The town of White Rocks is as sleepy as a place can get in the Frontier. The Cowgon business is prospering, harvests have been good, and the only crime that the sheriff has to deal with is the odd barroom brawl. Still, everyone keeps their weapons close and a keen eye on the horizon. Preparations that turn out good when a swarm of slimes is spotted a couple miles away from White Rocks. 6-Shooters and Air Rifles are checked and loaded, while weapons and rockets are hurriedly loaded on the couple of suits in the town. Even the travellers and riders staying in the city come out to help. White Rocks may not be their town, but a slime attack is a serious thing on the Frontier, and anybody who doesn't help is either too poor to own a gun, or too cowardly to use one...
Watcher in the West is a tactical and co-operative forum game, with a setting that blends together several influences into something unique. In between combat players will be able to buy new equipment for themselves and their suits, as well as talk to people and learn about the upcoming mission, or information about the setting. I'll take six players first-come-first-serve to start off with, and then add in more as the game progresses or people die.
Name: Your character's name.
Suit Name: What your suit is named. Put down nameless if you don't particularly care.
Race: What race your character is. Each race has bonuses and negatives to different stats and will affect how well you fight on-foot or inside a suit.
Gender: Male or Female. If you're a Slime-Folk, you can also pick Genderless.
Age: How old your character is.
Description: What your character looks like.
Background: A bit of background information about your character.
Additionally each character gets 350z to spend on the following items:
Armour: Determines your health when fighting on-foot.
Suit Base: Some missions will be suit-only, so every character needs a suit, even if you're planning to fight on foot for most of the game.
Propulsion: How your suit moves when landed (if it can!)
Equipment:The weapon systems, guns and other odd and ends you've bought. Buying at least one on-foot and suit weapon is a good idea, even if it's just a 0z one.
You can trade money and equipment with other characters between missions if you want.
Finally you have six attribute points to put into the following categories:
Health: Increases on-foot health by 0.1x per point.
Aim: Increases on-foot accuracy by 5%
Dodge: Increases on-foot evasion by 5%
Armour: Increase suit armour by 0.1x per point.
Accuracy: Increases suit accuracy by 5%
Evasion: Increases suit evasion by 5%
Humans:
The most common race on the Frontier and in the Geshiel Empire. Humans are of average height, generally with brown or black hair, though reds and blondes can be seen. On the Frontier every human is familiar with the use guns and suits, to fend off slimes or Cowgon rustlers alike. Additionally the harsh conditions has toughened up even the smallest of settlers. Yet even in the Geshiel Empire and the Coastal Countries humans are the hardiest of races, and able to endure the harshest of conditions.
Size: 6
Move: 6
Health: 1.4x
Aim: +5%
Accuracy: +5%
Evasion: +5%
Gabbos:
Small humanoids with long ears, large noses, and blue-grey skin. Except for a few stray, grey hairs on their head, Gabbos are completely bald. Most Gabbos live peacefully in the Hursal Mountains in small but welcoming communities. However large numbers have been settling in the Frontier. As inventors of suits the Gabbos are both excellent pilots and mechanics, only outmatched by some ace pilots of other races. Every year at the Monoca Suit Races the Gabbo teams lead the pack. However the Gabbos are much less comfortable on foot, especially where combat is involved. While their short stature makes them harder to hit, their stubby limbs give them trouble when using weaponry.
Size: 4
Move: 5
Health: 0.8x
Aim: -25%
Armour: 1.2x
Accuracy: +15%
Evasion: +10%
Slime-Folk:
The Saltorians often produce Heartstones, which they plant in certain slimes to give them sentience. No one knows why they do so, for they speak not a word to the Slime-Folk. Sooner or later every Slime-Person migrates down from the Saltorian Mountains and into the Frontier. Slime-Folk are larger than humans, but they have almost total control over their highly mutable bodies and can take any shape they wish, though they generally take a humanoid appearance on the Frontier. Slime-Folk are excellent fighters, since they can dodge and attack in ways you cannot expect. However their piloting skills are often poor, since they have trouble grasping the concept that suits are not as mutable as themselves.
Size: 8
Move: 7
Health: 1.2x
Aim: +25%
Dodge: +25%
Evasion: -20%
Armour:
Clothing: 0z, Health: 20, Dodge: +0%
Description: Slacks, a shirt, leather boots and a wide-brimmed hat are the most common clothes found on the frontier. While not protective in any way, only the Slime-Folk are comfortable fighting nude.
Cowgon Duster: 25z Health: 40, Dodge: +10%
Description: Cowgon leather is famed for its toughness, durability, ease of cleaning and resistance to rain and water. Its tough scales are also well known for stopping bullets and slime acid. As such a Cowgon duster quickly became the uniform of the Frontier.
Personal Plating: 75z Health: 60, Dodge: +15%
Description: A full suit of armour would be too expensive and cumbersome out on the frontier, so many folks stick small metal plates underneath their clothing for protection. Generally made out of Ion alloy, these plates can easily stop a bullet. So long as the bullet actually hits the plate, of course.
Weapons:
Metal Pole: 0z, Damage: 1-6, Range: 1, Accuracy: 100%
Description: While most travellers prefer to use suits or horses to cross the Frontier, some folks are forced to use their own two legs. While walking it's highly advised to use a metal pole as a walking stick. Unlike a wooden branch it'll survive contact with slime acid.
Long Sword: 10z, Damage: 10-20, Range: 1, Accuracy: 100%
Description: With their long ranges and powerful shots, guns have all but replaced swords and the like in warfare. Still, some people insist on carrying around a sharpened piece of metal around with them to stab into someone's guts.
4-Shooter: 25z, Damage: 8-16, Range: 8, Accuracy: 60%
Description: Four barrels and a robotic auto-loader give the 4-shooter a good, if inaccurate, amount of fire.
6-Shooter: 50z, Damage: 16-24, Range: 8, Accuracy: 70%
Description: The most common pistol on the Frontier is the 6-shooter. With six barrels and a good auto-loader the 6-shooter can keep up a withering barrage of fire.
Steam Rifle: 35z, Damage: 12-24, Range: 12, Accuracy: 75%, Ammo: 15
Description: Steam Rifles are largely obsolete on the Frontier, but several old pieces can still be found floating around.
Air Rifle: 70z, Damage: 24-32, Range: 12, Accuracy: 85%, Ammo: 15
Description: The most common rifle on the frontier is some version of the Zont-67 air rifle. Overall they are lighter, more portable and powerful than the old steam rifles they replaced.
Cowgon Gun: 50z, Damage: 100-150, Range: 3, Accuracy: 20%, Ammo: 5
Description: A large and unwieldy gun, meant for putting down rouge Cowgons. Provided you can get close enough, it also works well against suits.
Hand Cannon: 100z, Damage: 250-300, Range: 3, Accuracy: 30%, Ammo: 5
Description: A large gun that's difficult to lug around and quite inaccurate. However it rips apart suits and slimes alike.
Special:
Autokit: 10z, Heals: 15-20, Range: 1, Ammo: 6, Living Only
Description: An automatic medical kit, able to access, clean and bandage wounds all by itself.
Autodoc: 25z, Heals: 30-40, Range: 1, Ammo: 4, Living Only
Description: A small robot with simple surgical tools. While unable to perform anything but the simplist of surgeries, it can provide enough medical aid to keep a patient alive until real help can arrive.
Armour Puddy: 50z, Heals: 50-100, Range: 1, Ammo: 2, Mechanical Only
Description: A simple chemical mixture that rapidly changes into a tough and durable material when activated. Most commonly used for onsite repairs for damaged vehicles and suits.
Targeting Scope: 50z
+25% accuracy if you do not move this turn.
Description: A simple bit of general adhesive attaches this scope to any weapon in your arsenal. While not terribly sophisticated, it does help improve your accuracy.
Shieldpack: 50z, Ammo: 3
+25% dodge for 3 turns.
Description: A small device that easily fits into a satchel or backpack. When activated it'll create a shield that'll help deflect incoming projectiles, though only for a short amount of time.
Boosterpack: 50z, Ammo: 6
+3 movement. Does not take up an action to use.
Description: While fuel is very limited, this small jetpack will help you scoot around the battlefield in record time.
Suit Base:
Salvaged: 0z, Size: 18, Health: 150, Flight: 12 (+2)
Description: The salvaged wreck of some old suit from ages past. It's a bit too large, its controls are simple and clunky, and its jetpack is ready to bite the dust. Probably better than stomping around on foot though.
AV-01: 200z, Size: 16, Health: 400, Flight: 20 (+4)
Description: The AV-01 used to be a simple, workhorse base for a suit but its time is long past. However it can still be seen throughout the Frontier, still labouring away after all of these years.
Hawk: 250z, Size: 16, Health: 250, Flight: 24 (+8)
Description: A general name for custom-made suits designed more for speed than protection. A favourite of travellers and bandits for years.
Propulsion:
Landing Gear: 0z, Movement: 12, Dodge: -20%
Can't move when landed. Dodge: +10% when in the air.
Description: Little more than struts to properly support a suit when it lands. A favourite for those who like to fly around in their suits, since the struts are very light-weight.
Crude Legs: 50z, Movement: 8, Dodge: +0%
Description: Simple legs to enable a suit to walk around while its jetpack recharges. While probably from an older model, these legs have been adjusted and modified enough times that they could almost have been custom made.
Crude Tank Tracks: 50z, Movement: 6, Dodge: +0%
Double defensive terrain bonuses. Half movement penalties on land. Dodge: -10% when in the air.
Description: Heavy duty tank tracks, designed to navigate tough terrain. While it's rather cumbersome in flight, these tracks help give a suit a low profile, giving it greater benefit on rough ground.
Weapon Systems:
Scrap Metal: 0z, Damage: 75-150, Range: 1, Accuracy: 80%
Description: A large and cumbersome piece of metal turned deadly in the hands of a suit.
Cowgon Staff: 25z, Damage: 125-200, Range: 1, Accuracy: 100%
Description: A long metal staff, used by ranchers to help herd their Cowgons and fend off attacking slimes.
Gatling Pistol: 75z, Damage: 1-40, Range: 4, Accuracy: 125%
Description: A multi-barrelled firearm capable of rapid fire. While quite inaccurate, its spews out enough lead that it's rarely a problem.
Gatling Gun: 125z, Damage: 1-60, Range: 4, Accuracy: 135%
Description: Most fire-arms strive to increase their accuracy with longer barrels and better rifling. The Gatling corporation increases their number of hits by spewing out more bullets.
Hand Rifle: 50z, Damage: 50-100, Range: 16, Accuracy: 75%, Ammo: 20
Description: A large-bore rifle that sits in a suit's hand like a pistol. While it gobbles up powder like nobody's business, anything hit by the bullet is going to be hurting.
Shoulder Rifle: 90z, Damage: 100-150, Range: 16, Accuracy: 85%, Ammo: 20
Description: A shoulder-mounted rifle with integrated camera to help with targeting. While definitively not the most practile of locations, the shoulders of a suit are capable of absorbing the recoil of this gun without harm.
LZ-1 Rockets: 75z, Damage: 100-130, Range: 8, Accuracy: 65%, Ammo: 10
Description: Short-ranged rockets imported to the Frontier from the Coastal Cities. It's commonly used against slimes, and produces a satsifyingly wet explosion when it hits.
LZ-2 Rockets: 125z, Damage: 150-180, Range: 8, Accuracy: 75%, Ammo: 10
Description: An improved version of the LZ-1 rocket. While definitively more expensive, it is much more effective against rogue slimes and the occasional bandit suit.
Special:
Armour Puddy: 50z, Heals: 50-100, Range: 1, Ammo: 2, Mechanical Only
Description: A simple chemical mixture that rapidly changes into a tough and durable material when activated. Most commonly used for onsite repairs for damaged vehicles and suits.
Jetbattery: 50z
Flight: +6 (+2)
Description: An combination battery and generator that improves the range and power of jetpacks. A favourite of ace pilots and wagoneers alike.
Ammo Carrier: 50z
Doubles the amount of ammo carried by one weapon.
Description: You can definitively never have enough ammo.
Geshiel Empire
The Geshiel Empire is largest and most powerful country on Zune. Around 90% of Geshiel's population are Human, though recently many other races have immigrated to the Empire, attracted by its wealth and booming industries. The instectoid Zolids from the Coastal Cities form the second largest racial group in the Empire, at around 5% and growing. Large numbers of Gabbos and Slime-Folk also live in Geshiel, though they lack full citizenship due to discriminatory citzenship laws.
The current Emperor of Geshiel is Constine the Seventh. Under his leadership Geshiel has modernized rapidly, though it still lacks many of the technological developments found in the Coastal Cities and even the Frontier. Constine VII continued his father's policies in reducing the powers of the noblity and increased the powers of the Geshstag, so long as it agrees with all of Constine VII's commands, of course.
The floating capital of Solaria was commissioned by Constine VI, and with much fanfare was completed during the tenth year of Constine VII's reign. Solaria is a floating city, complete with farms to feed all of its citzens. All of Geshiel's famous treasures are housed on Solaria, from the eternal head of Constine I to the Fist of Geshiel; a blood-red diamond the size of a Human's hand and star of the Imperial crown jewels. As such Solaria and its treasures are heavily protected with guns, suits and an entire fleet of airships.
The Frontier
The Frontier comprises a large swath of land to the west of the Geshiel Empire. The land was orginally settled by Geshiel refugees fleeing from persecution. However the harsh landscape and influxes of other races have given the Frontier its own unique culture. Technically the Frontier is part of the Geshiel Empire, but it pays no taxes, and the towns and villages govern themselves and set their own laws.
Humans comprise the majority of the population in the Frontier, but just barely. Gabbos and Slime-Folk also have large populations, but unlike in the Geshiel Empire the three races are very intermingled. Significant populations of Zolids can be found in the south of the Frontier, while the Helish have founded several fishing villages on its western-most shores.
The Frontier is prime Cowgon country, though large agricultural centers have formed around its major rivers. Cowgon rustling and banditry are therefore very serious crimes. Given the lack of police forces and constant threat of Slime attacks, justice tends to be harsh and dealt from the barrels of a 6-shooter.
Slimes
Before the Frontier was colonized by Humans, Gabbos and Slime-Folk, its plains and rolling hills were full of slimes. However these slimes lacked the Heartstones of the Slime-Folk and were little more than simple grazers. However the Cowgons and their herders have pushed the slimes from their prime grazing lands, and into the heart of the Frontier. In responce the slimes slowly began to change, increasing in size, gathering together into large herds, and producing more potent acids.
While the herds of slimes largely stay with their ever decreasing territories, sometimes they attack villages and Cowgons. Homesteads and farms quickly fall to the slimes, while villages are saved only by massed fire from its inhabitants and suits. As such all peoples living on the Frontier have some skill with firearms and weaponry, for wild slimes have the uncanny ability to hide anywhere, and even towns miles away from their territories can suffer from a slime attack.
While most Slime-Folk view slimes as animals and a nuicience, several individuals claim that they can understand or communicate with them. As such small Slime-Folk villages and dwellings dot the interior of the Frontier. While rarely having anything more powerful than an airrifle, these villages are unmolested by the slimes. Sometimes these settlements help travellers in their journey across the heartland, though just as often these Slime-Folk can be seen leading their unintelligent brethred on an attack.
Hursal Republic
The Hursal Republic is located on the northern parts of Zune, and recieves its name from the Hursal Mountains where it lies. The Hursal Republic is the ancient homelands of the Gabbos and, except for a few Human refugees its population is entirely comprised og Gabbos. The current President of the Republic is Hwasa Midhar, though unlike the Geshiel Emperor of Mayors in the Frontier, he is more of a figure-head than a leader.
Except for the capital, Hulrsa, the Republic lacks any major cities or manufacturing centres. Instead its citizens live in small but numerous communities scattered communities throughout the mountains. The economy of the Hursal Republic is largely centered around skilled craftsmenship, due to the Gabbo's amazing technical abilities. Suits were first developed by Gabbo technicians and were used to great effect when the Geshiel Empire tried to invade the fledging republic.
Coastal Cities
The Coastal Cities lie to the south and east of the Geshiel Empire. As the name suggests, the region is comprised of a large number of independent city-states. Arguements and disputes between the city states are handled by the Zesgi League, a merchant's league to which all the cities belong. The League not only handles trade in the region, but mints its own coinage, the Zesg, which is recongized across Zune. Additionally the Zesgi League maintains a large fleet of warships, troops and suits to hunt pirates and bandits. The League also handles the military affairs of the Coastal Cities, should they ever find themselves at war with a foreign power.
Most of the Coastal Cities are comprised of Zolids, though Humans have founded their own cities, and large populations of Helish emigrated to the region, their skills as sailors being highly valuable.
Saltorian Mountains
The Saltorian Mountains comprise a small but important chunk of land on the southern part of Zune. Its eastern border marks the end of the Coastal Cities, while its western border marks the start of the Frontier. Its southern coastline is full of hidden and jagged rocks that daunt all but the bravest of navigators. Except for a few Helish smugglers, trade between the Coastal Cities and the Frontier is conducted through the Geshiel Empire.
Physically the Saltorians are composed of rock, and are as tall as most suits, with large torsos, short legs and thick arms. They lack any sort of neck or head, instead having an eye-like opening at the top of their bodies. No record of a Saltorian communicating with any other race exists, and except for pairs of Saltorians on some unknown quest they keep to their mountains. While content to let other races live their lives, the Saltorians will accept no intrusions into their lands. Airships quickly learned to stay far away from the mountains, lest they get blasted out of the sky by deadly Saltorian weaponry. The only exception are the Slime-Folk, which the Saltorians create using Heartstones. However they still do not communicate with the Slime-Folk, who soon leave for more welcoming lands.
Other Lands
Besides the scattered Helish islands on the western coast of Zune, very little is known of the lands outside of the continent, besides rumours and hearsay. People talk about lands covered in gold, or trees taller than mountains, but explorers generally turn up empty-handed or not at all.
Stats:
Units:
Size: How large this unit is. When a unit attacks a unit larger than itself, it gains 5% accuracy times the size difference between the two units. When a unit attacks a unit smaller than itself, it loses 5% accuracy times the size difference between the two units.
Move: How many movement points a unit gains each turn. Movement points are not carried over between turns.
Size 10 and less:
Health: Once this reaches zero, a unit is killed.
Aim: Improves accuracy when a unit is on foot.
Dodge: Improves evasion when a unit is on foot.
Size 11 and above:
Armour: Once this reaches zero, a suit is destroyed.
Flight (+X): How many flight points a suit has. The (+X) refers to how many points it generates each turn.
Accuracy: Improves accuracy when a unit is in a suit.
Evasion: Improves evasion when a unit is in a suit.
Weapons:
Damage: How much damage a weapon does when it hits.
Range: How many hexes away a target can be when firing this weapon.
Accuracy: Base accuracy of this weapon.
Ammo: How many shots this weapon can take before it runs out of ammo.
Items:
Unless noted otherwise, all units can carry up to five different items into combat (either weapons or special items). Additionally characters need to bring an item of armour to fight on-foot, or a suit base and propulsion item to fight in a suit.
General:
During a combat turn you can move and perform one action. Firing a weapon takes up an action, as well as activated some special items. Units size 10 and below ignore movement penalties when moving, and can therefore move as many hexes as their movement stat. Additionally they receive double defensive bonuses from terrain. Unit size 11 and up take movement penalties when moving through certain types of terrain. A penalty of 1 means that it takes one point of movement to move into that hex, a penalty of 2 means it takes 2 points etc. When attacking the base accuracy of the weapon is modified by your natural accuracy, the target's evasion, terrain defense and any other bonuses or negative.
Flight:
Units with more than one Flight Points can choose to fly instead of walking. Moving between flight and regular movement is a free action, however a unit cannot split its movement between flying or walking. It has to pick one or the other. While flying a unit ignores all terrain penalties and defensive bonuses, allowing it to move as many hexes as it has movement. Additionally the evasion bonus from the pilot is doubled while flying. Each hex of movement a unit spends in flight lowers its Flight Points by one. Each time it is shot at a unit will lose two flight points trying to evade the shot. Once the number of flight points reaches zero, the unit will automatically land. At the start of each turn a unit will gain Flight Points equal to the number in brackets next to its total number of Flight Points.
Terrain: (Which terrain is which will be given before combat starts)
Plains: Defensive: +0%, Penalty: 1
Desert: Defensive: +0%, Penalty: 2
Hills: Defensive: +10%, Penalty: 2
Forest: Defensive: +20%, Penalty: 3
Swamp: Defensive: +10%, Penalty: 3
Settled: Defensive: +0%, Penalty: 3, Defensive: +30% to units size 10 and below after doubling bonus.
Fortified: Defensive: +25%, Penalty: 2, Defensive: +50% to units size 10 and below after doubling bonus.
Mountains: Defensive: +30%, Impassible (Can only be moved onto by flying units)
Water: Impassible (Can only be moved onto by flying units), Liquid (Automatically destroys any units that try to land on it)
Other:
Path: Defensive: 0%, Penalty: -1 (Minimum of 1)
Road: Defensive: -10%, Penalty: -2 (Minimum of 2)
River: Defensive: -10%, Penalty: +2
((As always, feel free to ask questions if you have them.))
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Topic: Watcher in the West: Mission 1 Complete (Read 7423 times)