TEXT:  
  Mutant Bikers of the Atomic 
  Wastelands 
   
   
  The Post-Apocalyptic Game of Big Guns, Big Bikes and Diminutive IQs 
   
   
   
  Original Game by James Boldry 
  Savaged by Bill ‘JB’ Littlefield 
   
   
   
  The material presented here is intended for use with the Savage Worlds system from Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Savage Worlds and all 
  affiliated logos are Trademarks of the Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Inc. © 2001 the Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Inc. Savage Worlds is 
  Copyright 2003-2007, the Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Inc. Mutant Bikers of the Atomic Wastelands is © James Boldry. FUDGE is © Steffan 
  O’Sullivan and Grey Ghost Games. This work is not an officially licensed product and has no affiliation with the Pinnacle Entertainment 
  Group, Inc., James Boldry, Steffan O’Sullivan, or Grey Ghost Games. James Boldry has given permission to the author to use the content 
  and graphics from MBAW in this document. All original material is © 2003-2007 William Littlefield. 
  
  INTRODUCTION
  INTRODUCTION
  INTRODUCTION
  INTRODUCTION    
   
  Mutant Bikers of the Atomic Wastelands (MBAW) is 
  an original work by James Boldry originally created 
  for use with the FUDGE rules by Steffan O’Sullivan.  
  This conversion is a derivative work that seeks to 
  capture the feel of MBAW using the Savage Worlds 
  rules. There is no detailed setting for this game—it is 
  the epitome of the “beer & pretzels RPG”. 
  Rather than try to explain the premise behind 
  the game, I’ll let James do it for you: 
   
   
  “Welcome to MBAW, the post-apocalypse game of 
  big guns, big bikes and diminutive IQs. In MBAW you 
  play the role of Wastelands bikers (mutations are 
  optional). 
  Wasteland bikers are free spirited individuals 
  who live a nomadic existence roaming across the 
  Atomic Wastelands. They travel on their powerful 
  motorcycles, sometimes alone, sometimes in small 
  groups. Bikers ride from the ruins of one town to the 
  next, searching for fuel and spare parts so that they 
  can ride on to the next town and search for fuel 
  and spare parts. 
  Bikers value their freedom (to ride from town to 
  town...) and their bikes above all else. They hate 
  the gangers, who threaten their freedom and pity 
  the 'Peds' (pedestrians—poor sods without wheels). 
  A Wasteland biker lives in terror of losing his bike 
  and becoming a Ped himself. 
  Set in a vague not-so-distant future sort of time, 
  the world of MBAW is an anarchic, barbaric and 
  dangerous place. The bikers share the Wastelands 
  with the murderous gangs, the deranged remains 
  of the US Army and a host of radioactive mutant 
  monsters.” 
   
   
  That’s about all you need to get an idea of the 
  type of setting that we’ll be playing in – the GM 
  should feel free to add specific details to suit his 
  group’s particular tastes.  
   
   
  CREATING A CHARACTER
  CREATING A CHARACTER
  CREATING A CHARACTER
  CREATING A CHARACTER    
   
  Characters are created according to the rules in 
  the Savage Worlds rulebook—any changes are 
  noted in the appropriate sections hereafter. 
   
  RACE 
  All characters are humans. Of course, without the 
  possibility for mutations things wouldn’t be as fun. 
  Rather than bore creative GMs with a “laundry list” 
  of possible mutations we’ll just say that all mutations 
  are treated as Edges. If a character wants to play a 
  mutant he must take a mutation as his free Edge.  
   
  ATTRIBUTES 
  Attributes are handled as described in the Savage 
  Worlds rulebook. 
   
  SKILLS 
  Rather than 15 skill points, MBAW characters only 
  receive 3. All characters in MBAW receive the 
  following skills for free:  
   
  • 
  Drive like a Maniac (Driving) 
  • 
  Hit Real Hard (Fighting) 
  • 
  Take it Like a Man (Guts) 
  • 
  From Da Hood (Streetwise) 
  • 
  Scrounge (Survival) 
  • 
  Would Ya Look at That! (Notice) 
   
  In addition, each character may choose one 
  additional skill from the following list for free:  
   
  • 
  I’m Gonna Kick Your A** (Intimidate) 
  • 
  B&E Man (Lockpicking) 
  • 
  Fix Broken Stuff (Repair) 
  • 
  Straight Shooter (Shooting) 
  • 
  Move Real Quiet (Stealth) 
   
  All free skills default to their linked ability and are 
  raised according to the rules found in the Savage 
  Worlds rulebook. Additional skills are bought and 
  raised in the normal manner. In keeping with the 
  feel of MBAW, any Knowledge skill not related to 
  machinery, weapons, or blowing stuff up cost 
  double the normal costs to learn and improve. 
   
  HINDRANCES 
  Hindrances are handled according to the rules 
  given in the Savage Worlds rulebook. 
    
  EDGES 
  Just like in Savage Worlds. All characters receive 
  one free Edge at character creation—characters 
  wishing to play a mutant must take a mutation as 
  
  their free Edge. Here are a few examples—GMs 
  should feel free to be creative in this area: 
   
  • 
  Third eye on an eyestalk: +2 to Notice 
  • 
  Scaly skin: +2 points of Armor 
  • 
  Sticky Limbs: Wall walker monstrous ability 
  • 
  Claws: May make unarmed attacks at STR+2 
   
  The following Edges really have no place in a 
  MBAW game; however, if you feel the need to 
  include them, than whom am I to tell you not to: 
   
  • 
  Arcane Background (Magic or Miracles) 
  • 
  Noble 
  • 
  Rich / Filthy Rich 
   
  GEAR 
  Remember, this is a post-apocalyptic wasteland. 
  Any gear that you allow should fit in with the 
  background. Firearms and ammunition should be 
  available in limited quantities. Things like rocket 
  launchers and grenades are even harder to come 
  by. I won’t bore you with a list of available gear—
  just use the lists provided in the Savage Worlds 
  rulebook and your good judgment as a guide! 
  Money is also a hard thing to come by. The 
  “currency” of MBAW is water, food, oil, and gas. 
  Most bikers just use brute force to take what they 
  want. All characters are assumed to possess a 
  motorcycle (trick it out however you like—the more 
  it looks like something out of a Mad Max movie, the 
  better!), basic clothing, enough rations to get them 
  by for a couple of days, a knife, and some basic 
  “adventuring” gear (torches, rope, etc…). 
  To 
  determine 
  your 
  character’s 
  additional 
  starting gear, roll a d6 once for each of the 
  following tables.  
   
  1 
   
  Brass Knuckles 
  2 
  Bat with spikes or meat cleaver (STR+2) 
  3 
   
  Axe or sword (STR +3) 
  4 
   
  Crossbow and 20 quarrels 
  5 
   
  Pistol (Glock 9mm with 1 full magazine) 
  6 
  Shotgun (Sawed-off DB with 18 rounds) 
   
  1 
   
  No Armor 
  2-4  
  A leather shirt: +1 Armor – torso only 
  5 
   
  A chain mail shirt: +2 Armor – torso only 
  6 
  A Kevlar vest:  +2/+4 (vs. bullets) Armor – 
  torso only 
   
  This is all the gear you get, so make it last! 
  Additional gear will have to be scrounged or 
  otherwise obtained (bought, traded for, or stolen) 
  during the course of the game. 
   
   
  Game Rules
  Game Rules
  Game Rules
  Game Rules    
   
  Just use the Savage Worlds rules as written! 
   
  Bestiary
  Bestiary
  Bestiary
  Bestiary    
   
  Here are some descriptions to get you going.  
   
  GANGERS 
  Gangs come in all shapes and forms. The one thing 
  that defines them all is that they exist only to make 
  life miserable for others—Peds and rival bikers alike.  
  For practical purposes you might want to 
  subdivide Gangers in three categories: Crap (Weak 
  Extra), Average (Extra) and Top Dog (Wild Card) 
  gangers. The first are pretty wimpy and they exist 
  mainly for comedic relief. Average gangers are 
  your basic cannon fodder. Top Dog gangers are 
  almost Wild Card material. Top Dog gangers are 
  tough, so you might want to use one as the leader 
  of an Average Gang. A group might also be used 
  as the elite body guard of the leader of a major 
  gang (known as a Big Boss). 
   
  Crap Gangers: d4 in all attributes and free skills. 
  Armed with brass knuckles, baseball bat/meat 
  cleaver, or axe/sword (pick one). Pace 6”. Parry 4. 
  Toughness 4. 
   
  Average Gangers: d6 in all attributes and free skills. 
  Armed with axe/sword, pistol, or crossbow (pick 
  one). Roll on the Armor Table to determine if any 
  armor is worn. Pace 6”. Parry 5. Toughness 5 (or 
  more, if armor is worn). 
   
  Top Dogs: Create as a Novice Wild Card. 
   
   
   
   
  
  “PEDS” 
  Peds (Pedestrians) are ordinary folk who have to 
  grow food and do stuff for a living. They tend to live 
  in small, isolated communities. A Ped might own a 
  bike, but if he does not embrace the lifestyle he is 
  still a Ped. Peds are hopeless in combat. 
   
  Peds: d4 in all attributes and free skills (except Drive 
  Like a Maniac and From Da Hood—which they 
  don’t have; Fix Broken Stuff or Move Real Quiet—
  which they have at d6; and any one Sissy skill at 
  d8). Armed with baseball bats or pipes (STR 
  damage) or small knives (at best). Pace 6”. Parry 4. 
  Toughness 4. 
  Peds may never personally possess any form of 
  transportation (other than their own feet); however, 
  a group of Peds may have a mechanical form of 
  transportation 
  that’s 
  considered 
  “communal 
  property” (such as a bus, minivan, or station 
  wagon). 
   
  GHOULS 
  Ghouls eat people. Ghouls kill people. However 
  they can't eat the people they kill. What Ghouls 
  have learned to do is to lure people to dangerous 
  places and hope for the best. Ghouls can be pretty 
  clever and a few of them can pass as humans (in 
  the dark, downwind...). 
   
  Ghoul: Agility, Strength, and Vigor: d8; Smarts and 
  Spirit: d6; Hit Real Hard, Take it Like a Man, and I’m 
  Gonna Kick Your A** at d8; Would Ya Look at That 
  at d6. Pace 6”. Parry 6. Toughness 8. Special 
  Abilities: Claws (STR+2) and Bite (STR) as a single 
  attack with no MAP; +2 Toughness; +2 to recover 
  from Shaken; Characters wounded by a Ghoul 
  must make a Vigor roll for each wound—failure 
  indicates that the wound is infected and will take 
  twice as long to heal (10 days for natural healing or 
  requiring a raise when using Healing). 
   
   
  ARMY MEN 
   
   When the bomb went off, 
  the military made sure they 
  were safe and sound in 
  their underground bunkers. 
  However, 
  generations 
  of 
  living 
  underground 
  has 
  turned 
  them 
  into 
  pale, 
  sickly, deranged creatures 
  with a taste for human flesh 
  and an obsessive desire to 
  rid the USA of all communist 
  mutants. Army soldiers can 
  count on good weapons 
  like SMGs and flamers. They 
  might also have AFVs and 
  robots 
  at 
  their 
  disposal. 
  Army 
  men 
  do 
  not 
  like 
  sunlight. 
   
  Army Men: Use the stats for Zombies as given in the 
  Savage Worlds rulebook. Additionally, they suffer a 
  –2 penalty to all actions when operating in the 
  daylight. Arm them with one of the following (all 
  start 
  with 
  Very 
  High 
  ammo 
  levels): 
  pistol, 
  submachine gun, M16, SAW, or M60.  
   
  MOLDMEN 
   
  Moldmen live in sewers, 
  abandoned basements 
  and other such dark, 
  underground 
  places. 
  They are not evil, but 
  are 
  fiercely 
  territorial 
  and will not tolerate any 
  intrusion. Moldmen do 
  not seem to be great 
  fighters; however they 
  do emit a stench that 
  requires 
  a 
  successful 
  Take It like a Man result 
  to resist. Otherwise the character is at –2 on all 
  actions for the duration of the encounter. Moldmen 
  take half damage from all weapons except those 
  that are flame-based. 
   
  Moldmen: d4 in all attributes; Hit Real Hard and 
  Take it Like a Man at d4; Scrounge and Would Ya 
  Look at That at d6; Move Real Quiet at d8. Pace 5”. 
  Parry 4. Toughness 4. Moldmen usually avoid direct 
  confrontation, preferring to ambush or trap intruders 
  instead. They are usually armed with primitive knives 
  and spears. Anyone killed by the Moldmen will be 
  transformed into one if his body is not recovered. 
   
  
  KILLER ROBOTS 
  The US Army Sterilizer 
  Unit (as the “killer 
  robot” is known to 
  the Army Men) is a 
  fearsome opponent. 
  It has a mounted 
  chain-gun on one 
  arm and a heavy 
  claw on the other. 
  The 
  mounted 
  gun 
  can be converted 
  into 
  a 
  portable 
  weapon 
  with 
  a 
  successful Fix Broken 
  Stuff 
  roll 
  and 
  3-4 
  hours of hard work 
  (let's face it, you know your players will want to try). 
   
   
  Killer Robots:  All attributes (except Spirit, which they 
  don’t possess) at d8; Hit Real Hard and Straight 
  Shooter at d8; Chain Gun (Treat as a M2 Browning 
  MG with Very High ammo—laser sighted for +2 on 
  Straight Shooter rolls); Heavy Claw (STR+5). Pace 6”. 
  Parry 6. Toughness 6. Special Abilities: Armor +2 (all 
  around), Fearless, Construct. 
   
  RADIOACTIVE MONSTERS 
  The radioactivity from the Atomic Wastelands had 
  drastic effects on the local fauna and flora: it pretty 
  much killed it off. But those that survived got 
  smarter, bigger or simply meaner. These are the 
  monsters that populate the world of MBAW. You 
  can have any kind of monster in MBAW. Giant ants 
  having 
  picnics, 
  Japanese-style 
  city-stompers; 
  anything goes. You might also consider special 
  invulnerabilities.  I leave the creation of these 
  creatures to the imaginations of individual GMs! 
   
  Tips for Running MBAW
  Tips for Running MBAW
  Tips for Running MBAW
  Tips for Running MBAW    
   
  MBAW was designed very much as a beer and 
  pretzel game. It is meant to be a fun way to blow 
  off some steam, create some wacky characters 
  and watch them go in a spectacular in a ball of 
  flames. 
  The game works best if adventures have an 
  episodic structure. MBAW is not intended as 
  campaign material. The setting is not real or 
  consistent enough to sustain the close scrutiny of a 
  campaign and the nomadic lifestyle premise is a 
  tad too shallow. To run A MBAW campaign, you 
  need something more. We ran a short MBAW 
  campaign by making all the characters musicians 
  in a band and replacing the bikes with musical 
  instruments. This gave the players something more 
  substantial to build their character on rather than 
  just sheer wanderlust. But by and large, running 
  MBAW should come across more like a collection of 
  loosely connected short stories than a novel.  
  The following tips describe ways to capture the 
  intended tone of the game. Clearly, the GM can 
  do whatever they wish with MBAW, including not 
  run it at all.  
   
  Pace 
  It is pretty obvious that a game based on bikers will 
  benefit from a break neck pace. From character 
  creation to character cremation, you'll want things 
  to move fast. Try to give the game that 'wind 
  rushing through your hair' feeling. You know that 
  you are doing things right when the players start 
  making 'vroom, vroom' noises.  
   
  Color 
  Ultimately, color is what the game is all about. Your 
  challenge as GM of MBAW is to inject as many 
  quirky, deranged and bizarre details in the setting 
  and NPCs as you can. Even in the context of a 
  random encounter, try to add that extra bit of 
  detail. Maybe everyone in this particular gang 
  wears an old, tattered tuxedo or perhaps they only 
  use cooking implements as weapons. In the end it 
  doesn't matter if this distinguishing feature isn't 
  particularly funny or original. Every little bit adds to 
  the general chaos. The main exception to this rule is 
  the Peds, who should always remain in the 
  background. 
    
  The Terrible Truth 
  There is one secret that the players must never 
  discover about MBAW. And that is, at the end of 
  the day, the Peds are the only people who really 
  matter. They are the ones with real lives and who 
  doing important things like raising families and 
  slowly rebuilding the world. When you think about it, 
  bikers and gangers are pretty irrelevant in the 
  scheme of things. This is why the players must never 
  be given the chance to think about it. Should your 
  players ever start thinking about these issues, talk 
  about settling down and start making plans for their 
  old age, you've clearly made the world too real. It'll 
  be difficult to recapture the wild and reckless spirit 
  the game was designed for. Introspection and 
  MBAW just don't mix.  
  Keeping up a fast pace is one way of keeping 
  the players mind off from the Terrible Truth. The 
  other thing you can do is to break up any sense of 
  continuity. 
  While most games improve as the setting 
  becomes more developed and detailed, in MBAW 
  continuity is dangerous. Any sense of continuity 
  gives the players a logical framework with which to
  
  start making sense of the world. That's bad. Not only 
  does it bring the player one step closer to the 
  Terrible Truth; it also limits the GMs creative options. 
  The last thing you need is a smartass player asking 
  such embarrassing questions as "What's a dinosaur 
  doing here anyway?"  
  A few simple steps can help reduce the sense 
  of continuity such as: 
   
  • 
  Don't give players maps. Don't even think in 
  terms of maps. 
  • 
  Don't make Ped settlements too interesting. 
  Sometimes just giving the settlement a 
  name is too much. Hell, don't even give 
  Peds names if you can avoid it. 
  • 
  Use those cinematic fades or sharp cuts 
  between scenes. 
  • 
  Don't attempt to account for the time 
  between adventures. If you decide to run 
  one episode in the ruins of Washington DC 
  and the next somewhere with a generic 
  Mexican feel, don't bother to tell the players 
  how the characters got there, how long it 
  took or even why they went there in the first 
  place. In theory the adventures might not 
  even be in chronological order, though that 
  gets very confusing. 
  • 
  Remember the only things they can take 
  with them between sessions are their EP and 
  a few more interesting bits of junk. Make 
  sure characters re-roll for all their weapons. 
  Injuries, broken or stolen bikes and spent 
  Fudge points are all restored at the start of 
  the next session.  
   
  As always there are exceptions. Recurring NPCs are 
  okay. And recurring jokes are almost a must. 
   
  END NOT
  END NOT
  END NOT
  END NOTES
  ES
  ES
  ES    
   
  I hope you enjoyed this Savaged version of MBAW. 
  If not, don’t worry—I plan on producing more 
  supplements in the near future, so you’re bound to 
  find something useful eventually! 
   
  If you come up with any cool additions or 
  suggestions for MBAW (or have questions regarding 
  the 
  existing 
  rules), 
  drop 
  me 
  a 
  line 
  at 
  jblittlefield@yahoo.com and I’ll be sure to address 
  your concerns in the next revision. 
   
  Until next time…Keep it Savage! 
   
  This document was created on December 3, 2003. 
  Last updated on April 30, 2007. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Savage Worlds System (SWADE) [multi]/_Fan/Savage Worlds - Mutant Bikers of the Atomic Wastelands.pdf