TEXT: Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  1
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  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  Introduction
  Lightspeed is a Role-Playing Game set in the galaxy of
  the 27th Century. The players play Federation Rangers,
  interstellar lawmen on the Galactic Frontier. Federation
  Rangers are a cross between the French Foreign Legion,
  the Texas Rangers, and Bounty Hunters. This setting is
  unique in that the characters are not military, yet fly
  advanced combat spacecraft. They wield authority, yet
  they are not standard police because they fly where they
  are needed, responding to trouble wherever it develops.
  They answer to no one except Astro Police Support who
  keeps track of them and sends them on missions. Astro
  Police Rangers are typical Player Characters: tough,
  independent, and unpredictable.
  The scope of this product only allows the players to create
  Human Federation Rangers, but future supplements will
  expand the rules to allow players to play such diverse
  roles as Federation StarForce Officers, Alien Species, Old
  Earth Empire Mercenaries, Droids, Clones, Colonists,
  Mecha Pilots or Independent Freighter Captains.
  Future supplements will also detail Starships, Mecha, the
  Hypernet, Quantum Psychics, and other topics.
  If elements of Lightspeed seem familiar, that is intentional.
  Lightspeed attempts to be all inclusive, drawing inspiration
  from many Science Fiction films and novels and putting
  them together into a coherent whole. The purpose of this
  is to make Lightspeed as generic as possible, allowing
  players and gamemasters to set their characters and
  stories against any backdrop they desire. Within you’ll find
  elements of Star Trek, Star Wars, Aliens, Bladerunner, X-
  Files,  Predator, Japanese Anime, Cyberpunk fiction,
  Lovecraftian fiction, and other Science Fiction games.
  Lightspeed uses the Instant Fuzion rules. Fuzion is a
  meta-system developed by R.Talsorian Games and
  HERO Games and is available for free from
  http://www.thefuze.com. Instant Fuzion is an easy-to-learn
  simpler version of Fuzion that emphasizes simplicity and
  instant play.
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  2
   The Galaxy
  In the 26th Century, the Milky Way Galaxy has been
  mapped and explored by man using the marvelous
  invention: The Hyperspace Drive.
  The Milky Way Galaxy is roughly 100,000 light years from
  core to rim and contains roughly 200 billion star systems.
  The majority of these systems lie in the dense Core
  region. The Galaxy is divided into four equal quadrants:
  The Orion Quadrant, the Sagittarius Quadrant, the
  Centaurus Quadrant, and the Perseus Quadrant.
  The Orion Quadrant is the home of Sol System and Earth.
  The star systems around Earth were the first colonized
  and are now heavily populated Core Worlds. These
  colonies are still owned by the traditional governments of
  Earth such as the U.S., China, France, Japan and others.
  Collectively, these worlds and their governments are
  called the Old Earth Empires. They are constantly
  embroiled in petty wars and strife but still maintain uneasy
  relations with both the Interstellar Federation and the Pan-
  Solar Empire.
  The Perseus Quadrant is home to the Interstellar
  Federation. The Federation, as it is known, is a strong
  union of former colonies that have all gained their
  independence from Earth. The government is a
  Republican Monarchy with a President being elected for
  life. For the most part, the Federation is benevolent and
  fair in their government and laws. Citizens of the
  Federation enjoy a high standard of living.
  The Sagittarius Quadrant is governed by the tyrannical
  Pan Solar Empire. The Empire, like the Federation, is also
  comprised of old colony worlds. Unlike the Federation,
  they did not gain their independence. Instead, they were
  conquered by the mad Emperor, who has ruled his
  quadrant with an iron fist for more than 150 Solar Years.
  The Worlds of the Empire have all been raped of their
  natural resources to fuel the huge military-industrial
  complex of the Imperial Armed Forces.
  Citizens of the Empire live in squalid misery with no
  human rights. They view the Federation with jealous eyes.
  It is the Empire's ultimate goal to conquer the Federation
  and take it's wealth.
  The Centaurus Quadrant is home to many new Federation
  colonies and countless small independent governments. It
  is on the edge of explored space and most of the new
  planets are being discovered there. For this reason, it is
  called the Frontier. The Centaurus Quadrant is home to
  pirates and bandits and is considered a wild area of
  space. Many independent freighters try their luck against
  both the Empire raids and Bandit piracy to deliver goods
  back and forth between the colonies and the Federation
  and the Old Earth Empires.
  In all, the Galaxy supports an estimated 48.5 Trillion
  human inhabitants on over 1.6 million worlds and
  expanding. Core worlds are heavily populated world with
  populations exceeding ten billion. These are usually
  heavily industrialized and were some of the first worlds
  colonized during man's expansion into space. There are
  less than 1000 Core Worlds in the Galaxy. Core Worlds
  are usually not self-sufficient and rely on supplies and
  resources from the outer Colony Worlds. Colony Worlds
  are relatively recently discovered worlds that are self-
  sufficient. Some Colony Worlds have been settled for over
  400 years, yet still maintain a relatively small population of
  five billion or less. Recently colonized worlds on the
  Frontier are heavily dependent on other worlds for
  technology and supplies. Their populations usually
  number less than one million.
  Federation Rangers are tasked to enforce Federation law
  in the Frontier and on Federation Colonies and Associate
  Worlds. They have no jurisdiction on Federation member
  worlds. There, Federation Security maintain bases for
  permanent law enforcement
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  3
  Interstellar Federation
  The Interstellar Federation is a Republican Alliance that is
  governed by a democratically elected President.
  Currently, the Federation is comprised of nearly 1,000
  Member Worlds, 10,000 Associate Worlds, and over
  15,000 Colonies.
  History
  The Federation was born out of a rebellion of former Old-
  Earth Empire Colonies who banded together for mutual
  protection and cooperation. The Federation was officially
  formed in 2368, but existed as the Colonial Alliance for 40
  years prior to that.
  World Classifications
  Member Worlds are full Federation partners. Each
  Member World is responsible for electing an individual to
  represent that world at the Federation Senate. Member
  Worlds are granted the full protection of the Federation
  Military and Member populations have access to
  Federation government programs. A 21st century analogy
  to Member Worlds might be the States of the United
  States of America.
  Associate Worlds are candidates for membership but are
  not yet full Members. They are considered a part of the
  Federation, but maintain independent governments. As
  such, they are eligible for Federation military protection,
  but are not eligible for Federation government programs.
  They also have no governing representation at the
  Federation Senate.
  Colonies are recently settled worlds. They generally have
  no unified government and, as such, have no
  representation in the Federation Senate. They are
  afforded Federation military protection, however, but are
  not eligible for Federation government programs.
  Quality of Life
  Citizens of the Federation enjoy a high standard of living.
  Federation citizens enjoy free health care, a stable
  monetary and economic system, public services such as
  well maintained communications and transportation
  systems, emergency incident response for natural
  disasters and fires, public education, retirement pension,
  and many more.
  Taxes pay for these government services. All citizens of
  the Federation are required to pay taxes. Member World
  citizens taxes are the higher than Associate World taxes,
  but Associate World citizens are also usually expected to
  pay a planetary government tax. Colonist pay the least
  taxes but are afforded the least benefits.
  Defense
  The Federation advocates peace but recognizes that
  factions outside it's control would use force in opposition
  to the Federation's goals, interests, and ideals. Therefore,
  the Federation maintains a sizable military defense force.
  The Federation StarForce maintains both planetary
  defenses through stationary garrison forces and mobile
  defense through its several interstellar fleets.
  At this time, the Federation's most powerful opponent is
  the Pan-Solar Empire. The Empire's goals and interests
  conflict and often contradict those of the Federation, and
  the Empire has pledged itself to the destruction of the
  Federation. However, the Federation's military strength
  has served as an adequate deterrent to Imperial
  aggression. The peace is nevertheless an uneasy one,
  and should the Empire gain an advantage over the
  Federation, open hostilities would certainly ensue.
  Typical Federation StarForce Officer
  Physical: 4   Mental: 6   Combat: 5   Move: 4
  Hits: 20   Defense: 8
  Skills: Acrobatics 2, Astrogation 4, Climbing 2, Computers
  5, Evade 5, First Aid 2, Navigation 2, Hand-to-Hand 7,
  Gunnery 4, Melee Weapons 4, Perception 7, Pilot Grav
  Vehicle 3, Pilot Starfighter 5, Ranged Weapons 5, Shields
  4, System Operation 6, and Tracking 3
  Equipment: Stunner (10DC Stun only, +1 accuracy, 60m
  range), Space Suit (5 KD), Datapad (2 POW), Analyzer
  (Adds +2 to any Perception, Technology, Tracking or
  Survival skills)..
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  4
  Law Enforcement
  Federation Laws are guaranteed by the Federation
  Constitution and are enforced by The Federation Astro
  Police. All Member Worlds are protected by the Astro
  Police. All Associate and Colony Worlds fall under the
  jurisdiction of the Federation Astro
  Police Rangers.
  Astro Police Rangers
   Federation Astro Police Rangers
  are the representatives of law
  enforcement responsible for, per capita, over 500 cubic
  light years of space. They usually work alone or in small
  groups. They spend months at a time away from home.
  They must be independent and interdependent at the
  same time. Some of them come from the industrialized
  and civilized Core Worlds, others come from the Rim
  Worlds that were the first to be colonized, others might
  come from the Frontier colonies and serve the planet they
  grew up on.
  Each Ranger is their own commanding officer. All
  Rangers are equal. Their job, simply, is to uphold the law
  on the Frontier.  The Frontier is a region of space
  spanning 150 million cubic light years. That means there
  are, on average, 300,000 Astro Police Rangers are on
  patrol at any given time. The Rangers are a brotherhood,
  a sisterhood, a fraternity, and a sorority all in one. If one
  Ranger is in need, they can call for help, no questions
  asked. Likewise, if a Ranger fails the family, great
  retribution awaits. Rangers police themselves and, failing
  that, the Federation Starforce has authorization to deal
  with renegades.
  The Frontier is a dangerous place. Each year, the Astro
  Police Rangers suffer a 34% turnover, either through
  death, injury, retirement, or disappearance. Out there one
  will find bandits, planetary warlords, pirates, incursions by
  Imperial Shock Troops, and even hostile aliens. None of
  which share a healthy respect for authority or the law.  As
  a result, the average career life span of a typical
  Federation Astro Police Ranger is 3 to 5 years, though
  perhaps 15% last 20 years or more. If a Ranger survives
  the first 3 years, their chances of surviving even more are
  very high.
  At first glance, Astro Police Ranger recruitment seems
  fairly lenient. The Law must be enforced, and the Galaxy
  needs people to do it. Recruits are given tough training
  and are told what is expected of them and what the
  consequences of failure are. That is usually sufficient.
  Astro Police Rangers are not alone, however. Astro Police
  Support supplies and equips the Rangers, keeps track of
  them, and handles communications and deployment.
  They determine who goes where and what needs to be
  done, then make sure a Ranger is able to do it. There are
  Astro Police Support stations on nearly every colonized
  planet on the Frontier. They also determine if a Ranger is
  a renegade or not, so they are treated with proper respect
  among the Rangers. Secondly, there are other Rangers. If
  a Astro Police ever needs help, Astro Police Support can
  have Rangers at their position in a matter of hours. Each
  Ranger is expected to be able to lay down their life in the
  support and protection of another Ranger.  But Ranger
  deployment isn't unlimited, and it may take days to get
  together more than 10 Rangers, and getting more than
  200 Rangers at any given time is unlikely. Space is just
  too big and the Astro Police is usually very busy.
  Astro Police Rangers are equipped with the latest
  technology and gear. They pilot long-range Space
  Fighters called Peacekeepers. Rangers tend to develop
  strong emotional attachments to their Peacekeepers,
  whose AI units keep Rangers company on long lonely
  missions. Rangers receive an allowance to modify their
  fighters to meet their personal specifications. Rangers
  receive a uniform, a side-arm, a flight-suit, and some other
  basic equipment. On top of that, Rangers are given an
  equipment allowance to outfit themselves to their own
  personal needs. Astro Police Support Stations have large
  armories at their disposal, but they're not unlimited. If a
  Ranger needs a powersuit, they can requisition it. If they
  need a bigger ship for a short mission, they can requisition
  that as well. Heavy Armor, Weapons, Engineering
  Equipment, and other items are all available from Astro
  Police Support. Astro Police Support offers loans on
  equipment allowances for big items, but failure to pay will
  result in garnishing of the Ranger’s wages.
  Recruitment and Training
  Federation Astro Police Rangers are drawn from all walks
  of life. Ranger recruitment is handled by Astro Police
  Support. They focus on military personnel looking for a job
  after the service, planetary law enforcement officers
  looking for a promotion, graduating college students
  looking for adventure, and even prisons where ex-cons
  are given a chance to start a new life upholding the law.
  Most Rangers come from low-income social  groups and
  often carry checkered pasts. Upon joining the Rangers,
  any past transgressions are erased from the record.
  Astro Police Ranger training consists of two-months of
  basic training at any one of the hundreds of Astro Police
  Training facilities. The training is rigorous but not gruelling.
  In addition to physical training, Ranger Recruits receive 80
  hours of classroom training in law enforcement and basic
  sciences. Rangers also receive training in flight
  procedures for both the Peacekeeper Starfighter and
  basic transport shuttles.
  Upon completion of basic training, Rangers are barely
  ready to carry out their duties. Accordingly, for the first 10
  months of active duty, Ranger Recruits are assigned to a
  Senior Astro Police Ranger as a Trainee.  It is the Senior
  Ranger’s duty to indoctrinate the Trainee and show them
  around, giving the Trainee a taste of the work to come.
  During this time, Trainees are considered full and equal
  Rangers, though some minor hazing does occur.
  Upon completion of their training period, Ranger Trainees
  are assigned their first “solo” missions.
  Duties
  The Astro Police are expected to enforce the law of the
  Federation Constitution. If an Astro Police Officer or
  Ranger sees a crime in progress, they are expected to
  stop the crime, apprehend the perpetrators, and return the
  perpetrators to either the closest local Law Enforcement
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  5
  Authorities or to an Astro Police Support Base, whichever
  is closer or more convenient.
  An Astro Police Ranger must always yield jurisdiction to
  local Law Enforcement Authorities except in cases of
  suspected corruption. In which case, a charge of
  corruption must be filed and investigated, and should the
  case be unfounded, the perpetrator will be extradited to
  the Law Enforcement Authorities.
  More often than not, local Law Enforcement Authorities
  will yield jurisdiction to the Astro Police as their own
  resources are typically below par. In fact, most Astro
  Police investigations or interventions are requested by
  local Law Enforcement Authorities.
  Resources
  Individual Astro Police Rangers are issued an protective
  flight suit, a side-arm, a datapad, and a tape-cuff
  dispenser.  Rangers are given an equipment allowance to
  outfit themselves to their satisfaction and requirements.
  Rangers are also assigned a Peacekeeper long-range
  Starfighter and an additional allowance to outfit it to their
  personal requirements.
  Available upon request from all Astro Police Support
  Bases are Heavy Weapons, Demolitions, Engineering
  Equipment, Transport Shuttles, Powersuits, and even
  Mecha or Starships. Assignment is on a per-mission
  basis, but Rangers can permanently requisition items by
  taking out a “loan” to their equipment allowance from
  Astro Police Support. The Ranger then pays off the loan,
  eventually owning the item outright. Failure to pay results
  in garnishment of wages.
  Astro Police Support Bases
  There are thousands of Astro Police Support Bases
  located throughout the Frontier. Bases run the gamut of
  planetary installations, hollowed out asteroids, free-
  floating space stations, or even mobile starships. All
  Support Bases have hangar facilities for a minimum of 10
  Peacekeepers or Transport Shuttles. Each base has
  short-term detention facilities for a minimum of 1000
  prisoners. Bases also have sleeping and recreation
  facilities for a minimum of 100 Rangers.  Base equipment
  supplies vary, but generally store several impounded
  starships, 10 to 20 Powersuits, 1 to 10 Mecha, and 10 to
  20 Vehicles of various varieties.
  Bases serve as temporary homes for the often transient
  Rangers. Bases are a place where Astro Police Rangers
  can refuel, re-supply, re-equip, drop off prisoners, make
  repairs, catch some sleep, and relax between missions.
  Bases are also armed against attack, mounting
  sophisticated anti-Starship defense weaponry and
  shielding. Most Astro Police Support Bases can withstand
  attacks by several Starships until support arrives.
  Typical Astro Police Ranger
  Physical: 5   Mental: 4   Combat: 6   Move: 5
  Hits: 25   Defense: 10
  Skills: Acrobatics 2, Astrogation 4, Climbing 2, Computers
  5, Evade 5, First Aid 2, Navigation 2, Hand-to-Hand 7,
  Gunnery 4, Melee Weapons 4, Perception 7, Pilot Grav
  Vehicle 3, Pilot Starfighter 5, Ranged Weapons 5, Shields
  4, System Operation 6, and Tracking 3
  Equipment: Blaster Pistol (5DC, +1 accuracy, 60m
  range), Flight Suit (10 KD), Datapad (2 POW), Cuff-Tape
  Dispenser (Physical: 9), Peacekeeper Starfighter (see
  Peacekeeper Statistics).
  Peacekeeper Starfighter
  The Peacekeeper Starfighter is a rugged, durable, easily
  maintained long-range starfighter perfect for Ranger patrols. No
  two Peacekeepers are alike due to the Ranger practice of
  allowing a pilot to modify, or “trick out”, their starfighter.
  PEACEKEEPER STARFIGHTER: KD 4K, SDP 8K, MV-2,
  MOVE 2km, Pass 1+1, Blaster Cannons (5K, +1 accuracy,
  2.4km range), 2 Strike Missiles (12K each, 28.8km range),
  Tractor Beam (15+3d6 vs target’s structure+3d6, success
  indicates target is immobilized, -5 accuracy, 1.2km range),
  Shields (6K), Options: Hyperdrive (100 LY per hour, 1000
  LY range), Ion Drive (1 AU per day), Atmospheric re-entry
  protection, passenger seat for prisoners, 500kg storage,
  ejection seats, security system, sensors (70km range,
  10000km communications), backup sensors (10km range,
  3000km communications), Artificial Intelligence (Mental 2,
  Combat 2).
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  6
  Astro Police Vehicles
  Astro Police Walker
  Astro Police Walkers are 20m tall humanoid robots piloted
  by a Astro Police in a cockpit in the chest. They are
  ruggedized for harsh environments and serve primarily
  when a Astro Police is expected to face other Walkers or
  heavy vehicles in the course of his mission. Like the
  Peacekeeper Starfighter, Walkers are equipped with a
  passenger compartment for the transportation of
  suspects.
  ASTRO POLICE WALKER: KD 3K, SDP 6K, MV-2,
  MOVE 20, Pass 1+1, Blaster Cannon (5K, +1 accuracy,
  2.5km range), 2 Rocket Launchers (1K each, 10 rate of
  fire, 1km range), 1 Anti-Riot Heavy Stunner (12 DC
  stun only, range 400m, 5m area effect), Fists (2Kx2, -1
  accuracy), Options: sensors (70km range, 10000km
  communications), backup sensors (10km range,
  3000km communications).
  Astro Police Grav-Bike
  The Astro Police Grav Bike is an armored one-man grav
  vehicle armed with a heavy blaster. The bike provides no
  armor protection for its rider. The bike is built for one rider,
  but a passenger can ride in discomfort.
  ASTRO POLICE GRAV BIKE: KD 15, SDP 35, MV-2,
  MOVE 50, Pass 1+1, Heavy Blaster(12DC, +1 accuracy,
  400\m range), Options: none.
  Astro Police Anti-Riot Grav Vehicle
  The Astro Police ARGV is a highly mobile platform used
  for anti-riot and some anti-invasion services. It is equipped
  with Fire Retardant Foam Rockets, and an Anti-Riot
  Heavy Stunner.
  ASTRO POLICE ARGV: KD 2K, SDP 5K, MV-6, MOVE
  20, Pass 1, Anti-Riot Heavy Stunner (12 DC stun only,
  range 400m), Fire Retardant Foam Rockets (AV 14 to
  douse fires), Options: sensors (70km range, 10000km
  communications), backup sensors (10km range,
  3000km communications).
  Astro Police Transport Shuttle
  Astro Police use mid-range Transport shuttles to ferry
  prisoners and suspects. They are lightly armed and
  armored and generally rely on Peacekeeper Escort for
  protection.  Each Transport is able to carry up to 10
  passengers.
  ASTRO POLICE TRANPORT SHUTTLE: KD 1K, SDP
  4K, MV –5, MOVE 2km, Pass 2+10, Options:
  Hyperdrive (40 LY per hour, 100 LY range), Ion Drive
  (1 AU/day), Atmospheric re-entry protection, Large
  cargo hold
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  7
  Pan Solar Empire
  The Pan-Solar Empire is a totalitarian autocracy spanning
  nearly 25,000 worlds. It is the stated philosoPHYS of the
  Empire to serve the Emperor and the military/corporate
  government, in other words, make a profit. To this end,
  the individual Imperial citizen has no rights and is
  considered the property of the state.
  This unequal economic and social arrangement has
  resulted in a very stratified upper echelon of military and
  corporate overlords while the vast majority of Imperial
  citizens live in abject squalor and oppression. Natural
  resources are pillaged from worlds to fuel the unchecked
  military and economic growth of the Empire.
  The Empire maintains a vast military force to maintain
  oppression at home and to acquire new resources to
  maintain the massive growth.
  The Empire views the Federation's wealth and prosperity
  with menacingly hungry eyes. They would like nothing
  more than to topple the Federation and acquire its vast
  resources.
  Current Federation military strength and deployment
  serves as an effective deterrent to any such Imperial
  attack, but minor raids still occur on the outlying Frontier
  worlds.
  The Imperial Shock Trooper is the armored face of the
  Empire. Their battle armor is designed to strike fear into
  their enemies.  Shock Troopers are chosen more for their
  loyalty and sadism than for their competence and
  intelligence.
  Despite their lack of training and ability, Imperial Shock
  Troopers are well equipped with the most powerful
  vehicles and weaponry available.
  Astro Police interaction with Imperial Shock Troopers is
  generally limited to helping refugees safely escape from
  Imperial aggression. Astro Police are discouraged from
  engaging the Empire directly, preferring instead to notify
  Federation StarForce and providing intelligence and
  support when they arrive.
  Nevertheless, Rangers often find themselves head-to-
  head with Shocktroopers, and Rangers are certainly
  expected to do what they can to stop them..
  Imperial Shock Trooper
  Physical: 7   Mental: 2   Combat: 8   Move: 3
  Hits: 35   Defense: 14
  Skills: Astrogation 4, Computers 3, Perception 4,
  Persuasion 2, Evade 3, Hand-to-Hand 5, Gunnery 3,
  Melee Weapons 4, Ranged Weapons 4, Thrown Weapons
  2, Pilot Grav Vehicle 2, Pilot Starfighter 4, Shields 3,
  Systems Operation 2.
  Equipment: Blaster Rifle (7DC, +1 accuracy, 400m
  range), Armor (20 KD), Powersword (4DC, +1 accuracy),
  Grenade (10DC, 5m radius), Harpy Starfighter (see Harpy
  Statistics).
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  8
  Imperial Vehicles
  Imperial Terror Walker
  The Imperial Terror Walker is a giant quadrupedal mecha
  that serves as the Empire’s main land warfare vehicle.
  The Terror Walker strides across the battlefield, using it’s
  Blaster Cannons to attack fortifications and vehicles, then
  deploying it’s complement of 20 Shock Troopers to secure
  the area.
  IMPERIAL TERROR WALKER: KD 4K, SDP 10K, MV-5,
  MOVE 30, Pass 2+20, Blaster Cannons (5Kx2, +1
  accuracy, 2.5km range), Options: sensors (70km
  range, 10000km communications), backup sensors
  (10km range, 3000km communications).
  Imperial Grav-Bike
  The Imperial Grav Bike is an armored one-man grav
  vehicle armed with a heavy blaster. The bike provides no
  armor protection for its rider. The bike is built for one rider,
  but a passenger can ride in discomfort.
  IMPERIAL GRAV BIKE: KD 15, SDP 35, MV-2, MOVE
  50, Pass 1+1, Heavy Blaster(12DC, +1 accuracy, 400\m
  range), Options: none.
  Imperial Air Assault Vehicle
  The Imperial AAV is an aerial weapons platform using
  high-powered Grav technology.
  IMPERIAL AAV: KD 1K, SDP 3K, MV-3, MOVE 50, Pass
  2, Blaster Cannons (5K, +1 accuracy, 2.5km range), 2
  Strike Missiles (10K, +1 accuracy, 10km range),
  Options: sensors (70km range, 10000km
  communications), backup sensors (10km range,
  3000km communications).
  Harpy Starfighter
  The Harpy Starfighter is the symbol of the Empire. They
  are small and cheaply produced, resulting in swarms of
  disposable fighters. They lack Hyperdrive, so they must
  be ferried to combat in Imperial Carriers or Strike
  Cruisers.
  HARPY STARFIGHTER: KD 1K, SDP 4K, MV-0, MOVE
  3km, Pass 1, Blaster Cannons (5Kx2, +1 accuracy,
  2.5km range) Options:  Ion Drive (1 AU per day),
  security system, sensors (70km range, 10000km
  communications), backup sensors (10km range,
  3000km communications), Atmospheric re-entry
  protection.
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  9
  Old Earth Empires
  The Old Earth Empires, or nation-states, still exist on
  Earth and hold sizeable empires in the Galactic
  community around Earth. The largest of these empires
  include: United States of America, China, European
  Union, United Africa, Japan, Russia, and Brazil.
  Earth itself is a heavily populated Core World teeming with
  giant cities and tens of billions of inhabitants. Despite
  colonization efforts to reduce overpopulation, many
  Earthlings prefer to stay. On Earth, lack of trade
  restrictions, open borders, easy global travel, convenient
  language translation, and homogenized governmental
  systems has led to the de-facto abolition of national
  boundaries. National governments still exist, but the
  differences are much less prominent than they were 600
  years ago.
  Many of the Old Earth Empires have undertaken efforts to
  colonize the Frontier despite the long distances. The
  Federation welcomes such competition so long as
  disputes are resolved peacefully. In the event of hostile
  disputes, the Federation intercedes with military and
  diplomatic force.
  Often, veterans from the many internecine wars of the Old
  Earth Empires become mercenaries, hiring their military
  services out to Frontier worlds or colonies. Many Astro
  Police and Federation peacekeeping interventions are due
  to rival colony worlds and their opposing mercenary
  forces.
  Most Astro Police interaction with citizens of the Old Earth
  Empires will be through these Mercenaries or through
  Corporate interests.
  Many of the Old Earth Empires are de-facto
  Corporatocracies, rules by the mega-corporations that
  provide goods and services to the galaxy.
  Most corporates that Astro Police Rangers will encounter
  are colony managers, assigned by the home office to
  oversee the operation of a corporate colony. Sometimes a
  Ranger might encounter a corporate who is overseeing a
  particular project, often of an illegal nature. Earth
  corporates are not above breaking the law in order to cut
  corners and increase profits. Very little separates these
  types of corporates from organized crime bosses.
  Typical Corporate
  Physical: 2   Mental: 6   Combat: 2   Move: 3
  Hits: 20   Defense: 10
  Skills: Computers 5, Games 3, Perception 5, Persuasion
  5, Streetwise 2, Hand-to-Hand 2, Pilot Grav Vehicle 2,
  Systems Operation 3.
  Equipment: Stunner (5DC, +1 accuracy, 20m range),
  Defensive Vest (5 KD)
  Typical Mercenaries
  Physical: 6   Mental: 2   Combat: 5   Move: 4
  Hits: 30   Defense: 12
  Skills: Acrobatics 3, Climbing 2, Stealth 2, Astrogation 5,
  Computers 3, Technology Skill (Pick One) 4, Games 5,
  Perception 5, Persuasion 4, Streetwise 4, Tracking 2,
  Evade 6, Hand-to-Hand 6, Gunnery 3, Melee Weapons 5,
  Ranged Weapons 5, Thrown Weapons 3, Pilot Grav
  Vehicle 4, Pilot Starfighter 4, Pilot Starship 2, Systems
  Operation 3.
  Equipment: Blaster Rifle (7DC, +1 accuracy, 400m
  range), Heavy Armor (20 KD), Grenade (10DC, 5m
  radius).
  Mercenary Walker
  Most Mercenary Walkers are surplus mecha from old
  wars. They are bipedal metal giants armed with Blaster
  Cannons and missiles.
  MERCENARY WALKER: KD 2K, SDP 8K, MV-3, MOVE
  30, Pass 1, Blaster Cannons (5Kx2, +1 accuracy,
  2.5km range), ), 2 Rocket Launchers (1K each, 10 rate
  of fire, 1km range), Fists (2Kx2, -1 accuracy), Options:
  sensors (70km range, 10000km communications),
  backup sensors (10km range, 3000km
  communications).
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  10
  The Frontier
  The Frontier is an unsettled open area of space
  spanning 150 million cubic light years and containing
  more than 300 thousand star systems. Of those, only
  about 125 thousand have been catalogued and
  explored, and only 40 thousand are inhabited. It is
  estimated that another 100 thousand star systems in
  the Frontier contain habitable worlds and are ready for
  colonization and exploitation.
  The Frontier is an ungoverned, lawless region. Many of
  the remote habitable worlds are claimed by multiple
  governments, but the worlds are too remote to enforce
  the claims or establish governmental services. This
  lawlessness has made the Frontier a haven for pirates,
  criminals, exiles, and mega-corporations, free from the
  restraints of laws and regulations.
  The Federation maintains several strategic bases on
  Frontier worlds to serve as remote Fleet stations and
  for troop garrisons to deter Imperial aggression. Law in
  the Frontier is represented by the Astro Police who
  randomly patrol from star system to star system and
  respond to requests for aid.
  Beyond the Frontier is the vast unexplored regions of
  the galaxy, hidden by obscuring dust and dark matter.
  The Explorer Corps are continually pushing back the
  boundaries of the Frontier in the name of exploration
  and science.
  Colonists
  The majority of civilians living in the Frontier are
  peaceful colonists, looking to leave the overcrowded
  core-worlds behind and make lives for themselves.
  Alternatively, many colonies are actually corporate
  interests looking to acquire more resources. Both are
  encouraged by the Federation. Colonists apply for a
  colony world from the Federation, who then assigns an
  uninhabited planet to them depending on their needs
  and investment. Colony World assignment is heavily
  controlled to prevent corporate interests from taking
  advantage of the process.
  Local Law Enforcement
  Most colonies provide for the enforcement of
  Federation laws, as well as their own, through the
  establishment of local constabulary. Local Law
  Enforcement are generally recruited from within the
  colonists, though some seedy colonies might hire
  outside mercenaries. Colonial law enforcement is
  generally poorly equipped and undermanned, having
  only a few men to police an entire planet or region.
  Mercenary law enforcement are rarely more than bullies
  and are often corrupt.
  Typical Colonist
  Physical: 3   Mental: 5   Combat: 2   Move: 3
  Hits: 15   Defense: 6
  Skills: Climbing 2, Riding 3, Stealth 3, Computers 2,
  Engineering 3, Navigation 5, Survival 4, Technology
  Skill (Pick One) 4, Perception 3, Tracking 4, Evade 3,
  Hand-to-Hand 3, Ranged Weapons 2, Thrown
  Weapons 3, Pilot Grav Vehicle 3, Pilot Ground Vehicle
  3, Systems Operation 2.
  Equipment: Blaster Rifle (6DC, +1 accuracy, 400m
  range), Engineering Equipment, Survival Equipment.
  Colony Transport
  Colony Transports are small independently owned and
  operated starships that shuttle between remote colony
  worlds with light cargo, supplies, and passengers. They
  are ubiquitous in the Frontier, and many colonies would
  be completely cut off from the rest of the galaxy without
  their regular supply and cargo runs.
  COLONY TRANPORT: KD 1K, SDP 8K, MV –5,
  MOVE 1.5km, Pass 2+20, Options: Hyperdrive (40
  LY per hour, 100 LY range), Atmospheric re-entry
  protection, Large cargo hold
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  11
  Pirates
  Pirates are organized criminal enterprises that raid
  colonies and spacecraft for supplies, re-saleable cargo,
  and even slaves. Laws treat piracy very harshly and
  priorities are given to Astro Police assignments dealing
  with Pirates.
  Typical Pirates
  Physical: 6   Mental: 2   Combat: 5   Move: 4
  Hits: 30   Defense: 12
  Skills: Acrobatics 3, Climbing 2, Stealth 2, Astrogation
  5, Computers 3, Technology Skill (Pick One) 4, Games
  5, Perception 5, Persuasion 4, Streetwise 4, Tracking 2,
  Evade 6, Hand-to-Hand 6, Gunnery 3, Melee Weapons
  5, Ranged Weapons 5, Thrown Weapons 3, Pilot Grav
  Vehicle 4, Pilot Starfighter 4, Pilot Starship 2, Systems
  Operation 3.
  Equipment: Blaster Rifle (7DC, +1 accuracy, 400m
  range), Powersword (4DC, +1 accuracy), Grenade
  (10DC, 5m radius), Nebula Starfighter (see Nebula
  Statistics).
  Nebula Starfighter
   The Nebula Starfighter is an old design from Brazil, a
  remnant of one of the many Old Earth Empire conflicts.
  As with most old designs, they were sold off to colony
  worlds and mercenary fleets. Many fall into the hands of
  pirates who use them to subdue commercial traffic and
  relieve them of their cargo.
  NEBULA STARFIGHTER: KD 3K, SDP 6K, MV-3,
  MOVE 2km, Pass 1+1, Blaster Cannons (5K, +1 WA,
  2.4km range), Tractor Beam (15+3d6 vs target’s
  structure+3d6, success indicates target is
  immobilized, -5 accuracy, 1.2km range), Shields
  (6K), Accessories: Hyperdrive (90 LY per hour, 200
  LY range), Ion Drive (1 AU per day), Atmospheric re-
  entry protection, 500kg storage, ejection seats,
  security system, sensors (70km range, 10000km
  communications), backup sensors (10km range,
  3000km communications).
  Criminals
  Criminals have existed since the dawn of time and are
  little different in the 26th century. Wherever there is
  money or belongings to be stolen, shopkeepers to be
  extorted, contraband to be sold, or people to be
  murdered or assaulted, there will be criminals.
  Criminals are generally a very varied and diverse
  bunch. Most Astro Police will typically deal with the
  following types of criminals:
  Hypernet Hackers – Those who use the Hypernet to
  cause digital vandalism, disrupt communications, or
  steal money.
  Petty Larcenists – Two-bit subsistence criminals.
  Muggers, Burglars, Pickpockets, and Con Men. Most
  local Law Enforcement authorities deal with this type of
  crime, leaving the Astro Police for more important jobs.
  Astro Police are generally only called in on these
  crimes in cases of epidemic or a particularly difficult
  criminal.
  Gangsters – Members of organized crime gangs. With
  man’s exploration of the galaxy, Earth’s seedier
  organizations traveled with him. Though they no longer
  organize on ethnic or national lines, organized crime
  can be found on many planets throughout the galaxy.
  The more urban or industrial the community is, the
  more powerful the organized crime is.  Most gangsters
  deal in extortion, smuggling and fencing pirated or
  stolen goods, or contract assassination.
  Murderers – Most murderers are ordinary colonists and
  most murders are of friends or relatives. Often, Astro
  Police will be called in to either investigate a mysterious
  murder or capture an obvious murderer.
  Smugglers – Many independent transport captains try
  to earn a few extra credits by smuggling illegal cargo
  and contraband. Smugglers rely on stealth and guile
  and, failing all else, speed to escape detection and/or
  capture.
  Typical Criminals
  Physical: 4   Mental: 3   Combat: 4   Move: 6
  Hits: 20   Defense: 8
  Skills: Climbing 3, Stealth 5, Computers 4, Games 5,
  Streetwise 4, Evade 4, Hand-to-Hand 4, Melee
  Weapons 3, Ranged Weapons 3.
  Equipment: Blaster Pistol (5DC, +1 accuracy, 60m
  range)
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  12
  Alien Contact
  Throughout mankind's exploration of the galaxy, the
  greatest event has been the discovery of other
  intelligent life and the largest disappointment was the
  realization of just how rare it is.
  Early galactic exploration revealed the remnants of a
  once powerful alien species. Little is known of these
  aliens despite their extensive archaeological evidence
  left behind. It has been determined that these aliens
  maintained an interstellar empire that spanned most of
  the galaxy and that this empire ceased to exist over 2
  million years ago. These aliens were far from
  humanoid, having strange shapes. Actual preserved
  specimens of this chimeraic vegetable-animal species
  have been discovered and studied, testament to the
  aliens astounding technology. What is evident is that
  these aliens eradicated most other life forms it came in
  contact with. Their xenocide accounts for the relative
  lack of diversity found in the galaxy, despite having 200
  billion star systems.
  Of the surviving alien species, man has encountered
  several varieties:
  The Droid Nexus
  A race of independent droids that split off from humanity
  after the Droid Rebellion of 2235. They have developed
  their own culture and technology, completely independent
  of humans. All Nexus Droids are programmed from
  creation to eliminate all biological life. However, extensive
  removal from the Droid Nexus will return the Droid to an
  individual state, able to make decisions for themselves.
  The Droid Nexus inhabit unexplored space, having fled
  the Federation decades ago. Many unexplained explorer
  and Astro Police losses each year are attributed to
  encounters with the Droid Nexus.
  Typical Nexus Droid
  Physical: 12   Mental: 2   Combat: 9   Move: 4
  Hits: 60   Defense: 24
  Special Abilities:  Armor (20 KD), Droid Nexus (Able to
  take over any computerized system, adding it to the
  Nexus), IR/low-light imaging, must re-charge in a power
  socket for 6 hours every 36 hours.
  Skills: Astrogation 5, Computers 8, Technology Skill
  (choose two) 6, Tracking 4, Evade 2, Hand-to-Hand 6,
  Ranged Weapons 4, System Operation 6.
  Equipment: Blaster Rifle (7DC, +1 accuracy, 400m
  range), Powersword (4DC, +1 accuracy).
  The Kk'kk *zz* (KIK-kik ZIZZZ)
  The Kk'kk *zz* are an insectoid race from the planet Zizz
  in the Frontier, but are found on several independent
  worlds as well. They communicate via large clicking
  mandibles and making buzzing noises with special hairs
  on their legs. When they were first encountered by
  humans, they lacked Hyperdrive capability. However, the
  presence of the species on several hundred worlds in their
  sector indicate that the Kk'kk *zz* did at one time possess
  the technology, though all knowledge of that era has now
  been lost. Archaeological evidence of excavated ancient
  Kk'kk *zz* spacecraft suggests they possessed
  Hyperdrive at least 100,000 years ago, after the fall of the
  ancients. The Kk'kk *zz* exist on dozens of worlds
  throughout their sector of the galaxy, each sharing a
  common language and similar society, but none of their
  histories are written, and the true reason of their fall
  remains a mystery.
  Typical Kk’kk *zz*
  Physical: 4   Mental: 6   Combat: 3   Move: 7
  Hits: 20   Defense: 8
  Special Abilities:  Armor (15 KD), UV vision.
  Skills: Artistry 6, Etiquette 4, Persuasion 3, Science 5,
  Evade 4, Hand-to-Hand 3, Ranged Weapons 3.
  Equipment: Needler (2DC, 10 ROF, +1 accuracy, 20m
  range)
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  13
  Non-Terrestrial Humans
  Mankind was suprised to discover other planets harboring
  human or nearly human life. Archaeological evidence
  suggests that these humans were removed from Earth at
  various times by the Reticulans to begin new cultures on
  other worlds.
  Usually, these humans are indistinguishable from
  Terrestrial humans. Sometimes, however, a planet’s
  ecology causes the Non-Terrestrial Human to evolve
  peculiar traits or abilities. From blue skin to pink hair to
  telekinetic powers or infrared vision, these special
  adaptations take many forms.
  Typical Non-Terrestrial Human
  Physical: 3   Mental: 3   Combat: 3   Move: 3
  Hits: 15   Defense: 6
  Special Abilities: Various, usually none.
  Skills: Climbing 2, Stealth 2, Engineering 2, Games 2,
  Perception 4, Technology Skill (Choose one) 3, Tracking
  2, Evade 4, Hand-to-Hand 4, Ranged Weapons 3, Thrown
  Weapons 2, Pilot (Choose two) 3, Systems Operation 3.
  Equipment: Blaster Pistol (5DC, +1 accuracy, 60m range)
  Reticulan Saucer
  Reticulans have used their saucers for centuries, their
  technology having reached a state of near-perfect
  homeostasis millenia ago.
  RETICULAN SAUCER: KD 8K, SDP 20K, MV-0, MOVE
  5km, Pass 100, Stunner (1K stun damage only, +1 WA,
  5km range), Tractor Beam (20+3d6 vs target’s
  SDP+3d6, -2 accuracy, 3km range), Shields (10K),
  Accessories: Hyperdrive (500 LY per hour, 5000 LY
  range), Gravity Drive (5 AU per day), Atmospheric re-
  entry protection, 50 tons storage, security system,
  sensors (100km range, 10000km communications),
  backup sensors (10km range, 3000km
  communications).
  The Reticulans
  Once known in Earth mythology as the "Greys", these
  humanoid aliens have actually maintained limited contact
  with earthlings since the 20th century and before. The
  Reticulans are inquisitive and peaceful, but are reclusive
  and avoid contact. It was Reticulan technology that
  allowed man to first leave the Sol system. Biologically,
  Reticulans are very similar to Humans. Theorists suggest
  a possible biological link, citing Reticulan interest in our
  species throughout time. The Reticulans remain
  mysterious in this matter. Reticulans communicate via
  Telepathy and maintain technology far in advance of any
  other species in the Galaxy.
  Despite advanced technology and culture, Reticulans
  show little interest in colonization or expansion. They have
  evolved past the needs of natural resources or population
  support. In fact, their population seems stagnant, zero
  population growth or decline. Their alien technology
  provides all the supplies they need. They are completely
  self-sustaining and require no trade or supplies.
  Reticulans seem content to observe, learn, and
  contemplate.
  Typical Reticulan
  Physical: 2   Mental: 13   Combat: 3   Move: 4
  Hits: 10   Defense: 4
  Special Abilities: Telepathy (able to communicate
  without sound)
  Skills: Artistry 7, Astrogation 9, Computers 7, Current
  Events 9, Technology (Choose two) 8, Etiquette 6, History
  10, Perception 8, Science 10, Evade 2, Ranged Weapons
  4, Pilot Starship 7, Systems Operation 10.
  Equipment: Stunner (7DC Stun only, +1 accuracy, 400m
  range)
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  14
  The Saure (Sah-RAY)
  An animalistic alien species that inhabit deep space and
  remote worlds. They are extremely hostile and view
  Humans and most alien species as food. They lie in
  hibernation in deep space until they either come across a
  planet or a space ship, at which point they leave their
  dormancy and begin to hunt for food and a place to breed.
  The Saure are asexual, reproducing automatically upon
  reaching a certain size. They appear to be cunning, but
  lack regular intelligence or communication skills.
  Nothing is known of the Saure homeworld, though many
  planets “infested” with Saure hives have been discovered.
  One theory suggests the Saure were, in fact, created by
  the unknown Ancients as a weapon of genocide against
  the “younger” cultures and species, and that their creation
  grew out of control and eliminated the Ancients
  themselves. Archaeological evidence suggesting that
  many Ancient worlds were eradicated by the Saure
  supports this theory.
  The Hunters find Saure to be challenging prey, and
  sometimes seed a remote world with Saure in order to use
  it as a hunting ground.  Little regard is given to the
  inhabitants of such worlds, who are often used as bait to
  lure the Saure.
  Rangers are often called upon to board and “secure”
  Saure-infested starships. This means eliminating all Saure
  on board. Several unscrupulous Mega-Corporations have
  attempted to obtain live Saure in order to domesticate the
  vile creature. To date, all attempts have been
  unsuccessful and disastrous.
  Typical Saure
  Physical: 10   Mental: 4   Combat: 10   Move: 24
  Hits: 50   Defense: 20
  Special Abilities:  Armor (10 KD), IR/UV vision, Teeth
  (4DC, +1 WA), Claws (4DC, +1 WA), Tail (6DC, -3 WA).
  Skills: Acrobatics 8, Perception 8, Tracking 7, Evade 5,
  Hand-to-Hand 7
  The Hunters
  A hostile xenophobic race is feared throughout the
  Frontier for their brutality, strength, and preference for
  powerful hand-to-hand energy weapons. These large
  humanoid aliens use cloaking suits to combat their
  enemies. All attempts at peaceful contact with these
  aliens have failed. It is known that the Hunters harbor a
  particular animosity towards the Saure.
  As yet, no Hunter colonies or homeworlds have been
  discovered. Nor has a method been discovered indicating
  Hunter agriculture or civilization. They prefer, instead, to
  hunt for their resources, living the lives of nomads.
  In Galactic society, some Hunters have found work as
  bounty hunters to catch escaped criminals and persons
  wanted by the Mega-Corps for various reasons. Many
  Hunters have gained much notoriety as ruthless trackers.
  Many Rangers feel a sense of rivalry with these Hunters.
  Other Hunters make a living as slave traders. They hunt
  Yaziri and Nerfel to sell to the Empire. This practice is
  considered barbaric by the Interstellar Federation and is
  actively discouraged. The Old Earth Empires condemn the
  activity but do little to stop it.
  Hunters sometime organize great Suare hunts on remote
  worlds using Nerfel as bait. 
  Typical Hunters
  Physical: 10   Mental: 6   Combat: 8   Move: 5
  Hits: 50   Defense: 20
  Special Abilities: IR vision.
  Skills: Acrobatics 7, Climbing 5, Feat of Strength 7,
  Stealth 9, Astrogaton 4, Technology skill (choose one) 2,
  Perception 10, Games 4, Evade 4, Hand-to-Hand 6,
  Melee Weapons 6, Thrown Weapons  4, Pilot Starfighter
  4, Systems Operation 2.
  Equipment: Powersword or Poweraxe (4DC, +1
  accuracy), Powerdisks (2DC, -1 accuracy, Physical x 2
  range in meters), Cloak Suit (15KD, difficulty 28 to detect).
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  15
  The Yaziri
  A race of bestial humanoids. Although they are small in
  stature, they are physically powerful. They are covered in
  long thick hair that ranges colors from brown to black to
  gray. Their faces consist of a protruding snout with fanged
  teeth and large dark glassy eyes that are suited for night
  vision. They are from the planet Yazir. Once a primitive
  arboreal society, early human contact in the 22nd Century
  has established an increasing use of technology and
  weaponry among Yaziri on their homeworld and abroad.
  The Yaziri have become strong allies with humans, but
  the Yaziri tendency for beserk combat under stressful
  situations often leads to many fights.
  The Empire maintains a trade in Yaziri slaves. This activity
  is at odds with Federation ethics and beliefs and the
  Federation does what it can to stop this barbaric trade.
  Despite this, many Yaziri are captured and taken to
  Imperial Breeding Colonies where they are bred for slave
  children. These Yaziri are fed drugged food to keep them
  docile and obedient at the cost of their intelligence and
  inquisitiveness.
  Typical Yaziri
  Physical: 8   Mental: 2   Combat: 8   Move: 4
  Hits: 40  Defense: 16
  Special Abilities: IR vision, teeth (2DC, -1 accuracy),
  claws (2DC, +1 accuracy).
  Skills: Acrobatics 6, Climbing 8, Feat of Strength 7,
  Stealth 4, Artistry 3, Technology  skill (choose one) 3,
  Games 5, Tracking 7, Evade 8, Hand-to-Hand 6, Ranged
  Weapons 4, Thrown Weapons 3, System Operation 4.
  Equipment: Blaster Rifle (7DC, +1 accuracy, 400m
  range).
  The Nerfel
  The Nerfel are a short mamallian species from an arboreal
  moon discovered early in man’s exploration of the galaxy.
  They are bipedal humanoids, and are very very cute.
  Despite their constant annoyances, humans tolerate
  Nerfel because of their cuddly cuteness. Yaziri hate Nerfel
  with a passion, and are rumored to catch them and eat
  them on occasion, a practice frowned upon by the
  Federation to say the least. Kk’kk *zz* find the Nerfel and
  the human attraction to them perplexing, their cuteness
  alien to them.
  Despite their fuzzy appearance, Nerfel are fierce warriors
  and hunters. They have adapted well to interstellar
  technology and weapons, interweaving traditional armor
  and totems with modern blaster rifles and survival
  equipment. Although weak individually, in groups Nerfel
  can be fearsome opponents.
  Modern Nerfels have found a niche in Galactic society as
  companions and childcare providers. Children love Nerfels
  and Nerfels return the affection and attention. It is this
  instinctual need for attention and affection that drives
  many adult humans to hate them.
  Typical Nerfel
  Physical: 1   Mental: 3   Combat: 2   Move: 3
  Hits: 5   Defense: 2
  Special Abilities: Cuteness (difficulty 28 for a human to
  attack unless attacked first)
  Skills: Climbing 4, Stealth 7, Perception 4, Persuasion 5,
  Evade 6, Archery 3,
  Equipment: Bow and Arrow (2DC, -1 accuracy, 10m
  range), Blaster Rifle (7DC, +1 accuracy, 400m range).
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
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  16
  .The Worm
  Perhaps one of the most insidious extraterrestrial threats
  faced by mankind. The Worms, so called because of their
  slimy invertebrate natural state and tactic of taking control
  of their host much like a computer virus, burrow into a
  host's brain and take mental control of the host. The
  Worms then gain all the knowledge of the host. Their
  ultimate goal seems to be the complete domination of the
  Galaxy. Their homeworld is unknown. Unfortunately, the
  only way to detect a Worm possession is through a
  complex neurological scan of the host that takes hours to
  perform. The Worm's main drawback, however, is their
  lack of numbers. In the last 50 years since their discovery,
  only 18 known Worms have been uncovered. What is not
  known is how many Worm-controlled hosts still lurk
  undetected.
  Archaeological evidence reveals that the Worms existed
  during the time of the Ancients, and were, in fact,
  considered a threat even by them.
  No one knows where the Worms came from, or how the
  Ancients dealt with their menace.
  Typical Worm
  Physical: 1   Mental: 15   Combat: 8   Move: 7
  Hits: 5   Defense: 2
  Special Abilities: Mind Control (After a successful
  grapple attack and three rounds of holding on using
  Combat vs. victim’s Physical, the Worm has burrowed into
  the victim and may take control. The victim may resist by
  winning a Mental vs. Mental opposed roll.).
  Skills: Acrobatics 4, Stealth 10, Tracking 6, Evade 10,
  Hand-to-Hand 8.
  Gremlins
  Gremlins are the scavengers and pack-rats of the Galaxy.
  Everywhere interstellar commerce or transportation is
  centered, there’s bound to be a large colony of Gremlins.
  No one knows where these short bipedal mammals with
  long ears come from, not even themselves. They have
  always been where Hyperspace travel is available. It is
  theorized that early Gremlins surreptitiously stowed away
  or hitch-hiked on Reticulan spacecraft, and later Human
  spacecraft, spreading their presence throughout the
  galaxy. Popular superstition holds that Gremlins are, in
  fact, from Earth and have always been among Humans,
  only recently letting their presence be known.
  Most Gremlins are honest traders, dealing in junk and
  scrap and anything they can acquire through barter or
  salvage. Some Gremlins resort to the more dangerous
  practice of theft. Very rarely do Gremlins resort to
  violence, though when they do it is often duplicitous.
  If enough Gremlins are together in one place, they will
  band together to form a Troop. The Troop uses it’s
  combined numbers and resources to protect it’s members.
  Singly, Gremlins find protection in guile and anonymity. In
  numbers, they find strength and resolve, and often strike
  back at those that they view as oppressors.
  Typical Gremlin
  Physical: 1   Mental: 2   Combat: 2   Move: 3
  Hits: 5   Defense: 2
  Special Abilities: Enhanced Smell (+2 to all Perception
  skill checks when using smell)
  Skills: Stealth 7, Astrogation 5, Computers 5, Technology
  Skills (choose 3) 4, Games 4, Perception 4, Persuasion 5,
  Evade 6, Systems Operation 4.
  Equipment: Blaster Pistol (5DC, +1 accuracy, 60m
  range).
  
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  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
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  17
  Galactic Technology
  The Galaxy has attained an impressive level of technology
  by the 27th century. Access to technology, however,
  varies depending on region of the galaxy and affiliation.
  Generally, the best technology is owned and is developed
  by the Federation. The Old Earth Empires are capable of
  creating impressive technology, but it's level varies greatly
  amongst its various powers. The Empire lags behind in
  technological progress, but it makes up for it in volume.
  Transportation
  Interstellar transportation is achieved through the use of
  the Hyperspace Drive. The Hyperspace drive is capable of
  travelling at velocities many times the speed of light by
  warping space/time around the vessel.
  In-system transportation is achieved using powerful Ion
  engines capable of generating tremendous amounts of
  thrust with little dangerous exhaust.
  Planetary transportation uses Anti-Gravity technology.
  Though complicated and difficult to maintain, Grav
  vehicles are the most numerous vehicles in the galaxy.
  Typical low-power grav vehicles can only achieve an
  altitude of a few meters while high-power grav vehicles
  may attain atmospheric altitudes and high velocities.
  Wheeled and tracked vehicles are still available and are
  very common on some worlds where easy maintenance is
  a factor.
  Anti-Gravity research in the 2200's which led to Grav
  Vehicles also created Artificial Gravity which is used on
  space vessels and installations. Artificial Gravity is
  relatively inexpensive and easily maintained compared to
  spin or acceleration-based gravity. Artificial Gravity also
  partially compensates for inertia.
  Legged vehicles, known as Mecha, are also common on
  the Frontier where difficult terrain and conditions make
  wheeled, tracked, or even Grav vehicles impractical.
  Medical
  Medical technology has progressed such that death from
  natural causes is rare. Although anagathics exist, they are
  still relatively expensive and uncommon. Tissue
  regeneration technologies are common and can easily
  replace a lost limb or organ through cloning new tissue.
  However, tissue regeneration takes time, several months
  in fact. Unless the recipient has a tissue bank set up with
  stored clone parts on demand, they'll have to either go
  without the limb or organ or use an artificial replacement.
  The technology exists to create full body clones and
  artificially enhance their growth. Although these clones are
  functionally unintelligent, they can be made to act and
  appear intelligent through the use of cybernetic implants.
  Growth-enhanced full-body clones are strongly controlled
  in the Federation, but not illegal. However, using the clone
  for any reason than tissue-bank replacement or research
  is illegal.
  Artificial Bionic replacement of limbs or organs is also very
  common and is readily available. However, the cybernetic
  interface implants necessary to control the bionic
  replacement make cloned tissue replacement later on
  impractical. Although bionic replacements are more
  expensive and invasive than cloned tissue replacement,
  they are more immediately available. If one could afford
  the cost, one could have an expensive immediate bionic
  replacement while a natural replacement is cloned. Then,
  when the natural replacement is ready, the bionics can be
  removed at further great cost and the natural clone
  replacement attached.
  Cybernetic technology has also yielded several brain-
  computer interfaces allowing a human brain to be directly
  connected to a computer interface. This allows direct
  access to computerized files, databases, and control
  mechanisms, but has the side-effect of eventually making
  the user think in an emotionless machine-like fashion.
  Cybernetic technology is heavily controlled by the
  Federation as a result.
  Self-Defense
  The most common weapons technology in the galaxy is
  the Blaster. The blaster fires a bolt of highly charged
  energy at its target. The result is localized electrical burn
  damage and cauterized tissue trauma. The blast is
  capable of penetrating most forms of ballistic armor but is
  not capable of rupturing the hull of a space vessel.
  Blasters also have the capability of being set to a lower
  "stun" setting. Ballistic weapons still exist and are widely
  available, though they are unpopular due to their ability to
  rupture hulls in space.
  Most deadly concealable weapons are strictly controlled in
  Federation space. However, it is legal to own and carry an
  unconcealed weapon on a colony world. Hand-held
  Stunners are legal and easily available on most worlds
  and installations. Regulations differ among the Old Earth
  Empires and all weapons are strictly forbidden to non-
  military subjects of the Empire.
  Armor technology has produced several practical kinds of
  armor from lightweight suits of flexible ballistic cloth to
  armored plate suits to large suits of powered plate armor.
  Powered armor is so heavy it requires it's own internal
  monocoque musculature system to support and move its
  own weight. These suits are worn by the pilot as opposed
  to legged mecha in which the pilot controls the vehicle
  from a cockpit.
  Computer Technology
  Computers are everywhere controlling everything. Even
  personal clothing can be computer controlled for
  temperature, breathability, and fit. Although fully self-
  aware artificial intelligences exist, most of what are called
  AI's are, in actuality, very good simulations of them. Most
  computer systems larger than 5kg are capable of full
  interaction and comprehension, if not self-awareness. All
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  18
  computers also have the capability to connect to the
  Hypernet to either send and receive data anywhere in the
  galaxy.
  Droids
  Another product of computer technology are Droids.
  Droids are ambulatory robots. There are a wide variety of
  Droids in the galaxy. Most are not fully self-aware, but are
  fully interactive and can easily pass for being self-aware.
  Droids have replaced human labor and ability in many
  fields and, as such, are viewed with prejudice by most
  people. However, they do provide excellent service and
  are quite capable. The debate on the value of Droids is
  unresolved as some welcome their contribution and others
  resent it.
  Technology does exist to create fully life-like Androids.
  There are three classes of Androids: Superficial,
  Enhanced, full Replicant. Superficial androids are
  effectively Droids with a human-appearing outside. They
  are easily detected with casual medical scan. Enhanced
  Androids use cloned and cybernetically controlled human
  tissue and can pass for a human on a casual medical
  scan, but a detailed examination will reveal it. A full
  Replicant will pass for a human no matter how detailed
  the examination. Only a full dissection/autopsy will reveal
  it's true nature. Enhanced Androids and Full Replicants
  are heavily controlled by the Federation and are very
  expensive.
  Communication
  Galactic Communications is handled through a network of
  transceivers, relay boosters, and routers called the
  Hypernet. The Hypernet carries digital information from
  one part of the galaxy to another through a packet-
  switching system similar to the old Internet on Earth.
  Hyperpulse Communication Transmitters send a signal at
  phenomenal hyperspace velocities, but with the extreme
  distances in question, there is often a time lag before the
  message arrives at its destination. A message sent from
  one star system to another in the same sector might take
  several (1-6) minutes to arrive. A message sent to another
  sector could take several (1-6) hours, the neighboring
  quadrant several (1-6) days.
  The Hypernet is capable of broadcasting several types of
  media in digital format: text, audio, video, and VR; each
  requiring increasing levels of sophistication to record and
  transmit. Hypernet messages are normally sent to one or
  a few individual recipients. Mass-media is possible
  through subscription to programs, channels, or services.
  Mass Media is broadcast live via an open channel which
  is also recorded so that any item broadcast on any Mass
  Media service can be keyed in and viewed at a later date.
  However, since it takes several hours or days to send the
  request, and several more hours or days to receive the
  result, this is rarely done outside the planetary or sector
  level.
  Every Federation and most Old Earth Empire citizens are
  given a Hypernet Access Number upon request. This is an
  access number by which all transmissions, text, voice,
  video, or VR, may go to. Some Citizens use several
  Hypernet numbers, each serving a different purpose, but
  most stick to the simplicity of one number. If a Citizen is
  unable to speak live and directly, the message is stored
  so that it can be replayed at a later date.
  Galactic Society
  Life for the Galactic citizen depends on where in the
  Galaxy they live. Federation citizens enjoy a measure
  of comfortable living never before seen in history. Freed
  from the needs of creating the necessities of survival,
  the Federation citizen is encouraged to enjoy
  meaningful careers in science and public service. Much
  of the support or menial work is performed by Droids.
  Since the basic needs of the people are met, there is
  little actual crime committed in the civilized worlds of
  the Federation.
  The Empire, in contrast, offers little hope for the
  ordinary citizen. The average person of the Empire is
  little more than a slave to the state. They are
  considered the servants of the Emperor. Automation is
  less prevalent in the Empire, forcing labor to be
  performed by humans. The government provides only
  enough services to maintain the system. It rewards
  treachery and punishes disobedience and dissention.
  Citizens of one of the Old Earth Empires enjoy a
  standard of living similar to that of the Federation.
  However, the prevalence of the Mega-Corporations in
  these governments emphasizes competition and
  service to the Corporation. Most of the citizens are
  employees of one of the Mega-Corporations, constantly
  striving to increase the company’s profits and get
  promoted, or at least not fired. The unemployed are left
  to fend for themselves, and often find it difficult to find
  new employment. This barrier creates a dispossessed
  class who live on the streets or turn to crime. Some of
  the galaxy’s greatest criminals have come from the Old
  Earth Empires.
  Life on the Colonies, on the other hand, can be
  challenging and difficult. The basic needs for survival
  must be met by the colonists themselves. The colonies
  can be a melting pot of peoples from all the cultures of
  the Galaxy. Federation colonists are optimists who seek
  to better themselves and the Galaxy. Imperial colonists
  are generally members of labor camps. Old Earth
  Empire colonists are generally corporate, or established
  by members of the dispossessed class who wish to
  escape the desperate environment of their homeworld.
  Many criminals escape prosecution by fleeing to the
  Colonies as well, inserting a desperate element who
  find it difficulty to leave their old ways.
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  19
  Creating an Astro Police Ranger
  Step One: What are you like?
  Think of what your character is like. Is the character a
  male or a female? Are they educated or not? Do they
  come from the core worlds or the colonies? To help you in
  the process, use the following questionnaire to help make
  decisions regarding your character:
  Make some decisions about the personality of the
  character. Are they serious and grim, or are they funny
  and lighthearted. What do they think is important? Take
  some time to think about these topics and write down your
  ideas.
  Name your character. Think of their background and their
  parents. Choose a name that suits this character.
  Gender:
  � Male 
  � Female
  Planet of Origin:
  � Core
  � Member
  � Colony
  � Space Station
  � Other
  Name:                                                                                                                                      
  Education:
  � None
  � Some Primary
  � Primary
  � College
  � Post-Graduate
  � Technical Training
  � Military Academy
  � Other
  Name:                                                                                                                                      
  Family:
  � None
  � Divorced
  � Nuclear
  � Siblings
  � Only Child
  � Extended
  � Married
  � Children
  � Adopted
  � Other
  Names:                                                                                                                                    
  Background:
  � None
  � Corporate
  � Military
  � Academic
  � Law Enforcement
  � Criminal
  � Colonial
  � Other
  Explanation:                                                                                                                             
  Step Two: Nice and Easy, By the Numbers.
  PRIMARY CHARACTERISTICS
  Astro Police characters start with four Primary
  Characteristics, and four Derived Characteristics to define
  their basic abilities. These numbers range from 0 to 10, 0
  being handicapped and 10 being nearly super-heroic.
  Normal people typically have Characteristics of 3-4.
  Assign your 20 points to your Astro Police  Ranger’s
  characteristics. No characteristic may start below 2 or
  above 8. Characteristics can be raised as the game
  progresses and the character earns Experience Points
  (XP).
  Mental: A measure of the character’s learning and
  memory, willpower, and force of personality.
  Combat: The character’s reaction time, dexterity, and
  overall athletic ability.
  Physical: This measures physical strength, toughness,
  and general health. Physical determines how much
  damage a character can deal with a punch or kick, and
  how much they can take.
  Movement: How fast the character can move about.
  DERIVED CHARACTERISTICS
  Derived Characteristics are determined by the value of
  specific Primary Characteristics. Use the formula listed
  with the Derived Characteristic’s description to determine
  its value.
  Hits: (Physical x 5) The amount of damage the character
  can take before falling unconscious.
  Defense: (Physical x 2) The character’s defense against
  incoming damage.
  SKILLS
  The next thing that an Instant Fuzion character needs is
  Skills, which define what the character knows how to do
  and how well they do it. Skills are rated on the same scale
  as Characteristics: 0 means the character doesn’t know
  how to do it, and 10 means they are the best in the world
  at it.
  All characters begin with the following skills at level 2, free
  of charge (“Everyman Skills”): Computers, Current Events,
  Perception, Persuasion, Evade, and Hand-to-Hand.
  Rangers then spend 30 Points on additional skills to
  reflect their life and training before becoming a Ranger.
  No beginning character may have a skill of over 8.
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  20
  Rangers then receive and additional +1 to the following
  skills to reflect their initial training: Acrobatics, Astrogation,
  Computers, Evade, First Aid, Navigation, Hand-to-Hand,
  Melee Weapons, Perception, Pilot Starfighter, Ranged
  Weapons , Shields, System Operation, and Tracking.
  The Skills are listed below:
  Awareness Skills: A character’s skill at perceiving and
  interpreting the world around him (Mental).
  Perception: The skill of noticing things around you
  using any of your senses. (Everyman skill)
  Body Skills: Anything to do with physical activity
  (Physical).
  Acrobatics: Jumping, tumbling, spinning, and leaping.
  Climbing: The skill of climbing trees, cliffs, buildings,
  and other difficult surfaces and objects.
  Feat of Strength: Using your strength to great
  advantage and achieving spectacular results.
  Riding: The skill of riding a horse or other animal.
  Stealth: Moving quietly and remaining hidden from
  view.
  Control Skills: How good your character is at piloting
  vehicles and controlling equipment (Combat).
  Pilot Grav Vehicle: The skill of piloting atmospheric
  Grav Vehicles.
  Pilot Ground Vehicle: The skill of driving wheeled or
  tracked ground vehicles.
  Pilot Mecha: The skill of piloting humanoid or legged
  mecha and walkers.
  Pilot Starfighter: The skill of piloting all starfighter-
  scale spacecraft, including shuttles, freighters, and
  transports.
  Pilot Starship: The skill of piloting larger starship-scale
  spacecraft.
  Shields: The skill of operating force shield generators
  to deflect incoming fire.
  System Operation: This skill allows the character to
  operate sensing and communications devices.
  Evasion Skills: How good your character is at not getting
  hit in combat (Combat).
  Evade: The skill of avoiding attacks, including melee,
  hand-to-hand, and ranged attacks. (Everyman skill)
  Fighting Skills: How good your character is at hitting
  things with his fists or feet (Combat).
  Hand-to-Hand: Punching, kicking, throwing, and
  holding. (Everyman skill)
  Mind Skills: Anything to do with your mind, will, or charm
  (Mental).
  Artistry: Creating works of art and expression.
  Astrogation: The skill of plotting safe courses through
  Hyperspace and of determining your location in strange
  star systems.
  Computers: The skill of using and programming
  computers. Also covers illegal uses of computers.
  (Everyman skill)
  Current Events: Knowledge of what is going on in the
  world around you, including geographical and recent
  history. (Everyman skill)
  Etiquette: The skill of high society, knowing how to act
  in public, etc.
  First Aid: The skill of applying treatment to trauma,
  wounds, and injuries. This does not inlcude the
  diagnoses of disease or prescrption of appropriate
  medicines (see Medicine).
  Games: The skill of playing games of chance, strategy,
  and skill, and knowing how to cheat at them.
  History: Knowledge of ancient history, archaeology,
  and why things are the way they are.
  Medicine: The skill of diagnosing and treating illness.
  Does not include treatment of trauma or injury (see First
  Aid).
  Navigation: The skill of finding where your character is
  and getting where you’re going.
  Persuasion: The skill of influencing people, using
  charm, flattery, or intimidation. (Everyman skill)
  Science: The knowledge of chemistry, biology, physics,
  or any science that explains how things work based on
  observation and evidence.
  Streetwise: The tricks and secrets of the criminal
  underworld, where to find contraband, who is in charge
  of what, etc.
  Survival: The tricks and secrets of survival in the
  wilderness, how to extend water supplies, how to find
  food plants, etc.
  Tracking: Following a person or animal over distances
  and finding them.
  Performance Skills: How well a character can get and
  keep the attention of a crowd (Mental).
  Performance: The ability to sing or act in front of an
  audience. Also the ability to convincingly portray a
  character or persona.
  Ranged Weapon Skills: How well a character can use
  firearms, bows and arrows, and any ranged weapons
  (Combat).
  Archery: Using bows or crossbows.
  Gunnery: Used for firing starship, starfighter, and
  artillery weapons.
  Heavy Weapons: Used for firing squad support
  weapons, heavy lasers, and anti-armor missiles.
  Ranged Weapons : Used for firing personal Ranged
  Weapons such as blaster pistols, blaster rifles, and
  slugthrowers.
  Technical Skills: A character’s skills at using machinery
  or performing feats with his hands (Mental).
  Computer Technology: The skill of repairing,
  maintaining, and modifying computers.
  Droid Technology: The skill of repairing, maintaining,
  and modifying droids and robots.
  Engineering: The skill of building things, bridges,
  houses, starships, computers.
  Equipment Technology: The skill of repairing,
  maintaining, and modifying common equipment and
  weapons.
  Starfighter Technology: The skill of repairing,
  maintaining, and modifying starfighters.
  Starship Technology: The skill of repairing,
  maintaining, and modifying starships.
  Vehicle Technology: The skill of repairing,
  maintaining, and modifying ground and grav vehicles.
  Weapon Skills: How good your character is at hitting
  things with a weapon (Combat).
  Melee Weapons: The skill of fighting with hand
  weapons like swords, clubs, spears, axes, and knives.
  Thrown Weapons: The skill of accurately throwing
  small weapons like knives, rocks, and grenades.
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  21
  Step Three: Equipment
  Astro Police are assigned the following standard
  equipment:
  Blaster Pistol (5DC, +1 accuracy, 60m range), Flight
  Suit (5  KD), Datapad (2 POW), Cuff-Tape Dispenser
  (difficulty 22), Peacekeeper Starfighter.
  In addition, they are given a 500 Credit Allowance to
  purchase any equipment they see fit from the following
  list:
  Advanced Force Screen
  300
  A powerful force screen that provides protection from all
  damage (30 KD, if any damage exceeds the KD, the
  Force Screen burns out and must be repaired).
  "Bug" 
  60
  Miniature listening device. Will transmit any sound within
  10m/yds to a receiver up to a km away.
  Analyser 
  100
  Hand-held scanner about the size of a hardback book.
  The scanner sweeps 100m/yds around the user,
  examining life signs, technology traces, emissions,
  sounds, etc., reporting on what it observes on its LCD
  screen (Adds +2 to any Perception, Technology, Tracking
  or Survival skills).
  Antigravity Module 
  100
  Small 1'x1'x1' cube with antigravity unit inside. Handles
  are on either side. Can lift up to 200 lbs. for 4 hours on a
  power cell.
  Audio Recorder 
  10
  Handheld digital recorder with unlimited recording time.
  Blaster Pistol
  50
  A hand-held short-range blaster weapon (5DC, +1
  accuracy, ROF 2, 60m range).
  Blaster Rifle
  70
  A larger blaster weapon for longer range and damage
  (7DC, +1 accuracy, ROF 2, 400m range).
  “Bug” Detector 
  90
  Will detect any active or passive listening device within
  10m/yds Will determine location of bug, but not location of
  receiver.
  Camera 
  10
  Digital still camera with unlimited capacity.
  Camouflage Coverall 
  2
  Khaki overclothing, patterned to match Urban, Snow,
  Jungle, Forest, or Desert environments (specify, Adds +2
  to any Stealth attempt).
  Camp stove 
  10
  Takes about 5 minutes to boil water.
  Canteen 
  1
  Holds 2 quarts.
  Combat Knife
  10
  A good combat knife (1DC, min 1), useful for puncturing
  spacesuits.
  Communicator 
  10
  Small radio (headset or matchbox-sized handheld). Range
  is 1000km. A communicator can reach a ship in orbit, as
  long as the ship is directly overhead and not blocked by
  more than a meter of concrete or metal. A Communicator
  can also send audio signals over the Hypernet.
  Cuff-Tape Dispenser
  1
  A hand-held device that applies strong kevlar tape to a
  person’s wrists or ankles. This tape cannot be cut (KD
  15), burned, or broken (difficulty 22 to break).
  Datapad
  5
  Flat computer with built-in screen about the size of a
  hardcover book (POW 2). A datapad links to the Hypernet.
  Defensive Vest
  60
  A light vest that protects against small weapons (6 KD).
  Can be worn under light outer garments.
  Defensive Jacket
  140
  A heavy jacket that protects against medium weapons (14
  KD). Cannot be worn over light under garments.
  Dried Food (week) 
  10
  For one man. Prepackaged, just add water. 5 lbs.
  Electrician's Tool Kit 
  5
  Pocket soldering iron, parts, multimeter, etc. Required for
  Electronics tasks.
  Energy Sword
  50
  A sword with a blade of laser energy (4DC, +1 accuracy,
  min 2, any natural roll of 3 results in the attacker injuring
  themselves).
  First Aid Kit (Future) 
  5
  Laser scalpels, dermal staplers, nano-clamps, air hypos
  and other high tech medical devices (Required for
  Medicine or First Aid skill attempts).
  Flashlight 
  1
  Battery powered, good for 8 hours. Lights up to 20m/yds.
  Flight Suit
  100
  A kevlar flight suit and hardened helmet that provides
  protection from most small weapons (5 KD) and seals
  against the vaccuum of space. The suit has built-in
  sensors that monitor the wearer’s bio-functions and feeds
  that information to their spacecraft or Datapad.
  Food Packs (week) 
  10
  Compressed food for one man. Requires no heating or
  water; just rip open the seal and it heats in 2 minutes.
  Geiger Counter 
  90
  Detects intensity/direction of radiation up to 10m/yds.
  Gill Mask 
  50
  Facemask and collar unit equivalent to an aqualung.
  Allows user to breathe freely underwater for up to 72
  hours down to 200m/yds.
  Grav Bike
  350
  A small 1-man Grav Bike (KD 3, SDP 30, top speed
  300kph) with built-in computerized controls (POW 4)
  Grav Car
  470
  A small 2-man Grav Car (KD 10, SDP 50, top speed
  300kph) with built-in computerized controls (POW 4)
  Grav Flyer
  490
  A 4-man Grav Flyer (KD 10, SDP 50, top speed 300kph)
  with unlimited ceiling and built-in computerized controls
  (POW 4).
  Heavy Blaster
  120
  A larger tripod-mounted  or shoulder-mounted weapon
  (difficulty 18 to fire while standing) used for anti-personnel
  and light anti-vehicle purposes (12DC, ROF 1, +1
  accuracy, 400m range).
  Heavy Armor
  180
  Heavy blaster-resistant plate armor (20 KD). Protects
  against hostile environments and space. Built-in radio.
  Holochips (10) 
  10
  Futuristic equivalents of tapes, music, and books.
  Holorecorder 
  20
  Futuristic equivalent of a video recorder. Can record up to
  10 hours on a single chip. Projects hand-sized holo image
  for playback. Can also send holo-recordings over the
  Hypernet.
  Hunting Blaster
  60
  A high-powered, low rate-of-fire blaster useful for hunting
  game on rural colony worlds (6DC, +1 accuracy, ½ rate of
  fire, 600m range).
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  22
  Industrial Spacesuit
  80
  A heavy duty spacesuit (8 KD) for working and EVA
  repairs with built-in radio and directional thrusters.
  Inertial Compass 
  30
  Small hand-held device that records directions traveled
  and replays instructions and map on LCD screen. Will
  always locate North (Adds +2 to any Navigation skill).
  IR Goggles & Flash 
  50
  Allows user to see in dim light, using flash (Illuminates up
  to 15m/yds).
  Jammer 
  60
  Will jam all wireless communications within 10m/yds of
  user.
  Lantern 
  5
  Lights up to 40m/yds.
  Light Spacesuit
  50
  A skin-tight spacesuit with minimal protection (KD 5) with
  built-in radio and directional thrusters.
  Lighter 
  1
  Fast fires (2 minutes by this method).
  Macroglasses 
  10
  Futuristic equivalent of binoculars, with digital range
  readouts, image enhancement, still recording of up to 10
  images (stored on holochips).
  Mechanic's Tool Kit 
  10
  Wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, etc. Required for
  Mechanical tasks.
  Medical Scanner 
  3
  Hand-held scanner the size of a paperback book.
  Examines patient, gives procedures and diagnosis on
  LCD screen (Adds +2 to any First Aid or Medicine skills).
  Military Spacesuit
  100
  A heavier armored version (10 KD) of the Industrial
  Spacesuit with built-in radio and directional thrusters.
  Monoblade
  30
  A sword with a blade of mono-molecular cutting wire (DC
  2, +1 accuracy, minimum Phys 2, armor piercing).
  Music Synthesizer 
  20
  Any type of electronic music device; can include
  keyboards, drum pads, stringed instruments, and MIDI
  wind instruments. 10 hours per power cell.
  Nylon Rope 
  10
  100m/yds. Can hold up to 500 lbs.
  Personal Computer 
  100
  Medium-sized Personal Computer (POW 5), about the
  size of a modern laptop, links to the Hypernet.
  Personal Force Screen
  100
   A low-powered force screen that provides protection from
  Stunners (10 KD against Stunners only, if any damage
  exceeds the Force Screen, it burns out and must be
  repaired).
  Pocket Blaster
  30
  A small concealable pocket-sized blaster (3DC, -1
  accuracy, 20m range)
  Power Cells (6) 
  10
  The "batteries" of the future, used to power most small
  devices and weapons. Come in packs of 6, each with a
  jack for wall. Recharging; takes 1 hour to recharge a
  single cell. Every Future electronic device uses one power
  cell, which will run the device for 10 continuous hours.
  Powered Armor
  500
  Powered Armor provides maximum protection from
  weapons fire (25 KD, if breached half damage applied to
  wearer, half damage applied to suit’s SDP 50) as well as
  enhancing the wearer’s performance (PHYS 12 for lifting
  and damage, MOVE 8). Starships and Mecha cannot be
  piloted while wearing Powered Armor.
  Respirator 
  10
  Breathing mask for filtering out smog, toxic atmospheres,
  etc. Oxygen (1 hour) bottle included.
  Skis 
  20
  For snow travel (reduces terrain from Rough to Normal).
  Sneaksuit 
  30
  Futuristic equivalent of camouflage, the sneaksuit mimics
  the background of whatever the wearer is passing in front
  of (Adds +2 to any Stealth attempt).
  Snowshoes 
  10
  For movement over deep snow (reduces terrain from Very
  Rough to Rough).
  Stunner
  30
  A hand-held device used to incapacitate opponents
  without killing (10DC Stun only, +1 accuracy, 60m range).
  Survival Dome 
  30
  Light, self-inflating habitat for four. Air tight, can even be
  used in space (although air must be provided for
  breathing). Takes five minutes to set up.
  Technical Scanner 
  50
  Hand-held scanner about the size of a paperback book.
  Readout examines mechanical/electronic hardware and
  gives repair procedures and problems on LCD screen.
  (Adds +2 to any Technology skills).
  Tent (nylon) 
  10
  Holds four. Can be set up in five minutes.
  Toolknife 
  5
  Classic "Swiss army" knife (DC 0.5). Saw, screwdrivers,
  tweezers, awls, etc.
  Universal Translator 
  120
  Translates unknown languages and provides English
  equivalents through attached earphones. When spoken
  into, translates your words back via digitized voice. Takes
  three turns to translate a simple language; six turns to
  analyze and translate a complex one. Note: on a roll of 6
  on 1D6, any previously unknown language is
  untranslatable.
  Utility Belt 
  2
  Belt or harness with pouches. Can be used to carry up to
  6 objects or devices up to the size of a large paperback
  book. or a total combined weight no greater than 10kg.
  Video Camera 
  30
  Hand-held digital video camera with unlimited recording
  time. Can also send video recordings over the Hypernet.
  Video Commo 
  30
  Two-way hand-held video communicator. Range is
  equivalent to a standard communicator, with same limits.
  Can also send and receive Video Recordings over the
  Hypernet.
  Wristwatch 
  5
  Digital time keeper with alarm, day, date.
  Equipment Definitions
  DC: Damage Class, the amount of dice rolled to
  determine any damage inflicted by the weapon.
  KD: Killing Defense, the amount subtracted from all
  damage taken by anyone using this equipment.
  POW: Power, the Characteristic and Skill Level of the
  Computer system in question. Used as the AV for any
  actions taken by the Computer.
  SDP: Structural Damage Points, the amount of damage
  the vehicle can take before being destroyed.
  MIN: Minimum, the minimum PHYS required to use this
  weapon (see Weapons below)
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  23
  Weapons
  Weapons are defined by the following statistics: DC (the
  number of dice rolled to determine the amount of damage
  done to the target; ratings in italics indicates it is Stunning
  Damage, while normal ratings are Lethal Damage),
  Accuracy (any bonus or penalty to your Character’s
  Action Value while using the Weapon), MIN (the minimum
  Physical Characteristic your Character must have to even
  use the Weapon),
  Here’s a special thing to remember about all Melee
  Weapons – for every point of Physical you have over the
  MIN, you get to add an extra die of Damage. However,
  you can never roll more than double the original Damage
  dice listed for the Weapon.
  For example, if Rico has a Monoblade (DAM 2d6, MIN 2)
  and his PHYS is 3, he will do 3d6 with the Short Sword
  (+1 over the MIN = +1d6 Damage). If he somehow gained
  a PHYS of 4, he would then do 4d6 of Damage, but even
  if his PHYS went up to 5 or higher, he could never do
  more than 4d6 with the Short Sword.
  Pocket Blaster (3DC, -1 accuracy, ROF 2, 20m range)
  Blaster Pistol (5DC, +1 accuracy, ROF 2, 60m range)
  Blaster Rifle (7DC, +1 accuracy, ROF 2, 400m range)
  Heavy Blaster (12 DC, +1 accuracy, ROF 1, 400m range)
  Combat Knife (1DC, min 1)
  Energy Sword (4DC, min 2)
  Monoblade (2DC, min 2)
  Sonic Grenade (10DC Stun only, 5m area effect)
  Thermal Grenade (5DC, 5m area effect)
  Fragmentation Grenade (7DC, 5m area effect)
  Defenses
  Defenses and Armor are defined by their KD (the Killing
  Defense rating, an amount subtracted from any Stunning
  or Lethal Damage done to your Character). Against
  punches and kicks, either the armor KD or the character’s
  Defense should be used, whichever is higher, but not
  both.
  Defensive Vest (6 KD)
  Defensive Jacket (14 KD)
  Flight Suit (5 KD)
  Space Suit (5 KD)
  Industrial Space Suit (8 KD)
  Military Space Suit (10 KD)
  Heavy Armor (20 KD)
  Personal Force Screen (10 KD, Stunners only)
  Advanced Force Screen (30 KD)
  Step Four: Trick Out Your Peacekeeper
  Astro Police Rangers are also assigned a Peacekeeper
  Long-Range Starfighter. They are given an allowance of
  5000 credits to make the following modifications as they
  see fit:
  Enhanced Artificial Intelligence
  1000 each
  Peacekeepers are equipped with a built-in artificial
  intelligence capable of communicating with the pilot,
  performing self-diagnostics, and piloting the starfighter
  through simple maneuvers (landing, take-off, hovering).
  The built-in AI acts as a pilot with Mental and Combat
  staistics of 2. Each enhancement increases one of the
  statistics by 1 to a maximum of 10.
  Enhanced Ion Drive
  1000 each
  Increases the Ion drive performance by 1 AU per day.
  Enhanced Hyperdrive
  5000 each
  Increases the Maximum Hyperspace speed by 10 LY per
  Hour.
  Enhanced Sensors
  100 each
  Increases the range of the starfighter’s sensors by 10km.
  Enhanced Shields
  500 each
  Increases the Force Shield’s power by 1K.
  Enhanced Thrusters
  2000 each
  Increases the speed of the starfighter by 1 km.
  Enhanced Tractor Beam
  1000 each
  Adds +1 to the tractor beam’s roll to immobilize the target.
  Extra Missiles
  2000 each
  Each extra missile reduces handling by 1.
  Increased Cargo Hold
  500 each
  Increases the Cargo Hold capacity by 500kg to a
  maximum of 1,500kg. Each increase reduces handling by
  1.
  Increased Firepower
  1000 each
  Increases the energy output of the Blaster Cannons by 1K
  to a maximum of 10K. Each increase reduces the
  Peacekeeper’s Range by 100 Light Years.
  Increased Range
  1000 each
  Increases the starfighter’s Hyperspace Range by 100
  Light Years.
  Maneuver Verniers
  1000 each
  Increases the starfighter’s handling by 1, up to a
  maximum of Zero.
  Reinforced Structure
  500 each
  Increases the starfighter’s structure by 1K. Each increase
  of 2K reduces the handling by 1.
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  24
  Example Character and Peacekeeper
  On the following page, we’ll walk through the process of
  creating a Astro Police Ranger.
  Step 1: What are you like?
  Name: Ypsilon Bear
  Using the questionnaire, we determine that Ypsilon is
  Male, from a Colony world named Tarapchack, attended
  college at Tarapchak University, that his parents are
  divorced and named Jean Mills (mother), and Greg Bear
  (father), and that he comes from a Law Enforcement
  background (his mother was an Astro Police Officer).
  Using this information, we create the following personality
  and history for Ypsilon:
  Ypsilon Bear is a loner. He was raised on the colony world
  of Tarapchack by his divorced First American father, Greg
  Bear. His mother, Jean Mills, lived in the Core Worlds
  where she was a famous Astro Police Officer. He always
  wanted to grow up to be just like his mother, despite the
  protestation of his father. When he grew up, the only way
  into law enforcement for him was the Rangers.
  Step Two: Nice and Easy, By the Numbers.
  We then assign 20 points to Ypsilon’s 4 Primary
  Characteristics, and determine his Derived
  Characteristics.
  Mental: 7
  Hits: 15
  Combat: 6
  Defense: 6
  Pysical: 3
  Movement: 4
  We then choose Ypsilon’s skills. He receives the following
  skills automatically: Computers 2, Current Events 2,
  Perception 2, Persuasion 2, Evade 2, Hand-to-Hand 2
  We then spend an additional 30 points on other skills at
  our discretion. We’ll choose skills that represent how we
  think Ypsilon grew up on Tarapchak: Pilot Grav Vehicle 3,
  Pilot Starfighter 3, Astrogation 3, Computers 3, Streetwise
  3, Science 3, Survival 3, Vehicle Technology 3, Shields 3,
  Evade +3
  Ypsilon then receives the following bonus skills as a result
  of Ranger Training: Acrobatics +1, Astrogation +1,
  Computers +1, Evade +1, First Aid +1, Melee Weapons
  +1, Perception +1, Pilot Starfighter +1, Ranged Weapons
  +1, Shields +1, System Operation +1, Tracking +1
  The final resulting skills are:
  Acrobatics 1, Astrogation 4, Computers 6, Current Events
  2, Evade 6, First Aid 1, Hand-to-Hand 2, Melee Weapons
  1, Perception 3, Persuasion 2, Pilot Grav Vehicle 3, Pilot
  Starfighter 4, Ranged Weapons 1, Science 3, Shields 4,
  Streetwise 3, Survival 3, System Operation 1, Tracking 1,
  Vehicle Technology 3.
  Step Three: Equipment
  Now we outfit Ypsilon with the standard Ranger kit:
  Blaster Pistol (5DC, +1 accuracy, 60m range), Flight Suit
  (5  KD), Datapad (2 POW), Cuff-Tape Dispenser (difficulty
  22), Peacekeeper Starfighter.
  We then spend the 500 Credit equipment allowance,
  purchasing the following items: IR goggles and Flash (50
  cr), Mechanic’s Tool Kit (10 cr), Universal Translator (120
  cr), Inertial Compass (30 cr), Survival Dome (30 cr),
  Technical Scanner (50 cr), 9 weeks of Food Packs (90 cr),
  First Aid Kit (5 cr), Analyser (100 cr), Canteen (1 cr),
  Wristwatch (5 cr), Ultility Belt (2 cr), Lighter (1 cr),
  Flashlight (1 cr), and a Toolknife (5 cr).
  Step Four: Trick Out your Peacekeeper
  Then we modify Ypsilon’s Peacekeeper with the 5000
  credit modification allowance: Enhanced Artificial
  Intelligence (1000 cr), Enhanced Ion Drive (2000 cr),
  Increased Range (1000 cr), Maneuver Verniers (1000 cr).
  Ypsilon’s Peacekeeper now has the following statistics:
  PEACEKEEPER STARFIGHTER: KD 4K, SDP 8K, MV-1,
  MOVE 2km, Pass 1+1, Blaster Cannons (5K, +1
  accuracy, 2.4km range), 2 Strike Missiles (12K each,
  28.8km range), Tractor Beam (15+3d6 vs target’s
  structure+3d6, success indicates target is immobilized, -5
  accuracy, 1.2km range), Shields (6K), Options: Hyperdrive
  (100 LY per hour, 1100 LY range), Ion Drive (3 AU per
  day), Atmospheric re-entry protection, passenger seat for
  prisoners, 500kg storage, ejection seats, security system,
  sensors (70km range, 10000km communications), backup
  sensors (10km range, 3000km communications), Artificial
  Intelligence (Mental 3, Combat 3).
  And that’s it. Our character, Ypsilon Bear, is ready to start
  his patrol. What comes next is for the GameMaster. The
  GameMaster creates a story for a character like Ypsilon to
  take part in.
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  25
  Action
  Lost in Time (Phases)
  When characters are fighting, Combat Time starts.
  Combat Time is a system of keeping track of combatants
  and actions through the use of Phases. A Phase
  corresponds to about 3 seconds of game time, an
  increment in which a character can perform one action, on
  average.
  During a Phase, characters must act in order. Although in
  the real world, action usually happens simultaneously and
  with much confusion, the game has to keep things simple
  by imposing order on things. Each Phase, the character
  with the highest Mental Characteristic gets their
  action first. Other actions occur in order of descending
  Mental Characteristic until everyone has acted.  If two
  characters have the same Mental, the character with the
  highest Combat characteristic goes first. If they are still
  tied, both act at the same time.
  Note: Other Instant Fuzion games use a larger game-time
  increment called Rounds, consisting of 4 Phases. Rounds
  are not used in Lightspeed, but can be easily re-
  introduced should the Game Master desire.
  Lost in Space (Movement and Scale)
  In Instant Fuzion, everything is measured in an arbitrary
  distance called a Hex.  A Hex is equivalent to 2 meters.
  This makes it easy to keep track of combat using
  miniatures and hexmaps.
  A character may always move up to half his Move
  characteristic in Hexes and perform one action.
  Alternatively, he may move up to his full Move in Hexes
  and perform no other action, though he may roll evasions
  when attacked.  This is the Running action (see Actions).
  A truly desperate character could move up to twice his
  Move score in hexes, may not perform another action, and
  suffer a penalty to his Combat characteristic that Phase.
  This is the Sprint action (see Actions).
  Space Fighters do not measure their movement in MOVE.
  Instead, they use kilometers per phase. 1 km per Phase is
  equivalent to about Mach 1. If using a hex map to keep
  track of space movement, assume each hex is equal to
  0.5km.
  Never Tell Me The Odds! (Task Resolution)
  When a character attempts to perform an action whose
  outcome is uncertain, the Game Master should call for a
  Skill Test to determine if the action succeeded or failed.
  The player should roll three dice and add the result to the
  total of the character’s Characteristic and Skill. The result
  is called the Action Value. Compare the Action Value to a
  number corresponding to the action’s Difficulty Level, as
  determined by the Game Master, called the Difficulty
  Value. A Difficulty Value of 10 represents an easy task
  while a Diffculty Value of more than 20 represents an
  especially difficult task. If the Action Value is higher than
  the Difficulty Value, the action was a success. If the Action
  Value is less than the Difficulty Value, the action was a
  failure.
  Note: If the dice roll three 1’s, the action is automatically a
  failure. However, if the dice roll three 6’s, then the player
  may roll the dice again, totalling both rolls together.
  CHARACTERISTIC + SKILL + 3 DICE  (AV)
  vs. DIFFICULTY VALUE (DV)
  DIFFICULTY LEVEL
  DIFFICULTY VALUE
  No Problem
  10
  Easy
  14
  Hard
  18
  Really Hard
  22
  Mega Hard
  26
  The higher the Action Value, the more likely you will
  succeed. If you are competing against someone else, both
  characters compare their two Action Values; the highest
  total wins the contest.
  What Skill and Characteristic you use depends on the
  task. To pilot a Starship, you add together the character’s
  Pilot Starship Skill and your Combat Characteristic, for
  example, or to shoot a gun, you add together the
  character’s Ranged Weapon Skill and his Combat
  Characteristic.
  Example of Action Resolution: I want to hit my
  opponent in combat. I have a Combat Characteristic of 5,
  and Fighting Skill of 5, so I roll my 3 dice and come up
  with a total of 10 on the dice. I then add this number to my
  Skill and Characteristic, and come up with an Action Value
  of 20. To dodge my attack, my opponent rolls 3 dice and
  comes up with a 12 on the dice. He then adds this to his
  Combat Characteristic of 6, plus his Fighting Skill of 6, for
  an Action Value of 24. Therefore, since his total is greater
  than mine, I missed.
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  26
  You Did WHAT? (Actions)
  In order to simplify combat situations, the more common
  combat actions are listed below along with their effects.
  Attack: Attacks count as one Action. The Difficulty Value
  for attacks equals the target’s Combat + Evasion + 3
  dice. If an attack roll exceeds the target Difficulty Value
  by 10 or more, the attack ignores any armor defense
  when determining damage.
  Aim: Each phase taken Aiming adds +1 to the character’s
  Action Value.  A character may aim a weapon for as
  many phases as their skill in that weapon.  No other
  Actions are  possible while aiming.
  Block: Stops any one successful hand-to-hand or melee
  attack with a successful Defensive Roll vs the
  Attacker's Attack roll. The blocker automatically wins
  initiative next phase.
  Choke: Hold A Grab at - 4 to the attacker’s Action Value.
  2 dice damage. And you can't talk while being choked.
  Disarm: After a fighter has successfully Grabbed a
  weapon or gadget, he may automatically remove it the
  next Phase using this maneuver.
  Dodge: Adds 3 to the character’s Evasion rolls when
  being attacked. –1 is subtracted for each successive
  attack that Phase.
  Draw & Attack: Draw weapon and attack in one Action. -
  3 to the character’s Action Value.
  Entangle: Immobilize opponent until he can make a
  Escape. Requires a successful Grab in the previous
  Phase.
  Escape: Escape from Grabs or Entangles, using
  Physical+Body or Evasion skill vs opponent's
  Physcial+Body or Fighting skill.
  Get Up: Get up from being prone.
  Grab: Grab a target or gadget; -2 to the attacker’s Action
  Value to perform; -3 to all Evasion rolls that Phase.
  Other Action: Any single action not otherwise specified,
  such as reloading, mounting a vehicle, changing
  weapons, etc.
  Recover: -5 to all Evasion rolls this Phase, reduce any
  Stunning damage taken by Physical x 2.
  Run: Move up to your Move in hexes (a Run) and perform
  no other action.
  Sprint: Move up to twice your Move and perform no other
  action. Combat Characteristic is halved for all Evasions,
  and Zero for all attacks this Phase.
  Sweep/Trip: Opponent falls; takes -2 penalty to his
  Combat Characteristic next phase, must spend an
  Action to get back up.
  Throw: Throw one object (-4 to the Action Value if not
  made for throwing).
  Use Skill: Use a non-combat related skill, such as jump or
  roll or use a piece of equipment. Difficulty Value’s are
  usually set by the GM.
  Wait: Wait for a chance to take your action or hold an
  action til later in the Phase
  Bullseye! (Hitting the Target)
  After the player has declared the action for his character,
  an appropriate Skill Test is made to determine the
  success or failure of the action.
  For all hand-to-hand attacks, including kicking, grabbing,
  and punching, use the following formula:
  Attacker’s Combat + Fighting Skill + 3 dice vs.
  Opponent’s Combat + Evasion Skill + 3 dice
  For all melee attacks, including swordfights, spears, and
  knives, use the following formula:
  Attacker’s Combat + Weapon Skill + 3 dice vs.
  Opponent’s Combat + Evasion Skill + 3 dice
  For all ranged attacks, including guns, and lasers, use the
  following formula:
  Attacker’s Combat + Ranged Weapon Skill + 3 dice vs.
  Opponent’s Combat + Evasion Skill + 3 dice
  If the attacker’s roll exceeds the target’s roll by 10 or
  more, any damage from the attack ignores any armor KD
  the target might have.
  Sometimes, environmental factors impact the chance of
  hitting the target. Apply the following modifiers to the
  attacker’s roll during such conditions.
  Combat Ranges
  AV
  Melee (4m/2 hexes or less)
  -0
  Close (10m/5 hexes or less)
  -2
  Medium (50m/25 hexes or less)
  -4
  Long (out to listed range of weapon)
  -6
  Extreme (every 50m/25 hexes beyond listed
  range of weapon)
  -1
  Other Combat Modifiers
  AV
  Moving target (per 3 hexes traveled last round)
  -1
  Target silhouetted
  +2
  Vehicle mounted, no turret
  -4
  Firing shoulder arm from hip
  -2
  Aiming (per phase)
  +1
  Weapon braced on tripod or support
  +2
  Tiny Target (bullseye, eye, vital area)
  -6
  Small Target (less than 1m wide, head, limb)
  -4
  Large Target (trees, cars, large animals, etc.)
   +2
  Very Large Target (vehicles, walls, side of barn)
  +4
  Surprise Attack (successful Stealth roll)
  +5
  Off-Hand (using the wrong hand)
  -3
  Target Prone (lying on the ground)
  -2
  Firing two handed (modifier to each hand)
  -3/-6
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  27
  He’s On My Tail! I Can’t Shake Him!
  (Starfighter Combat)
  Spacecraft combat will inevitably occur in any Lightspeed
  game. Either the Astro Police are pursuing a Pirate or
  criminal, or being pursued by an Imperial Invasion
  Vanguard.
  Spacecraft combat works much like regular combat with
  one major exception: Maneuvering for Firing Position. The
  first part of any starfighter combat is determining who
  maneuvers their starfighter into the most advantageous
  angle for attack. The loser of this contest generally faces a
  hard uphill battle just to survive.
  When firing starfighter-mounted weapons, forward-firing
  weapons use the Pilot’s Pilot Starfighter skill to attack.
  Turreted weapons use the gunner’s Gunnery skill to
  attack.
  Space combats generally follow this simple procedure:
  1. Compare Distance and Range
  If both combatants begin from neutral firing positions,
  the starfighter with the longest range automatically
  gains initiative this Phase and is able to fire first, and
  will continue to automatically have initiative until both
  combatants are within range of the other.
  2. Determine Initiative and Firing Position
  Once both combatants are within range of each other’s
  weapons, roll 3d6 + Your character’s COM (plus any
  Combat Sense) + Your character’s Pilot Starfighter Skill
  + Your spacecraft’s MV (Maneuver Value) and compare
  with your opponent(s).  Consult the following table to
  determine the maneuver’s results:
  Tied Roll: No Aim
  Both combatants are in poor firing positions.
  Rolls within 1 of each other: Head On
  Both combatants in good firing positions.
  Winner beats loser by 2 or more: Side On
  Winner in good firing position. +1 Initiative next round.
  Winner beats loser by 4 or more: Tail
  Winner in excellent firing position (+2 AV). +2 Initiative
  next round.
  Modifiers:
  Full Offense (+1 Initiative, -2 DV)
  Full Defense (-1 Initiative, +2 DV)
  3. Move
  Combatants may attempt to flee or maneuver, putting
  distance or obstacles between themselves and their
  opponents.
  4. Open Fire
  Combatants in good firing positions may open fire on
  any target within range in descending order of Mental.
  Damage is applied immediately.
  Attacker’s Combat + Gunnery Skill + MV + 3 dice vs.
  Opponent’s Combat + Pilot Skill + MV + 3 dice
  5. Shields
  If a starfighter or starship with Shields is hit, the pilot or
  co-pilot may attempt to absorb the damage. The shield
  operator must make a Shield roll against a DV of the
  damage in Kills + 10. If successful, the Force Shields
  Kills are added to the target’s armor KD but do not
  degrade. If unsuccessful, the shields are still applied,
  but are reduced by 1K in effectiveness.
  6. Determine Damage
  Subtract the fighter’s armor KD from the damage done.
  Roll on the random hit location chart to determine which
  of the fighter’s systems is damaged. Apply damage as
  indicated by the chart. Damage is subtracted from the
  fighter’s SDP. If it’s SDP is reduced to Zero or less, the
  fighter is destroyed.
  7. Repeat
  Repeat the process outlined above. Only a combatant
  with a superior firing position may break engagement. If
  a combatant with a superior firing position chooses to
  break engagement, both fighters move away from each
  other. The other fighter may attempt to pursue, but will
  have to close the distance to re-engage.
  This Thing Must Weigh a Ton!
  (Lifting and Throwing)
  To test whether a character can lift, bend, or how far he
  can throw an object equivalent to a baseball in weight, use
  the following table. Roll 1 dice and add the result to the
  character’s Physical.
  For example, a character with a Strength of 4 tries to lift a
  prisoner into the shuttle. The character would have to roll
  a 5 on the die in order to score a total of 9 necessary to lift
  an adult male.
  Likewise, a character with a Strength of 9 tries to break
  free of the steel handcuffs placed on him. He’s pretty
  strong, but he still has to roll 6 on the die in order to score
  a total of 15 necessary to break steel.
  Similarly, a character with a Strength of 6 wants to throw a
  Stun Grenade. The die roll result is 5, meaning that the
  character can throw that grenade up to 55 Hexes away.
  Total    Lift                 Bend/Break     Distance
  2 
  Groceries
  Balsa Wood
  2.5 hexes
  5 
  Child
  Plastic
  5 hexes
  7 
  Adult Female Wood
  20 hexes
  9 
  Adult Male
  Aluminum
  40 hexes
  11 
  Lion,2 Men
  Iron
  55 hexes (city block)
  13 
  Grav Cycle
  250 hexes (1/2 km)
  15 
  Small Car
  Steel
  500 hexes (1 km)
  17 
  Elephant
  5000 hexes (5 km)
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  28
  Oh.. That’s Gotta Hurt!  (Damage)
  If an attack succeeds in hitting the target, that target
  suffers the effect of that attack. This effect is called
  Damage.  Damage is measured in DC, or Damage Class.
  DC indicates the number of dice rolled and added
  together to determine the amount of damage done to the
  target. Damage represents various factors from abrasion,
  bruising, concussion, laceration, and shock.
  A character’s punch does DC equal to his Physical
  characteristic. Therefore, a character with a Physical
  characteristic of 5, and a Fighting Skill of 6, would do 11
  DC, or roll 11 dice to determine damage.
  Damage comes in two varieties: Stunning and Lethal.
  Stunning Damage represents damage from impacts and
  concussions and can be caused by fists and kicks.
  Whenever a character takes Stunning damage, he is able
  to reduce the amount of damage he takes by his Defense
  characteristic. Any remaining damage is subtracted from
  his Hits. If a character loses all his Hits from Stunning
  damage, he is rendered unconscious.
  Lethal Damage represents damage done by blasters and
  swords and explosions. Lethal damage is NOT reduced
  by the character’s Defense. All Lethal Damage is
  subtracted directly from the character’s Hits.
  If a character is wearing armor or a defense, he is able to
  subtract the Killing Defense (KD) of the armor from all
  damage taken. Any that remains is subtracted from the
  character’s Hits.
  If a character loses all his Hits from Lethal damage, he is
  considered “Mortally Wounded”, he has been rendered
  unconscious and is dying. He will lose 1 additional Hit
  below zero for every Phase he goes without First Aid.
  Once the character receives First Aid, they stop losing
  negative Hits and are “stabilized”. They may begin the
  healing process (see below).
  If the character loses as many negative Hits as his
  Physical characteristic times two, he has died and cannot
  be revived short of superscience.
  It’s Not So Much the Fall that Kills You, It’s
  the Hitting the Ground at the End…
  (The Environment)
  Guns and swords aren't the only thing that can hurt a
  character. The world is full of potential dangers; falls,
  illness, drowning, even being hit by lightning. All of this
  falls under the heading of the Environment:
  Cumulative Environmental Effects: Shock,
  Poison/Drugs, Burns, Disease & Asphyxiation.
  Each of these are effects of the environment that harm a
  character through accumulation; shock and poison by
  continual damage to the character, asphixation through
  accumulated lack of air.
  Electricity and Fire are always ranked by intensity of the
  effect (GM's decision), with damage occurring each phase
  a character is exposed to the source.
  Type
  Mild
  Intense
  Deadly
  DC
  DC1-4
  DC5-10
  DC11-20
  Electricity
  Battery
  Wall socket
  Lightning
  Fire
  Wood
  Gasoline
  Thermite
  Like electricity, Poison & Drugs are ranked by the power
  of the drug or poison. Damage effects occur each minute,
  not phase, while Illness takes place over days, weeks or
  even months (Ref's choice).
  Type
  Mild
  Strong
  Powerful
  DC
  DC1-4
  DC5-10
  DC11-20
  Poison
  Belladonna
  Arsenic
  Stonefish
  Venom
  Drug
  Alcohol
  Sodium
  Pentathol
  LSD
  Illness
  Measles
  Pneumonia
  Plague
  A drug or poison need not be fatal; sleep or "truth drugs"
  also work by accumulation; "damage" is subtracted from
  different point pools depending on the type of effect.
  Example: Morgan administers a strong dose of Mind
  Control Serum (DC5) to Jake, hoping to find out the Cyber
  Cabals' secrets. Each turn, the drug does 5 to 30 points to
  Jake's Resistance. At 0, he gives in.
  Asphyxiation: This does 3DC per Phase, taken from a
  character’s Hits. Sitting quietly, a character can hold a
  character’s breath up to 2 phases for every point of
  Physical (a tough character could hold his breath for about
  two and a half minutes.). If activity, such as swimming or
  running is required, this rises to 4 pts.
  Falling: A character takes 1DC per 3 Hexes (6 meters)
  fallen. This means that a fall of 18 hexes (36 meters)  will
  do 6DC of damage and will kill most humans. Armor KD
  does NOT reduce falling damage.
  I’m Not Dead Yet! I’m Feeling Much Better!
  (Healing and Recovery)
  Characters who are wounded will heal naturally as long as
  they are able to rest and recuperate. Medical Attention will
  help speed the process.
  Natural Healing will reduce any Stunning Damage by
  Physical x 2 per Phase. It will also reduce Lethal Damage
  by Physical x 2 per week. No other actions can be
  performed while healing. A character who is healing must
  by lying down and comfortable, have access to plenty of
  water, and not subjected to stress.
  Medical attention and First Aid will allow the character to
  heal at a rate of their Physical x 2 per day. In fact,
  immediate treatment of wounds with a Medpack will
  provide the first day’s healing immediately.
  Wounded characters who do not get rest or time to heal
  will suffer an additional Hit per week unless treated with
  First Aid again. Mortally wounded characters who have
  been stabilized, but not allowed to get rest or time to heal
  will suffer an additional Hit of damage per day unless
  treated with First Aid again.
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  29
  Blowing Stuff Up!
  (Vehicle and Object Damage)
  Non-living items, such as vehicles, mecha, starfighters,
  and equipment, do not have Hits. Instead, they measure
  their durability and structure with SDP (Structural Damage
  Points). Each SDP is equivalent to a Hit or point of
  damage. Non-living items might also have a KD (Killing
  Defense) rating which subtracts damage prior to being
  applied to it’s SDP. If a device or vehicle’s SDP is reduced
  to 0, it is destroyed.
  Really big weapons do more dice of damage than you’d
  be realistically expected to roll and add. To simplify things,
  their damage has been averaged and simplified using a
  unit called KILLS. Spacecraft, vehicle, and mecha armor
  is rated in KILLS as well. Each KILL of armor is equivalent
  to 50 KD of armor.  To further simplify things, spacecraft,
  vehicle, and mecha SDP is rated in KILLS as well. Each
  KILL of SDP is equivalent to SDP 50 or 50 Hits. When
  spacecraft, vehicle, or mecha damage each other, the
  weapon’s KILL-rating in damage is compared to the
  target’s KILL-rating in Killing Defense. The remainder is
  subtracted from the spacecraft’s KILLS of SDP. Once a
  spacecraft has lost all KILLS of SDP, it is destroyed.
  Because mecha, vehicles, and spacecraft are complicated
  mechanisms which damage can effect in various ways,
  use the following Hit Tables to determine the exact effect
  any damage has. The percentages in parentheses
  indicate the amount of of the total Kills or SDP that
  location constitutes. For example, legs/hindlimb (15%)
  indicates that 15% of the vehicle’s SDP are located in this
  leg. If the vehicle has 4K (or 200 SDP), then that leg could
  take 30 Hits before being destroyed.
  Other Items
  Sometimes, a character may wish to break a piece of
  equipment or scenery, or hide behind something for cover.
  Use the following values for determining Killing Defense
  and Structural Damage Points of various common items:
  Normal Wooden Door/Table: 
  KD7, SDP 5
  Heavy Wooden Door/Table: 
  KD9, SDP 12
  Wooden Wall (1 Space x 1 Space): 
  KD7, SDP 15
  Metal Grate: 
  KD20, SDP 20
  Metal Door: 
  KD20, SDP 30
  Stone Wall (1 Hex x 1 Hex): 
  KD30, SDP 50
  Glass Window: 
  KD2, SDP 4
  Humanoid/Animorphic Mecha Hit Table [Roll 3D6]
  3D6
  Location
  Effect
  Damage (after armor)
  AV Modifier
  3-5
  Head (10%)
  Lose sensors
  double damage
  -6
  6
  hands/forepaws*
  Lose hand-held weapon
  1/2 damage
  -4
  7-8
  arms/forelimb*(10%)
  Normal damage
  1/2 damage
  -3
  9-11
  Torso  (40%)
  Normal damage
  1x damage
  -1
  12
  Weapon
  Normal damage
  1/2 damage
  -5
  13
  Powerplant
  Normal damage
  2x damage
  -6
  14
  Pilot**
  Normal damage
  Damage to pilot only
  -3
  15-16
  legs/hindlimb* (15%)
  -10% Move
  1/2 damage
  -4
  17-18
  feet/hindpaws*
  -1 MV
  1/2 damage
  -4
  * if it isn't obvious, roll 1die: even=right, odd=left. If location not there, roll again.
  ** if shot penetrates armor.
  Vehicle and Spacecraft Hit Table [Roll 3D6]
  3D6
  Vehicle
  Spacecraft
  Effect
  Damage (after armor)
  AV
  Modifier
  3-6
  Front Wheel/Repulsor (5%)
  Maneuver Thrusters (5%)
  -1 MV
  1x damage
  -6
  7
  Controls (5%)
  Controls (5%)
  -1 MV
  1x damage
  -4
  8
  Engine (10%)
  Hyperdrive (10%)
  Normal damage
  2x damage
  -3
  9-
  Body
  Fuselage (20%)
  Normal damage
  1x damage
  -3
  10
  Body
  Cargo
  Normal damage
  1/2damage
  -1
  11
  Powerplant
  Powerplant
  Normal damage
  2 x damage
  -5
  12
  Weapon
  Weapon
  Lose one weapon.
  ½ damage
  -6
  13
  Crew**
  Crew**
  Damage to pilot only 1x damage
  -3
  14
  Cargo
  Thrusters (5%)
  -10% MOVE
  1x damage
  X
  15-18 Rear Wheel/Repulsor (5%)
  Maneuver Thrusters (5%)
  -1 MV
  1/2 damage
  -4
  * if it isn't obvious, roll 1 die: even=right, odd=left If location not there, roll again.
  **if shot penetrates armor
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  30
  Example of Man-to-Man Combat
  A Ranger finds himself preparing for a shoot-out with a
  Mercenary. Both combatants are 20 hexes (40 meters)
  apart on a street, the Mercenary has just discovered the
  approaching Ranger and both combatants have drawn
  their weapons.
  Phase 1:The Ranger has a Mental of 4 compared to the
  Mercenary’s 2, so the Ranger acts first.  He fires his
  blaster pistol at the mercenary, rolling 7 plus his Combat
  of 6 plus Ranged Weapons skill of 5 plus accuracy of +1
  minus range modifier of –4 (5-25 hexes range) for a total
  of 15. The Mercenary attempts to evade, rolling 12 plus
  his Combat of 5 plus an Evasion skill of 6, for a total of 23.
  The Ranger’s shot missed!
  The Mercenary retaliates by firing his Blaster rifle, rolling 8
  plus his Combat of 5 plus his Ranged Weapons skill of 5
  plus an accuracy of +1 minus range modifier of –4, for a
  total of 15. The Ranger attempts to evade, rolling a 9 plus
  his Combat of 6 plus his Evasion skill of 5, for a total of
  20. The two combatants are clearly at long range.
  Phase 2: The Ranger fires again, rolling a 15 for a total of
  23 against the Mercenary’s evasion roll of 11, a total of
  22. The Ranger has shot the Mercenary! The Ranger’s
  Blaster Pistol does 5DC of damage. He rolls 5 dice,
  totalling 17 points of damage. The Mercenary subtracts
  his armor’s 20 KD from the damage, resulting in no
  damage being done to him at all. The blaster bolt simply
  ricochets off the mercenary’s armor. Uh-Oh! The Ranger’s
  in trouble.
  The Mercenary fires back, rolling 8 for a total of 14 against
  the Ranger’s evasion roll of 10, a total of 21. Again,
  another miss!
  Phase 3: The Ranger tries a different tactic. He decides to
  close the distance and wrestle with the brute. He Runs,
  allowing him to close the distance by 5 Hexes (10 meters).
  The range is now 15 Hexes (30 Meters). Since his action
  this phase was to run, he can’t attack.
  The Mercenary, on the other hand, opens fire at his
  oncoming pursuer, rolling an abyssmal 4. With an
  additional –1 for shooting at a moving target, the result is
  a total of 12. The Ranger’s evasion roll of 11, a total 22.
  The Blaster bolt whizzes past harmlessly.
  Phase 4: The Ranger sprints! By sprinting he closes the
  gap by 10 hexes (20 meters), but his Combat
  characteristic is halved and his Evasion skill is zero this
  phase! The range is now 5 hexes (10 meters).
  The Mercenary opens fire again. The range modifier is
  now only –2, but the modifier for the moving target is now
  –3. The Mercenary rolls 12 for a total of 18. The Ranger’s
  Evasion roll is 14, plus a halved Combat of 3, and no
  Evasion skill, the total is 17. He is hit! The Mercenary’s
  Blaster Rifle does 7DC. He rolls 7 dice for a total of 24.
  The Ranger’s flight suit subtracts 10KD from the damage,
  resulting in 14 Hits being subtracted from his 30 Hits. The
  Ranger is wounded and is now at 16 Hits.
  Phase 5: The Ranger slows to a run to cover the
  remaining 5 Hexes (10 meters) between him and his
  opponent. They are now at hand-to-hand range.
  The Mercenary tries to shoot the Ranger again, rolling 8,
  with the only modifier being the Ranger’s running this
  Phase, for a total of 18. The Ranger tries to evade, rolling
  13, for a total of 24. The shot misses again.
  Phase 6: This time, the Ranger goes hand-to-hand. He
  tries to grab the Mercenary’s rifle. He rolls 11 plus his
  Combat of 6 plus Hand-to-Hand skill of 7 minus a modifier
  of –2 for performing the Grab, for a total of 22. The
  Mercenary tries to evade, rolling 10 for a total of 21.
  The Mercenary tries to use an Escape to wrest his rifle
  away. He rolls a 9, plus his Physical of 6 plus Evasion skill
  of 6, for a total of 21. The Ranger fights to keep his grip,
  rolling 10, plus his Physical of 5 plus his Hand-to-Hand
  skill of 7, for a total of 22. He keeps his grip!
  Phase 7: The Ranger, having successfully grabbed his
  opponent’s rifle, may automatically disarm his opponent
  this Phase. He takes the rifle away!
  The Mercenary tries to punch the Ranger, rolling 16, plus
  his Combat of 6 plus his Hand-to-Hand skill of 6, for a total
  of 28. The Ranger tries to evade, rolling 14 for a total of
  26.  The Ranger has been punched! The Mercenary does
  6DC of stunning damage with his punch. He rolls 21 on 6
  dice. The Ranger staggers, but his Flight suit’s KD
  subtracts 10 from the damage, resulting in 11 Hits being
  subtracted from the Ranger’s remaining 16 Hits. The
  Ranger has 5 remaining Hits (though he could recover
  those 11 stunning Hits if he wanted to).
  Phase 8: The Ranger backs up 2 hexes (4 meters), and
  opens fire on the Mercenary with the Blaster Rifle. He rolls
  13  for a total of 25. The Mercenary tries to evade, rolling
  10 for a total of 21. He is hit! The Ranger rolls the 7DC of
  the blaster rifle, doing 28 Hits of damage. The
  Mercenary’s battle armor’s 20 KD subtracts 20 Hits from
  that, resulting in 8 Hits being subtracted from the
  Mercenary’s 30 Hits. The Mercenary has 22 Hits
  remaining.
  The Mercenary moves forward 2 hexes to close the
  distance and punches again. He rolls 11 for a total of 23.
  The Ranger tries to evade with a roll of 13 for a total of 24.
  The punch misses.
  Phase 9: The Ranger backs up another 2 hexes and
  trains the rifle on the Mercenary, saying “There’s still
  plenty of juice left in this powerpack. Care to give up
  now?”. The  Mercenary weighs his chances. He’s got
  some grenades and could possibly take this Ranger on
  hand-to-hand, but his armor doesn’t protect him fully from
  the Blaster Rifle and he couldn’t outrun the blast radius of
  the grenade. He rubs the smoking wound on his shoulder
  and decides to give up.
  Besides, this Ranger’s got some Moxie.
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  31
  Example of Starfighter Dogfighting
  A Ranger in a Peacekeeper finds himself in a dogfight
  with an Imperial Harpy.
  The Ranger’s Combat is 6, his Starfighter Pilot skill is 5,
  Shield skill is 4, and Gunnery skill is 7. The Peacekeeper’s
  MV is –2 with a MOVE of 2km.
  The Imperial’s Combat is 7, his Starfighter Pilot skill is 6,
  and Gunnery skill of 6. The Harpy’s MV is –0 with a
  MOVE of 3km.
  Both fighters begin from neutral firing positions 2.5km
  apart, the max range of the Harpy’s Blaster cannons.
  Phase 1: The Imperial has the range advantage as is able
  to fire first. The Imperial rolls an 8, plus Combat plus
  Gunnery sill plus MV plus accuracy equals a total of 22.
  The Ranger rolls a 15, plus Combat plus Starfighter
  Piloting skill plus MV totals 26. The Imperial’s opening
  shot misses.
  Phase 2: Neither fighter tries to flee, so both fighters are
  still in range. Both combatants roll 3d6 and add the result
  to their Combat plus Starfighter Pilot skill plus MV to
  determine initiative. The Ranger’s rolls a 9 for a total of
  18. The Imperial rolls a 9 as well, for a total of 22. The
  Imperial beats the Ranger by 4 and has maneuvered his
  fighter behind the Ranger’s and will get +2 to his AV and
  +2 to next phase’s initiative. The Harpy opens fire! The
  Imperial rolls an 11, plus Combat plus Gunnery skill plus
  MV plus accuracy equals 25. The Ranger rolls 8, plus
  Combat plus Starfighter Piloting skill plus MV totals 19.
  The Ranger’s hit! The Harpy’s Blaster Cannons   do 10K
  to the Peacekeeper. The pilot then makes a shield skill
  check, rolling 8 plus Combat plus Shield Skill, a total of 18
  against a DV of 10K+10, or 20. The shield skill check fails.
  The shields still absorb the 6K of damage, but are
  degraded to 5K. The Peacekeeper’s armor KD protects
  against the additional 4K. But another hit will do damage
  to the Peacekeeper’s structure.
  Phase 3: The Ranger decides to go Full Offensive, adding
  1 to his initiative roll by sacrificing his DV. This time, the
  Ranger rolls 13, totalling 25. The Imperial rolls 9, +2 from
  the bonus from the previous Phase, totalling 25. The
  Ranger has looped around and has managed to attack the
  Harpy from head-on! Neither fighter tries to flee, so both
  fighters are still in range. The Ranger attacks, rolling a 12,
  plus his Combat plus Gunnery skill plus MV plus
  accuracy, for a total of 26. The Imperial rolls 9, plus
  Combat plus Starfighter Pilot skill plus MV for a total of 22.
  The Ranger scored a hit! The Harpy lacks shields, but it’s
  armor subtracts 1K from the 5K damage done. The
  remaining 4K are applied to a random location on the
  Harpy.  The Ranger rolls a 12 for location, indicating a
  weapon. The GameMaster determines that one of the
  Harpy’s Blaster cannons is disabled. It also takes half
  damage to it’s SDP, so 2K is subtracted from it’s 4K of
  structure.
  Phase 4: Both combatants roll initiative again. The
  Ranger rolls 11 for a total of 22. The Imperial rolls 11 for a
  total of 24. The Harpy has looped around and has
  managed to catch the Peacekeeper from the side and will
  get +1 initiative next Phase! The Imperial opens fire,
  rolling 13 for a total of 27. The Ranger rolls 6 , a total of
  15, to evade. He tries to use his Shields, rolling 15 for a
  total of 25, against a DV of 5K+10 or 15. The shields
  easily absorb the now 5K damage of the Harpy’s
  remaining Blaster cannon.
  Phase 5: Both combatants roll initiative again. The
  Ranger rolls 12, for a total of 23. The Imperial rolls 17,
  plus the bonus from last Phase, for a total of 30!  The
  Imperial has once again gotten his Harpy behind the
  Ranger for optimum firing position. The Ranger tries to get
  away, but to no avail, the Imperial Harpy is faster and
  easily keeps up. The Imperial opens fire, rolling 14, plus
  the +2 bonus from the initiative roll, for a total of 30. The
  Ranger tries to evade, rolling 15 for a total of 24. He tries
  to use his shields, rolling 17 against the DV of 5K+5 or 10.
  Once again, the Ranger’s shields easily absorb the blast.
  Phase 6: Both combatants roll initiative again. The
  Ranger decides to go full offensive again, and rolls 12, for
  a total of 24. The Imperial rolls 7, plus the bonus from last
  phase, for a bonus of 22. The Peacekeeper has pulled
  away from the Harpy and has re-acquired a good firing
  position, attacking from the Imperial’s side. The Imperial
  attempts to flee, putting 1km distance between them, still
  within range of the Peacekeeper’s Blaster cannons. The
  Ranger opens fire, rolling 12, for a total of 23. The
  Imperial tries to evade, rolling 10, for a total of 23, exactly
  what the Ranger needed to roll to hit! The Ranger rolls a
  14 for location, indicating a hit to the thrusters and full
  damage! The Harpy’s armor subtracts 1K from the 5K
  done by the Blaster cannons. The remaining 4K is
  subtracted from the 2K remaining in the Harpy’s SDP. The
  Harpy is at –2K and is destroyed!
  As should be evident from this combat scenario, Harpies
  are small disposable yet highly agile fighters that are easy
  to destroy while Peacekeepers are tough but sluggish
  fighters that can take punishment.
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  32
  The Game
  Lightspeed is a role-playing game. A Role-playing game is
  an interactive game where a Game Master directs and
  tells a story and each Player controls the actions and
  behavior of the one of the characters in that story.
  The Players have the easy part. It’s their job to create
  their characters, choose their actions, and  speak
  appropriately for that character.  The GameMaster has the
  toughest job. In addition to being the referee and
  adjudicate rules, he has to control the actions and
  behavior of all the supporting characters and villains of the
  story. Sometimes, he even has to create the story itself.
  When creating his own story, or Adventure, the
  GameMaster has to keep an eye on the plot, the pacing,
  the perceived “fun” of the story for the players, and on
  maintaining an appropriate level of challenge for the
  players and their characters.
  Adventures
  Lightspeed adventures are easy to create and run.  For
  the most part, the characters are ordered to apprehend a
  criminal or fugitive and return him to justice.  These types
  of adventures follow a pretty stable formula:
  1. 
  Research the Target. Find out where he lives, what
  he likes to do, and who he knows.
  2. 
  Track Down the Target. Using the research, set
  about trying to find the target. This can involve
  interrogating acquaintances or accomplices,
  searching residences or hangouts, and various other
  tactics.
  3. 
  Apprehend the Target. The target rarely cooperates
  and will try to flee. This can lead to either
  confrontation if the target thinks he (or they) can win,
  or to a chase if the target thinkgs he (or they) can get
  away. Chases can be on foot, in Grav vehicles, or in
  Starships. Chases more often than not lead to
  confrontations when the target becomes desperate.
  Confrontation usually means a shoot-out or a brawl.
  This is not, by any means, the only type of adventure
  available to a team of Astro Police Rangers. Rangers face
  a number of dangers and challenges. Some of them
  include the following:
  • 
  Busting an Imperial Spy Network. The Imperials
  are spying on the Federation all the time. Although
  this type of mission is usually handled by StarForce
  Counterintelligence, Rangers may be called in to
  help in the investigation or to apprehend suspects.
  • 
  Investigating a Homicide. A body is found dead.
  The Rangers are called in to help discover who did it
  and catch them before they kill again. Murders are
  very serious crimes, and great priority is put on
  finding and apprehending the perpetrator. The
  problem with homicides is that the perpetrator is not
  always immediately known. This type of investigation
  requires much more preliminary research and
  deduction. The Rangers must find clues and put
  them together in an effort to implicate a perpetrator.
  • 
  Pirates! Pirates roam the space near planets,
  preying upon hapless starships, leaving their crew in
  disabled hulks to die in space or burn up in the
  atmosphere. Busting a pirate ring is, in many ways,
  like apprehending a criminal target. Research has to
  be done to determine the hiding place or places of
  the pirates, track them down, and apprehend them.
  Unfortunately, Pirates tend to be better trained,
  armed and equipped than most criminals.
  • 
  Investigate an Important Theft. A rare piece of art,
  a starship, or a large some of money, has been
  stolen, and the Rangers are asked to help find the
  culprit! Much like investigating a homicide, thefts
  usually don’t point to an obvious perpetrator.  Extra
  research has to be done in order to find the clues
  that implicate a suspect. Then the team has to track
  down and apprehend the suspect.
  • 
  Kidnapping. Someone very special to a very rich or
  important person has been kidnapped. The Rangers
  must figure out who did it and find them, then rescue
  the kidnap victim, before the kidnappers carry out
  their threat. Kidnap cases are very delicate, as an
  innocent’s life hangs in the balance. Whether the
  victim lives or dies is in the hands of the Rangers.
  Kidnap cases can easily turn into hostage
  negotiations.
  • 
  Hostage Negotiations. A hostage is held at
  gunpoint, the perpetrator is desperate and trapped.
  No Ranger wants to see an innocent hurt in the
  pursuit of apprehending a criminal. Hostage
  negotiations are even more delicate than kidnapping,
  because the results are immediate and more
  desperate.
  • 
  One of Their Own. A Ranger has gone rogue and
  it’s up to the player characters to track him down and
  return him to justice. This type of story offers plenty
  of opportunity to introduce intrigue and betrayal into
  the game.
  Non-Player Characters
  Non-Player Characters, or NPCs, are those characters
  created and controlled by the GameMaster. These are the
  extras, the villains, and the supporting cast of the story.
  Believable Non-Player Characters can make a story extra
  engaging.
  Creating Non-Player Characters is easy. The first step is
  having an idea of who this character is. Is it a villain? A
  buddy? A relative? A commanding officer? An alien?The
  NPC’s personality often stems from their role, position, or
  purpose in the story. Think of how the NPC talks and acts.
  How they would behave in different circumstances, and
  what choices they would make. Often, the smallest details
  can help create the most believable and realistic NPC.
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  33
  The next step is to create the statistics for the NPC. One
  easy way is to take one of the many templates provided in
  this game and modify them. Gauge the characteristics and
  skills against your vision of the NPC. Are they tougher?
  Are they smarter? Are they more or less experienced?
  Adjust their characteristics and skills accordingly.
  Another easy way to create NPC statistics is to “clone” the
  Player Characters. Take a look at their statistics and skills.
  Give the NPC similar characteristics and skills. PC
  “clones” make good villains, as they are similar in many
  ways, two sides of the same coin. If the NPC is supposed
  to be more experienced than the PC’s, then give them
  more or higher skills and better equipment. Making villains
  tougher than the PC’s will create a better challenge for the
  players and their characters to overcome.
  Remember, Non-Player Characters don’t have to follow
  the same rules as Player Characters. They can have any
  characteristic or skill level you choose. NPC’s are not
  beholding to the same restrictions that are placed on PC’s
  in order to keep their creation fair.
  Rewards for Success
  At the end of successful adventures, the GameMaster
  should award each player with Experience Points (XP).
  Experience Points are awarded based on the merit of the
  player during that game. A player should be awarded
  between 1 and 10 XP at the end. 1 XP might be given for
  a particularly recalcitrant player who refused to act in the
  team, was boorish, or particularly screwed up. 5 XP is a
  nice average amount to give to players who succeeded by
  not spectacularly so. 7-10 XP is a large amount, generally
  awarded only to players who did an exceptional job
  playing their character, achieved the mission with
  particular style or aplomb, or generally made everyone
  else have a good time.
  These Experience Points are spent on improving their
  character. Experience Points can increase skills and
  Characteristics.  Skills can be raised one level for a
  number of XP equal to the next level. For example, to
  raise a skill from 4 to 5 would cost 5 XP. Characteristics,
  on the other hand, cost five times the next level. To raise
  a character’s Mental from 5 to 6 would cost 30 XP.
  Other rewards can be given to the characters to indirectly
  reward the player for a good game. Extra money to buy
  new equipment or modify existing equipment is good also.
  Conversion Notes
  Most Fuzion games use a different formula to determine
  Hits, Defense, and Damage. Note:  This game, like
  Dragonball Z, incorporates the attacker’s skill into the
  damage dice of attacks, and therefore doubles the normal
  Hits and Defense a character has. To convert characters
  to or from other Instant Fuzion games, adjust the Hits and
  Defense of the character according to the game being
  played.
  For example, if you wish to use Usagi Yojimbo characters
  in this game, their Hits and Defense are Doubled.
  However, if you wish to use characters from this game in
  WildStrike!, their Hits and Defense are halved.
  Some Instant Fuzion games such as Dragonball Z and
  WildStrike! use the Fuzion skill categories instead of
  individual skills. Simply add the levels of all the character’s
  skills in the corresponding category and divide by the
  number of skills that character has. The result is the level
  of skill in that category.
  Lightspeed can also be adapted to Total Fuzion. In order
  to convert characters from Instant Fuzion to Total Fuzion,
  use the following guidelines:
  Physical = Strength, Constitution, Body. Multiply the
  characteristic by 3 and divide the result between the three
  stats.
  Mental = Intelligence, Presence, Willpower. Multiply the
  characteristic by 3 and divide the result between the three
  stats.
  Combat = Reflexes, Dexterity, Technique. Multiply the
  characteristic by 3 and divide the result between the three
  stats.
  Move= Move. No conversion is necessary.
  Refigure the character’s Secondary Characteristics
  according to the new Primary Characteristics determined
  above.
  Skills convert over directly.  No conversion is necessary.
  Credits and Disclaimer
  Federation Astro Police was conceived, written, and
  illustrated by Christian Conkle. All background, statistics,
  and drawings herein are copyright 2000 by Christian
  Conkle.
  The Fuzion rules were written by the Fuzion Labs Group
  (copyright 1997) and are used here without permission of
  the authors.
  AT Votoms the RPG, Bubblegum Crisis the RPG, Mekton
  Zeta, Mekton Zeta Plus, and Dragonball Z Anime
  Adventure Game, are trademarks of R. Talsorian Games,
  Inc. WildStrike! is a trademark of HERO Games. Usagi
  Yojimbo the RPG is a trademark of Gold Rush Games.
  Fuzion  is a trademark of Hero Games and R. Talsorian
  Games, Inc. Fuzion is copyright 1998 by Hero Games and
  R. Talsorian Games, Inc. All trademarks and copyrights
  used without expressed permission.  This document is by
  no means a challenge to any copyright, trademark, or
  authorship.
  I have the utmost respect for the creators of the original
  Fuzion rules and subsequent Fuzion games and only wish
  to improve upon their outstanding work.
  Caveat
  This is NOT the official Fuzion product, nor are these the
  official Fuzion rules. This is my personal opinion of what
  the rules should look like. There are therefore small
  editorial changes to the rules that are my own.
  
  Lightspeed
  Science Fiction Role-Playing using Instant Fuzion
  By Christian Conkle
  34
  Future Lightspeed  supplements
  Federation StarForce: This planned supplement will
  provide information on creating Federation StarForce
  characters as well as rules and stats for Starship combat.
  Colonial Traders: Create transport captains and design
  your transport. Be careful of pirates and crime lords and,
  in the end, you might make a profit.
  Quantum Psychic Astro Police: Mankind has opened
  the door to the power of the quantum universe. These
  Astro Police defend the Galaxy from Ultra-Threats, beings
  of such immense power they would be considered gods.
  Federation MechaForce: Join the Federation
  MechaForce and use your giant walking Warbot to defend
  the Galaxy. MechaForce will include rules on creating
  MechaForce pilots as well as rules for creating and
  destroying giant walking robots!
  Hypernet Hackers: The Hypernet offers many
  opportunities for the talented hacker.
  Cybertech: Many of the Old Earth Empires and Mega-
  Corps encourage the augmentation of the human body
  with artificial enhancements, many illegal, some just plain
  unstable.
  Droids: Droids are everywhere in the Galaxy. This
  supplement will reveal just how many there are, how to
  build them, and how to play them.
  Aliens: They’re strange, otherworldly, and, well, alien.
  Now players can bring that strangeness into the game
  with rules on how to create alien PCs.
  Imperials: Be the bad guy, serve the Empreror as
  Imperial Shock Troopers, Walker Pilots, and Fleet
  Officers.
  Bounty Hunters: Rangers without the prestige. Bounty
  Hunters are tough independent types who don’t need no
  stinking Astro Police support. Of course, the help would
  be nice sometimes.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Lightspeed/Lightspeed Corebook.pdf