Equipment

The following section lists examples of common equipment that adventurers may want. Aside from armor and weapons, each listing notes the object’s name and a basic description. The technological level indicates local technology required to manufacture something with the capabilities listed. Price and weight are for an item manufactured by an interstellar society of tech level 10-15; items produced at lower tech levels will probably be bulkier and more expensive. An item with no weight or size given can be carried or worn without difficulty. Additional lines of explanation are given where considered necessary.

Technology Level Overview

Technology Level, also known as Tech Level or TL, is a measure of the scientific and production capacity of a world and the complexity and effectiveness of a piece of equipment.

Table: Technology Level Overview

TL	Descriptor	Notable Characteristics
0	Primitive	No technology.
1	Primitive	Roughly on a par with Bronze or Iron age technology.
2	Primitive	Renaissance technology.
3	Primitive	Mass production allows for product standardization, bringing the germ of industrial revolution and steam power.
4	Industrial	Transition to industrial revolution is complete, bringing plastics, radio and other such inventions.
5	Industrial	Widespread electrification, tele-communications and internal combustion.
6	Industrial	Development of fission power and more advanced computing.
7	Pre-Stellar	Can reach orbit reliably and has telecommunications satellites.
8	Pre-Stellar	Possible to reach other worlds in the same system, although terraforming or full colonization is not within the culture’s capacity.
9	Pre-Stellar	Development of gravity manipulation, which makes space travel vastly safer and faster; first steps into Jump Drive technology.
10 (A)	Early Stellar	With the advent of Jump, nearby systems are opened up.
11 (B)	Early Stellar	The first primitive (non-creative) artificial intelligences become possible in the form of “low autonomous” interfaces, as computers begin to model synaptic networks.
12 (C)	Average Stellar	Weather control revolutionizes terraforming and agriculture.
13 (D)	Average Stellar	The battle dress appears on the battlefield in response to the new weapons. “High autonomous” interfaces allow computers to become self-actuating and self-teaching.
14 (E)	Average Stellar	Fusion weapons become man-portable.
15 (F)	High Stellar	Black globe generators suggest a new direction for defensive technologies, while the development of synthetic anagathics means that the human lifespan is now vastly increased.

Higher Technology Levels exist and may appear in some Cepheus Engine universes.

Currency

The Credit (Cr) is the standard unit of currency in Cepheus Engine. Larger denominations include the KiloCredit (KCr; 1,000 Credits) and the MegaCredit (MCr; 1,000,000 Credits).

Armor

Armor reduces the amount of damage a character takes from a hit, based on the type of armor worn. The armor rating for a set of armor is equal to the amount of damage reduced by the armor when you are hit in combat. A hit with Effect 6+ always inflicts at least one point of damage, regardless of the target’s armor.

Unless otherwise noted, only one type of armor can be worn at a time. Resolve damage from the outside in – damage that gets through the outer layer of armor is next applied to the inner layer.

• TL The earliest tech level at which this item first becomes available.
• Armor Rating (AR) The amount of damage reduced by the armor when an attack strikes the character. When two values are listed separated by a slash, the number to the left of the slash represents the armor rating against all attacks except lasers, while the number to the right of the slash represents the armor rating against laser attacks.
• Cost The cost of the item in Credits (Cr).
• Weight The weight of the item in kilograms.
• Skill Required Some armors have a required skill. A character suffers the usual unskilled penalty when using armor without levels in the required skill.

Table: Common Personal Armor

Armor	TL	AR	Cost	Wgt	Skill Required
Ablat	9	3/8*	Cr75	2kg	—
Battle Dress	13	18	Cr200,000	60kg	Battle Dress
Cloth	6	9	Cr250	2kg	—
Combat Armor	11	11	Cr20,000	18kg	Zero-G
Hostile Env Vacc Suit	12	8	Cr18,000	40kg	Zero-G
Jack	1	3	Cr50	1kg	—
Mesh	7	5	Cr150	2kg	—
Reflec	10	0/14	Cr1500	1kg	—
Vacc Suit	9	6	Cr9,000	8kg	Zero-G

Armor Descriptions

• Ablat (TL 9) A cheap alternative to Reflec, ablat armor is made from a material that ablates (vaporizes) when hit by laser fire. Each laser hit on ablat reduces its armor value (versus lasers) by one, but the armor is cheap and easily replaceable.
• Battle Dress (TL 13) The ultimate personal armor, battle dress is a powered form of combat armor. The servomotors vastly increase the user’s speed and strength, boosting his Strength and Dexterity by +4 while wearing the armor. Damage to the wearer’s characteristics is calculated as normal, but the values from the armor are used for all other purposes such as hand to hand damage or skill checks. The suit has a built-in Model 2 computer running an Expert Tactics-2 program to give tactical advice and updates and is commonly outfitted with numerous upgrades. The suit is fully enclosed, with a six-hour air supply and gives full protection against environmental hazards – including NBC shielding – as if it was an HEV suit.
• Cloth (TL 7) A heavy duty body suit tailored from ballistic cloth. The fabric absorbs impact energy and spreads it over the body, which can result in bruising. However, cloth armor is highly useful and versatile – it can be effectively concealed under normal clothing although observers making an Investigate or Recon check at 8+ will notice something unusual.
• Combat Armor (TL 11) This full-body suit is used by the military and not generally available on the open market, although those with military or criminal contacts can obtain it without much difficulty. It is issued to troop units and mercenary battalions. Combat armor protects from hard vacuum in the same way as a vacc suit and provides life support for six hours.
• Hostile Environment Vacc Suit (TL 8) Hostile environment suits are designed for conditions where a normal vacc suit would be insufficient, such as deep underwater, worlds shrouded in toxic or corrosive gases, extremes of radiation or temperature, or other locales that offer serious physical danger as well as the lack of a breathable atmosphere. HEV suits provide all the life support offered by a normal vacc suit (for six hours) but are also impervious to flames, intense radiation such as that found at nuclear blast sites (decreasing radiation exposure by 180 rads), and high pressure environments like undersea trenches.
• Jack (TL 1) A natural or synthetic leather jacket or body suit covering the torso and upper arms and legs.
• Mesh (TL 6) A jacket or body suit lined with a flexible metal or plastic mesh that gives it added protection against bullets.
• Reflec (TL 10) Reflec armor is a flexible plastic suit with layers of reflective material and heat-dispersing gel. It is highly effective against lasers, but provides no protection against other attacks. Reflec can be worn with other armor.
• Vacc Suit (TL 8) The vacc suit or space suit is the spacer’s best friend, providing life support and protection when in space. A vacc suit provides a breathable atmosphere and protection from the extremes of temperature, low pressure and radiation typically found in a hard vacuum (decreasing exposure by up to 40 rads), for six hours.

Communicators

Characters separated by physical location often have a need to maintain communications. These examples of communications equipment fulfill that need. Routine use of these devices does not require a skill check. When attempting to overcome interference or use these devices for other purposes, the Comms skill check is used.

Table: Communications Equipment

Communicator	TL	Cost	Wgt	Range
Long Range Communicator	6	Cr500	15 kg	500 km
Medium Range Communicator	5	Cr200	10 kg	30 km
Short Range Communicator	5	Cr100	5 kg	10 km
Personal Communicator	8	Cr250	0.3 kg	Special

• Long Range Communicator Back-pack mounted radio capable of ranges up to 500 km and contact with ships in orbit. Ten separate channels. At tech level 7 reduce the weight to 1.5 kg and it becomes belt or sling mounted.
• Medium Range Communicator Belt-mounted or sling carried radio set capable of up to 30 km range, and contact with official radio channels. Five separate channels. At tech level 7, reduce the weight to 500 grams.
• Short Range Communicator Belt-mounted radio capable of 10 km range (much shorter underground or underwater). Three separate channels. At tech level 7 reduce the weight to 300 grams and it becomes hand-held.
• Personal Communicator A hand-held, single channel communication device. On world with a tech level of 8 or higher a personal communicator is able to tap into the world’s satellite communication network and with the proper address, contact any other communicator in the world (for a fee). The channel is private, but not secure and may be monitored on some worlds. Usually network access can be arranged at the local starport for a small fee. On worlds with a tech level of 7 or less, personal communicators will not work.

Computers

The power of a computer is given by its rating (Model 1, Model 2 and so forth), which measures the complexity of the programs it can run. (Storage space is effectively unlimited at TL 9 and above.) Programs are rated by the computer rating they require. A system can run a number of programs up to its rating.

The computers listed here are laptop size. Battery life is two hours at TL 7, eight hours at TL 8, and effectively unlimited at TL 9 and above. Desktop computers offer a slightly greater amount of processing power for the same cost but not enough to make a difference in-game. Desktops become obsolete during TL 8.

Table: Computers by TL

Optimum TL	Computer Power	Mass (kg)	Cost (Cr)
TL 7	Model 0	10	50
TL 8	Model 1	5	100
TL 9	Model 1	5	250
TL 10	Model 2	1	350
TL 11	Model 2	1	500
TL 12	Model 3	0.5	1,000
TL 13	Model 4	0.5	1,500
TL 14	Model 5	0.5	5,000

• Computer Terminal (TL 7) This is a ‘dumb terminal’, with only limited processing power. It serves as an interface to a more powerful computer such as a ship’s computer or planetary network. Terminals range in size depending on their control method – a holographic display terminal can be much smaller than one with a physical keyboard and screen. A computer terminal has Model 0, and costs Cr200.
• Hand Computer (TL 7) A hand computer is a portable computer system with considerable processing power. It is more powerful than a computer terminal, and can be used without access to a network. A hand computer costs twice as much as a normal computer of the same TL but can he held in one hand and operated with the other.

Computer Options

• Data Display/Recorder (TL 13) This headpiece worn over one or both eyes provides a continuous heads-up display for the user, allowing him to view computer data from any linked system. Because of the transparent screen vision is not obscured while using a DD/R headset. DD/Rs can display data from any system, not just computers – they can display vacc suit oxygen reserves, grav belt status, neural activity scanner results and so forth. Cr5,000.
• Data Wafer (TL 10) The principle medium of information storage is the standard data wafer, a rectangle of hardened plastic about the size of a credit card. A TL 10 data wafer is memory diamond, with information encoded in structures of carbon atoms; more advanced wafers use more exotic means of data storage. Cr5.
• Specialized Computer A computer can be designed for a specific purpose, which gives it a Rating of 1 or 2 higher for that program only. The navigation computer on a starship might be only a Model 1, but it could run the Expert Navigation/3 program because it is specially designed for that task. A specialized computer costs 25% more per added Rating. In addition, when working out how many programs the computer can run simultaneously, the program that the computer is specialized for does not count against that total.

Computer Software

A character can use any high-rating software at a lower rating, to a minimum of the lowest rating shown.

Programs above Rating/1 cannot be copied easily, as they require a non-trivial amount of bandwidth to transfer.

Table: Computer Software

Software	Rating	TL	Cost	Description
Database	—	7	Cr10 to Cr10,000	A database is a large store of information on a topic that can be searched with a Computer check or using an Agent.
Interface	0	7	Included	Displays data. Using a computer without an interface is a Formidable (–6 DM) task.
Security	0	7	Included	Security programs defend against intrusion. Rating 0 is Average (+0 DM).
	1	9	Cr200	Difficult (–2 DM) difficulty
	2	11	Cr1,000	Very Difficult (–4 DM) difficulty
	3	12	Cr20,000	Formidable (–6 DM) difficulty
Translator	0	9	Cr50	Translators are specialized Expert systems that only have Language skills. Provides a near-real-time translation.
	1	10	Cr500	Works in real-time and has a much better understanding of the nuances of language.
Intrusion	1	10	Cr1,000	Intrusion programs aid hacking attempts, giving a bonus equal to their Rating. Intrusion software is often illegal.
	2	11	Cr10,000
	3	13	Cr100,000
	4	15	N/A
Intelligent Interface	1	11	Cr100	“Low autonomous” artificial intelligence allows voice control and displays data intelligently. Required for using Expert programs.
	2	13	Cr1,000	“High autonomous” artificial intelligence allows a primitive artificial intelligence to self-initiate and learn on its own.
	3	17	Cr10,000	True artificial intelligence capable of independent creative thought.
Expert	1	11	Cr1,000	Expert programs mimic skills. A character using an expert system may make a skill check as if he had the skill at the program’s Rating -1. Only Intelligence and Education-based checks can be attempted. If the character already has the skill at a higher level, then an Expert program grants a +1 DM instead.
	2	12	Cr10,000
	3	13	Cr100,000
Agent	0	11	Cr500	Agent programs have a Computer skill equal to their Rating, and can carry out tasks assigned to them with a modicum of intelligence. For example, an agent program might be commanded to hack into an enemy computer system and steal a particular data file. They are effectively specialized combinations of Computer Expert and Intellect programs.
	1	12	Cr2,000
	2	13	Cr100,000
	3	14	Cr250,000
Intellect	1	12	Cr2,000	Intellects are improved agents, who can use Expert systems. For example, a robot doctor might be running Intellect/1 and Expert Medic/3, giving it a Medic skill of 2. An Intellect program can use a number of skills simultaneously equal to its Rating.
	2	13	Cr50,000
	3+	14

Drugs

Medications often supplement the direct medical attention of a trained health professional. The following drugs are commonly encountered in Cepheus Engine campaigns.

Table: Drugs

Description	TL	Cost
Medicinal Drugs	5	Cr5+
Anti-Radiation Drugs	8	Cr1,000
Panaceas	8	Cr200
Stim Drugs	8	Cr50
Combat Drug	10	Cr1,000
Fast Drug	10	Cr200
Metabolic Accelerator	10	Cr500
Medicinal Slow Drug	11	Cr500
Anagathics	11	Cr2,000

• Anagathics Slow the user’s aging process. Synthetic anagathics become possible at TL 15, but there are natural spices and other rare compounds that have comparable effects at all Technology Levels. Anagathics are illegal or heavily controlled on many worlds. One dose must be taken each month to maintain the anti-aging effect – if the character taking anagathics misses a dose they must make an immediate roll on the aging table as their body reacts badly to the interrupted supply.
• Anti-Radiation Drugs Must be administered before or immediately after (within ten minutes) radiation exposure. They absorb up to 100 rads per dose. A character may only use anti-rad drugs once per day – taking any more causes permanent Endurance damage of 1D6 per dose.
• Combat Drug This drug increases reaction time and improves the body’s ability to cope with trauma, aiding the user in combat. A character using a combat drug adds +4 to his initiative total at the start of combat (or whenever the drug takes effect). He may also dodge once each round with no effect on his initiative score and reduces all damage suffered by two points. The drug kicks in twenty seconds (four rounds) after injection, and lasts around ten minutes. When the drug wears off, the user is fatigued.
• Fast Drug Also known as ‘Hibernation’, this drug puts the user into a state akin to suspended animation, slowing his metabolic rate down to a ratio of 60 to 1 – a subjective day for the user is actually two months. Fast drug is normally used to prolong life support reserves or as a cheap substitute for a cryoberth.
• Medicinal Drugs These medications include vaccines, antitoxins and antibiotics. They range in cost from Cr5 to 1D6x1,000 Credits, depending on the rarity and complexity of the drug. Medicinal drugs require the Medic skill to use properly – using the wrong drug can be worse than doing nothing. With a successful Medic check the correct drug can counteract most poisons or diseases, or at the very least give a positive DM towards resisting them. If the wrong drug is administered, treat it as a Difficult (–2 DM) poison with a damage of 1D6.
• Medicinal Slow A variant of the slow drug. It can only be applied safely in a medical facility where life-support and cryo-technology is available as it increases the metabolism to around thirty times normal, allowing a patient to undergo a month of healing in a single day.
• Metabolic Accelerator Also known as ‘Slow Drug’, this drug boosts the user’s reaction time to superhuman levels. A character using slow drug in combat adds +8 to his initiative total at the start of combat (or whenever the drug takes effect). He may also dodge up to twice each round with no effect on his initiative score. The drug kicks in 45 seconds (eight rounds) after ingestion or injection and lasts for around ten minutes. When the drug wears off, the user’s system crashes. He suffers 2D6 points of damage and is exhausted.
• Panaceas Wide-spectrum medicinal drugs that are specifically designed not to interact harmfully. They can therefore be used on any wound or illness and are guaranteed not to make things worse. A character using panaceas may make a Medic check as if he had Medic 0 when treating an infection or disease.
• Stim Drugs Removes fatigue, at a cost. A character who uses stim may remove the effects of fatigue but suffers one point of damage. If stims are used to remove fatigue again without an intervening period of sleep, the character suffers two points of damage the second time, three points the third time, and so on.

Explosives

The Demolitions skill is used with explosives – the Effect of the Demolitions skill check multiplies the damage, with a minimum of x1 damage for an Effect of 0 or 1. Explosives are not legally available on any world with a Law Level of 1 or greater.

Table: Explosives

Weapon	TL	Damage	Radius	Cost (Cr)
Plastic	6	3D6	2D6 meters	200
Pocket Nuke	12	2D6 x 20	15D6 meters	20,000
TDX	12	4D6	4D6 meters	1,000

• Plastic This generic, multi-purpose plastic explosive is a favorite of military units, terrorists, demolition teams and adventurers across known space.
• Pocket Nuke Hideously illegal on many worlds, the pocket nuke is actually the size of a briefcase and so is too large to fit into a grenade launcher.
• TDX An advanced gravity-polarized explosive, TDX explodes only along the horizontal axis.

Personal Devices

Characters often possess any of a number of personal devices, such as those described in this section.

Table: Personal Devices

Description	TL	Cost	Wgt
Magnetic Compass	3	Cr10	—
Wrist Watch	4	Cr100	—
Radiation Counter	5	Cr250	1
Metal Detector	6	Cr300	1
Hand Calculator	7	Cr10	0.1
Inertial Locator	9	Cr1,200	1.5
Electromagnetic Probe	10	Cr1,000	—
Hand Computer	11	Cr1,000	0.5
Holographic Projector	11	Cr1,000	1
Densitometer	14	Cr20,000	5
Bioscanner	15	Cr350,000	3.5
Neural Activity Sensor	15	Cr35,000	10

• Bioscanner The bioscanner ‘sniffs’ for organic molecules and tests chemical samples, analysing the make-up of whatever it is focussed on. It can be used to detect poisons or bacteria, analyse organic matter, search for life signs and classify unfamiliar organisms. The data from a bioscanner can be interpreted using the Comms or the Life Sciences skill.
• Densitometer The remote densitometer uses an object’s natural gravity to measure its density, building up a three-dimensional image of the inside and outside of an object.
• Electromagnetic Probe This handy device detects the electromagnetic emissions of technological devices, and can be used as a diagnostic tool when examining equipment (+1 DM to work out what’s wrong with it) or when searching for hidden bugs or devices. The Comms skill can be used to sweep a room for bugs.
• Hand Calculator Allows the user to perform mathematical calculations quickly.
• Hand Computer The ‘handcomp’ provides services of a small computer, plus serves as a computer terminal when linked (by its integral radio, network interface jack, or by other circuit) to a standard computer.
• Holographic Projector A holographic projector is a toaster-sized box that, when activated, creates a three-dimensional image in the space around it or nearby – the range is approximately three meters in all directions. The image can be given pre-programmed animations within a limited range and the projector includes speakers for making sound. The projected holograms are obviously not real so this device is mostly used for communication. The TL 12 version can produce holograms real enough to fool anyone who fails an Intelligence check (made upon first seeing the hologram), at double the cost, and the TL 13 version can produce holograms that are true-to-life images, at ten times the cost.
• Inertial Locator Indicates direction and distance traveled from the starting location.
• Magnetic Compass Indicates direction of magnetic north, if any exists.
• Metal Detector Indicates presence of metal within a 3 meter radius (including underground), with the indicating signal growing stronger as it gets closer to the source.
• Neural Activity Sensor (NAS) This device consists of a backpack and detachable handheld unit, and can detect neural activity up to 500 meters away. The device can also give a rough estimation of the intelligence level of organisms based on brainwave patterns. The data from a neural activity scanner can be interpreted using the Comms, the Life Sciences or the Social Sciences skills.
• Radiation Counter Indicates presence and intensity of radioactivity within a 30-meter radius. The indicating signal will grow stronger as it gets closer to the source.
• Wrist Watch Allows the user to tell time. At teck level 9, can be configured to multiple worlds, as well as standard time, and allows the user to configure alarms based on specific times.

Robots and Drones

Robots are iconic to science fiction. This section describes the robots and drones commonly available in a Cepheus Engine campaign. A robot has an Intellect program running, allowing it to make decisions independently, while drones are remote-controlled by a character with the Comms skill.

Robots and drones operate in combat like characters but take damage as if they were vehicles. They have Hull and Structure characteristics instead of an Endurance characteristic, and an Endurance DM of 0. Any robot running an Intellect program has an Intelligence and Education score. Drones have neither. A robot’s Education characteristic is representative of the information programmed into it and even low-end robots can have high Education scores. Most robots have Social Standing characteristics of 0 as they are not social creations but there are some exceptions, usually high-end models running advanced Intellect programs. Drones do not have Social Standing but in cases where they are used to engage in diplomacy or other social intercourse the operator can use his own Social Standing score.

Cargo Robot (TL 11) These simple, heavy-duty robots are found in starport docks and on board cargo ships. Cargo drones can be constructed as low as Technology Level 9 but their utility is extremely limited until the invention of Intellect programs.

• Strength 30 (+8), Dexterity 9 (+1), Hull 2, Structure 2
• Intelligence 3 (–1), Education 5 (–1), Social Standing 0 (–3)
• Traits: Armor 8, Huge, Specialized Model 1 computer (running Intellect/1 and Expert (appropriate skill)/1)
• Weapons: Crushing Strength (Natural Weapons, 3D6 damage)
• Price: Cr75,000

Repair Robot (TL 11) Shipboard repair robots are small crab-shaped machines that carry a variety of welding and cutting tools. Specialized repair robots may run Expert Engineering rather than Expert Mechanics.

• Strength 6 (+0), Dexterity 7 (+0), Hull 1, Structure 1
• Intelligence 5 (–1), Education 6 (+0), Social Standing 0 (–3)
• Traits: Integral System (mechanical toolkit), Specialized Model 1 computer (running Intellect/1 and Expert Mechanics/2)
• Weapons: Tools (Natural Weapons, 1D6 damage)
• Price: Cr10,000

Personal Drone (TL 11) This is a small floating globe about thirty centimeters in diameter. It is equipped with holographic projectors which can display the image of a person, allowing a character to have a virtual presence over a great distance.

• Strength 2 (–2), Dexterity 7 (+0), Hull 1, Structure 1
• Traits: Tiny, Integral System (comm, audio/visual), Integral System (grav floater), Integral System (TL 11 holographic projector)
• Price: Cr2,000

Probe Drone (TL 11) A probe drone is a hardened version of a personal remote, armored and carrying more sensor packages. They have an operating range of five hundred kilometers, and can fly at a speed of 300 kph.

• Strength 3 (–1), Dexterity 7 (+0), Hull 3, Structure 3
• Traits: Armor 5, Integral System (comm, audio/visual), Integral System (grav belt), Integral System (TL 11 holographic projector), Integral System (every sensor available at TL 11 and below)
• Price: Cr15,000

Autodoc (TL 12) An autodoc is a specialized, immobile medical robot, which is often installed inside vehicles or spacecraft.

• Strength 6 (+0), Dexterity 15 (+3), Hull 1, Structure 1
• Intelligence 9 (+1), Education 12 (+2), Social Standing 0 (–3)
• Traits: Integral System (TL 12 medikit), Specialized Model 1 computer (running Intellect/1 and Medicine/2)
• Weapons: Surgical Tools (Slashing Weapons, 1D6 damage)
• Price: Cr40,000

Combat Drone (TL 12) Combat drones are little more than flying guns mated to a grav floater and a computer system. The drones must be piloted with the Comms skill but attacks are made using the appropriate weapon skill. Combat drones loaded with Intellect and combat Expert programs (making them autonomous combat robots) are illegal on many worlds.

• Strength 12 (+2), Dexterity 10 (+1), Hull 4, Structure 4
• Traits: Armor 9, Integral System (grav floater), Integral Weapon (any)
• Weapons: Any gun
• Price: Cr90,000, plus the cost of the weapon (the Integral Weapon upgrade is included)

Servitor (TL 13) Servitor robots are expensive humanoid robots who are programmed to act as butlers or servants to the nobility. Some servitor owners reprogram their robots with Expert Carousing or Expert Gambling to better suit their lifestyle.

• Strength 7 (+0), Dexterity 9 (+1), Hull 2, Structure 2
• Intelligence 9 (+1), Education 12 (+2), Social Standing 7 (+0)
• Traits: Computer/3 (running Intellect/1 and Expert Steward/2 – servitors also have Expert Liaison/2 and Translator/1 available should they be necessary)
• Weapons: Robot Punch (Natural Weapons, 1D6 damage)
• Price: Cr120,000

Robot and Drone Options

• Armor Armor can be increased by 5, which increases the drone or robot’s cost by 25%.
• Integral System Certain devices can be built into drones or robots by increasing the cost of the device by +50%. Popular choices include toolkits of different kinds, various sensors, or mobility upgrades like thruster packs or grav floaters.
• Integral Weapon Any suitable weapon can be added to a drone or robot, at the cost of Cr10,000 + the cost of the weapon.

Sensory Aids

The following aids provide enhance a character’s physical senses.

Table: Sensory Aids

Description	TL	Cost	Wgt
Torch	1	Cr1	0.25
Lamp Oil	2	Cr2	—
Oil Lamp	2	Cr10	0.5
Binoculars	3	Cr75	1
Electric Torch	5	Cr10	0.5
Cold Light Lantern	6	Cr20	0.25
Infrared Goggles	6	Cr500	—
Light Intensifier Goggles	7	Cr500	—

• Binoculars Allows the user to see further. At TL 8 electronic enhancement allows images to be captured; light-intensification allows them to be used in the dark. Cr750. At TL 12 PRIS (Portable Radiation Imaging System) allows the user to observe a large section of the EM-spectrum, from infrared to gamma rays. Cr3,500.
• Cold Light Lantern A fuel cell powered version of the electric torch, but will last 3 days with continuous use. Produces a wide cone of light up to 18 meters away with a radius of 6 meters at the end of the beam. Also capable of producing a tight beam of light up to 36 meters away with a 1 meter radius or be used to illuminate a 10 meter radius.
• Electric Torch The common flashlight. It is battery powered and will last for about 6 hours of continuous use. A torch produces a wide cone of light up to 18 meters long with a radius of 6 meters at the end of the beam. Later TL models have adjustable beams allowing them to also produce a tight beam of light up to 36 meters long, with a 1 meter radius, or be used to illuminate a circle of 10 meter radius.
• Infrared Goggles Permits the user to see exothermic (heat-emitting) sources in the dark.
• Light Intensifier Goggles Permits the user to see normally in anything less than total darkness by electronically intensifying any available light.
• Oil Lamp A lamp clearly illuminates a 4.5 meter radius, provides shadowy illumination out to a 9 meter radius, and burns for 6 hours on a pint of oil. You can carry a lamp in one hand.
• Torch A torch burns for 1 hour, clearly illuminating a 6 meter radius and providing shadowy illumination out to a 12 meter radius.

Shelters

Whenever characters are not indulging in the creature comforts of civilization, they need shelter, such as the items described in this section.

Table: Shelters

Description	TL	Cost	Wgt
Tarpaulin	1	Cr10	2
Tent	2	Cr200	3
Pre-Fabricated Cabin	6	Cr10,000	4,000
Basic Life Support Supplies	7	Cr100	2
Pressure Tent	7	Cr2,000	25
Advanced Base	8	Cr50,000	6,000

• Advanced Base Modular pressurized quarters for 6 persons and capable of withstanding anything less than hurricane force winds. Offers excellent shelter from precipitation and all but the most extreme of temperature ranges. Requires 12 man-hours to erect or dismantle. There are 16 modules, each, 1.5m wide by 1.5m long by 2m high that can be organized into any layout required. Dismantled and ready for shipment, the advanced base weighs 6 tons. The cost includes life-support for six people for 7 days.
• Basic Life Support Supplies Basic life support supplies (waste reclamation chemicals, oxygen supply, CO2 scrubbers, etc.) necessary to support one person for one day in an enclosed, pressurized environment, such as a pressure tent or an advanced base.
• Pre-Fabricated Cabin Modular unpressurized quarters for 6 persons and capable of withstanding light to severe winds. Offers excellent shelter from precipitation, storms, and temperatures down to -10º Celsius. Requires 8 man-hours to erect or dismantle. There are 16 modules, each, 1.5m wide by 1.5m long by 2m high that can be organized into any layout required. Dismantled and ready for shipment, the cabin weighs 4 tons.
• Pressure Tent Basic pressurized shelter for two persons, providing standard atmosphere and conditions, along with protection from precipitation, storms, and up to strong winds. There is no airlock: the tent must be depressurized to enter or leave it.
• Tarpaulin A heavy hard-wearing waterproof fabric made of canvas or similar, for outdoor use as a temporary shelter or protective covering against moisture. Measures 4 meters long by 2 meters wide.
• Tent Basic shelter for two persons offering protection from precipitation, storms, and temperatures down to 0º Celsius, and withstanding light to moderate winds. Larger, more elaborate tents capable of sheltering more people, higher winds or colder temperatures weigh and cost more.

Survival Equipment

Survival equipment helps the character stay physically alive and able to take action, even in the most unusual of environments.

Table: Survival Equipment

Description	TL	Cost	Wgt
Cold Weather Clothing	1	Cr200	2
Filter Mask	3	Cr10	—
Swimming Equipment	3	Cr200	1
Combination Mask	5	Cr150	—
Oxygen Tanks	5	Cr500	5
Respirator	5	Cr100	—
Underwater Air Tanks	5	Cr800	5
Artificial Gill	8	Cr4,000	4
Environment Suit	8	Cr500	—
Rescue Bubble	9	Cr600	3
Thruster Pack	9	Cr2,000	5
Portable Generator	10	Cr500,000	15

• Artificial Gill Extracts oxygen from water to allowing the wearer to breathe for an unlimited time while submerged under water. Functions only on worlds with thin, standard, or dense (type 4 through 9) atmospheres.
• Cold Weather Clothing Protects against frigid weather (-20º Celsius or below). Adds a DM+2 to all Endurance checks made to resist the effects of cold weather exposure. Reduce the weight by 1kg for every 5 TL.
• Combination Mask A combination of both filter mask and respirator, which allows breathing of very thin, tainted atmospheres (type 2), plus all atmospheres listed under filter and respirator masks.
• Environment Suit Designed to protect the wearer from extreme cold or heat, the environment suit has a hood, gloves and boots but leaves the face exposed in normal operations.
• Filter Mask A filter set that allows an individual to breathe tainted atmospheres (types 4, 7, and 9). Also protects against the inhalation of heavy smoke or dust.
• Oxygen Tanks A complete set of compressed oxygen tanks, which allow independent breathing in smoke, dust, gas, or exotic (type A) atmosphere. Two tanks last 6 hours. Refill of proper atmospheric mixture for race cost Cr20.
• Portable Generator This is a heavy-duty portable fusion generator, capable of recharging weapons and other equipment for up to one month of use.
• Rescue Bubble A large (2m diameter) pressurized plastic bubble. Piezoelectric layers in the bubble wall translate the user’s movements into electricity to recharge the bubble’s batteries and power its distress beacon, and a small oxygen tank both inflates the bubble and provides two person/hours of life support. A self-repairing plastic seal serves as an emergency airlock. Rescue bubbles are found on both space vessels and water craft as emergency lifeboats.
• Respirator A small compressor that allows an individual to breathe in very thin atmospheres (type 3).
• Swimming Equipment Includes swim fins, wet suit, face mask. Protects against the effects of cold (5º Celsius or below), along with improving speed and maneuverability underwater; add DM +1 to all Athletics skill checks in these situations when wearing proper swimming equipment.
• Thruster Pack A simple thruster pack gives the user the ability to maneuver in zero-gravity. A Zero-G check is required to use a thruster pack accurately. Thruster packs can only be used in microgravity environments and are only practical for journeys between spacecraft at Adjacent range.
• Underwater Air Tanks Equivalent to oxygen tanks but designed for use underwater. Two tanks last 6 hours. Refill of proper atmospheric mixture for race and expected depth cost Cr20.

Tools

Technical skills require specialist tools of various kinds.

Table: Survival Equipment

Description	TL	Cost	Wgt
Mechanical Toolkit	4	1,000	12
Electronics Toolkit	5	1,000	12
Lock Pick Set	5	10	—
Medical Kit	7	1,000	10
Forensics Toolkit	8	1,000	12
Engineering Toolkit	9	1,000	12
Scientific Toolkit	9	1,000	12
Surveying Toolkit	9	1,000	12

• Electronics Toolkit Required for electrical repairs and installations. This kit contains diagnostic sensors, hand tools, computer analysis programs (at appropriate tech levels) and spare parts.
• Engineering Toolkit Required for performing repairs and installing new equipment. This kit contains diagnostic sensors, hand tools, computer analysis programs (at appropriate tech levels) and spare parts.
• Forensics Toolkit Required for investigating crime scenes and testing samples. This kit contains diagnostic sensors, hand tools, computer analysis programs (at appropriate tech levels) and spare parts.
• Lock Pick Set Allows picking of ordinary mechanical locks. Lock pick sets are illegal on worlds of law level 8+; on such worlds the cost rises to Cr100 or more.
• Mechanical Toolkit Required for repairs and construction. This kit contains diagnostic sensors, hand tools, computer analysis programs (at appropriate tech levels) and spare parts.
• Medical Kit This medical kit contains diagnostic devices and scanners, surgical tools and a plethora of drugs and antibiotics, allowing a medic to practice his art in the field.
• Scientific Toolkit Required for scientific testing and analysis. This kit contains diagnostic sensors, hand tools, computer analysis programs (at appropriate tech levels) and spare parts.
• Surveying Toolkit Required for planetary surveys or mapping. This kit contains diagnostic sensors, hand tools, computer analysis programs (at appropriate tech levels) and spare parts.

Vehicles

In classic science fiction, characters rarely travel on foot. Vehicles play a big role in Cepheus Engine games. All vehicles have the following traits:

• TL The lowest Technology Level that the vehicle is available at.
• Skill The skill used to drive or pilot the vehicle.
• Agility (Agi) How easy the vehicle is to drive, expressed as a DM to the pilot’s skill check.
• Speed (Spd) The vehicle’s maximum speed.
• Crew and Passengers (C&P) How many people the vehicle can carry.
• Open/Closed (O/C) If the vehicle is open or closed.
• Armor How much armor the vehicle has. Damage sustained by a vehicle is reduced by its armor.
• Hull The number of hits the vehicle can sustain to its Hull before being disabled.
• Structure (Struc) The number of hits the vehicle can sustain to its Structure before being destroyed.
• Weapons (Wpns) What weapons the vehicle has, if any, and what fire arcs they are in.
• Cost How much the vehicle costs.

Table: Common Vehicles

Vehicle	TL	Skill	Agi	Spd	C&P	O/C	Armor	Hull	Struc	Wpns	Cost (KCr)
Steamship	4	Ocean Ships	-3	30 kph	5 crew, 10 psgr	Closed	2	40	40	None	720
Biplane	5	Winged Aircraft	+1	250 kph	1 pilot, 1 psgr	Closed	2	1	1	None	46
Ground Car	5	Wheeled Vehicle	+0	150 kph	1 driver, 3 psgr	Closed	6	3	2	None	6
Motor Boat	5	Motorboats	-3	120 kph	5 crew, 10 psgr	Closed	3	16	17	None	530
Helicopter	6	Rotor Aircraft	+1	100 kph	1 pilot, 7 psgr	Closed	3	2	3	None	250
Submersible	6	Submarine	-4	40kph	5 crew, 10 psgr	Closed	3	85	85	None	1,700
Twin Jet Aircraft	6	Winged Aircraft	+1	600 kph	2 pilots, 6 psgr	Closed	3	5	5	None	480
Hovercraft	7	Rotor Aircraft	+1	150 kph	1 pilot, 15 psgr	Closed	3	7	8	None	880
Air/Raft	8	Grav Vehicle	+0	400 kph	1 pilot, 3 psgr	Open	6	2	2	None	275
Speeder	8	Grav Vehicle	+2	1500 kph	1 pilot, 1 psgr	Closed	3	1	2	None	890
Destroyer	9	Ocean Ships	-5	40 kph	10 crew, 8 gunners, 12 psgr	Closed	8	63	63	None	4,800
Grav Floater	11	Grav Vehicle	-2	40 kph	1 rider	Open	—	—	1	None	0.5
AFV	12	Tracked Vehicle	+0	80 kph	1 driver, 9 psgr	Closed	18	5	5	Triple Laser (turret)	65
ATV	12	Tracked Vehicle	+0	100 kph	1 driver, 15 psgr	Closed	12	5	5	None	50
Grav Belt	12	Zero-G	+2	300	1 wearer	Open	—	—	—	None	100
G/Carrier	15	Grav Vehicle	+0	620 kph	1 driver, 1 gunner, 14 psgr	Closed	25	8	8	Fusion Gun (turret)	150

• AFV A heavily armored ATV, known as an Armored Fighting Vehicle, equipped with a triple laser turret. The lasers use the Energy Rifle skill, do 4D6 damage each using the Ranged (rifle) range modifiers, and one, two or three may be fired at the same target with one attack action.
• Air/Raft An open-topped vehicle supported by anti-gravity technology. Air/rafts can even reach orbit (taking a number of hours equal to the world’s Size code) but passengers at that altitude must wear vacc suits. They are ubiquitous, remarkably reliable and flexible vehicles.
• ATV An enclosed, pressurized all-terrain ground vehicle. The vehicle is capable of floating on calm water, and has a suite of built-in sensors and communications equipment (usually a laser transceiver) making it ideal for exploration. An ATV has a hardpoint for a turret, but does not come with a weapon normally.
• Biplane Aircraft A primitive form of aircraft with two pairs of wings, one above the other. This vehicle can only transport 100kg of cargo.
• Destroyer A fast maneuverable long-endurance watercraft built for military action, intended to escort larger watercraft in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller powerful short-range attackers. Powered by a fusion power plant, the destroyer carries deck-mounted turrets capable of firing major. Cargo capacity is limited to 40 tons, mostly used to carry ammunition.
• G/Carrier A grav carrier is effectively a flying tank, and is the standard fighting vehicle of many military forces. The turret-mounted fusion gun is a vehicle-mounted version of the TL 15 FGMP and uses the same ‘serious firepower’ rules. Advanced containment systems mean that it does not leak radiation with each shot in the same way as the man-portable version. Like the air/raft, the G/Carrier can reach orbit (taking a number of hours equal to the world’s Size code).
• Grav Belt A grav belt resembles a parachute harness, and is fitted with artificial gravity modules allowing the wearer to fly. The internal battery can operate for a maximum of four hours before needing to be recharged. At TL 15, the battery can operate for 12 hours before charging. Options cannot be added to the grav belt.
• Grav Floater A grav floater is a forerunner of the grav belt, a platform upon which a single person can stand and be carried along. It cannot achieve any great speed but can, like an air/raft, achieve any altitude up to orbit (taking a number of hours equal to the world’s Size code).
• Ground Car A ground car is a conventional wheeled automobile.
• Helicopter An aircraft that derives both lift and propulsion from one or more sets of horizontally revolving overhead rotors. It is capable of moving vertically and horizontally, the direction of motion being controlled by the pitch of the rotor blades. The helicopter can carry 500 kg of cargo.
• Hovercraft A vehicle that travels over land or water on a cushion of air provided by a downward blast, the hovercraft is only usable on words with a Thin atmosphere or thicker. The hovercraft has 3 tons of cargo space.
• Motor Boat Watercraft using hydrofoils to achieve exceptional speed and performance. The hold of the vehicle can accommodate 10 tons of cargo.
• Small Steamship A watercraft that is propelled by a steam engine. The steamship has a cargo capacity of 50 tons.
• Speeder Capable of high speed transit across a planetary surface, the speeder is a streamlined grav vehicle with a limited cargo capacity of 100kg. This vehicle only takes an hour to reach orbit.
• Submersible A watercraft designed to operate under an ocean’s surface. Submersibles are often used as transport between domed cities on waterworlds and other planets with large fluid oceans. The submersible can carry 30 tons of cargo.
• Twin Jet Aircraft A fixed-wing aircraft propelled by jet engines, often used to transport cargo. The hold has a cargo capacity of 5 tons.

Vehicle Options

With the exception of on-board computer, each of these options can only be taken once on a given vehicle.

• Autopilot (TL 11) An autopilot has a Model 1 computer specialized to run Intellect/1 and an Expert/1 in an appropriate skill and specialty. This will be in addition to any other computers installed. An autopilot is often mandatory on cheaper commercial models. In many areas (primarily urban) they are required to be in use. Higher Law Level polities may require a slave modification to the autopilot for centralized and/or emergency traffic control. Cr3,000.
• Enclosed This modification turns an open vehicle into a closed one. It costs 10% of the base cost of the vehicle, reduces Agility by 1 and top speed by 10%.
• Extended Life Support A vehicle which is sealed can be equipped for extended life support, which increases the duration to 18 hours per person. Costs another 10% of the base cost of the vehicle.
• Heavy Armor Increasing the armor of a vehicle by 5 adds 25% to the cost of the vehicle.
• High Performance A vehicle can be made into a high-performance vehicle, increasing its top speed by 20%. The vehicle costs 50% more.
• On-board Computer Adding an on-board computer costs the same as a hand computer.
• Sealed This option can be added to any closed vehicle (it is included in the ATV, AFV, G/Carrier and Speeder). The vehicle can be sealed and provides life support for its passengers and crew for two hours per person. This option adds 20% to the cost of the vehicle.
• Style Allows a vehicle to be customized to the buyer’s wishes. Costs Cr200 to Cr2,000.

Weapons

A small selection of the weaponry available in a Cepheus Engine campaign can be found in the tables below. The Law Level of a world will limit the availability of certain weapons.

Melee Weapons

A number of melee weapons are described in the Common Personal Melee Weapons table. Each column is described as follows:

• Cost Price in Credits (Cr) or 1000s of Credits (KCr).
• TL The minimum tech level required to manufacture such an item.
• Wgt Weight in grams (g) or kilograms (kg).
• Range The range category for this weapon.
• Damage The damage a weapon inflicts.
• Type Type of damage inflicted – (B)ludgeoning, (E)nergy, (P)iercing or (S)lashing.
• LL The Law Level where the weapon first becomes illegal.

Table: Common Melee Personal Weapons

Weapon	TL	Cost	Wgt	Range	Damage	Type	LL
Unarmed Strike	—	—	—	melee (close quarters)	1D6	B	—
Cudgel	0	Cr10	1kg	melee (close quarters)	3D6	B	9
Dagger	0	Cr10	250g	melee (close quarters) or ranged (thrown)	1D6	P	5
Spear	0	Cr10	1500g	melee (extended reach) or ranged (thrown)	3D6	P	8
Pike	1	Cr40	8kg	melee (extended reach)	4D6	P	8
Sword	1	Cr150	1kg	melee (extended reach)	3D6	P/S	8
Broadsword	2	Cr300	3kg	melee (extended reach)	4D6	S	8
Halberd	2	Cr75	3kg	melee (extended reach)	4D6	S	8
Bayonet	3	Cr10	250g	melee (close quarters)	1D6	P	5
Blade	3	Cr50	350g	melee (extended reach)	2D6	P	8
Cutlass	3	Cr100	1250g	melee (extended reach)	3D6	S	8
Foil	3	Cr100	500g	melee (extended reach)	3D6	P	8

• Bayonet A small knife-like weapon similar to a dagger, frequently attached to a rifle. When not attached to a rifle, the bayonet performs as a dagger.
• Blade A hybrid knife weapon with a heavy, flat two-edged blade nearly 300mm in length, and (often, but not always) a semi-basket handguard. Because of the bulk of the handguard, it is generally carried in a belt scabbard. Blades are as much survival tools as weapons, and are often found in emergency kits, lifeboats etc.
• Broadsword The largest of the sword weapons, also called the two-handed sword because it requires both hands to swing. The blade is extremely heavy, two-edged, and about 1000 to 1200mm in length. The hilt is relatively simple, generally a cross-piece only, with little basketwork or protection. When carried, the broadsword is worn in a metal scabbard attached to the belt; less frequently, the scabbard is worn on the back, and the broadsword is drawn over the shoulder.
• Cudgel A basic stick used as a weapon. Easily obtained from standing trees or through the use of an unloaded long gun such as a rifle or carbine (laser weapons are too delicate to be used as cudgels). Length: 1000 to 2000mm.
• Cutlass A heavy, flat-bladed, single-edged weapon featuring a full basket hilt to protect the hand. The cutlass is the standard shipboard blade weapon and sometimes kept in lockers on the bulkhead near important locations; when worn, a belt scabbard is used. Blade length varies from 600 to 900mm.
• Dagger A small knife weapon with a flat, two-edged blade approximately 200mm in length. Daggers are usually carried in a belt sheath, or less frequently concealed in a boot sheath or strapped to the forearm. Daggers are usually as much a tool as a last-resort weapon of defense, and worn constantly. Each weighs 250 grams; that weight, however, does not count against the weight load of the character as the weapon is worn constantly and comfortably.
• Foil Also known as the rapier, this weapon is a light, sword-like weapon with a pointed, edged blade 800mm in length, and a basket or cup hilt to protect the hand. Foils are worn in scabbards attached to the belt.
• Halberd A two-handed pole weapon having an axe-like blade and a steel spike mounted on the end of a long shaft. Length: 2500mm.
• Pike A two-handed weapon with a pointed steel or iron head on a long wooden shaft. Length: 3000 to 4000mm.
• Spear A weapon with a long shaft and a pointed tip, typically of metal, used for thrusting or throwing. Length: 3000mm.
• Sword The standard long-edged weapon, featuring a flat, two-edged blade. It may or may not have a basket hilt or hand protector. A scabbard to carry the sword may be attached to the belt, or to straps (or a sash) over the shoulder. Blade length may vary from 700 to 950mm.

Ranged Weapons

The Common Ranged Weapons table lists the ranged weapons commonly available in a Cepheus Engine campaign. Each column is described as follows:

• Cost Price in Credits (Cr) or 1000s of Credits (KCr).
• TL The minimum tech level required to manufacture such an item.
• Wgt Weight in grams (g) or kilograms (kg).
• RoF Rate of Fire. The number of rounds that may be fired during a significant action in the format: Single Shot / Burst Shot / Automatic Fire.
• Range The range category for this weapon.
• Dmg The damage a weapon inflicts.
• Type Type of damage inflicted – (B)ludgeoning, (E)nergy, (P)iercing or (S)lashing.
• Recoil Lists if the weapon has recoil when fired.
• LL The Law Level where the weapon first becomes illegal.

The Common Ranged Ammunition table describes the cost of ammunitions and power packs for certain ranged weapons. Each column is described as follows:

• Cost The cost of a full magazine of standard ammunition or power pack for a weapon.
• TL The minimum tech level required to manufacture such an item.
• Wgt The weight of a full magazine or power pack for a weapon.
• Rounds The number of rounds the weapon may fire before it must be reloaded or recharged.

Table: Common Personal Ranged Weapons

Weapon	TL	Cost	Wgt	RoF	Range	Dmg	Type	Recoil	LL
Bow	1	Cr60	1kg	1	ranged (assault weapon)	2D6	P	Yes	6
Crossbow	2	Cr75	3kg	1	ranged (rifle)	2D6	P	Yes	6
Revolver	4	Cr150	900g	1	ranged (pistol)	2D6	P	Yes	6
Auto Pistol	5	Cr200	750g	1	ranged (pistol)	2D6	P	Yes	6
Carbine	5	Cr200	3kg	1	ranged (shotgun)	2D6	P	Yes	6
Rifle	5	Cr200	4kg	1	ranged (rifle)	3D6	P	Yes	6
Shotgun	5	Cr1500	3750g	1	ranged (shotgun)	4D6	P	Yes	7
Submachinegun	5	Cr500	2500g	0/4	ranged (assault weapon)	2D6	P	Yes	4
Auto Rifle	6	Cr1000	5kg	1/4	ranged (rifle)	3D6	P	Yes	6
Assault Rifle	7	Cr300	3kg	1/4	ranged (rifle)	3D6	P	Yes	4
Body Pistol	7	Cr500	250g	1	ranged (pistol)	2D6	P	Yes	1
Laser Carbine	8	Cr2500	5kg	1	ranged (pistol)	4D6	E	No	2
Snub Pistol	8	Cr150	250g	1	ranged (pistol)	2D6	P	No	6
Accelerator Rifle	9	Cr900	2500g	1/3	ranged (rifle)	3D6	P	No	6
Laser Rifle	9	Cr3500	6kg	1	ranged (rifle)	5D6	E	No	2
Advanced Combat Rifle	10	Cr1000	3500g	1/4	ranged (rifle)	3D6	P	Yes	6
Gauss Rifle	12	Cr1500	3500g	1/4/10	ranged (rifle)	4D6	P	No	6
Laser Pistol	12	Cr1000	1200g	1	ranged (pistol)	4D6	E	No	2

Table: Common Ranged Ammunition

Weapon	TL	Cost	Wgt	Rounds
Bow	1	Cr1	25g	1
Crossbow	2	Cr2	20g	1
Revolver	4	Cr5	100g	6
Auto Pistol	5	Cr10	250g	15
Body Pistol	7	Cr20	50g	6
Snub Pistol	8	Cr10	30g	6/15
Shotgun	5	Cr10	750g	10
Rifle	5	Cr20	500g	10
Carbine	5	Cr10	125g	20
Auto Rifle	6	Cr20	500g	20
Assault Rifle	7	Cr20	330g	30
Accelerator Rifle	9	Cr25	500g	15
Advanced Combat Rifle	10	Cr15	500g	20
Gauss Rifle	12	Cr30	400g	40
Submachinegun	5	Cr20	500g	30
Laser Pistol	12	Cr100	500g	25
Laser Carbine	8	Cr200	3kg	50
Laser Rifle	9	Cr300	4kg	100

• Accelerator Rifle Designed specifically for zero-g combat, the accelerator rifle fires a specially designed round which upon leaving the barrel is accelerated by a secondary propelling charge. Normally the rifle fires bursts of three rounds per pull of the trigger, but may be adjusted to fire single rounds.
• Advanced Combat Rifle (ACR) A progressive development of the assault rifle.
• Assault Rifle A lighter and less expensive version of the automatic rifle.
• Automatic Rifle A highly refined and tuned version of the rifle, capable of full automatic fire as well as semi-automatic shots. Normally, the automatic rifle fires bursts of four bullets for each pull of the trigger. It may be switched to semi-automatic fire at the end of a combat round, after all firing, in which case it is treated as a rifle until switched back to burst mode. Ammunition and magazines are identical to those used for the rifle.
• Auto Pistol Also referred to as a Semi-Automatic Pistol, Automatic Pistol or just a Pistol, the auto pistol is a basic repeating handgun. One cartridge is fired for each pull of the trigger. Auto pistol ammunition is interchangeable with submachinegun ammunition (although magazines are not). Preloaded magazines may be inserted into an empty pistol, but require a reload action to complete.
• Body Pistol A small, non-metallic semiautomatic pistol designed to evade detection by most weapon detectors. One cartridge is fired for each pull of the trigger. Pre-loaded magazines may be inserted into the pistol when it is empty, requiring a reload action to do so. Body pistol ammunition is not interchangeable with the ammunition for any other types of guns.
• Bow A stout but supple piece of wood carved to a specific shape and strung with a piece of cord, string or gut to increase tension. The string is pulled back and released to hurl an arrow long distances with surprising force. At higher technology levels, bows are modified with additional strings and pulley systems to add accuracy and power.
• Carbine A short type of rifle firing a small caliber round. A magazine containing ten rounds is inserted into the underside of the carbine ahead of the trigger guard or behind the handgrip (this configuration is referred to as “Bullpup”, and in some localities carbines may be referred to as Bullpups), and one round is fired with each pull of the trigger. Replacement of an empty magazine takes a reload action. Carbine ammunition is not interchangeable with any other type of ammunition. In essence, a carbine is a short rifle, firing a cartridge of smaller, lighter caliber. A sling usually allows the carbine to be carried on the shoulder, out of the way.
• Crossbow A horizontal bow set into a mechanical firing mechanism and stronger-than-normal pull, crossbows are very powerful weapons that are very time consuming to reload. At higher technology levels, crossbows are built with crank and pulley systems that make the weapons easier to reload, even self-loading at TL9. Reloading a TL2 crossbow takes 6 minor actions, at TL4 this is reduced to 3 minor actions.
• Gauss Rifle The ultimate development of the slug thrower, the gauss rifle generates an electromagnetic field along the length of the barrel which accelerates a bullet to high velocities. The round itself consists of a dense armor piercing core surrounded by a softer metal covering, ending in a hollow point, giving the round excellent stopping power and good armor penetration.
• Laser Carbine A lightweight version of the laser rifle, firing high energy bolts using current from a backpack battery/power pack. The laser carbine fires a 2mm beam of energy, aimed by integrated optic sights. The power pack is capable of producing 50 shots before it requires recharging. Recharging requires at least eight hours connected to a high-energy source. The laser carbine is connected to the power pack by a heavy-duty cable.
• Laser Pistol A pistol equivalent of the laser carbine, though still dependent on an external power pack.
• Laser Rifle The standard high energy weapon, firing energy bolts in the same manner as the laser carbine. Heavier, the laser rifle is also capable of longer sustained action, and is somewhat sturdier. The power pack can provide 100 shots before recharging. As in the laser carbine, the laser rifle is connected to the power pack by a heavy-duty cable. Power packs are not interchangeable between the two weapons, however.
• Revolver An early handgun, the revolver fires 9mm bullets with characteristics similar to those used by the automatic pistol but not interchangeable with them. No magazine is used: six cartridges are inserted into the revolver individually. Reloading takes two combat rounds, or one combat round if the individual foregoes the benefit of evasion.
• Rifle The standard military arm, firing a 7mm, 10 gram bullet at a velocity of approximately 900 meters per second. Longer and heavier than a carbine, it is also more effective. Standard equipment includes provisions for attaching a bayonet and telescopic sights, and a shoulder sling. A twenty-round magazine is attached to the front of the trigger guard, and one round is fired with each pull of the trigger. Replacement of the empty magazine requires a reload action. Rifle ammunition may also be used in automatic rifles; rifle and auto rifle magazines are interchangeable, and weigh the same.
• Shotgun The basic weapon for maximum shock effect without regard to accuracy. The shotgun has an 18mm diameter barrel and fires shells containing either six 7mm bullets, or one hundred and thirty 3mm pellets. In each case, the projectiles weigh a total of 30 grams. Velocity for the projectiles is about 350 meters per second. A cylindrical magazine containing 10 shells is inserted under the barrel and parallel to it; cartridges are then fed automatically into the shotgun for firing. Reloading consists of replacing the cylindrical magazine and takes two combat rounds. One shot is fired for each pull of the trigger. Magazines measure approximately 350mm long by 20mm in diameter and are quite clumsy to carry. Shotguns are equipped with a sling for carrying.
• Snub Pistol A low velocity revolver designed for use shipboard and in zero-g environments.
• Submachinegun (SMG) A small automatic weapon designed to fire pistol ammunition. Magazines holding 30 cartridges are inserted into the weapon forward of the trigger guard or in the pistol grip, depending on the design. The gun fires a burst of four rounds per pull of the trigger. Replacement of an empty magazine requires one combat round. Submachinegun ammunition (but not magazines) is interchangeable with autopistol ammunition. Most submachineguns are equipped with slings for ease of carrying. Some are small enough to be carried in a shoulder or hip holster.

Ranged Weapon Options

The following options are generally available for certain ranged weapons.

• Folding Stocks Carbines, rifles, and shotguns can be equipped with folding stocks which make it possible to reduce the overall length of the weapon by 300mm.
• Grenade Launcher An underslung RAM grenade launcher can be added to any rifle. This grenade launcher has a magazine of one grenade, cannot fire on automatic and takes four minor actions to reload.
• Gyrostabilizer Stabilizers can be added to any weapon with recoil, reducing the recoil penalty by one point (to DM-1).
• Intelligent Weapon This adds a Model/ 0 computer to any weapon. The TL 13 upgrade adds Model /1 to any weapon, for Cr5,000.
• Laser Sight Integrated optics and laser sights give an extra +1 DM bonus to any attack that has been aimed. At TL 10, x-ray lasers and improved display technology removes the tell-tale ‘red dot’ of a vislight laser. Cr200.
• Laser Telescopic Sights Electronic sights combining the capabilities of both electronic and telescopic sights. They are still rather fragile.
• Secure Weapon A secure weapon requires authentication in some fashion (scanning the user’s DNA or iris patterns, entering a password, transmission of an unlocking code from a comm) before it can be fired.
• Shoulder Stocks It is possible to produce a shoulder stock which may be attached temporarily to a pistol or revolver, resulting in a crude carbine arrangement and some greater accuracy at longer ranges. When firing a pistol or revolver equipped with such a stock, treat the weapon as ranged (shotgun). The overall length of the pistol is increased by the length of the stock, and the pistol cannot be holstered. Attaching the stock (or detaching it) requires five combat rounds.
• Silencer A silencer can be added to any slug thrower with ROF 4 or less, masking the sound produced by firing. (–4 DM to detect.)
• Telescopic Sights High-quality telescopic sights for attachment to weapons, for increasing their accuracy, especially at longer ranges. A weapon equipped with such sights gains an extra +1 DM bonus to any attack that has been aimed. Telescopic sights are delicate, however, and may be jarred out of alignment by any violent action (such as being left untended in a moving truck, a close explosion, or being dropped) on an 8+ on 2D6. When the sights go out of adjustment, the firer will always miss.

Table: Ranged Weapon Accessories

Accessory	TL	Cost	Wgt (kg)
Shoulder Stocks	5	Cr75	1
Folding Stocks	6	Cr100	0.5
Telescopic Sights	6	Cr200	0.8
Grenade Launcher	8	Cr1000	—
Laser Sights	8	Cr100	1.5
Silencer	8	Cr250	—
Gyrostabilizer	9	Cr300	—
Laser Telescopic Sights	9	Cr3000	1.8
Secure Weapon	10	Cr100	—
Intelligent Weapon	11	Cr1000	—

Grenades

A grenade is a small explosive device designed to be thrown by hand (treat as Ranged (thrown) for Difficulty by range) or launched from a grenade launcher (treat as Ranged (shotgun) for Difficulty by range). A number of grenades are described in the Common Grenades table. Each column is described as follows:

• Cost Price in Credits (Cr) for a case of six grenades.
• TL The minimum tech level required to manufacture such an item.
• Wgt Weight per grenade in grams (g) or kilograms (kg).
• Damage The damage a weapon inflicts.
• LL The Law Level where the weapon first becomes illegal.

Table: Ranged Weapon Accessories

Weapon	TL	Cost per Case	Wgt	Damage	LL
Frag	6	180	0.5	5D6/3D6/1D6; see description	1
Smoke	6	90	0.5	Special; see description	1
Aerosol	9	90	0.5	Special; see description	1
Stun	9	180	0.5	3D6 stun; see description	1

• Aerosol Aerosol grenades create a fine mist six meters in radius that diffuses lasers but does not block normal vision. Any laser attack made through the mist has its damage reduced by 10. Laser communications through the mist are completely blocked. The mist dissipates in 1D6x3 rounds, although high winds and other extreme weather can sharply reduce this time.
• Frag The damage from fragmentation grenades decreases with distance from the blast:
• Smoke Smoke grenades create a thick cloud of smoke six meters in radius, centered on the location of the grenade. This smoke imposes a –2 DM on all attacks within or through the cloud (doubled for laser weapons). Smoke dissipates in 1D6x3 rounds, although high winds and other extreme weather can sharply reduce this time.
• Stun Stun weapons, such as stun grenades, are non-lethal and do not inflict normal damage. A character within six meters of a stun grenade detonation must make an Endurance check with a negative DM equal to the damage (after armor is subtracted). If this Endurance check is failed the character is knocked unconscious. If the Endurance check is successful, the character is unaffected by the weapon and the stun damage is ignored.

Table: Frag Grenade Damage by Distance

Distance	Damage
3 meters	5D6
6 meters	3D6
9 meters	1D6

Heavy Weapons

Heavy weapons are man-portable and larger weapons that cause extreme property damage. Common Heavy Weapons table lists the heavy weapons commonly available in a Cepheus Engine campaign. Each column is described as follows:

• Cost Price in Credits (Cr) or 1000s of Credits (KCr).
• TL The minimum tech level required to manufacture such an item.
• Wgt Weight in grams (g) or kilograms (kg).
• RoF Rate of Fire. The number of rounds that may be fired during a significant action in the format: Single Shot / Auto
• Range The range category for this weapon.
• Damage The damage a weapon inflicts.
• Recoil Lists if the weapon has recoil when fired.
• LL The Law Level where the weapon first becomes illegal.

The Common Heavy Weapons Ammunition table describes the cost of ammunitions and power packs for certain heavy weapons. Each column is described as follows:

• Cost The cost of a full magazine of standard ammunition or power pack for a weapon
• TL The minimum tech level required to manufacture such an item.
• Wgt The weight of a full magazine or power pack for a weapon.
• Rounds The number of rounds the weapon may fire before it must be reloaded or recharged.

Table: Common Heavy Weapons

Weapon	TL	Cost	Wgt	RoF	Range	Damage	Recoil	LL
Grenade Launcher	7	400	6	1	ranged (shotgun)	By grenade	Yes	3
Rocket Launcher	7	2,000	6	1	ranged (rocket)	4D6	No	3
RAM Grenade Launcher	8	800	6	1/3	ranged (assault weapon)	By grenade	Yes	3
PGMP	12	20,000	10	1/4	ranged (rifle)	10D6	Yes	2
FGMP	14	100,000	12	1/4	ranged (rifle)	16D6	Yes	2

Table: Common Heavy Weapon Ammunition

Weapon	TL	Cost	Wgt	Rounds
Grenade Launcher	7	180	0.5	6
Rocket Launcher	7	300	1	1
RAM Grenade Launcher	8	180	0.5	6
PGMP	12	2,500	6	40
FGMP	14	65,000	9	40

• FGMP (Fusion Gun, Man-Portable) It includes a gravity suspension system to reduce its inertia, making it easier to use than the PGMP (minimum Strength 9) and fires what amounts to a directed nuclear explosion. Those without radiation protection who are nearby when a FGMP is fired will suffer a lethal dose of radiation – each firing of an FGMP emits 2D6 x 20 rads, which will affect everyone within the immediate vicinity.
• Grenade Launcher Grenade launchers are used to fire grenades over long distances. Grenades for a grenade launcher are not interchangeable with handheld grenades.
• PGMP (Plasma Gun, Man-Portable) It is so heavy and bulky that it can only be used easily by a trooper with a Strength of 12 or more – usually attained by wearing battle dress. Every point by which a user’s Strength falls short is a –1 DM on any attack rolls made with it.
• RAM Grenade Launcher Rocket Assisted Multi-purpose grenade launchers have a longer range and are capable of firing up to three grenades with a single attack. This uses the rules for firing on full auto; unlike other automatic weapons, a RAM grenade launcher cannot fire in burst mode. It takes two minor actions to reload a RAM grenade launcher. Grenades for a RAM grenade launcher are not interchangeable with handheld grenades.
• Rocket Launcher To counteract the recoil of the weapon, a rocket launcher channels exhaust backwards in an explosive back blast. Anyone up to 1.5 meters behind a rocket launcher when it fires takes 3D6 damage from the burning gasses. Vehicle-mounted rocket launchers lose this side-effect as a vehicle is a more stable firing platform than a person. It takes three minor actions to reload a rocket launcher. The rockets presented are high-explosive models. Do not add the Effect of the attack roll to their damage but apply that damage to everything within six meters of the impact point. A rocket that misses has a 50% chance (4+ on 1D6) of detonating upon impact with the ground (6 – Effect meters away in a random direction). Otherwise it will miss completely and leave the battlefield without striking anything or detonating.