Vehicular Upgrades

Ranathim Mechanic
by Dan Smith

I wrote the post on vehicular extra effort so I could write this post.

I've been struggling for a long time as to how to handle people kitting out their rides.  Several people have pointed out that Han Solo flew a "modded" YT-1300 light freighter, and even if we set aside Star Wars, the whole point of series like the Fast and the Furious is to brag about how cool your vehicle is.  Technologically minded characters will want to roll back their sleeves and upgrade or modify their vehicle somehow, and fighter Aces and Smugglers will want to brag about how their signature ship is "the fastest in the Galaxy."

The problem here, though, is that GURPS Vehicles is awfully complicated.  For example, if you swap out one engine for another that's twice as powerful in output, that doesn't mean your vehicle is twice as fast as it was.  What if the engine is heavier? And even if it isn't, aerodynamics (or hyperspatial hyperdynamics) will have something to say about it, as you get diminishing returns.  Thus, we need to break out the spread sheets every time we mod a vehicle.  In a sense, the genius of GURPS Spaceships was to waive all that complexity away by creating a very modular system.  In GURPS Spaceship, you really can just swap out one engine for another! But we've discarded that system, as it creates some other issues.

So, I built Redjack vehicles to tackle this problem. If you want a modular vehicle, you don't get a Valiant or a Javelin, you get a Wildcat.  In creating them, I did several quick variations, streamlined some elements, and then gave you the modules you could load.  But that gives you a modular vehicle.  That lets you swap out one blaster cannon for another, or slot in some accessory, like a hyperdrive, cloaking system or force screen. What if all you want to do is tune up your vehicle?  What if you just want it to be faster or tougher?

GURPS Action has a variant of this: they let you downgrade your vehicle for -10% price for some random problem, typically a -1 to something on your stat line.  Why can't we just do the reverse?  This doesn't represent do something like getting a fundamentally different engine, but doing some minor tinkering and gadgeteering, like tweaking the engine to be a bit more efficient, or rewiring the power system to be more resilient, or adding a turbo.  They're meant to be simple statline manipulations or a few minor tweaks to customize your experience, as an optional rule.

What follows is intended for Psi-Wars, but should work in any game with some modifications.

Upgrading Your Vehicle

All upgrades increase the price of your vehicle by 20%.  If you purchase your vehicle as signature gear, then each upgrade is a +10% enhancement to your signature gear.  A gadgeteer may attempt to modify the vehicle directly; all modifications are Average complexity inventions, but the total price of the parts is 20% of the vehicle, rather than the standard cost of an Average complexity invention.

Characters with Gizmos may use one up to ret-con a temporary modification to their vehicle.  After the scene in which the the Gizmo assists the vehicle, the upgrade "breaks down" and the vehicle returns to its normal functionality.  Vehicular Gizmos are a -20% limitation, costing 4/level rather than 5/level.

The GM may wish to limit the number of upgrades a PC can take; a suggested value is 2.  An optional perk related to this:

• Chopper: In games that don't normally allow vehicular Upgrades, the PC may have a vehicle with up to two upgrades; in games that do allow it, Chopper increases the number of upgrades allowed by two per level.

The Upgrades

Unless otherwise stated, each upgrade can be taken only once.

• Advanced Hyperspatial Drive: If the vehicle has a hyperdrive, increase the Hyperspatial Drive rating by +1. This is a Complex complexity invention and the GM may choose to limit its availability outside of signature vehicles.
• Chassis Reinforcement:  +10% ST and +10% DR.
• Cutting Edge ECM: Improve ECM value by -1, add +2 to all ECM contests, and +1 to dodge attempts against missiles.  This counts as a TL 12 ECM system and may counter cutting edge sensors.  This is a Complex complexity invention and the GM may choose to limit its availability outside of signature vehicles.
• Cutting Edge Sensors: Increase the Acc bonus granted by a targeting computer by +1, and add +2 to all Sensor rolls.  This is a TL 12 sensor system, and cannot be jammed by a TL 11 ECM system!  This a Complex complexity invention and the GM may choose to limit its availability outside of signature vehicles..
• Distortion Chassis:   Improve the vehicle's ECM rating by -1, and apply a -6 to all attempts to scan the interior of your vehicle, unless your vehicle already has a distortion mesh, in which case improve its penalty to -8.
• Emergency Response Systems: If your vehicle is combustible (c), flammable (f) or explosive (x), it no longer is.
• Fine Tuned Controls:  +1 Handling.
• Fine Tuned Engine: +20% top speed.
• Fuel Efficiency:  +20% range.
• Hardened Systems: Resist +3 vs Surge effects (including EM disruptors, EMP warheads, and the psychic Surge ability).
• Overcharged Force Screen:  +20% Force Screen DR.
• Redundant Power Systems: Gain 3 Emergency Power Reserves; this can be taken up to three times (the third grants +4, rather than +3 emergency power reserves).
• Ruggedized Systems: +1 HT.
• Supercharged Engine: You may double the vehicle's Move for 3 minutes; during this time, any control roll of 14 or higher counts as a control failure. This may be taken twice; the second time, the vehicle may double its speed for up to 5 minutes and any control roll of 16 or higher counts as a control failure.