfall
Did one of you drop your weapon in the sewage? It’s time that can be seen outside.
to make a Technical (Weapons) roll to unjam it before the
next encounter. GM Notes: The GM should roleplay with these events
The options are endless and confident GMs are encouraged with the characters, all of whom will find the display rather
to treat the included scenario as the ‘framework’ for a bigger frustrating. The Stormer and Frother however will severely
story, going off on a tangent and expanding it as they best struggle to stay calm, possibly leading to them getting
see fit. ejected from the hall and needing to wait in the torrential
rainfall outside, where they may, or may not end up losing
a slanging match with the higher SCL Operatives in Pink.
INTRODUCTION The events of the BPN hall should set a precedent for the life
of an Operative - frustrating and unfair, with just a glimmer
This scenario is based around one of the most common game
of fame and fortune at the other end of it. The show-off
types used in SLA Industries – the BPN. Blueprint News
Operative Squad with their fancy armour and sponsorship
files (BPNs) are issued to operatives and squads for a range of
deals is unfortunately the exact thing that most Operative
reasons. They are the bread and butter of an Operative’s work
aspire to be.
and completion of them is the primary way in which Ops get
paid and climb the SCL ladder.
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SLA INDUSTRIES
colour Code:
Shiver: “The actors are here. Showponys inbound.”
Any
Shiver Sergeant: “Secure that shit. Right. Now.”
Details:
The sergeant turns to the players.
Reports of unexplained noises coming from the sewers
B LUE
Shiver Sergeant: “Welcome aboard. I’m Shiver Sgt. Akarr,
under Downtown Sector 2-116. Squad to investigate
we’re here to take you to 2-116, relieve the Downtown Patrol
noise disturbance and clear local sewers. Squads only, no
currently stationed there and assist you in whatever way you
solo Operatives. Report to Shiver squad 177f at vehicle
need. Given this is little more than a pig hunt, I’m hoping that
pool for transportation.
means we can stay above ground and still be back for lunch.
+ 0.1 SCL Increase Hop on.”
The FEN Battle Taxi is a huge APC fitted with an armed
turret and capable of carrying 10 passengers in full armour. Their
Station Analysis: Consolidated Bonus Scheme:
75c
Per Op: SCL 10 huge, nine metre long frame is regularly seen on the streets of
Third Eye News: Per Squad: Requirement:
“Blueprint News” and “Third Eye” are wholly owned subsidiaries of SLA Industries. Any unauthorised use of their names or images is illegal. Downtown as the primary mode of transport used by the Shivers.
Due to their cost however, very few Operatives own them, though
BPNs are colour coded to give Operatives a better idea of from time to time Ops are given access to such vehicles for the
what they are tasked with. Blue is the lowest of the low, usually duration of specific BPNs. It is worth noting that Shiver Pvt.
involving the eradication of vermin or assisting Shiver forces Janet Crackrow, the vehicle’s Gunner, is more likely to enter a
(the human under-dog police force of Mort City) in managing fist fight with a Stormer than she is let anyone else touch the fire
the mean streets and their even meaner occupants. controls for her Power Reaper.
Shivers are the human under-dog police force, tasked with
GM Notes: It should be clear to the players that the
keeping the violence streets of Mort City free from trouble. Often
Shivers are less than keen on sharing transportation with
called the ‘Greens’, on account of their all green Body Blocker
them. Shivers get dirtier work, get paid less and have to use
uniform, Shivers do the dirty work so that Ops don’t have to.
standard issue equipment which is far less desirable than
While many Shivers do the job simply because they couldn’t cut it
the stuff Ops get their hands on. For this reason, tension
as an Op, there are some that feel that it’s their calling, coming
between Shivers and Ops is common and most Operatives
from a long family line of ‘True Greens’. For this reason, many
have come to expect some flack from Shivers when they have
Shivers are passionate about what they do and look out for each
to spend any length of time together.
other like squadmates should.
All players should make a Streetwise skill roll. The Neophron
Being blue means low pay and very little SCL increase. SCL
character may make a Diplomacy test instead. The target number
stands for Security Clearance Level, and other than a solid
for these rolls is 10. Anyone that fails the roll will feel obliged to
paypacket, it is the main thing that drives an Operative in their
speak up and get in a slanging match with the Shivers.
day-to-day role; a higher SCL means access to the bigger jobs.
Given the BPN issued here is blue, the squad should be made Depending on the resolution of any conflict with the Shivers,
well aware that they are going to be dealing with something the ride out will either be entirely silent or full of ugly banter.
dirty, grimy and very low paying. The GM should feel free to role-play this as they see fit. Shivers
will often ask Ops about their weapons and will want to handle
GM Notes: Feel free to allow the players to get to know them. Shivers are also very partial to a cup of tea and the APC
each other a bit better at this point, possibly even suggesting will almost certainly have tea-making facilities which happy
that they take a walk or get side tracked before heading to Shivers will partake in the use of.
the vehicle pool. The BPN Hall is surrounded by weapons
stores, not that the Ops can afford any of SLA’s higher end The following stat block can be used for all Shivers during
equipment at this point, but window shopping can still be the session. While using the Shivers to perform tasks is not an
fun, right? This is an opportunity for players to get themselves essential part of this scenario, the players or the GM may wish
in trouble and be put in line by the local Street Shivers. to set them to work interrogating locals when they arrive at the
scene.
28
Q U I C K S TA R T
Shiver: “If it ain’t some ganger firing CAF rounds at us, it’s some
Street Shiver
foolish twat and their blood ritual or one of these shadow-
STR DEX KNOW CONC nightmares the Aethermen keep telling us don’t exist.”
2 2 2 1 Akarr: “What Pvt. Reed is so eloquently trying to say is, that
CHA COOL LUCK Initiative despite the millions of people living, breathing and breeding
here, at its core, everything in the city wants to kill you.”
1 2 0 +3
Reed: “An’ half of em’ don’t even know it. Mort is sick and
Hit Points Walk Run ‘apparently’ we’re all the cure.”
12 1 3 Akarr: “That’s enough, Reed. You got a pay packet, Body
Blocker and a Pacifier. That’s more than the dumb shits
Skills
outside this Taxi have.”
Detect: 1 Interrogate: 2
Players should be encouraged to ask questions and establish a
Melee Weapons: 2 Pistol: 1
connection with the Shiver Sergeant.
Rifle: 2 Streetwise: 2
At this point, all players should make a Leadership skill roll
Support Weapons: 2 Throw: 1 with a target number of 7. The highest margin of success will be
Unarmed Combat: 1 considered the leader in the eyes of the Sgt. Akarr. From this
point forward, that character will be his first port of call.
Equipment
PP664.2 Body Blocker, SHV-01 Gauss Rifle (Ball-
Bearing Rounds - 3 clips), GASH Pacifier Baton
DOWNTOWN MORT
Sgt. Akarr uses the stat block above, but gains +1 DEX, CHA The Shiver APC ends its journey on a three lane one-way
and COOL, along with a number of increases to his skill ranks street, roughly 15m wide building-to-building, lined on one side
as the GM sees fit. with parked cars. The APC stops as the road becomes a messy
one-lane road, with two lanes blocked off by carts and stalls,
selling food, general supplies and sundries, as if a supermarket
ON THE MOVE burst its sides onto the street. The buildings lining the market
street are residential, three to five storeys high, ranging from
As the APC moves into Downtown the difference in the
ten to fifteen metres, with flat roofs which sit just a few metres
architecture and tone will drop. Downtown is dirty, polluted
below a messy ceiling covered in pipes and lights, which fill the
and crowded. Passing through the streets will show extreme
gaps in the darkness between the broken street lamp below. A
homelessness, street violence and gangs sporting clear signs.
light rain falls from the ceiling, bouncing off the fabrics of the
Mort City is multi-levelled and goes down as far as it goes stall covers and pooling in the uneven pavement before making
wide. Each level is known as a District and each District is split its way to the drains lining the roadways. Cheap neon lights and
into a number of Sectors, much like grid references, to allow local advertising hoardings punctuate the grey decor, and civilians in
Shivers to respond to specific locations. With the squad heading coats huddle around badly lit food counters. A 3ird Eye News
to 2-116, this means District 2 (or the 2nd layer), Sector 116. It “Eye See You” drone dips from above and scans the operatives
is common for players to spend much of their time underground, over
in a sprawling dark city that can’t see daylight due to the floor of
Following the drone is an eager looking and photogenic
the district above them. The constant rainfall comes on account of
reporter and her bodyguard. The players should remember the
the water filtering down from the layers above (or a sewage leak
pink-clad Ops from the start and be well aware that fame and
from the upper Districts).
fortune come from getting on camera. The reporter hurries up
While the Ops may want to get off and intervene in the scenes to the squad…
they can see from the APC, the Shivers will simply not allow Reporter: “This is Zalara Pincho for 3ird Eye News, reporting
this, keeping the doors sealed tight. Even when beer cans and on the hub-bub down in Sector 116, where both Shivers and
bottles are thrown at the APC, the Shivers will not react. Operatives have just arrived on scene, assumably to investigate
Shiver: “Nice out today.” the unexplained noises we’ve been hearing about.”
Akarr: “As always. Downtown welcomes the Green with open She turns the mic to the team.
arms.”
The GM should allow the players to posture up and see who
Shiver: “Ha! And both barrels!”.
will take the lead. The most natural in front of the camera is
GM Notes: Allow the tension to rise. Allow the Shivers to the Neophron, but he is also the wisest, and may suspect what
ask players how long they’ve been an Op, or how many times is coming. The reporter should wait for one of the Operatives
they have been in Downtown. Players should start to realize to start monologuing about why they are there and then
that they are entering a war zone, be it one that is disguised immediately cut in with…
as a thriving urban suburb.
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SLA INDUSTRIES
Reporter: “... Aaaaaaaaaaand I see you’re SCL 10. CUT. Let’s Beff: “I know; it was Carrien.”
get the fuck out of here. If they’re sending these useless plebs Jim: “Carrien don’t use guns, though, and I’m sure I heard
to deal with it there’s clearly no story here. Peace!” gunfire.”
And with that they will turn their backs on the team and walk Beff: “See, I know you’re just making that bit up to get some
away. The Shivers should find this highly amusing and have a Slops down here to … um, I didn’t hear guns is what I mean.”
good giggle. If the squad are enraged by any of this, the Shivers Jim: “Anyway, it was over there.”
will hold them back and explain that the Ops should get used
to being the underdogs until that SCl badge reads something Jim points to a drain and a manhole cover.
other than 10. Welcome to the fickle world of the media. Jim: “And that’s where you’ll be going. Heh, heh.”
Beff: “Chortle.”
GM Notes: Cameras are pervasive, constantly looking for
something to put on the 24/7 news cycle. If the Operatives Carrien are a constant threat to the population of Mort City
have sponsors or look impressive, a camera might follow and a regular issue for Operatives. Carrien are human-sized
them around in the hope that something fun or interesting creatures that stand hunched, with a skeletal appearance and a
might happen. Some BPNs come with an interested news distinctive canine-like skull for a head. They are feral, aggressive
team that may dispatch a camera drone to follow the squad and eat pretty much everything - people, rubbish, sewage; they
around, and some come with full news crews, including really aren’t fussy. Carrien communicate in a range of guttural
someone whose job is being professionally attractive with a howls and yelps that have a distinct and recognisable tone. This
microphone and a tech crew in a van. language, known as Gristle has recently been studied by SLA
Akarr: “Well, here’s where we go our own ways. We’ll be waiting Industries, though finding someone that can speak it is still rare.
for you around here for the next hour or so, in case you make Carrien are one of the only species that outnumber the humans on
it out alive and don’t stink too much. If you’re longer than an Mort, though thankfully the vast majority exist outside of the city
hour, there’s a phone box on the corner; give us a ring and we’ll walls, shut out in the Cannibal Sectors. That said, there is still
come and get you. Have fun cleaning the dead rats out of the a significant population of city-dwelling Carrien living in the
shit pipes, or whatever it is you’re up to.” sewers, as well as many more of their Sector-relations arriving
every day through the cracks and damaged storm drains in the
The Operatives have the name of a clothes stall, Seventy- Sector Wall.
Seventy-Onety Shirts, where the owners, the civilians who
reported the disturbance, can be found. Getting to the stall GM Notes: The term ‘Slops’ used in the dialogue above
means navigating the crowded street, where civilians and local is a slang word used to by Downtowners (and Shivers) to
gangs are wandering about. While Shivers are a regular sight in describe Ops - it is short for SLA Operatives. However,
Downtown, the presence of Operatives usually means trouble. due to the way it sounds, it is considered derogatory by
As such, all eyes will be on the Ops and they should be very most Operatives, who would much rather simply be called
aware of the fact. Those with a Streetwise skill of less than rank ‘Ops’. As such, use of the word Slop may well get the squad
2 will likely feel paranoid and on edge, expecting to be jumped wound up. The GM should feel free to allow those with a low
or targeted at any moment and the GM should be sure to make COOL stat to feel a little annoyed by the term.
the players roleplay this accordingly.
The manhole is the entrance to the sewer and anyone with a
GM Notes: Building up suspense and paranoia is a major Streetwise skill of 1 or higher will know how to open it, though
theme in SLA Industries and the GM should seek to do this it will require multiple people, or the Stomer to lift it.
wherever possible. The sewers of Mort are not all full of sewerage, in spite of
Beff and Jim Manrose run Seventy-Seventy-Onety Shirts their name. Since the rains came, the city had to get more storm
and are your typical Downtown market traders, fast-talking drains and flood pipes installed as the original infrastructure
and savvy, even if at a very local level. They talk over each other was designed to deal with a lot less liquid. As Downtown grew
and have the weary demeanour of a married couple who spend downwards, it needed a way of getting rid of unpredictable
almost every hour of the day within a few feet of each other. The amounts of water that flowed through the Districts, so SLA
player’s first port of call is to speak with the Downtowners to try Industries made sure to include an extensive sewer system with
and ascertain what they are dealing with... tunnels ranging from two metres wide to over ten in some cases.
A few of the wider tunnels that reach the Sector Wall are large
Jim Manrose: “I heard a scream, I think. It was some sort of
enough for all sorts of wanderers to access the city where the
creatures that …”
wall monitors are lazy and the protective grills are damaged.
Beff Manrose: “Carrien. It was Carrien.” This system is also in part responsible for the underground rain
Jim: “I didn’t see them, so I don’t know that.” experienced in the lower Districts.
Beff: “Everyone knows what they sound like. It was Carrien, I Any further investigation done outside the sewer will result
tell you.” in civilians either stating that they heard rats or Carrien to the
Jim: “Whatever it was, it didn’t sound like rats, but without north of the drain, but this is far from unusual for Downtown.
seeing them, who knows.” A few will note however that the Carrien-like sounds they
30
Q U I C K S TA R T
heard were both recent and brief. The scuttling and squeaking GM Notes: Rats will almost always be encountered in great
of rats however was, and still is, a constant. numbers. Though their teeth and claws are no match for
Operative’s armour, they will inflict some armour damage
Mort Rats come in several sizes, but the sewer dwelling herds of
which could have an impact later in the story. Though they
Killan Browns tend towards the smaller sizes as predators come
have safety in numbers, once the Operatives kill a few of
in a variety of shapes and sizes. While there is a plentiful supply
them, they will be affected by fear and flee. Combat with
of food to a canny rat, only the quick and alert survive.
rats should never last more than a few rounds, but is a great
Entering the sewer is a simple matter, as there is a fold-down way to introduce players to both the combat mechanics and
ladder on the ceiling of the tunnel that covers the inside of the the potential effects of fear when facing a superior opponent.
entrance when folded up, making it unmissable. The sewer is a
Water drips from the ceiling, splashing into the stream; the
four metre diameter tunnel with a ten centimetre deep stream
only other sounds are the gentle electrical hum of the strip
slowly running down it, flowing north to south. Even though
lighting, the ticking of the light timer and the occasional
the tunnel is in darkness, low-level lighting in the sewers is
rumble of a distant subway train. Headset communicators work
provided from the ceiling where two dim striplights, a metre
from squad member to squad member, but have no outside
apart, run the entire length as far as the eye can see. These lights
communication once the user is underground.
are off as the squad enters the sewer, but if anyone actively looks
for a switch, they’ll easily find one that turns a one hundred If the squad heads south, they will meet rats, followed by more
metre length strip of lighting (fifty metres in either direction) on rats and yet more rats, over half of which are alive. Some will
for three minutes, illuminating the tunnel a little, negating the attack the squad, but most will run away. The dead ones won’t do
need for torches or helmet lights. If nobody looks for a switch, much. If the Operatives don’t get the hint that they are going the
anyone with a Detect skill at rank 3 will notice the switches wrong way after considerable trudging, they should eventually
when the GM decides it is appropriate. Every fifty metres or reach a dead end, marked by a sealed grate and a pile of dead,
so, there’s another timer switch that illuminates the tunnel fifty rotting rats, being devoured by other rats. Ah, the cycle of life!
metres either side.
If the squad heads north, they will see some half-scrawled
Detect is the base skill for an investigator and as such, most graffiti, that just looks like random scribbles, there is a lot of it
operatives will start with at least a rank or two in Detect. Every and it would stand to reason that they represented something
investigation starts with just looking around and seeing what important, such as specific gang tags. If the Neophron character
can be seen before turning to more specialised skills, like Forensics is included in the squad, their experience in linguistics will be
or punching a witness. able to identify that these marking mean absolutely nothing,
but if the lights go out they will find that the scrawl is written
A DEAD RAT AND A COOL CAT in a fluorescent paint and reads differently in the dark.
The GM should feel free to have the players make a Streetwise
Mort Rat
roll with a ridiculously high target number to ensure they fail,
STR DEX KNOW CONC just to make them think the markings were important, however
0 4 0 0 this is simply a red herring. False leads like this are very good at
building suspense and making the players think that something
CHA COOL LUCK Initiative bad is about to happen. A little further on, they will encounter
0 3 0 +4 some rats, feasting on a pile of Carrien remains. These rats will
Hit Points Walk Run scatter when the Operatives come close and turn the lights on.
6 2 6 GM Notes: The tunnel does not extend in a straight line,
with curves and kinks along its length, and smaller pipes
Skills joining in at the edges, making it the ideal place for an
Athletics: 1 Detect: 1 ambush… a fact that shouldn’t be lost on the squad. This is
Hide: 2 Sneaking: 2 the kind of tension that should evoke a Fear Test and the
GM should feel free to do so. While this is not currently a
Tracking: 1 Unarmed Combat: 3
situation that could cause any of the Ops to feel the threat of
Equipment Fear, asking the players for their COOL values is a good way
to make them know that you are thinking about Fear and
Teeth, Claws
that in turn can help build suspense.
31
SLA INDUSTRIES
eventually reach a pile of dead Carrien, with some larger than the Shivers will be really annoyed they’re making the same
average rats feasting off the freshest delights. The Carrien look trip again.
like a small scouting or foraging party that came to a nasty end.
Further along, the sewer becomes a crossroads of tunnels,
GM Notes: If the party approaches, once they get within with the tunnels to the left and right both climbing up at a 30º
eight metres, some of the rats will charge the Ops while angle for twenty metres before ending in a long vertical shaft
others scarper. This is their banquet and they don’t feel like that extends into darkness, there are no ladders. If an attempt
sharing. The rats that clear off just seem to disappear into the is made to climb one, for whatever reason, it will start gurgling
walls, finding bolt holes in the shadows between bricks. and, thirty seconds later, will have a torrent of mucky water
dumped down it.
RATS ABOUND GM Notes: The journey down the tunnels should continue
and the GM should use this time to build further tension
After several of the diners have run away, there will be three rats - noises, more graffitti, piles of crates to investigate that
remaining for every squad member. They attack indiscriminately, contain absolutely nothing. It is a good idea to throw in
charging the squad. If the rats are dealt with cleanly and quickly, the occasional Detect roll to keep the players on edge. A
the Carrien corpses will be relatively undisturbed, but too much successful one can spot something in the shadows and spook
indiscriminate gunfire or other kinetic activity near the corpses the players, though this is likely to be a distant rat, dripping
will disturb the scene, adding difficulty to any investigation. pipe or even a floating turd.
After a fight, players will want to assess the situation, checking Eventually, just over a kilometre in, the tunnel arcs to the right
ammo levels and healing any injuries. Go through their health, and leads to a defunct filtration station. This is a large square
ammo stocks and armour status to get a good picture of how ready room, twenty metres wide, with tunnels leading into it. In the
they are for the next inevitable confrontation. Operatives are middle is a raised platform, four metres across, where there used
trained for encounters like this and should be confident and quick to be a large machine. All that’s left now is rubble where the
to assess their situation, helping each other as required. machinery was seemingly drilled out and a few fallen machine
On inspection, the six Carrien were slightly undernourished casings that were too big to steal.
and poorly equipped. Only four of them had the traditional
Carrien weapon of choice, the Hockey Stick, and the remaining A DEAD PIG
pair were armed with generic clubs made from sticks or pipes.
Whatever killed them easily outmatched them. They were killed Several tunnels lead to this room, along with a pair of old metal
quickly and efficiently, and it looks like half of them were shot in double-doors on the left side, with a chain and padlock holding
the back. Searching the bodies will reveal a few unrecognisable them closed. The chain looks a lot newer than the doors. In
mangled bullets that did their job of making as much mess front of the doors is a massive dead Carnivorous Pig, slumped
inside the bodies as they did outside. Anyone with any ranks in against the doors, with bullet holes in its flank, a strange semi-
the Forensics skill will be able to confirm that they were shot transparent knife sticking out of its neck and an arm sticking
at close range. out from under its belly.
If anyone decides to search under the surrounding water, five GM Notes: All players should make a Streetwise skill roll
metres further into the tunnel, on a successful Detect roll (target with a target number of 10. Any one gaining a success
number at the GM’s discretion) they will find a single copper will recognise the knife as being ceramic and recognisable
shell casing lodged in what looks like a blob of brown jelly that as a desirable DarkNight weapon. Anyone that achieves
grew hair or other disgusting mess. SLA Industries uses caseless a good margin of success on this roll will also know that
ammunition for the most part, and this isn’t one of the rare sizes while no better than a normal knife, this particular weapon
of casing they use. holds significant value and is worth ‘collecting’, if it can be
At this point, the squad could conceivably return to the BPN retrieved from the pig.
hall to cash in their BPN, saying that the disturbance was dealt Carnivorous Pigs are a staple of the sewers, with their ability
with before they got there, but they would be sent right back to eat anything that lives, dies or floats in the tunnels, they keep
to investigate what killed the Carrien, with no extra pay, if the Carrien, rat and turd populations under control. They vary
they were to do this. They could lie and say they dealt with the from the small to the large and sometimes appear in packs of two
Carrien, but this is not advisable. or more. Pigs are the GM’s best friend. If in doubt, have a pig
turn up.
GM Notes: At this point it is suggested that the designated
leader from earlier in the scenario raises the point that The huge pig isn’t dead. It’s just recovering from a long fight
the Carrien disturbance is dealt with. The question should in which it was left for dead as its attackers retreated. Players
be raised as to whether they return to the Shivers now or should make a Detect skill roll with a target number of 10. A
continue on. If they bottle it and pull back, the GM should success will warn the Operatives that it’s not trotters-up yet.
rejoice in making them come all the way back once you have As long as at least one member of the squad is successful in
role-played the journey back to the BPN hall… and this time this roll, they can alert their fellow squad members that the pig
32
Q U I C K S TA R T
33
SLA INDUSTRIES
34
Q U I C K S TA R T
Minor SCL increases and the BPN cash might not be the only chase. The last thing she wanted was the Carrien drawing
reward, as a smart operative could always take a gun and some Operatives, or worse, into her hideout.
DarkNight ammo to hide before returning to SLA Industries, They caught the Carrien without too much hassle, gunning
and recover their hidden stash at a later date. Using non-SLA them down as they tried to escape. She told the rookies to
weaponry is illegal, but only if you get caught. Importantly, if one pick up their casings, as this isn’t the time to get sloppy. Best
Operative was smart enough to take the DarkNight ceramic knife they learn to police their mess sooner rather than later. She
that was stuck in the pig, that baby is worth some serious Unis on saw one of the kids recoil as he touched something under
the blackmarket (just don’t let the Shivers see it!). the water and giggled a little. It’s a sewer, it’s got icky stuff
in it.
The Tale Of The Cache
Upon returning to the filtration room, Henshaw got her
Magritte Henshaw headed back to her workshop, deep in key out to unlock the padlock, before then noticing Rasher
the sewers of Downtown. She loved the thought of having the Truculent, the fabled ‘Big Pig’ of the region. Oh shit.
her factory right in the heart of the enemy’s home, under The recruits unloaded their guns into the pig and Henshaw
their very feet. She was glad she wasn’t travelling alone this stabbed it in the neck as it tore her arm off. The pig went
time, a couple of recruits were travelling with her to pick up down as Henshaw pumped herself full of “stop me from
some guns from her stock, as when she returned, there were dying” drugs. This was bad, she thought.
six Carrien waiting for her. They look scared, but not of her.
She had lost her arm, complete with the key to her munitions
As the recruits got ready for a scuffle, the Carrien simply
factory held firmly in the still-clenched fist. Worse still, that
turned and ran away, much to Magritte’s surprise, though
pig was now sitting on it. She needed someone who could
not that she was complaining. She unlocked the doors to
kill a pig that big; it was time to get Martens in. He owed
her tiny factory, dropped off the block of plastic explosive
her a favour, and wasn’t too far away...
and gave the rookies a couple of guns, locked up and led the
35
SLA INDUSTRIES
colour Code:
sourcebooks which can be bought as PDFs from DrivethruRPG
Any
or as hardback books from from https://store.nightfall.games/
Details: or your friendly local gaming store.
WH ITE
Reported disappearance of 34 tenants in apartment block
Note: Second Edition PDF conversion packs for both
1002, Downtown Sector 3-454. Operatives to investigate
Cannibal Sector 1 and Hunter Sheets 2 will be made
the disappearance and/or find suitable remuneration for
available during the Kickstarter.
loss of rental income.
+0.3 SCL Increase
BB LL UU EE PP RR II NN TT NN EE W
W SS
Departmental Authorisation:
Corporate
Training Package Recommended:
colour Code:
Any
Y ELLOW
Details:
Operatives required to retrieve files stolen from Mr A.J.
Lawson’s attache case in an Uptown bar. Last seen location
was ‘The Distillery’ winebar. Contents are considered
highly sensitive and Operatives would be advised to
locate and return said documentation without studying it.
Mr Lawson is available for questioning if required.
+0.2 SCL Increase
36
S L A O p e r at i v e S ec u r i t y C l e a r a n c e C a r d
Name:
Gawl
Race:
Malice Stormer 313
Package:
Close Assault
Squad:
Blistering Rain
SCL 10
Intimidate (COOL) 3 8
Melee Weapons (STR) 2 7
Pistol (DEX) 1 5
Rifle (DEX) 1 5
Sneaking (DEX) 1 5
Survival (COOL) 1 6
Movement Encumbrance
Torture (COOL) 3 7
Walk 1
Tracking (CONC) 2 4
Run 4 /
Unarmed Combat (STR) 2 7
Hit Points Experience Points
_/28
Wounds
Head [] Left Arm [] Right Arm []
Torso [] Left Leg [] Right Leg []
Conditions:
Notes
Regeneration - Gawl can regenerate 2 Hit Point and/or wounds every 20 minutes. Wounds are always healed before Hit Points.
S L A O p e r at i v e S ec u r i t y C l e a r a n c e C a r d
Name:
Opal
Race:
Ebonite - Ebon
Package:
Medic
Squad:
Blistering Rain
SCL 10
Detect (CONC) 3 7
Forensics (KNOW) 3 6
Hide (DEX) 1 3
Medical (KNOW) 3 6
Melee Weapons (STR) 1 3
Pistol (DEX) 1 3
Sneaking (DEX) 2 4
Movement Encumbrance
Unarmed Combat (STR) 1 3
Walk 1
Run 3 /
Ebb - Heal (CONC) 2 6
Hit Points Experience Points
Ebb - Thermal: Blue (CONC) 2 6
Ebb - Communicate (ONC) 1 5
_/16
Wounds
Head [] Left Arm [] Right Arm []
Torso [] Left Leg [] Right Leg []
Conditions:
Notes
S L A O p e r at i v e S ec u r i t y C l e a r a n c e C a r d
Name:
Sassanakrop Farrokhzad
Race:
Neophron
SCL 10
Diplomacy (CHA) 3 7
Forensics (KNOW) 1 5
Interrogate (COOL) 2 5
Leadership (CHA) 3 7
Medical (KNOW) 2 6
Melee Weapons (STR) 1 2
Movement Encumbrance
Oratory (CHA) 2 6
Walk 1
Persuasion (CHA) 3 7
Run 3 /
Pistol (DEX) 2 4
Hit Points Experience Points
Read Lips (CONC) 1 5
Sneaking (DEX)
Streetwise (KNOW)
2
3
4
7
_/12
Torture (COOL) 2 5 Wounds
Unarmed Combat (STR) 1 2 Head [] Left Arm [] Right Arm []
Torso [] Left Leg [] Right Leg []
Conditions:
Notes
Charm Offensive - Sassanakrop receives a +1 modifier to the Success Die for all Diplomacy, Oratory and Persuasion rolls. This bonus
is not applied when dealing with other members of the Neophron race.
S L A O p e r at i v e S ec u r i t y C l e a r a n c e C a r d
Name:
Dru McThomas
Race:
Frother
Package:
Heavy Support
Squad:
Blistering Rain
SCL 10
Interrogate (COOL) 2 6
Melee Weapons (STR) 1 4
Pistol (DEX) 2 6
Rifle (DEX) 3 7
Sneaking (DEX) 1 5
Movement Encumbrance
Streetwise (KNOW) 2 4
Walk 1
Unarmed Combat (STR) 3 6
Run 3 /
Hit Points Experience Points
_/18
Wounds
Head [] Left Arm [] Right Arm []
Torso [] Left Leg [] Right Leg []
Conditions:
Notes
Feel No Pain - Dru ignores the penalties and modifiers applied to him by any one wound that they he’s received, so for example, if
Dru has suffered three wounds, he only applies the effects for two of them. The player may always choose which wound to ignore.
Drug Addict - Any drugs used by a Dru are considered to have an additional 30 minutes duration.
S L A O p e r at i v e S ec u r i t y C l e a r a n c e C a r d
Name:
Tammy Hardsnip
Race:
Human
Package:
Strike & Sweep
Squad:
Blistering Rain
SCL 10
Detect (CONC) 2 5
Diplomacy (CHA) 1 3
Hide (DEX) 1 4
Interrogate (COOL) 1 5
Medical (KNOW) 1 3
Melee Weapons (STR) 3 5
Persuasion (CHA) 1 3
Movement Encumbrance
Pistol (DEX) 2 5
Walk 1
Rifle (DEX) 3 6
Run 3 /
Seduction (CHA) 1 3
Hit Points Experience Points
Sneaking (DEX) 2 5
Streetwise (KNOW)
Survival (COOL)
2
1
4
5
_/16
Unarmed Combat (STR) 2 4 Wounds
Head [] Left Arm [] Right Arm []
Torso [] Left Leg [] Right Leg []
Condition:
Notes
Sociable - Tammy receives a +1 modifier to the Success Die for all Diplomacy and Persuasion rolls when dealing with other Humans.
Q U I C K S TA R T
BLANK BPNS
BB LL UU EE PP RR II NN TT NN EE W
W SS BB LL UU EE PP RR II NN TT NN EE W
W SS
Departmental Authorisation: Departmental Authorisation:
colour Code:
colour Code:
Details: Details:
Station Analysis: Consolidated Bonus Scheme: Per Op: SC L Station Analysis: Consolidated Bonus Scheme: Per Op: SCL
Third Eye News: Per Squad: Requirement: Third Eye News: Per Squad: Requirement:
“Blueprint News” and “Third Eye” are wholly owned subsidiaries of SLA Industries. Any unauthorised use of their names or images is illegal. “Blueprint News” and “Third Eye” are wholly owned subsidiaries of SLA Industries. Any unauthorised use of their names or images is illegal.
Skills Skills
Equipment Equipment
47
SLA INDUSTRIES
48
SLA Industries 2nd Edition: Quick Start
ISBN: 978-0-9956497-5-0