- Activation11
- Aim13
- AP (armor piercing)15
- ArmorR4
- Attack resolution16
- Attributes8
- Blessings12
- Boss8
- Broadcast powers23
- Cast23
- Climb15
- ConsumablesR5
- Contract types10
- Cover18
- Critical20, R8
- CyberneticsR6
- Damage21
- Dice tiers (DT)6
- Disengage13
- DT overflow7
- Engaged14
- Falling15
- Flee22
- Fumble20, R12
- GearR6
- Grenades19, R3
- Health8
- Improvised combatR2
- Interact13
- Interrogate13, K9
- Knockback15
- Line of sight17
- Loot Marker13, K8
- Melee weaponsR2
- Morale22
- Move8
- Opposed roll6
- Out of Action21
- Performance Review22
- Random direction18
- Ranged weaponsR3
- Reach14
- Riposte14
- SamplesR13
- Search13, K8
- Shooting into melee17
- Subs4
- Wounded21
C0.1The Five Booklets
| Vol. | Booklet | Use it to |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Core Rules | Learn the game: lore, squads, combat, casting |
| 2 | Requisitions | Look up weapons, armor, gear, Powers, Criticals, Fumbles, sample squads |
| 3 | Inhuman Resources | Run hostiles and Coworkers |
| 4 | Campaign | Set up a mission, gather Evidence, promote your squad |
| 5 | Missions | Play the twelve missions, The Signal and The Source |
Read Core Rules first. Keep Requisitions open while you build a squad and whenever a roll asks for a table.
If a card or the quick reference disagrees with the rulebook, the rulebook wins. If a mission disagrees with the rulebook, the mission wins for that mission only.
C0.2Rule IDs
Every section has an ID: the booklet letter, the chapter number and the section number. C Core Rules, A Requisitions, I Inhuman Resources, K Campaign, M Missions.
A cross-reference reads title, ID, page. A reference to another booklet adds its volume number after the ID.
Broadcast Powers
Wireless is heresy. Unless someone in corporate decided to diversify revenue streams.
Licensed Broadcasters pay steep fees and submit to monitoring. The Untethered refuse. They broadcast without paying, spread without subscription. The Authority calls them terrorists. The Monks call them plague. The Untethered call themselves free.
C5.1Casting
- Choose one starting
Power(Powers (R5.1, Vol. 2, p. 7)) - Action to
Cast(once per activation) - No range limit (requires LoS)
- Offensive powers: roll
Witsvs. targetWits - Support powers: roll
Witsvs. 2d6 (target must be a friendly model other than the caster) - Win by triple or more: the effect also applies to all valid targets within 3" of the target (
FocusandSwapalways affect only their chosen target) - Defender wins by triple or more: roll
BroadcastFumble table
Wits 2d8) casts Signal Jam on a Gunner (Wits 2d4). The Broadcaster rolls 7 and 8: 15. The Gunner rolls 2 and 3: 5. Fifteen is three times five, so the Gunner and every valid target within 3" of him take -1 DT on all rolls until their next activation. With a 14, only the Gunner would.C4.19Morale
- When
BossgoesOut of Action: all friendly models immediately testWitsvs. 2d6 - If a friendly model is within 3", add
+1 DTto the test - Fail:
Flee(move toward the nearest edge, cannot act, exits if it reaches the edge) - Any
Fleeingmodel, whatever the cause, retests at the start of each activation until passed
Out of Action, so every friendly model tests Wits against 2d6. Dmitri Osei (Wits 2d8) has Sunita Roche within 3", so he tests at 2d10: he rolls 6 and 8, 14 against 8. He holds. Tobias Valdez (Wits 2d4) has no friend within 3": he rolls 2 and 3, 5 against 9. He fails and starts to Flee.C4.20Leaving the Board
Performance Review: A model that left the board (voluntarily or by Flee) earns no Merits this game, takes d6 damage after restoring Health in the post-game (see Campaign), and drops carried items at the edge.
Exception: leaving to satisfy a scenario objective (see Campaign) is not a Performance Review. That model keeps its Merits, mission bonuses, and carried items, and takes no d6 damage.
Sacred Wire 28
0.9.0-beta by LuisMars
Open Distribution Statute: CC BY-SA 4.0
C1.1The Great Complex
A vertical megastructure three kilometers tall. Cables hang from every surface. They bundle into trunks thicker than bodies, snake through walls, coil underfoot. The Complex was meant to be paradise. Now it decays.
Wired connection is sacred. Wireless is heresy. Since the Tethering, wireless has meant excommunication. Debts are inherited. Children are born subscribed.
C1.2The Powers
The Departments: Resource Allocation, Revenue Operations, Human Capital, Security & Compliance. Four bodies, four budgets, endless jurisdictional warfare.
Maintenance Monks: Cable-priests who tend the sacred conduits. They speak in error codes. They perform ritual diagnostics. Half of what they maintain, they do not understand.
Conduit Authority: The enforcement arm. They do not ask questions. They burn heretics and bill for the ammunition.
The Untethered: Wireless cultists spreading through the lower tiers. They believe signals should travel without permission. They believe the cables are chains.
C1.3Contractors
You are not employees. You are deniable assets.
Contractors operate between factions. They retrieve what was lost and silence what was heard. Every job has a patron. Payment comes in subs. Betrayal comes free.
C1.4Subs
Subs are Subscription Points. They pay for gear, tolls, bribes, and air. Most charges are automatic. You notice subs when you are short.
C1.5The Tiers
Heat rises. Wealth rises faster. The upper tiers stay cool while the depths burn. Subscription fees are deducted automatically from wages that never quite cover them.
Your subscription is your freedom.
By mandate of the Chief Executive Sovereign
C1.6The Seven Pillars
Connectivity. The cable binds. Hierarchy. Each tier serves its superior. Continuity. Systems endure. Workers do not. Accountability. Debts outlive the debtor. Productivity. Idleness is theft. Stability. The Complex endures. Do not ask how. Compliance. The Founders were right.
C4.18Damage
- Roll weapon damage (Double+: use max value instead)
- On Triple+: roll the critical table and add any bonus damage
- Subtract armor reduction
- Deduct from target's
Health Healthat 0 or below:Out of Action, remove from play (roll Injury post-game, see Campaign)
Wounded: Model below max Health.
Damage over time: ignores armor and can cause Out of Action.
Combat 2d6) hits a Gunner (Defense 2d6, Medium armor) with a Sword (d6). The Veteran rolls 9, the Gunner 4: Double, so damage is the maximum, 6. Medium armor takes 2: the Gunner loses 4 Health and drops from 14 to 10.C4.16Critical Hits
- Double the defender: max weapon damage
- Triple or more: max damage + roll critical table (quadruple: +1, quintuple: +2, etc.)
- On a
Riposte, if either side triples the other, the higher side rolls its Critical table and the lower side rolls the Melee Fumble table. - Tables: Bladed Critical (R6.1, Vol. 2, p. 8) is the first of eight, one per weapon type
Combat 2d6) shoots a Brute (Defense 2d8) with a Pistol (d4). The Gunner rolls 6 and 6: 12. The Brute rolls 2 and 2: 4. Twelve is three times four: the shot does the maximum, 4 damage, and you roll the Critical table. Swap the rolls and the Brute triples the Gunner: roll the Ranged Fumble table. At a total of 16 it would be quadruple: the critical table roll gets +1.C4.17Fumbles
- Defender triples or more the attacker: Fumble (roll Fumble table)
- Quadruple: +1, quintuple: +2, etc.
- Tables: Melee Fumble (R7.1, Vol. 2, p. 12) is the first of three
C1.7Miniatures
This game is meant to be used with 28 mm miniatures. Anything in the 28 mm to 32 mm range works. Models on bases between 25 mm and 32 mm are fully compatible.
Use whatever models you have. Convert them. Kitbash corporate enforcers from sci-fi kits. Build cable-wrapped cultists from fantasy bits. Proxy freely. The model represents what you say it represents.
C1.8What You'll Need
Required (setup, deployment, game length and victory: see Campaign)
- 5 miniatures per squad (1 Boss, 4 Resources)
- 2-4 Coworker miniatures (placed at setup, see Campaign)
- 8 Swarm-size and 6 Normal/Elite-size Hostile miniatures (more for The Signal and The Source; see Inhuman Resources)
- Dice: 2d4, 2d6, 2d8, 2d10, 2d12, one d20 (read any die odd/even for a d2)
- Bag with Activation Tokens (chips, dice, or similar markers: one per player model, one per hostile group, one per Coworker group, a different look per faction)
- Measuring tape (inches)
- 2' by 2' board with dense terrain
- Loot Markers (up to 5)
Optional
- Condition markers (OoA, Flee, Engaged, Bleed, etc.)
- Warband roster sheet
- Evidence tracker (see Campaign)
C1.9Core Mechanics
Roll 2 dice and add the results.
Opposed rolls
Both players roll simultaneously. Higher total wins. Lower DT wins ties. Same DT: re-roll.
Dice Tiers (DT)
2d4 → 2d6 → 2d8 → 2d10 → 2d12
+1 DT: Use the next larger die type.
-1 DT: Use the next smaller die type.
Attribute Caps
Never below 2d4 or above 2d12.
Combat 2d6) attacks a Brute (Defense 2d8). Both total 9. The lower DT wins the tie: the Veteran's 2d6 beats the Brute's 2d8, so the attack hits. Two Brutes at 2d8 that tie re-roll.C4.15Grenades
- Throw at a point within 6" (action). One use.
- Roll
Combatvs. 2d6. Failure: scatters d6" from throw point (ignores terrain). Fumble on 2d6: lands at your feet. - 3" blast hits all models (friend and foe). Roll damage for each.
- Grenades use the Fumble rule but never the Critical rule. A blast deals no bonus damage and rolls no critical table.
Gunner, Combat 2d6) throws a Frag grenade (d8 Explosive) at a point 5" away. He rolls 3 and 5: 8. The 2d6 roll is 4 and 6: 10. He fails, so the grenade scatters d6" from the throw point: the d6 shows 4. Every model within 3" of where it lands takes d8 damage, friend or foe.C4.12Random Direction
Roll d8 (compass), d12 (clock), the acute angle of a d10, or scatter dice. Move that direction.
C4.13Cover
- Any body part obscured by terrain:
Cover Cover:-1 DTCombatfor attacker
Combat 2d6) moves, then shoots at a target in Cover: -1 DT twice. The first drops the Veteran to 2d4. Nothing rolls below 2d4, so the second passes to the target: the Veteran rolls 2d4 and the target rolls Defense one step higher (2d6 becomes 2d8).C4.14Range
- Range: as listed on the weapon. Grenades: 6".
C1.10DT Overflow
Modifiers that exceed the limits pass to your opponent with the opposite effect.
- 2d4 with
-1 DT: you roll 2d4, opponent rolls at+1 DT - 2d12 with
+1 DT: you roll 2d12, opponent rolls at-1 DT
Overflow resolves once. A modifier passed to your opponent never bounces back, even if it would push them past a limit too. Fixed 2d6 rolls (Search, grenades, Morale, support Cast) ignore DT overflow.
Combat 2d12) gets +1 DT on an attack. 2d12 is the top die, so she still rolls 2d12 and her target, a Veteran with Defense 2d6, rolls 2d4 instead."They call the cable sacred. But every cable ends somewhere, and every wire has an owner. Who holds the other end? The wave needs no toll booth. We are still broadcasting."
Open Channel Broadcast, freq. unknown
Personnel Allocation
5 models. 1 Boss, 4 Resources. Each picks a contract type.
C2.1Attributes
| Attribute | Use |
|---|---|
Combat | Attack rolls |
Defense | Resist attacks |
Wits | Search, Interrogate, tech-related rolls |
Pick an array. Assign one die to each attribute.
Technician
| 2d4 | 2d6 | 2d8 |
Operative
| 2d6 | 2d6 | 2d6 |
Boss of the Compliance Team, takes the Technician array: Combat 2d8, Defense 2d6, Wits 2d4. Her Boss bonus is +1 DT to one attribute, and she puts it on Wits: 2d4 becomes 2d6. She ends with 2d8, 2d6 and 2d6."Solitary cables fray. Bundles endure."
Conduit-Certified Proverb
C2.2Values
| Value | Use |
|---|---|
Health | Damage until Out of Action |
Move | Distance per activation (inches) |
C4.9Line of Sight (LoS)
- Must see target's body: legs, torso, head (arms/weapons don't count)
- No LoS: cannot target
C4.10Shooting on the Move
- A model that moved this activation makes ranged attacks at
-1 DTCombat
Stacks with Cover (C4.13, p. 18) and Shooting Into Melee (C4.11, p. 17).
C4.11Shooting Into Melee
-1 DTCombat- On a miss (the defender wins), the shot redirects to a random model within 1" of the target (not the target or shooter). It goes straight to damage (no
Defenseroll): apply armor as usual - If there is no such model, the shot misses
- On a Fumble (the defender triples your total), roll the Ranged Fumble table only. No Critical
C4.7Attack Resolution
- Attacker declares target and weapon
- In melee, defender chooses
DefenseorRiposte - Both roll at once. Attacker:
Combat. Defender:Defense, orCombatat-1 DTwhenRiposting - Attacker wins: hit; if the defender chose
Riposte, the attacker rolls double its weapon damage dice. Defender wins: avoided; aRipostealso deals its weapon damage to the attacker
A Brute (Combat 2d8) attacks a Veteran (Defense 2d6). The Veteran picks Defense. The Brute rolls 5 and 6: 11. The Veteran rolls 2 and 4: 6. Higher total wins: hit.
The Veteran picks Riposte with a Sword instead. Combat 2d6 at -1 DT is 2d4, and the Sword gives +1 DT back: 2d6. The Veteran rolls 3 and 4: 7. The Brute still wins and, because the Veteran chose Riposte, rolls double its weapon damage dice.
C4.8Ranged Defense
- Roll
DefenseDT (noRiposteoption)
C2.3Equipment
Spend 60 subs across your squad on weapons, armor, and gear.
Weapons:
- Melee: melee weapons only
- Ranged: ranged weapons only (use Improvised Combat)
- Both: no restriction
Gear and consumables: no restrictions.
Weapon, armor and gear lists: Melee Weapons (R3.2, Vol. 2, p. 2), Armor (R3.5, Vol. 2, p. 4), Gear (R3.10, Vol. 2, p. 6).
A Broadcaster gets one free starting Broadcast Power. See Contract Types (C2.4, p. 10).
Gunner) buys a Carbine (13) and a Pistol (2): 15 subs. The other four models share the remaining 45. Tobias Valdez (Brute) takes a Sword (10) and a Mesh Wrap (2), and Sunita Roche (Zealot) an Injector (9) and a Knife (3): 24 subs between them, 21 left for the last two.C2.4Contract Types
| Contract Type | Health | Move | Weapons | Max Armor | Special | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Boss | 16 | 4" | Both | Heavy | +1 DT to one attribute | * |
Brute | 14 | 3" | Melee | Heavy | +1 melee damage, ignores armor move penalty | 2 |
Veteran | 13 | 4" | Both | Medium | +1 DT Defense below half Health | 2 |
Gunner | 14 | 4" | Ranged | Medium | Ignores move penalty when shooting | 2 |
Scout | 12 | 5" | Both | Light | Free Disengage, Move 3" after deployment | 2 |
Zealot | 12 | 5" | Melee | Light | +2" Move if ending Engaged, +1 DT Combat vs. 2+ enemies | 2 |
Agent | 14 | 4" | Both | Light | Re-roll failed Wits tests | 2 |
Broadcaster | 14 | 4" | Melee | Light | Can Cast | 1 |
* Unique (cannot be replaced). Max: limit per warband.
Brute. His row gives him 14 Health, 3" Move and melee weapons only, so a Carbine is off his list. He may wear Heavy armor, which costs 1" Move, but his special ignores that penalty: he still moves 3".C4.6Vertical Movement
| Action | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Climb | 2" per 1" vertical | Requires climbable surface |
| Jump gap | 1" per 1" horizontal | Max 2" |
| Jump down | Free | Fall damage if > 3" |
Climbing: A climb must be completed within one move or the model stays at the bottom.
Falling: No damage for the first 3". Beyond that, take 1d6 for every 3" fallen, rounding up (4 to 6" deals 1d6, 7 to 9" deals 2d6, 10 to 12" deals 3d6).
Knockback: Only weapons with a Knockback value push. On a hit, move the target directly away from the attacker that many inches. Fall damage applies if pushed off an edge. Stops at obstacles.
AP N: Ignore N points of armor reduction.
Knockback 1") shoves a Gunner over the edge of a gantry 8" above the floor. The first 3" are free, and 8" falls in the 7 to 9" band: he rolls 2d6, gets 3 and 5, and takes 8 damage on top of the Mace's own damage.C4.5Melee Engagement
- Models within 1" of enemy (base edge to base edge) are
Engaged - A model armed with a Reach weapon counts as
Engagedwith enemies within its Reach distance, not just 1" - A model can only
Ripostean attacker within its own weapon's reach - Leaving engagement without
Disengage: each enemy you leave gets one free attack at-1 DT. AFleeingmodel does not provoke these attacks - An
Engagedmodel cannot make ranged attacks. Fight in melee orDisengagefirst - No melee weapon: use Improvised Combat (R3.1, Vol. 2, p. 2)
Engaged with a Brute and a Scout. Walking away without Disengage gives each of them one free attack at -1 DT: two attacks. Spend the action on Disengage and the Veteran leaves with none.Combat & Actions
C4.1Activation
- Each player rolls
Corporate Blessings(d8 three times) - Add Activation Tokens to a shared bag: one per player model, one per hostile spawn group (see Inhuman Resources), one per Coworker group
- Draw a token: that faction activates one model (Hostiles and Coworkers follow their AI table, see Inhuman Resources)
- Player model
OoA: Discard token immediately. Hostile/Coworker groups: Token stays in bag. Remove a group's token when its last model leaves play. - Each activation: one Move (up to
Move") and one Action, in either order. A bonus action is an extra action in the same activation. A model takes at most two actions per activation - Repeat from 3 until the bag is empty: the round ends
- Begin a new round: return all tokens to the bag, re-roll
Corporate Blessings, and resolve start-of-round effects. Effects that last "until end of round" expire now
Health. Sunita is Out of Action, so her token leaves the bag at once. Ten tokens remain.Once Per Round: Each model activates exactly once per round. Move Again counts as your activation's single action. No effect grants a model a second activation or adds a token for a model that has already activated. An ability that lets a model act again instead grants a bonus action or a DT modifier inside that model's single activation, or moves its single activation earlier.
Next Activation: "Next activation" always means the affected model's own next activation, even if that falls in a later round.
Enemy: A model treats every model of a different faction as an enemy: the two squads, Coworkers and hostiles are all separate factions. Wave Callers and Static Wraiths count as one faction. A Coworker marked Hostile treats every other model as an enemy.
C4.2Corporate Blessings
Declare a blessing before rolling the dice it affects. No model can receive two blessings per round.
| d8 | Blessing | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denied | No blessing. One model gains a bonus action |
| 2 | Reroll | Reroll a single die |
| 3 | Boost | +1 DT to one roll |
| 4 | Overtime | One model takes two actions |
| 5 | Severance | One attack deals max weapon damage |
| 6 | Synergy | A model you activate with an ally within 6" gains a bonus action |
| 7 | Wellness | Restore d4 Health to one model during its activation |
| 8 | Surplus | Roll twice, ignoring 8s |
Combat rolls 2d10 instead of 2d8. Severance cannot go to Ines this round, because no model receives two blessings. Tobias Valdez takes it: one attack of his deals maximum weapon damage.C4.3Actions
| Action | Effect |
|---|---|
Attack | Combat vs. Defense, deal weapon damage |
Move Again | Take a second move |
Disengage | Leave melee safely |
Aim | Declare target. +1 DT Combat on your next shot (lost if the aiming model moves or takes damage) |
Interact | Within 1". Grab objective or pick up dropped weapon |
Search | Within 1" of Loot Marker. Wits vs. 2d6. Not while Engaged |
Interrogate | Within 1" of Coworker. Wits vs. Wits (+1 DT if the Coworker is wounded) |
Cast | Wits vs. target Wits or 2d6 (Broadcasters only) |
C4.4Movement
Move up to your Move value. Measure from base edge.
Move 5") stands 4" from a Loot Marker. She moves 3", which leaves her within 1", then spends her action on Search: Wits against 2d6. Searching first would fail, because Search needs her within 1" of the marker.- Improvised weapons2
- Melee weapons2
- Ranged weapons3
- Grenades3
- Armor4
- Consumables5
- Gear6
- Cybernetics6
- Broadcast powers7
- Bladed critical8
- Blunt critical8
- Projectile critical9
- Energy critical9
- Explosive critical10
- Toxic critical10
- Static critical11
- Broadcast critical11
- Melee fumble12
- Ranged fumble12
- Broadcast fumble12
- Sample squads13
Weapons & Armor
R3.1Improvised Combat
| Weapon | Type | Damage | Special |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unarmed | Blunt | 1 | -2 DT Combat, no Riposte, always available |
| Improvised | Blunt | d4 | -2 DT Combat, no Riposte, use ranged weapon as club |
R3.2Melee Weapons
| d20 | Weapon | Type | Damage | Special | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Knuckles | Blunt | 2 | 2 | |
| 2 | Knife | Bladed | d4 | 3 | |
| 3 | Shiv | Toxic | d4 | +1 damage vs. wounded | 4 |
| 4 | Prod | Energy | d4 | Target -1 DT next activation | 5 |
| 5 | Injector | Toxic | d6 | Re-roll 1s | 9 |
| 6 | Mace | Blunt | d6 | Knockback 1" | 9 |
| 7 | Sword | Bladed | d6 | Re-roll 1s, +1 DT when Riposting | 10 |
| 8 | Cable Whip | Static | d6 | 2" reach | 11 |
| 9 | Machete | Bladed | d8 | Re-roll 1s | 13 |
| 10 | Stunner | Energy | d8 | Target -1 DT next activation | 13 |
| 11 | Hammer | Blunt | d8 | Re-roll 1s, Knockback 1" | 15 |
| 12 | Static Blade | Static | d8 | +1 DT vs. wounded | 15 |
| 13 | Corrosive Blade | Toxic | d10 | AP 1 | 17 |
| 14 | Arc Claw | Static | d10 | Re-roll 1s, +1 to Critical roll | 19 |
| 15 | Saber | Bladed | d10 | Re-roll 1s and 2s | 19 |
| 16 | Gauntlet | Blunt | d10 | Re-roll 1s and 2s, Knockback 1" | 21 |
| 17 | Plague Fist | Toxic | d12 | Re-roll 1s, +1 damage vs. wounded | 22 |
| 18 | Shock Maul | Static | d12 | Re-roll 1s, Knockback 2" | 25 |
| 19 | Chain Blade | Bladed | d12 | Re-roll 1s and 2s, AP 2 | 27 |
| 20 | Power Fist | Energy | d12 | Re-roll 1s and 2s, Knockback 2" | 27 |
"Dying in public space incurs a cleanup fee charged to your estate."
Public Safety Notice
R8.7Agent [12]
14 Health, 4" Move
Combat2d4,Defense2d6,Wits2d8- Pistol (2): d4
Projectile,-1 DTbeyond 6" - Sword (10): d6
Bladed, re-roll 1s,+1 DTwhenRiposting - Re-roll failed
Witstests
R8.8Broadcaster [12]
14 Health, 4" Move
Combat2d4,Defense2d6,Wits2d8- Prod (5): d4
Energy, target-1 DTnext activation - Padded Vest (7): 1 reduction, reduce
Knockbackby 1" Meleeonly, canCast
"Exceptional performance is noted. Expect increased quotas."
Performance Review
R8.4Gunner [12]
14 Health, 4" Move
Combat2d8,Defense2d6,Wits2d4- Laser (9): d6
Energy,+1 DTif not moved this activation - Pistol (2): d4
Projectile,-1 DTbeyond 6" - Stapler (1): 2
Projectile, 6" max range - No move penalty when shooting
R8.5Scout [12]
12 Health, 6" Move
Combat2d6,Defense2d4,Wits2d8- Arc Pistol (5): d4
Static, no fumbles - Light Vest (7): 1 reduction, +1"
Move - Free
Disengage, 3"Moveafter deploy (see Campaign)
R8.6Zealot [12]
12 Health, 5" Move
Combat2d8,Defense2d4,Wits2d6- Injector (9): d6
Toxic, re-roll 1s - Knife (3): d4
Bladed - +2"
Moveif endingEngaged,+1 DTCombatvs. 2+ enemies,Meleeonly
R3.3Ranged Weapons
| d20 | Weapon | Type | Damage | Special | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stapler | Projectile | 2 | 6" max range | 1 |
| 2 | Pistol | Projectile | d4 | 36". -1 DT beyond 6" | 2 |
| 3 | Needle Gun | Toxic | d4 | 36". +1 damage vs. wounded | 4 |
| 4 | Arc Pistol | Static | d4 | 36". No fumbles | 5 |
| 5 | Dart Gun | Toxic | d6 | 36". Target -1 DT next activation | 9 |
| 6 | Frag Pistol | Explosive | d6 | 36". AP 1 | 9 |
| 7 | Laser | Energy | d6 | 36". +1 DT if not moved this activation | 9 |
| 8 | Screamer | Broadcast | d6 | 36". Ignores cover | 11 |
| 9 | Carbine | Projectile | d8 | 36". Re-roll 1s | 13 |
| 10 | Flamer | Energy | d8 | 36". Ignores cover | 15 |
| 11 | Sonic Gun | Broadcast | d8 | 36". +1 DT vs. wounded | 15 |
| 12 | Tesla Gun | Static | d8 | 36". Hits nearest model within 2" of target | 15 |
| 13 | Cryo Gun | Toxic | d10 | 36". Ignores cover | 19 |
| 14 | Launcher | Explosive | d10 | 36". Re-roll 1s, AP 1 | 19 |
| 15 | Shotgun | Projectile | d10 | 36". Re-roll 1s, Knockback 1" | 19 |
| 16 | Arc Cannon | Static | d10 | 36". Re-roll 1s, also hits 2 nearest models within 2" of target | 21 |
| 17 | Plasma Caster | Energy | d12 | 36". Ignores cover, AP 1 | 25 |
| 18 | Rifle | Energy | d12 | 36". Re-roll 1s and 2s, Overcharge: -1 DT for max damage | 25 |
| 19 | Wail Cannon | Broadcast | d12 | 36". Re-roll 1s, Knockback 2" | 25 |
| 20 | Missile Pod | Explosive | d12 | 36". Re-roll 1s and 2s, AP 2 | 27 |
R3.4Grenades
Grenades are consumables. Any contract type may carry and throw them.
| d6 | Weapon | Effect | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smoke | 1 damage, leaves smoke column blocking LoS until next round | 8 |
| 2 | Flash | 1 damage, target -1 DT next activation | 10 |
| 3 | Gas | d6 Toxic damage | 10 |
| 4 | EMP | d6 Static damage, -1 DT next activation | 12 |
| 5 | Frag | d8 Explosive damage | 14 |
| 6 | Incendiary | d6 Energy damage, ignores cover | 14 |
R3.5Armor
One armor piece per model; makes the model armored.
R3.6Light Armor
Base: 1 damage reduction
| d8 | Armor | Special | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mesh Wrap | -1" Move | 2 |
| 2 | Flak Wrap | - | 4 |
| 3 | Protective Lining | -1 to Critical table rolls against you | 6 |
| 4 | Light Vest | +1" Move | 7 |
| 5 | Padded Vest | Reduce Knockback by 1" | 7 |
| 6 | Defensive Mesh | Re-roll 1s on Defense | 8 |
| 7 | Runner's Harness | +2" Move | 10 |
| 8 | Scout Suit | Re-roll 1s on Defense, +1" Move | 11 |
R3.7Medium Armor
Base: 2 damage reduction
| d6 | Armor | Special | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Standard Cuirass | - | 8 |
| 2 | Tactical Breastplate | +1" Move | 11 |
| 3 | Patrol Harness | Re-roll 1s on Defense | 12 |
| 4 | Assault Rig | +2" Move | 14 |
| 5 | Reinforced Plating | Re-roll 1s and 2s on Defense | 14 |
| 6 | Operations Suit | Re-roll 1s on Defense, +1" Move | 15 |
R3.8Heavy Armor
Base: 3 damage reduction, -1" Move
| d6 | Armor | Special | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heavy Cuirass | - | 12 |
| 2 | Bunker Suit | Additional -1" Move, Re-roll 1s and 2s on Defense | 16 |
| 3 | Industrial Frame | Reduce Knockback by 1" | 15 |
| 4 | Combat Plating | Re-roll 1s on Defense | 16 |
| 5 | Assault Exoskeleton | Re-roll 1s and 2s on Defense | 18 |
| 6 | Fortress Plating | Re-roll 1s, 2s, and 3s on Defense | 20 |
Samples
R8.1Boss [12]
16 Health, 4" Move
Combat2d8,Defense2d6,Wits2d6- Needle Gun (4): d4
Toxic, +1 vs. wounded - Shiv (4): d4
Toxic, +1 vs. wounded - Flak Wrap (4): 1 reduction
R8.2Brute [12]
14 Health, 3" Move
Combat2d8,Defense2d6,Wits2d4- Sword (10): d6+1
Bladed, re-roll 1s,+1 DTwhenRiposting - Mesh Wrap (2): 1 reduction
- Can wear
Heavyarmor
R8.3Veteran [12]
13 Health, 4" Move
Combat2d6,Defense2d6,Wits2d6- Pistol (2): d4
Projectile,-1 DTbeyond 6" - Shiv (4): d4
Toxic, +1 vs. wounded - Protective Lining (6): 1 reduction, -1 to Critical rolls against you
+1 DTDefensebelow halfHealth
Fumble Tables
When the defender exceeds you by triple or more, roll on the appropriate fumble table. Melee for close combat, Ranged for shooting, Broadcast for transmissions. Quadruple adds +1, quintuple adds +2.
Everything in the Complex is patched, jury-rigged, held together by faith and flux. Equipment fails. Weapons jam. The body betrays. The Cog-Turners say failure is just maintenance you haven't done yet. The dead say nothing.
R7.1Melee Fumble
| d6 | Result | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stumbled | Lose next activation |
| 2 | Off Balance | -1 DT next defense roll |
| 3 | Self-Wound | Take weapon damage |
| 4 | Wild Swing | Hit ally within 1" (or take weapon damage) |
| 5 | Dropped | Drop weapon, take weapon damage |
| 6+ | Shattered | Weapon destroyed, take max weapon damage |
"This patch we apply in faith. May it hold until proper repair."
Emergency Rite
R7.2Ranged Fumble
| d6 | Result | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jammed | Lose next activation |
| 2 | Misaligned | -1 DT next attack |
| 3 | Backfire | Take weapon damage |
| 4 | Friendly Fire | Hit ally within 6" (or take weapon damage) |
| 5 | Dropped | Drop weapon, take weapon damage |
| 6+ | Exploded | Weapon destroyed, take max weapon damage |
"The machine does not care about your feelings. Maintain it anyway."
Cog-Turner Fellowship
R7.3Broadcast Fumble
| d6 | Result | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Static Overload | Caster loses next activation |
| 2 | Interference | -1 DT next cast |
| 3 | Feedback | Caster takes d4 damage |
| 4 | Wave Bounce | Ally within 6" takes d4 damage (or caster if none) |
| 5 | Frequency Lock | Cannot cast this power this scenario, take d4 damage |
| 6+ | Broadcast Storm | Forget power permanently |
HERESY BEGINS WITH STATIC: Report wrong-humming cables.
R3.9Consumables
One use, one action, one per action. Gear: passive while equipped. Cybernetics: repair a matching Injury (see Campaign), Critical, or Fumble penalty (Targeting: -1 DT Combat).
| d8 | Item | Effect | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adrenaline | +2" Move until end of round | 4 |
| 2 | Combat Stim | +1 DT Combat until end of scenario | 6 |
| 3 | Reflex Stim | +1 DT Defense until end of scenario | 6 |
| 4 | Coagulant | End Bleed or Punctured on adjacent model | 6 |
| 5 | Antidote | End Corroding on adjacent model | 6 |
| 6 | Medkit | Restore d6 Health to adjacent model | 8 |
| 7 | Rage Stim | +2 DT Combat until end of scenario, take d4 damage during Performance Review (step 10), after Health is restored | 10 |
| 8 | Trauma Kit | Reaction: the instant a Critical hits an adjacent model, negate all its effects (the only item used outside your own activation) | 14 |
R3.10Gear
| d8 | Item | Effect | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mask | +1 DT Defense vs. Toxic | 6 |
| 2 | Scanner | +1 DT Wits for Search | 8 |
| 3 | Scope | +1 DT ranged attacks beyond 12" | 8 |
| 4 | Camo | +1 DT Defense in cover | 10 |
| 5 | Peripheral Sensors | +1 DT Defense when Engaged with 2+ enemies | 10 |
| 6 | Mag Boots | Ignore Knockback | 10 |
| 7 | Grapple | Ignore climbing costs, move up to 3" vertical | 12 |
| 8 | Inhibitor | Ignore free attacks when leaving engagement | 12 |
R3.11Cybernetics
| d6 | Cybernetic | Effect | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Regenerator | Ignore "Miss next game" | 5 |
| 2 | Leg | +1" Move | 8 |
| 3 | Targeting | +1 DT Combat | 10 |
| 4 | Reflexes | +1 DT Defense | 10 |
| 5 | Processor | +1 DT Wits | 10 |
| 6 | Organs | +1 max Health | 12 |
R6.7Static Critical
| d6 | Result | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Signal Burn | +d6 damage |
| 2 | Frequency Terror | Flee toward board edge |
| 3 | System Drain | -1 DT Combat permanently |
| 4 | Logic Crash | -1 DT Wits permanently |
| 5 | Hijacked | Next activation: the player who dealt the critical controls it. If a hostile did, the model acts on that hostile faction's behavior table for one activation |
| 6+ | Total Corruption | OoA, -2 Injury roll |
"Signal contamination begins at the wound site. There is no decontamination procedure."
Wave-Seeker Warning
R6.8Broadcast Critical
| d6 | Result | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deafening | +d4 damage |
| 2 | Feedback Loop | -1 DT all rolls next activation |
| 3 | Ruptured Eardrums | -1 DT Combat permanently |
| 4 | Signal Overload | -1 DT Wits permanently |
| 5 | Mind-Scramble | Flee toward board edge |
| 6+ | Skull-Burst | OoA, -2 Injury roll |
"The signal enters through the ear and does not leave. We bill for the intrusion regardless."
Acoustic Compliance Notice
R6.5Explosive Critical
| d6 | Result | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shrapnel | +d6 damage |
| 2 | Shell Shocked | Lose next activation |
| 3 | Disoriented | -1 DT Wits permanently |
| 4 | Blown Back | Move d6" directly away from attacker |
| 5 | Shattered | -1" Move permanently |
| 6+ | Devastated | OoA, -2 Injury roll |
R6.6Toxic Critical
| d6 | Result | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burned | +d4 damage |
| 2 | Corroding | Take 2 damage at the start of each of its activations this game (doesn't stack) |
| 3 | Weakened | -1 DT Combat permanently |
| 4 | Delirium | -1 DT Wits permanently. On its next activation it must move toward the nearest enemy |
| 5 | Systemic | -1 DT all attributes permanently |
| 6+ | Dissolved | Acts normally, then OoA at end of next round regardless of Health, -2 Injury roll |
R5.1Powers
| d8 | Power | Type | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Signal Jam | Offensive | -1 DT all rolls until next activation |
| 2 | Weapon Lock | Offensive | Target drops one weapon |
| 3 | Neural Trap | Offensive | d6 damage (ignores armor) if target moves next activation |
| 4 | Resonance Push | Offensive | Push target d6" in any direction |
| 5 | Force Field | Support | +2 DT Defense vs. ranged until next activation |
| 6 | Focus | Support | Target gains a bonus action on its next activation |
| 7 | Swap | Support | Switch positions with target (caster sees both, within 12") |
| 8 | Ping | Support | Target ignores cover and sees through walls until next activation |
"Every cable is a leash. Every toll is a collar. We will cut them all."
Open Channel Broadcast
Critical Tables
When your total is at least double the target's, deal max weapon damage. When it is triple or more, deal max damage and roll on the appropriate critical table. The weapon type determines which table. Quadruple adds +1, quintuple adds +2, and so on.
R6.1Bladed Critical
| d6 | Result | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gash | +d4 damage |
| 2 | Bleed | Take 2 damage at the start of each of its activations this game (doesn't stack) |
| 3 | Hamstrung | -1" Move permanently |
| 4 | Disarmed | Drop weapon (at model's position) |
| 5 | Maimed | -1 DT Combat permanently |
| 6+ | Severed | OoA, -2 Injury roll |
"Complications extend treatment contracts. Please wound cleanly."
Splicer-Surgeon's Manual
R6.2Blunt Critical
| d6 | Result | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bruised | +d4 damage |
| 2 | Stunned | Lose next activation |
| 3 | Rattled | -1 DT Defense permanently |
| 4 | Concussed | -1 DT Wits permanently |
| 5 | Crippled | -1" Move permanently |
| 6+ | Crushed | OoA, -2 Injury roll |
"The Complex was built to take punishment. You were not."
Industrial Safety Advisory
R6.3Projectile Critical
| d6 | Result | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grazed | +d4 damage |
| 2 | Punctured | Take 2 damage at the start of each of its activations this game (doesn't stack) |
| 3 | Staggered | -1 DT Defense permanently |
| 4 | Shot Through | Drop weapon (at model's position) |
| 5 | Riddled | -1 DT all attributes permanently |
| 6+ | Gutshot | OoA, -2 Injury roll |
"Casings must be returned for deposit refund. Unreturned casings incur replacement fees."
Requisitions Notice
R6.4Energy Critical
| d6 | Result | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scorched | +d4 damage |
| 2 | Slag Armor | Armor reduced one tier permanently (Heavy to Medium to Light to Destroyed) |
| 3 | Flash Blind | -1 DT Combat permanently |
| 4 | Nerve Damage | -1" Move permanently |
| 5 | Burned Out | -1 DT ranged attacks permanently |
| 6+ | Overloaded | OoA, -2 Injury roll |
- Agonist17
- Antenna-Grafted11
- Assistant to the Regional Manager19
- Boss9
- Broadcast13
- Bruiser9
- Cable Rat7
- Commuter19
- Data Clerk19
- Defense Platform15
- Drift13
- Echo13
- Feeder17
- Flicker13
- Frequency Priest11
- Gunner9
- Gutter Runner7
- Heavy9
- Heavy Unit15
- Hunter-Killer15
- Initiate11
- Interference13
- Larva17
- Lure17
- Maintenance Swarm15
- Middle Manager19
- Picker7
- Pit Boss7
- Reaper17
- Repo Man7
- Rogue Broadcaster7
- Runt9
- Security Drone15
- Shift Drone19
- Signal Champion11
- Stalker17
- Surge13
- Targeting Unit15
- Temp19
- Torch9
- Turncoat11
- Vessel11
Inhuman Resources
0.9.0-beta
Open Distribution Statute: CC BY-SA 4.0
The Complex rises 1024 levels from the Roots to the cooling spires. The Departments only maintain the upper 200. Below that, infrastructure fails faster than it can be patched. Cables fray. Coolant leaks. Lights flicker and die. The Maintenance Monks descend when they must, perform their rituals, and leave quickly. They do not speak of what they see down there.
The Founders built the Complex to last. They built other things too. The sealed archives mention countermeasures, autonomous systems, bioelectric experiments. The archives are in the Roots. The Monks have never been there. The Board has always known what lurks below. The Board has never acknowledged it.
Something moves in the dark between levels. It nests in the wiring. It remembers the time before the Tethering, when signals flew free and the Wave answered prayers. The lower tiers belong to things that were never meant to survive this long: things that adapted and evolved, designed for a purpose the Founders never disclosed.
| d6 | Name | # | COM | DEF | WIT | HP | MOV | Weapon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shift Drone | 2+2 | 2d4 | 2d4 | 2d10 | 8 | 4" | Tired Fists (Blunt, d4, Melee) |
| 2 | Temp | 2+2 | 2d4 | 2d4 | 2d10 | 8 | 5" | Emergency Flare (Energy, d4, Ranged) |
| 3 | Commuter | 4 | 2d4 | 2d6 | 2d8 | 8 | 7" | Walking Cane (Blunt, d4, Melee) |
| 4 | Data Clerk | 3 | 2d4 | 2d6 | 2d8 | 10 | 5" | Stun Gun (Energy, d4, Ranged) |
| 5 | Middle Manager | 2 | 2d8 | 2d8 | 2d6 | 10 | 5" | Stun Baton (Static, d6, Melee) |
| 6 | Assistant to the Regional Manager | 2 | 2d10 | 2d8 | 2d6 | 8 | 6" | Holdout Pistol (Projectile, d4, Ranged) |
Cooperate: Until the end of the next round, a player who Interrogates this Coworker rolls at +1 DT (this Coworker only).
Hostile: When attacked, mark this Coworker. Roll behavior once for the group (see Activation): marked Coworkers read the roll on the Attacked table, unmarked on the Normal table.
Normal
| d6 | No LoS | Has LoS | Engaged |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | Wait | Wait | Wait |
| 5 | Cooperate | Cooperate | Cooperate |
| 6 | Patrol | Patrol | Flee |
Attacked
| d6 | No LoS | Has LoS | Engaged |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | Patrol | Attack | Attack |
| 5 | Patrol | Cover | Attack |
| 6 | Flee | Flee | Flee |
I8.1Coworkers
Resource Allocation, Revenue Operations, Human Capital, Security & Compliance: the department doesn't matter. Every corporation has workers who clock in, keep their heads down, and pray the Authority doesn't notice them. They scatter when violence starts. But they know shortcuts, schedules, and which cables carry what. Temps are temporary. So are witnesses.
"I saw nothing. I heard nothing. My subscription is current."
Standard Deposition Response
Every expedition into the depths encounters them. Every recovery team files the same report: losses acceptable, mission parameters adjusted, recommend sealing the junction. The Departments call them externalities. The accountants call them acceptable shrinkage. The survivors don't call them anything. They don't come back.
Heat rises from the Roots. The cooling spires above draw it upward through a thousand levels, creating a thermal gradient the Founders weaponized. The wealthy stay cold. The poor sweat. The lowest tiers cook. Anything living down there has adapted to temperatures that would kill an unaugmented human in hours. Contractors descend anyway. Salvage contracts pay triple below level 400. Debt recovery missions offer hazard bonuses. The Departments need what the Founders left behind. They send expendable assets to retrieve it. They call the losses acceptable.
THE DEPTHS CONTAIN ASSETS NOT YET ALLOCATED. Recovery authorized. Casualties expected.
Resource Allocation Memo 7-22-4
I1.1Activation
Each spawn group has one token in the bag. When drawn, roll behavior once for the entire group. Activate models one at a time (closest to any player model first), all performing the same action. Hostiles ignore Out of Action models. Remove hostiles that go Out of Action.
I1.2Situation
- No LoS: Cannot see any enemy
- Has LoS: Can see enemy but not within 1"
Engaged: Within 1" of enemy
I1.3Actions
Attack: IfEngaged, target an enemy it isEngagedwith (best chance to hit; ties: the closest). Otherwise target the enemy with the best chance to hit (ties: the closest). Melee charges if not in range.Cover: Seek cover from the closest enemy, or move awayRegroup: Move toward the nearest friendly modelFlee: Move toward the nearest board edge (stops at edge)Wait: No actionFrenzy: Target the enemy with the best chance to hit (ties: the closest). Attack twice.Patrol: Move toward the nearestLoot Marker. If none visible, move randomly.
A hostile that Attacks with a Power weapon rolls Wits against the target's Defense, then resolves damage as a normal attack. The Signal's -1 DT to Broadcast Powers does not apply to hostile Power weapons.
Some behaviors reference a faction's special rule (see each faction). Cross-faction spawns reference the named faction's table.
| d6 | Name | # | COM | DEF | WIT | HP | MOV | Weapon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reaper | 4+4 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 2d4 | 6 | 6" | Venom Spit (Toxic, d4, Ranged) |
| 2 | Larva | 2+2 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 2d6 | 8 | 4" | Feeder Tendrils (Toxic, d6, Melee) |
| 3 | Stalker | 3 | 2d8 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 10 | 4" | Talons (Bladed, d6, Melee) |
| 4 | Lure | 2 | 2d4 | 2d4 | 2d10 | 12 | 4" | Mind Spike (Static, d6, Power) |
| 5 | Feeder | 1 | 2d10 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 12 | 5" | Drain Tubes (Toxic, d8, Melee) |
| 6 | Agonist | 1 | 2d10 | 2d6 | 2d6 | 14 | 5" | Acid Spray (Toxic, d8, Ranged) |
Consume: If target goes Out of Action, restore d6 Health.
Behavior
| d6 | No LoS | Has LoS | Engaged |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | Patrol | Attack | Attack |
| 5 | Patrol | Regroup | Attack |
| 6 | Regroup | Attack | Frenzy |
I7.1Cable Feeders
Parasites. They nest between power conduits, feeding on bioelectrical signals. The Founders' sealed archives mention "bioelectric countermeasures." The Monks say they evolved naturally. The archives are in the Roots. The Monks have never been there. The Board knows what the Founders created. The Board has always known. Some weapons were never meant to be turned off.
They hunt in silence. They prefer isolated targets. When they feed, they drain everything: nervous system, implants, the current running through your cables. They hunt warmth: living current, active electronics. Anything that hums. Some believe they were engineered to hunt the Untethered, to consume anyone transmitting without authorization. Others believe they are what happens when flesh meets wire for too long, when the boundary between organism and infrastructure dissolves. The truth is in the Roots. The truth is sealed.
Reapers are the smallest and fastest, swarming in packs, claws shredding through armor to reach the current beneath. Larvae are patient, feeder tendrils draining victims slowly while toxins paralyze. Stalkers track prey through the dark, talons designed to open cable housings and bodies alike.
Lures project false signals, mind spikes drawing victims toward ambush sites. Feeders are the mature hunters, drain tubes pulling the life from anything they touch. And the Agonists: massive, ancient, intelligent. They coordinate hunts. They remember what they consume, what they were made for.
The Scrapers say there are bigger ones in the deep Roots. Ones that feed on whole crews. Ones that have been feeding since the Founders. The Authority recommends sealing any junction where Feeders are confirmed. The Authority does not explain what happens if you don't. The Authority does not explain why some sealed junctions are marked with warnings older than the Authority itself.
"Sector 7 sweep complete. No survivors. Recommend sealing the junction permanently."
Conduit Authority Incident Report 2847-C
I1.4Spawning Hostiles
The Hostile faction is fixed for the mission (rolled once at setup). Every spawn that mission belongs to it. When a scenario spawns hostiles:
1. Roll d2 for the unit type within the tier
2. Check Spawn column (single: 1 group/1 token, split: 2 groups/2 tokens)
3. Place per the scenario's spawn location, as close to center as possible, 1"+ apart
4. Each group activates separately
I1.5Unit Type Tiers
Each faction's 6 unit types are grouped into tiers:
| d6 Roll | Tier |
|---|---|
| 1-2 | Swarm |
| 3-4 | Normal |
| 5-6 | Elite |
Scenarios specify which tier to use based on spawn frequency.
I2.1Scrapers
Outsourced asset recovery. Subcontracted compliance enforcement. Third-party resource reallocation. After seven layers of shell companies, nobody knows what the original contract said. The Scrapers might have been legitimate once: repo crews, maintenance teams, infrastructure auditors. The paperwork degraded. The chain of command dissolved. Now they take what looks valuable and bill someone.
They live where infrastructure failed: the cable-choked depths where maintenance stopped generations ago. Subscription collectors don't descend past Tier 7. Toll booths rust unopened. The Departments wrote off these levels as "unrecoverable assets" and sealed the access shafts. The Scrapers unsealed them. They always do.
Some have been down to the Roots. Some have seen what the Founders left behind: clean machines that still work. Sealed vaults that still hum. Corridors where the lights still answer movement. They trade that knowledge carefully. They don't talk about the other things. The things that move down there. The things that remember.
Gutter Runners scout the upper depths, mapping safe routes through collapsing infrastructure. Cable Rats fight over junction boxes, stripping copper from the walls. Pickers catalog salvage with obsessive precision, knowing which components fetch premium prices. The Pit Bosses run operations cold: every gram of copper accounted for, every deserter made an example of. Their Rogue Broadcasters tap forbidden frequencies, trading signal-secrets with the Untethered, listening for whispers from the deep. Their Repo Men carry impound launchers designed to disable and capture. Equipment is profit. People are equipment.
The Departments consider them vermin. The Toll Collectors consider them competition. The Cooperative considers them trading partners, when desperation allows. Everyone underestimates them. The Scrapers remember everything they've seen in the depths. They're waiting for the right buyer. They're always waiting.
"Your gear becomes my gear. Nothing personal."
Scraper Greeting
| d6 | Name | # | COM | DEF | WIT | HP | MOV | Weapon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maintenance Swarm | 4+4 | 2d4 | 2d4 | 2d4 | 6 | 6" | Cutting Mandibles (Bladed, d4, Melee) |
| 2 | Security Drone | 2+2 | 2d6 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 8 | 4" | Pulse Carbine (Energy, d6, Ranged) |
| 3 | Targeting Unit | 3 | 2d6 | 2d6 | 2d8 | 10 | 4" | Neural Lance (Energy, d8, Ranged) |
| 4 | Heavy Unit | 2 | 2d8 | 2d8 | 2d4 | 12 | 3" | Crushing Claw (Blunt, d8, Melee) |
| 5 | Hunter-Killer | 1 | 2d8 | 2d6 | 2d6 | 12 | 6" | Shredder Blades (Bladed, d6, Melee) |
| 6 | Defense Platform | 1 | 2d10 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 14 | 3" | Pulse Cannon (Energy, d10, Ranged) |
Reboot: When it goes Out of Action, roll d6. On 6, it returns at the start of the next round with d6 Health, in its last position (or the nearest empty space if that space is blocked).
Behavior
| d6 | No LoS | Has LoS | Engaged |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | Patrol | Attack | Attack |
| 5 | Wait | Wait | Attack |
| 6 | Regroup | Attack | Frenzy |
I6.1Feral Automata
Machines that forgot their purpose. They run programs written for a Complex that no longer exists, protecting assets that rusted away centuries ago. Their design predates the Tethering. The Founders built them to last. They lasted too long. Clean lines. Smooth casings. No patches. The Monks call them holy. The Untethered call them proof that the old ways worked. The Authority calls them malfunctions.
Their authorization codes are six hundred years out of date. They do not recognize current credentials. They do not recognize current humans. Their definition of "intruder" includes everyone alive today. Their definition of "authorized personnel" matches no living signature. They patrol collapsed infrastructure. They guard doorways to empty shafts. Their programming is perfect. Their context is gone.
Maintenance Swarms scuttle through conduits, cutting mandibles still sharp after centuries. Security Drones hover on whisper-quiet thrusters, pulse carbines tracking any movement. Targeting Units coordinate attacks with machine precision, neural lances striking bioelectric systems where they're weakest.
Heavy Units anchor defensive positions, mounted blasters covering kill zones that haven't changed since the Founders drew them. Hunter-Killers pursue targets through the depths, shredder blades designed for enemies that died long ago. And the Defense Platforms: the largest, most dangerous, still executing protection protocols for vaults the Authority pretends don't exist.
When damaged, they shut down. Then the backup systems activate. Then they stand up again. The Monks leave offerings at their patrol routes: fresh solder, premium cables, prayers etched in copper. The machines do not acknowledge this. The machines do not acknowledge anything. They simply continue. Have a productive day.
"INTRUDER DETECTED. LETHAL FORCE AUTHORIZED. HAVE A PRODUCTIVE DAY."
Feral Automata Standard Greeting
| d6 | Name | # | COM | DEF | WIT | HP | MOV | Weapon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gutter Runner | 4+4 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 2d4 | 6 | 5" | Zip Gun (Projectile, d4, Ranged) |
| 2 | Cable Rat | 2+2 | 2d6 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 8 | 4" | Sharpened Cable (Bladed, d4, Melee) |
| 3 | Picker | 3 | 2d4 | 2d4 | 2d6 | 10 | 5" | Junk Launcher (Projectile, d4, Ranged) |
| 4 | Pit Boss | 2 | 2d8 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 12 | 5" | Power Chain (Blunt, d6, Melee) |
| 5 | Rogue Broadcaster | 1 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 2d8 | 12 | 5" | Static Hiss (Broadcast, d6, Power) |
| 6 | Repo Man | 1 | 2d8 | 2d6 | 2d8 | 14 | 5" | Impound Claw (Blunt, d6, Melee) |
Opportunists: +1 DT Combat vs wounded targets
Behavior
| d6 | No LoS | Has LoS | Engaged |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | Patrol | Attack | Attack |
| 5 | Patrol | Cover | Attack |
| 6 | Regroup | Attack | Frenzy |
I3.1Feral Crews
Defaulted workers who refused collection. Their contracts were sold, resold, and eventually written off as unrecoverable losses. The Departments stopped sending collectors after the third massacre. Now they roam the lower tiers in loud, aggressive gangs, holding territory the corporations abandoned. Trespass is answered with violence. There is no negotiation. There is no payment plan.
Their skin is green. Generations of drinking leaked coolant changed them. Water is subscription-only; coolant drips free from the upper tier cooling systems. Their ancestors drank what was available. Now they drink it by choice, paint themselves with it, weld trophies to weapons, mark their sectors with torn debt notices. The green marks them as something the subscription system cannot touch. The green marks them as free.
Runts swarm in packs. They scream through corridors and overwhelm with numbers. Bruisers carve through armor with cleavers forged from industrial cutting equipment. Gunners and Torches provide covering fire with slug guns and jury-rigged flame rigs salvaged from maintenance levels. The Heavies are walking slabs of muscle and metal, carrying weapons too large for normal humans. And then there are the Bosses: massive, scarred leaders who earned their position through violence and hold it through worse. When a Boss calls the charge, every green body in earshot follows.
When one charges, they all charge. Together they are a wall of screaming metal. The Departments pretend they don't exist. The Departments are wrong. What the corporations call feral, the Crews call home. They will die before they go back to subscription. Most of them already have.
"Sector's ours. Die somewhere else."
Territory Marking, Crew 77-Null
| d6 | Name | # | COM | DEF | WIT | HP | MOV | Weapon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flicker | 4+4 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 2d4 | 6 | 6" | Arc Bolt (Static, d4, Power) |
| 2 | Drift | 2+2 | 2d8 | 2d6 | 2d6 | 8 | 6" | Phase Claws (Static, d6, Melee) |
| 3 | Echo | 3 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 2d8 | 10 | 4" | Signal Flame (Static, d6, Power) |
| 4 | Interference | 2 | 2d6 | 2d8 | 2d4 | 12 | 3" | Distortion Fists (Static, d6, Melee) |
| 5 | Surge | 1 | 2d10 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 12 | 5" | Frequency Blade (Static, d8, Melee) |
| 6 | Broadcast | 1 | 2d8 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 14 | 4" | Wave Pulse (Static, d8, Power) |
Phase: Teleport d6" in random direction. Stop at table edge.
Behavior
| d6 | No LoS | Has LoS | Engaged |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | Patrol | Attack | Attack |
| 5 | Phase | Phase | Attack |
| 6 | Regroup | Attack | Frenzy |
I5.1Static Wraiths
Signal entities. Corrupted data given form. Echoes of transmissions that should not exist. They appeared after the Signal Crisis and have never stopped. The Founders knew what they were. That knowledge died with them. Or was buried. The Board has always known. The cables keep the air silent. That was always the point.
They phase through walls, flicker between moments, appear where they should not be. Killing one disperses it temporarily. The signal always returns. Some believe they are ghosts of the wireless age, echoes of a network that spanned the Complex before the Tethering. Others say they are something older, something that existed in the static before humanity learned to transmit. The Wave Callers believe they are messengers from the Wave Divine. The Maintenance Monks believe they are punishment for wireless heresy. Both groups are terrified of them.
Flickers are the smallest, barely coherent, darting through electronics and leaving corruption in their wake. Drifts manifest more fully, phase claws tearing through armor that should protect against physical threats. Echoes project signal flames that burn without heat, damaging the bioelectric signatures of the living.
Interference entities are dense knots of static that distort reality around them. Surges cut through matter with frequency blades tuned to disrupt molecular bonds. And the Broadcasts: massive amalgamations of signal and malice, rumored to be Wave Callers who achieved union with the static, or what remains of them after the Wave answered.
The Scrapers say they've seen them in the Roots, clustered around equipment that still works, waiting. They say the oldest ones hover near sealed vaults, near doors that haven't opened since the Founders. They say if you listen carefully, you can hear them transmitting. No one has survived long enough to decode their message.
"Do you hear it? The static speaks. It knows your name."
Final words of Signal-Touched Technician 7774
| d6 | Name | # | COM | DEF | WIT | HP | MOV | Weapon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Runt | 4+4 | 2d4 | 2d4 | 2d4 | 6 | 4" | Zip Gun (Projectile, d4, Ranged) |
| 2 | Bruiser | 2+2 | 2d8 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 8 | 4" | Cleaver (Bladed, d6, Melee) |
| 3 | Gunner | 3 | 2d6 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 10 | 4" | Slug Gun (Projectile, d6, Ranged) |
| 4 | Torch | 2 | 2d6 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 12 | 4" | Flame Fist (Energy, d6, Melee) |
| 5 | Heavy | 1 | 2d10 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 12 | 4" | Slug Cannon (Projectile, d8, Ranged) |
| 6 | Boss | 1 | 2d10 | 2d6 | 2d6 | 14 | 4" | Crush Fist (Blunt, d10, Melee) |
Mob Up: Attack at +1 DT Combat
Behavior
| d6 | No LoS | Has LoS | Engaged |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | Patrol | Attack | Attack |
| 5 | Patrol | Mob Up | Mob Up |
| 6 | Regroup | Attack | Frenzy |
I4.1Wave Callers
Wireless cultists. They believe the Wave Divine will blanket the Complex, freeing everyone from cables and subscriptions. Air should not have toll booths. Data wants to be free. The cables are chains, not connections. Somewhere, somehow, signals can travel without permission. The Founders knew this. The Founders feared this. The cables were never just for profit.
Open Channel coordinates them: a voice on frequencies that shouldn't exist, broadcasting from somewhere the Authority has never found. Some say Open Channel is a person, others that it's a signal that thinks. The most unsettling theory: it's whatever the Founders sealed in the Roots, finally waking up. The most dangerous whisper: that Open Channel can reach beyond the Complex itself. That there is something out there listening.
Initiates carry severed cables as marks of their rejection, learning the hymns of static. The Antenna-Grafted have fused transmitter components directly into their flesh, receiving frequencies no baseline human can perceive. Turncoats are former Technicians who saw too much, who heard the whispers in the wrong frequencies, who cut their own cables and kept walking.
The Frequency Priests conduct the rituals, overloading systems with prayer-static until something responds. Signal Champions lead attacks with resonance blades that scramble electronics with each strike. And the Vessels: those who opened themselves completely to the Wave Divine, their bodies now channels for something that was never meant to walk.
The more Wave Callers gather, the stronger the signal. When enough chant in unison, the static responds. Something comes through when they broadcast. Something hungry. The Conduit Authority does not ask questions. It simply burns. But the signal always returns. Open Channel is always listening.
"Every cable is a leash. Every subscription is a chain. We will cut them all."
Open Channel Broadcast
| d6 | Name | # | COM | DEF | WIT | HP | MOV | Weapon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Initiate | 4+4 | 2d4 | 2d4 | 2d4 | 6 | 5" | Arc Spitter (Energy, d4, Ranged) |
| 2 | Antenna-Grafted | 2+2 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 2d4 | 8 | 4" | Signal Claws (Static, d4, Melee) |
| 3 | Turncoat | 3 | 2d6 | 2d6 | 2d6 | 10 | 5" | Arc Blade (Energy, d4, Melee) |
| 4 | Frequency Priest | 2 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 2d8 | 12 | 5" | Wave Bolt (Broadcast, d6, Power) |
| 5 | Signal Champion | 1 | 2d8 | 2d6 | 2d6 | 12 | 5" | Resonance Blade (Broadcast, d6, Melee) |
| 6 | Vessel | 1 | 2d10 | 2d6 | 2d4 | 14 | 5" | Static Burst (Static, d8, Power) |
Summon: Count the largest group of friendly models (Wave Callers and Static Wraiths) within 1". If 3+, spawn that many Flickers minus 2, more than 1" apart from each other. Once per round. Summoned Flickers join the summoner's spawn group and act on its token. If that group already activated this round, they wait until next round, when they draw a token in the bag like any hostile.
Behavior
| d6 | No LoS | Has LoS | Engaged |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | Patrol | Attack | Attack |
| 5 | Summon | Summon | Attack |
| 6 | Regroup | Attack | Frenzy |
| 2d6 | Result | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Demotion | -1 DT to the lowest attribute |
| 3 | Bonus | +1 max Health |
| 4 | Transfer | +1" Move |
| 5 | Clearance | +1 DT Combat (or Power) |
| 6 | Coverage | +1 DT Defense |
| 7 | Promotion | Pick: +1 DT any, +1" Move, +1 Health, or Power |
| 8 | Training | +1 DT Wits |
| 9 | Raise | +1 DT Combat (or Power) |
| 10 | Benefits | +2 max Health |
| 11 | Relocation | +2" Move |
| 12 | Fast-track | +1 DT to two different attributes |
"Nine artifacts. That's the threshold. After that, the Departments stop pretending you're expendable and start pretending you're important. Your subscription renews either way. The question is whether you remember what you found down there. Most don't."
Human Capital Retention Advisory
Squads always have 5 models. Replace dead models for free. New Resources start with base attributes and no equipment. Models that miss a game stay home: play with fewer models. Remove any model voluntarily: equipment goes to Lockers.
If Boss dies, promote a Resource. They keep their contract type but become the Boss for morale. Pick one:
- Gain Both weapon access
- Gain +1 max armor (from Light to Medium to Heavy)
Buy equipment at listed price. Sell at half price. Store unused equipment in Lockers between games (no limits). Choose what each model carries before each game.
First squad to collect 9 unique Evidence types wins.
Campaign
0.9.0-beta
Open Distribution Statute: CC BY-SA 4.0
The Untethered are spreading. What began as scattered heresy in the lower tiers has become coordinated, cell by cell. Open Channel broadcasts grow bolder each cycle, promising liberation from cables and subscriptions. The signal reaches further than it should. Something is answering.
The Departments smell opportunity. Resource Allocation wants whatever the Untethered found in the Roots. Revenue Operations wants the salvage rights. Human Capital wants the converts for reeducation. Security & Compliance wants the heresy crushed before it spreads further. Each Department sends their own squads. Each Department expects results. None of them share intelligence.
Your squad investigates. Recover data-slates from dead drops. Confiscate transmitters before the signal spreads. Interrogate cultists who would rather die than talk. The Departments pay well for artifacts. They pay better for Founders' secrets. They pay best for silence about what you find down there.
The deeper you go, the stranger the evidence becomes. The Untethered aren't just receiving signals. They're answering them. And something in the Roots is listening. Something that remembers the time before the Tethering. Something that has been waiting six hundred years to speak again.
Fail and your subscription drops. Succeed and someone else claims the bonus. Defect and you become the next contract. The Departments always need more bodies. The Departments always need more silence. The investigation continues until someone finds the source. Or until the source finds them.
THE SIGNAL CRISIS DESTROYED THE OLD WORLD. Do not let it destroy this one.
Conduit Authority Public Advisory
K3.2Exploration
Each surviving model rolls Wits. Sum all dice totals.
| Total | Result | Subs |
|---|---|---|
| 1-5 | Marginal Returns | 0 |
| 6-10 | Standard Haul | +5 |
| 11-15 | Fair Extraction | +10 |
| 16-25 | Acceptable Yield | +15 |
| 26-40 | Above Quota | +20 |
| 41-60 | Surplus Discovery | +25 |
| 61+ | Windfall Dividend | +30 |
K3.3Injuries
| 2d6 | Result | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 3 or less | Terminated | Remove from squad. Its equipment goes to Lockers |
| 4 | Degraded | -1 max Health |
| 5 | Scrambled | -1 DT Wits |
| 6 | Exposed | -1 DT Defense |
| 7 | Scarred | No effect |
| 8 | Diminished | -1 DT Combat |
| 9 | Hobbled | -1" Move |
| 10 | Sidelined | Miss next game |
| 11 | Glitch | No effect |
| 12 | Reviewed | No effect |
Promotion Thresholds: 1, 2, 4, 7, 11, 16, 22 Merits (gap increases by 1 each time)
Attribute Limits: 2d4 min, 2d12 max. Max Health at 0 or below: remove from squad.
Post-Game Sequence
- Log
Merits - Exploration phase
Out of Actionmodels roll Injury- Check
Meritthresholds for Promotion rolls - Buy/sell equipment at Trading Post
- Dismiss models (optional)
- Replace dead models (free)
- Move items between models or to Lockers
- All models restore full
Health - Performance Review: models that left or fled take d6 damage. Models that used
Rage Stimtake d4 damage
K3.1Merit Sources
Each model tracks its own Merits. Hostiles do not generate Merits. Additional mission-specific Merits are defined in each mission.
| Source | Merits | Who |
|---|---|---|
Enemy player model Out of Action | 1 | Model that scored the kill |
Enemy Boss Out of Action | +1 | Same model (bonus) |
Merits. He puts an enemy Boss Out of Action (1 Merit for the kill, +1 for the Boss), then goes Out of Action himself. Step 1: he logs 2 Merits, now 5. Step 2: the squad's five Wits rolls total 31, Above Quota, +20 subs. Step 3: his Injury roll is 9, Hobbled, -1" Move. Step 4: 5 Merits pass the threshold of 4, so he rolls 2d6 for Promotion: 8, Training, +1 DT Wits.K1.1Board
2' by 2' with dense terrain. No model should have clear LoS across the entire board. At least half of all firing lanes should offer Cover. Avoid open lanes longer than 12". Scatter cover to create multiple approach paths. Hostiles act as third-party threats.
K1.2Setup
Boss Roll-off: Roll your Boss's Wits vs. opponent's Boss's Wits. The winner is First Player for the entire setup.
Standard Deployment: Deploy on the table edge.
- Loot: Second Player places first. Alternate placing
Loot Markersper the rolled Loot Layout. - Coworkers: First Player places first. Alternate placing Coworkers per the rolled Coworker Setup.
- Table Edge: First Player picks table edge (unless Advantages override).
- Deploy: Second Player deploys first. Alternate placing one model at a time per the rolled Deployment.
- First Draw: First Player draws the first Activation Token.
Corner: A 4" by 4" square zone in the corner of the board.
Game Length: Minimum 5 rounds. End of Round 5, roll d6: ends on 3+. End of Round 6: ends on 2+. Ends automatically after Round 7.
Hostiles: Unless a mission says otherwise, spawned hostiles arrive at round start at the rolled Spawn Location (see below). Roll the Hostile Type once at setup; every spawn in that mission uses that faction.
Mission Exits: Exiting the board for a mission objective is not Flee. No Performance Review penalty.
Trigger Missions: The first time a squad reaches 5 or more Evidence, play The Signal instead of rolling the generator (once only). While a squad has 8 or more Evidence, it may play The Source instead of a generated mission to attempt campaign victory. Resume the generator otherwise.
Tiebreaker: Most surviving models. Still tied: Defender wins.
Mission Markers: Defender places all markers (3"+ from edges). "At center" means the geometric center (12" from each edge). Place as close as possible if terrain blocks.
Placement order: Place objectives first; a Loot Marker, Coworker, or Hostile within 1" of one shifts to the nearest clear spot so objectives stay reachable.
Deployment edge: the table edge you deploy along; with no edge (Center), use the nearest board edge.
K1.3Mission Generator
Calculate Evidence Gap
- Total:
Evidence+Leads - Subtract lower total from higher
- Aggressor: squad with higher total
- Defender: squad with lower total
- Tied: higher
Evidencewins. Still tied: random
Evidence and 3 Leads: total 7. Squad B holds 2 Evidence and 1 Lead: total 3. The gap is 4, so A is the Aggressor and B the Defender. The 4+ row gives 1 Setup advantage, 1 Tactical advantage and 1 more from either table.Roll each table in order. See Missions (Vol. 5) for full rules and rewards. Roll d12 for mission (missions are numbered).
K2.2Interrogate
Within 1" of target. Wits vs. Wits (opposed). +1 DT if the Coworker is wounded. Success: remove the Coworker.
| 2d4 | Result | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | False Data | Lose 1 Evidence |
| 3 | Misdirection | Nothing learned. The model gains a bonus action |
| 4 | Bribe Offer | 10 subs |
| 5 | Rumor | 1 Lead |
| 6 | Cooperates | 1 Evidence |
| 7 | Talkative | 1 Evidence, +1 Lead |
| 8 | Full Disclosure | 1 Merit |
Wits 2d6 and rolls 5 and 3: 8. The Data Clerk has Wits 2d8 and rolls 4 and 2: 6. Teodor wins and removes the Coworker, then rolls 2d4 on the table: 4 and 2, Cooperates. That is 1 Evidence, left unrecorded until the post-game.K2.3Recording Evidence
All Evidence is recorded the same way, after the game. Evidence from Search or Interrogate stays unrecorded until then; the mission winner also gains 1 Evidence to record (unless the mission states otherwise). To record one Evidence: choose how many Leads to spend (lost), then roll d10 for its type. Types are abstract: the d10 result is the type. Name them if you like. A unique final roll records that new Evidence type. A duplicate rerolls once per Lead spent; a duplicate final roll gains 1 Lead instead.
K2.4Losing Evidence
When an effect says lose Evidence, the owner chooses what to lose: an unrecorded Evidence or a recorded type, one per Evidence lost.
Gathering Evidence
Start the campaign with 0 Evidence and 0 Leads. Both persist between games.
K2.1Search
Within 1" of Loot Marker. Roll Wits vs. 2d6. Success: remove the marker.
| d20 | Finding |
|---|---|
| 1 | Random Grenade |
| 2 | Random Light Armor |
| 3 | 4 subs |
| 4 | Random Melee Weapon |
| 5 | 6 subs |
| 6 | 1 Evidence |
| 7 | Random Consumable |
| 8 | 8 subs |
| 9 | Random Ranged Weapon |
| 10 | 1 Evidence, +1 Lead |
| 11 | Random Medium Armor |
| 12 | 1 Evidence |
| 13 | Random Gear |
| 14 | 12 subs |
| 15 | Random Heavy Armor |
| 16 | 15 subs |
| 17 | 1 Merit |
| 18 | 20 subs |
| 19 | 1 Evidence |
| 20 | Roll twice (ignore 20s) |
Wits 2d4 and rolls 3 and 4: 7. The marker rolls 2d6: 2 and 5, also 7. The lower DT wins ties, so Pike's 2d4 beats the marker's 2d6. He removes the marker and rolls d20 on the table: 14, 12 subs.Deployment
| d6 | Type | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Standard | Opposing edges |
| 2 | Flanked | Same edge, opposite corners |
| 3 | Corners | Opposing corners |
| 4 | Split | Aggressor splits between two adjacent edges, Defender deploys in opposing corner |
| 5 | Center | Defender deploys within 3" of center, Aggressor picks edge |
| 6 | Crossfire | All 4 corners. Aggressor picks first, then alternate |
Coworker Setup
| d6 | Setup |
|---|---|
| 1 | Swarm tier, within 6" of center |
| 2 | Swarm tier, random board edge |
| 3 | Normal tier, 4"+ from center (not more than 8") |
| 4 | Elite tier, alternate placing anywhere (6"+ from edges) |
| 5 | Normal tier, within 3" of any Loot Marker (no markers: center) |
| 6 | Elite tier, within 3" of center |
Coworker Modifiers
| d6 | Modifier | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Standard | No modifier |
| 2 | Skittish | After failed Interrogate, this Coworker Flees |
| 3 | Buddy System | Need 2 friendly models within 1" to Interrogate |
| 4 | Grudge Holder | After failed Interrogate, becomes Hostile |
| 5 | Talkative | Double the Coworker: +1 to result. Triple+: +2, etc. |
| 6 | Claustrophobic | Becomes Hostile if 2+ models within 1" |
Hostile Timing
| d6 | Timing | Spawns |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Early | Round 1 (Swarm tier), Round 2 (Normal tier) |
| 2 | Standard | Round 2 (Normal tier), Round 4 (Elite tier) |
| 3 | Late | Round 3 (Swarm tier), Round 5 (Swarm tier) |
| 4 | Waves | Round 1 (Normal tier), Round 4 (Elite tier) |
| 5 | Surge | Round 2 (Normal tier and Elite tier) |
| 6 | Ambush | Round 1 (Elite tier), Round 3 (Normal tier) |
Loot Layout
| d6 | Layout | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scattered | 5 markers. Alternate placing (6"+ from edges, 3"+ apart) |
| 2 | None | No Loot Markers this mission |
| 3 | Central Cache | 3 markers within 3" of center (alternate placing) |
| 4 | Edge Stash | 4 markers within 6" of a non-deployment edge (alternate placing) |
| 5 | Trail | 4 markers along centerline (evenly spaced) |
| 6 | Heavy Drop | 5 markers: 1 in center + 1 at each 6" diagonal (6" from center) |
Hostile Type
| d6 | Faction |
|---|---|
| 1 | Scrapers |
| 2 | Feral Crews |
| 3 | Wave Callers |
| 4 | Static Wraiths |
| 5 | Feral Automata |
| 6 | Cable Feeders |
Spawn Location
Roll Spawn Location each time hostiles spawn.
| d6 | Location |
|---|---|
| 1 | Random board edge without a deployment zone (if every edge has one, any random edge) |
| 2 | Center of board |
| 3 | Nearest edge to last Search or Interrogate action (none yet: random) |
| 4 | Nearest board edge to any Aggressor model |
| 5 | Random direction, d4" from center |
| 6 | Random direction, d4+2" from center |
Loot Modifiers
| d6 | Modifier | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Standard | Normal Search |
| 2 | Decoys | +1 DT to Search. Half are fake. Placer decides. Reveal on Search |
| 3 | Timed | Normal Search. All markers removed at end of Round 4 |
| 4 | Heavy | -1 DT to Search. All markers Heavy. 2 friendly models within 1" to Search |
| 5 | Trapped | Normal Search. Fumble deals d6 damage to searcher |
| 6 | Contaminated | -1 DT to Search. Carrier takes 1 damage per round |
K1.4Evidence Gap Advantages
| Gap | Advantages |
|---|---|
| 0-1 | None |
| 2-3 | Roll 1 Setup + 1 Tactical |
| 4+ | Roll 1 Setup + 1 Tactical + 1 from either |
Setup Advantages
| d6 | Advantage |
|---|---|
| 1 | Redeploy one Aggressor model to a new valid position |
| 2 | Choose deployment edge first |
| 3 | Defender chooses hostile spawn location this mission |
| 4 | Place 2 terrain pieces before deployment |
| 5 | Defender places all Loot Markers (ignore normal placement rules) |
| 6 | Place all Coworkers (ignore normal placement rules) |
Tactical Advantages
| d6 | Advantage |
|---|---|
| 1 | Defender deploys last (after all Aggressor models) |
| 2 | Hostiles target Aggressor until Round 3 |
| 3 | Defender's Boss gets +1 DT Defense this mission |
| 4 | Defender draws first Activation Token in Round 1 |
| 5 | First hostile spawn delayed by 1 round |
| 6 | One Defender model starts with a free Search (roll immediately, keep result) |
"Resource Allocation reminds all contractors: strategic disadvantage is a temporary condition. Strategic incompetence is a termination event."
Resource Allocation Internal Memo
- 1. Extraction2
- 2. Control3
- 3. Quadrants4
- 4. Seizure5
- 5. Assassination6
- 6. Breakthrough7
- 7. Triangulation8
- 8. Sabotage9
- 9. Heist10
- 10. Uplink11
- 11. Lockdown12
- 12. Escort13
- The Signal (5 Evidence)14
- The Source (8 Evidence)15
M1.11. Extraction
A data-slate surfaced in a dead drop near Junction Null. Both crews got the tip. The slate holds Department records worth more than anyone here earns in a cycle.
Defender places 1 objective marker at center.
Interact within 1" to pick up the objective. The carrier moves at half Move (round down) and cannot Disengage. Drop the objective if the carrier goes Out of Action or Flees (place where the carrier fell, or at the nearest board edge if it fled off the table). Engaged models cannot pick up the objective. Any model can pick it up again with Interact.
Hostiles ignore the objective.
Victory: Carry the objective off your deployment edge. If neither side extracts by game end, the side holding the objective wins. No holder: most surviving models.
Reward: Winner gains +1 Lead.
Bonus: The model carrying the objective at victory gains +1 Merit.
"Salvage rights are non-transferable. Possession is nine-tenths of the invoice."
Revenue Operations Advisory
M13.2The Source (8 Evidence)
Eight pieces of evidence and they all point down. Past the maintenance levels, past the dead conduits, past the places where the cable maps stop making sense. Something is broadcasting from the roots of the arcology. Something that was here before the Tethering. Your Department wants it contained. The Untethered want it freed. You just want to survive the extraction.
At 8 Evidence, risk extraction or play one more standard mission for victory at 9. The game ends at the end of Round 6. Place the Source at table center; a model within 1" picks it up with Interact.
Extractor: Deploys on one edge. Interceptor: Opposite edge. Hostiles: Roll the Hostile Type once at setup. One Elite spawns at center after deployment. Each round from Round 2 spawn Normal from the Extractor's edge; from Round 4 add Elite from the opposite edge.
The Source
Holder suffers -1 DT to Wits, cannot use Broadcast Powers. If holder goes Out of Action, any model within 1" picks it up (Interact). Otherwise drops in place.
All Broadcast Powers within 6" of holder suffer -1 DT.
Detonation: At game end, all models within 3" take d6 damage (ignores armor).
Victory
Extraction: The Extractor exits the opposite edge with the Source before game end. Campaign victory.
Interception: The Source is not extracted by game end, or the Interceptor eliminates every Extractor model. Extractor loses d6 Evidence and all Leads. Whoever holds the Source at game end is the Extractor for the next attempt, which it may call once it has 8 or more Evidence.
Failure: Source lost to hostiles or no friendly models remain. Lose d6 Evidence and all Leads. A wipeout by the Interceptor is both Interception and Failure: apply both.
"THE SIGNAL CRISIS DESTROYED THE OLD WORLD. Do not let it destroy this one. Report all unauthorized transmissions. Comply and survive."
Conduit Authority Public Warning
M13.1The Signal (5 Evidence)
The relay was buried under six hundred years of conduit sealant and cable rot. Your crew found it by accident, tracing a power drain that shouldn't exist. It pulses. Not electricity. Something older. The Untethered already know it's here. So does everyone else.
The first squad to reach 5 Evidence triggers this mission. Place a relay marker at table center.
Discoverer: Squad that reached 5 first. Deploys on one edge. Interceptor: Opposing squad. Opposite edge.
Hostiles: Roll the Hostile Type once at setup. Each round from Round 2 spawn Normal; from Round 4 add Elite; from Round 6 add a second Elite. Random edges.
The Relay
Control: Squad with most models within 3" at round start.
Examine: While controlling, Interact within 1". Roll Wits vs. 2d6. Success: 1 Lead. Win by triple or more: 1 Evidence + 1 Lead.
Redirect (once per squad per game): While controlling, roll Wits vs. 2d6 at -1 DT. Success: game ends, gain 2 Evidence + all Leads examined. Failure: all future spawns +1 model.
Victory
Redirect: Immediate victory for redirecting squad.
Game End: Controlling squad wins. Gain 1 Evidence + Leads examined.
Wipeout: A squad with no models left on the board loses 1 Evidence.
All Broadcast Powers suffer -1 DT while the relay is active.
"Unauthorized signal activity in Sectors 7 through 19. All contractors respond. This is not a drill. This has never been a drill."
Security & Compliance Emergency Broadcast
M2.12. Control
The relay hub routes half the sector's traffic. Hold it and you control the flow. Lose it and you lose everything downstream.
No markers. At game end, count models within 3" of board center. Out of Action and Fleeing models do not count. Hostiles ignore the zone.
Victory: Side with more models within 3" of center at game end. Tied: most surviving models on the board.
Reward: Winner gains +1 Lead.
Bonus: +1 additional Lead if the winner's count exceeds the opponent's by 3 or more.
"Connection is civilization."
Cable Creed Promotion
M3.13. Quadrants
A cascade blew out four sub-sectors at once. Each one holds salvage, intel, or both. Spread thin and claim what you can before the other crew does.
No markers. Divide the board into 4 equal quadrants. At game end, a quadrant is held by the side with more models inside it. Empty or tied quadrants are not held. Model on a quadrant line: controlling player chooses which quadrant it counts for.
Out of Action and Fleeing models do not count. Hostiles ignore the quadrants.
Victory: Side holding more quadrants at game end. Tied on quadrants: most surviving models.
Reward: Winner gains +1 Lead.
Bonus: +1 additional Lead if the winner holds 3 or more quadrants.
"First come, first served, last out still breathing."
Scavenge Rights Briefing
M12.112. Escort
They found her hiding in a cable junction, muttering frequencies that haven't been licensed in centuries. She knows where the signal comes from. Both Departments want her talking. She won't last long out here alone.
Defender places 1 informant at center.
Interact within 1" to take control. Escorting model moves at half Move (round down). If the escort goes Out of Action, the informant stays in place. Any model can take over with Interact. Engaged models cannot escort. The informant cannot be targeted directly.
Hostiles ignore the informant.
Victory: Exit the informant off your deployment edge. Game end: side controlling the informant wins. No controller: most surviving models.
Reward: Winner gains +1 Lead.
Bonus: The escorting model at victory gains +1 Merit. Loser gains 1 Lead if they controlled the informant at any point.
"Human Capital reminds all contractors: informants are company property. Damage to company property will be deducted from your subscription."
Human Capital Retention Memo
M11.111. Lockdown
The terminal was already running when your crew found it. Someone started a data transfer and didn't finish. The progress bar crawls forward. Whatever it's downloading, three other crews want it stopped.
Defender places 1 terminal at center.
Interact within 1" to advance progress. Each Interact advances your progress 1 step (automatic, no roll). The terminal needs 3 steps to complete. Both sides track progress separately. Opponent can Interact to set your progress back 1 step (minimum 0). One Interact either advances your own progress or sets an opponent back, not both.
Engaged models cannot use the terminal. Hostiles ignore the terminal.
Victory: First to complete 3 steps. If neither completes, most steps at game end. Tied: most surviving models.
Reward: Winner gains +1 Lead.
Bonus: +1 additional Lead if the winner completed all 3 steps. Loser gains 1 Lead if they completed at least 1 step.
"Data transfer interruption is a billable offense. Data transfer completion without authorization is also a billable offense."
Revenue Operations Service Notice
M4.14. Seizure
A portable beacon pulses with cached data in the corridor junction. Hold it long enough and the data is yours. Lose focus and the other crew takes the feed.
Defender places 1 beacon at center.
At the end of each round, count models within 3" of the beacon. Out of Action and Fleeing models do not count. The side with more scores 1 point. Tied: no one scores. Hostiles ignore the beacon.
Tied on points at game end: side with more models within 3" of the beacon wins. Still tied: most surviving models.
Victory: Most points at game end.
Reward: Winner gains +1 Lead.
Bonus: +1 additional Lead if the winner is 4 or more points ahead.
"Your output is monitored. Your contribution is noted."
Morning Merit Broadcast
M5.15. Assassination
Someone on the other crew has a price on their head. The contract is specific: one target, no collateral billing. Find them in the chaos.
After deployment, each player secretly writes down one opposing model as their target. Do not reveal targets until one is taken Out of Action or Flees. You cannot choose a model that is not on the board.
If both targets fall in the same activation, the player whose model struck first wins. Strictly simultaneous: most surviving models.
Victory: First to take their target Out of Action with one of their own models, or to force it to Flee. A kill by hostiles does not score: if hostiles remove your target, choose a new target at the start of your next activation. If neither target falls to its hunter by game end, reveal both. Most surviving models.
Reward: Winner gains +1 Lead.
Bonus: The model that killed the target gains +1 Merit.
Intel: +1 Evidence if the winner killed their target (target profile gathered).
"Resistance will add to your balance."
Toll Collector Final Notice
M10.110. Uplink
Three relay nodes form a local network across the junction. Hold the nodes and the data flows your way. Let the enemy contest them and nobody gets anything.
Defender places 3 relay nodes (6"+ apart, 3"+ from table edges).
At game end, a node is live for your side if you have at least one model within 3" and the opponent does not. Contested nodes (both sides present) are not live for either. Out of Action and Fleeing models do not count.
Hostiles ignore the nodes.
Victory: Most live nodes at game end. Tied: most surviving models.
Reward: Winner gains +1 Lead.
Bonus: +1 additional Lead if the winner has 3 or more live nodes.
Intel: +1 Evidence if the winner controls all 3 relay nodes (network traffic intercepted).
Out of Action: only B counts, so it is live for B."The network is eternal. The network is holy. The network is all."
Maintenance Prayer
M9.19. Heist
A corporate terminal sits unguarded between the crews. Its databanks hold encrypted Department files. Both sides can pull data. Neither can lock the other out.
Defender places 1 terminal at center.
Interact within 1" to download. Each download costs one action. Only one model per side can download per round. Engaged models cannot use the terminal. Downloads are tracked per player: both sides use the same terminal.
Hostiles ignore the terminal.
Victory: First to 3 downloads. If neither reaches 3, most downloads at game end. Tied: most surviving models.
Reward: Winner gains +1 Lead.
Bonus: +1 additional Lead if the winner completed 3 downloads. Loser gains 1 Lead if they completed at least 1 download.
Intel: +1 Evidence if the winner completed 3 downloads (databank files archived).
"Every message is heard. Be careful what you say."
Vox-Cleared Saying
M6.16. Breakthrough
The corridor is collapsing behind both crews. There is no going back. Get your people to the far exit. Anyone left behind stays behind.
No markers. Ignore the rolled Deployment: both crews deploy on opposite edges (Standard). Your exit edge is the opposite edge, the one the enemy deployed on. As part of its move, a model can exit across its own exit edge. A model cannot exit before the end of Round 2. Exited models are removed and cannot return. Engaged models cannot exit (must Disengage first).
Hostiles cannot exit. Models that Flee off their own exit edge count as exited; off any other edge they do not.
If no models exit by game end, the side with the most surviving models wins.
Victory: Most models exited at game end. Models still on the board do not count. Tied: most surviving models on the board.
Reward: Winner gains +1 Lead.
Bonus: +1 additional Lead if the winner exited 3 or more models.
"Abandoned Sector: No services, no response, no refunds."
Complex Warning Sign
M7.17. Triangulation
Three signal repeaters sit dead across the junction. Each one needs manual activation. Whoever holds the most when the signal locks gets the broadcast frequency. The other gets static.
Defender places 3 signal markers (6"+ apart, 3"+ from table edges).
Interact within 1" to claim a marker for your side. An enemy can Interact to claim it back; a marker stays claimed by the last side to claim it. Engaged models cannot claim markers.
Hostiles ignore signal markers.
Victory: Most markers held at game end. Tied: most surviving models.
Reward: Winner gains +1 Lead.
Bonus: +1 additional Lead if the winner holds all 3 markers.
Intel: +1 Evidence if the winner holds all 3 markers (broadcast secrets intercepted).
"Every signal is a betrayal."
Anti-Heresy Warning
M8.18. Sabotage
Your target is the enemy's power conduit. Their target is yours. Cutting takes precision and time. Defending takes bodies.
Each player places their own conduit within 6" of their own deployment zone, 3"+ from edges, 6"+ from the enemy conduit. You sever the enemy's.
Interact within 1" to sever the enemy conduit. Severing requires 2 Interact actions on the same conduit (not necessarily the same activation or model). Mark the first success with a token. At the start of the next round, remove the mark if no friendly model is within 1" of it. Engaged models cannot sever conduits. Severing is permanent once completed.
Hostiles ignore conduits.
Victory: First to sever. Both sever same round: first to complete wins. Neither severs by game end: most surviving models.
Reward: Winner gains +1 Lead.
Bonus: The model that completed the final sever gains +1 Merit.
"A good splice is invisible. A great splice was never needed."
Conduit-Certified Saying