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Message no. 1
From: Pete Sims <petesims@********.demon.co.uk>
Subject: ACPA in Shadowrun
Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 02:59:12 +0100
In message <6A2563AF@?.00>, AHayes@*******.com.au writes
>
>
> Hi there!
Greetings
>
> Just reading back over the past few day's posts to the SHADOWRN
> listserver and came across your references to CP2020's ACPAs and using
> them in your game.
>
Yes, I allow limited usage in tactical situations or high security/high
threat areas. I also use them to patrol the CZ in Chicago. Having said
that I also have ED-209 units roaming in some areas.

> I'm planning on using them in my PBeM game (I run it on a local BBS)
> inspired by the fact that the bugs have broken out in Chicago and Ares
They have???? Hadn't noticed.

> moved this way to help normal troopers offset this. (There's also a
> reference of powered armour suits in FoF if I remember correctly.)
>
Normal troopers??? The UCAS has stationed some extremely specialist
units in the area of the Chicago CZ, including a large quantity of
Mages. There are "normal troopers" present, but there's a large number
of special ops units as well.

Powered armour was mentioned in FOF, but it was in reference to smaller,
man sized units, more like the small suits used in Bubblegum Crisis by
Priss and co, or at least similar, the downfall was that they were
underpowered, and useless after a certain time span, They offered the
trooper greater protection, but he still needed ground pounders to back
him up in case the suits systems failed (which they do on a regular
basis).
> Aaaanyway - I was wondering if you have any rules/bits set up that
> you wouldn't mind sharing? <Grovel> Anything you have would be greatly
> appreciated as I might be able to save myself some effort creating them
> independently.
>
I do have a number of ground rules that I use, and I have extensively
converted the entire Acpa range. But, it would be violating copyright
laws if I was to pass them on, as they are not my own work, and I don't
have permission.

However.

A few things may help you to cut down on the work you have to do.
Use the ACPA's as they are in the books, there is not really any need to
rewrite the whole thing. This is just doubling work for yourself, and
in the long run it is unecessary. I did convert them all, and I still
wing it when using ACPA units.

Some of the equipment can be used as is, there are Shadowrun
equivalents that can be used in place.

God Interface - This is a system whereby the pilot is conected to the
suit systems (Full Rigger Kit)
Stardust Canisters (Chaff) etc. etc.
14.5mm Heavy MG, Use one of the Rotary cannons, or rules for HMG (these
can be retrieved from Paolo's site
http://www.interware.it/users/paolo/sr2/index.html

There is a lot of useful kit here, if you haven't been already.

Some can also be found in the net books produced by Gurth
http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html#shadowrun

With a little common sense, and a little imagination, ACPA's can be
edited for use in Shadowrun, with just a few annotations in the manual
itself. (Which saves having to rewrite, scan and print the contents.)

I tend to take SP (Stopping Power) divide it by 2, and use that as the
"Barrier Rating" or Body, of the ACPA armour (after all a body of 40 in
each location on a medic acpa, is extreme, and outperforms most MBTs)
As for SDP (Structural Damage Points), leave those as they are, but
treat them as armoured, (ie a Predator 2 will damage internals, but it
has to hit something vital first - it also gives the ACPA, a decent
resistence against small arms fire if the main armour is breached.

SIB (Special Initiative Bonus) Reaction bonus - this can be pretty much
left alone. The suit's sensor arrays should be enough to explain this
benefit.

DFB - Defensive Bonus, this can also be left as is or ignored
completely. Depending on whether or not you allow a dodge facility.

All of the weapons carried by the ACPA units, have duplicates or equals
in Shadowrun. In the case of a BRP ripple pack, simply use standard
flechette rules, but cut the range down to 1m of the suit (similar to a
vehicle frag belt).

As for the Strength/Kick damage etc. this can be converted, but I tend
not to allow it. It adds a dimension of unarmed combat into the game,
that I feel armour of this type would be unlikely to get involved in, it
simply uses too much power and puts too high a strain on the pilot.
However, I do allow ramming, as per the vehicle rules. So it is
possible for a pilot to crash through barriers, or other suits by
charging them, if the piloting roll is successful, I will allow a move
of the players choice, whether it be straight arm block, ala Rugby, or a
roll, jump, or a simple collision.

The manoeuver needs a successful piloting/rigging roll, allowing for any
necessary modifiers, then another control roll to initiate the attack
(assuming the character has greater initiative, and then another roll to
recover the suit after the attack.

Powered attacks from the suit, should only really be used in certain
circumstances, ie. breaking through a wall, lifting extremely heavy
objects or some other such exceptional effort. In this case, I will
make several rolls against strength, punch, crush, kick etc, before the
game, and use these rolls to allow for the suits impact in that
situation.

I do limit the pilot size to suggested limits, if the character is
above or below that weight limit (give or take a few kilos), the
character cannot use the armour. (This can lead to some interesting
ideas on diet.)

As far as prices are concerned, double or triple them. These suits are
primarily for security and military use. Character's should find it
very difficult to get hold of them, if you intend to let the characters
use them in a game, fair enough, but it is something you will need to
consider carefully. I allowed a character in my game to have one,
because he was able to justify its possession to my satisfaction, all
the same, he bought it second hand, from a dodgy fixer, and got ripped
off (no power unit.)

If security are using them against the players, again you need to be
careful. You need to realise that these suits are walking, piloted
units of incredible destructive power, one suit can crush a large team
of well equipped characters in one easy lesson, if used correctly. This
is why I use them sparingly. They instill fear and respect in the
party, because they very rarely come across them, and when they do, it
means *deep* shit.

Generally, use them as they come out of the box. But any snap
judgements you make regarding the suits, must be noted down, otherwise
your players will pick up on it after a while.

Above all, you MUST be fair in using these things, in the hands of an
angry player, he can take out a fair sized town before he can be
stopped, the same goes for Corp Sec. I wouldn't suggest using them in
any force. The first time the players meet one, should be at a
distance, say while the unit is in combat (You will need good
descriptive skills in order to get the message across)

The average combat unit has a rear firing defensive flechette unit, a
forward firing close range defensive flechette unit, mini rockets,
autocannon, (huge) assault cannon, occassionally a laser can be mounted,
and they are designed to track multiple targets *and* engage them. In
the hands of a skilled pilot, an ACPA is equivalent to a present day
division (slight exageration - but you get the picture), now put one in
the middle of a hairy furball and let the weapons rip.

Say hello to the Fourth of July, as the night turns to day, in a blaze
of flame and fury.
Rockets ripping into the night sky detonating on buildings and targets,
autocannon blazing, tracer lacing the streets, the continual deafening
detonation as the assault cannon rips buildings and vehicles to shreds -
cratering the street - you get the idea - these are not toys.

In the tight streets of Chicago I don't expect much to be left in the
way of buildings after one of these things has walked through.
Especially if combat has been raging in the area.

A better way to utilise the ACPA, is to use the Escape from New York
scenario, and have the players retrieve an ACPA, before one of Chicago's
warlords get's hold of it and uses it to take over the CZ, and/or break
out.

Leaving an ACPA in the hands of a player, is a temptation for
armageddon.

> Anyway, talk to you soon.
>
Anytime...

>
> P.S. Here is a sample of what I have already done. It is a player handout
> given to the rigger player who is (as we speak, figuratively speaking)
> trying to hunt down the other players using one of these. (It's at the
> start of the run, so the other characters have yet to meet each other and
> (hopefully) determine that they have a common cause.)
>
Hmm... Shouldn't really have done that should you, naughty person :-)

> P.P.S. Apologies in advance if you don't like to be bombarded with large
> files.
>
I don't generally, at least not without being asked first. But I'll
forgive you :-) I'm feeling generous tonight.

>
>[ A MIME application / zip part was included here. ]
>
Good luck with the PBEM. If you need any help or other suggestions
regarding the ACPA units, don't hesitate to mail me. I'm partially
disabled and have little else to do except play about with things like
this, and of course, the computer.

TTYL
TTFN
Pete
--
Pete Sims
Civilisation advances by extending the number of important operations which we
can perform without thinking about them.

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about ACPA in Shadowrun, you may also be interested in:

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