Strike Force Zero Gadgets

Weapons

Raiden Heavy Electrolaser
Part of the push to make death rays coincidental. Gigantic electrolaser, size of a light machine gun. Nonconcealable. Can dial damage from 1-10 B/L, and has a "battery" of 40 dice of damage (lethal damage takes double power). Living targets hit by the Raiden who fail to soak the damage are stunned for their next turn, adding +1 to action difficulties.

UV Knife
Anti-hemophage melee weapon as a last-resort for agents, using a binary chemical to create a brief but intense burst of UV light. Attacks as a normal knife, but deals additional (1-3 levels?) damage against creatures vulnerable to UV. Due to its use of a blade made of tempered glass and transparent plastic laminate and the side effects of the reaction, a successful attack shatters the knife and renders it useless as both a cutting tool and a UV delivery method.

Ultrasound Grenade
Anti-shapeshifter grenade that creates a high pitched ultrasound burst. Living targets immediately next to the grenade take 8B damage decreasing as distance increases, with more than 1 level of post-soak damage causing temporary (scene-long) hearing loss and more than 3 levels making it permanent. Dogs and other things with superhuman hearing ranges (like say, werewolves) must roll Willpower (or Permanent Rage, whichever is higher) at Difficulty 8 even if they take no levels of damage to do something besides clutch their ears and whimper. A successful WP/Rage roll from a shapeshifter is going to leave you with a very active, and very pissed shapeshifter after you though.

Seburo Arms MT-5

A compact pistol firing 5.7x28mm. Standard issue for SF0 members.

Difficulty: 6 Dmg: 5L Rate: 3 Clip: 12+1 Range: 40

Seburo Arms Striker (MT-8)

A heavy pistol design by Seburo which fires 11x30mm ammunition. The heavier rounds increase damage but are primarily intended to support specialist ammunition types more easily due to its larger caliber.

Difficulty: 6 Dmg: 6L Rate: 2 Clip: 8+1 Range: 35

ARES 'Earthshaker' Heavy Revolver

This oversized revolver is loaded with custom .600 rounds. Cumbersome and difficult to use, but with very impressive terminal ballistics. Imported from America!

Difficulty: 8 Dmg: 10L Rate: 1 Clip: 6 Range: 50

Seburo Arms MN-6

Another fine weapon from Seburo Arms. As a sub-machine gun it uses the same 5.7x28mm as the MT-5 with a compact 30-round magazine. Its high rate of fire coupled with the low recoil of the round make it easy to control in automatic fire modes. It is commonly assigned to agents desiring more firepower than the MT-5. Several variants have been built, including one built in to an attache case and one with thermoptic coating.

Difficulty: 6 Dmg: 6L Rate: 5 Clip: 30 Range: 75, recoil suppression -1.

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Seburo Arms MN-23

A high-tech assault rifle build almost entirely out of lightweight hyperalloys and impact plastic and chambered for 6.7mm caseless. Includes integral electro-optical sight with wired smartlink, along with external rails for added equipment. The high price tag and limited availability of both the weapon and ammunition have kept it from being adopted by any military units. To-date, its primary customers have been special police squads. The US Special Operations Command has expressed interest and consequently a 'commando' variant including thermoptic coating has been prototyped.

Difficulty: 6 (5 w/ smartlink) Dmg: 7L Rate: 4/FA Clip: 30 or 50 Range: 200

Varis 'Eliminator' High Impact Weapon System

This long-recoil cannon is specifically designed to knock out armored vehicles in an urban environment and was acquired with the emergence of the Boomer menace. Its depleted uranium 20x102mm cartridges are highly effective against anything short of an MBT and its weight limits it to the cyber-augmented soldiers of SF0

Difficulty: 8 (6 vs vehicles) Dmg: 12L (AP) Rate: 1 Clip: 5 Range: 1000

'Akira' Manpack Optical Laser

A bulky, shoulder-fired optical laser using copper-vapor technology, giving it a distinctive golden-yellow color. Not coincidental in any real sense outside of technocratic constructs, the 'Akira' has nonetheless been cleared for use against Class-III reality deviants with proper authorization. While the gun and its battery pack (about the size of two car batteries) is relatively cumbersome, its impact plastic and lightweight alloy construction makes it light for its size.

The 'Akira' uses Dex + Firearms to hit, difficulty 7, max range 2000m. A successful hit inflicts an Arete 5, Forces 3, Prime 2 attack on the target. The beam can be swept to strike multiple targets at additional difficulty.

The powerpack has enough quint for 20 shots, though in the hands of sleeper users, paradox from the vulgar effect manifests as additional quint usage - the hypercapacitors tend to be rather finicky. A botch burns out optical components, rendering the weapon useless without repairs.

Armor

Samurai Powered Exoskeleton
100 pounds of ceramic, kevlar, and hydraulics, generally used only in specialized assault situations due to its bulk, expense, and inconvenience. The powerful armored gloves make fine manipulation difficult at best without experience using the suit, and the use of hydraulics and servomotors instead of the more advanced synthetic musculature of Alanson and Martinez powersuits slow it down. Normally, it is deployed as a heavy weapons platform, carrying an automatic grenade launcher or heavy machine gun to deal with shapeshifting mutants or other targets who require firepower to put down. Its primary vulnerability, however, is the powerpack, which if damaged renders the user immobile.

Hardened Armor at 6d, cannot jump or run. Visor provides 2d armor and can be targeted at a +3.

All dodges and melee maneuvers are made at +1 difficulty due to slow response time.

Replaces user Str/Dex with Strength 6/Dexterity 1, runs out of power after 3 hours.

Called shots to the rear-mounted battery packs (at +3) can render the user immobile. The powerpacks have 4 HLs and are protected by 3d of non-hardened armor but can only be attacked from behind.

Shear-Thickening Armor
Replacing ceramic trauma plates with shear-thickening fluids creates concealable ballistic vests that are very protective and can be worn under most clothing. However the nature of the fluid makes it more vulnerable to edged weapons.

3d/-0 penalty normally, -1 penalty if armor is hit before movement, concealable under properly tailored clothing. Soaks blades at Difficulty 8 v. Difficulty 6.

Anti-Specimen Combat Suit (ASCS)
Cutting-edge materials science and cutting-edge electronics converge to create full body armor that's nearly as smart as the wearer. Experimental mental reinforcement procedures assist in protecting against hemophage/psion abilities to some extent, and an onboard medical computer assists medics in treating and cataloging any wounds as well as administering drugs. Its only disadvantage is that it's expensive and only issued for high-risk assaults.

4d/-1 penalty (does not penalize firearms). Called shots at +2 can target weakpoints such as the neck and joints (soak at 1d) but the user has 100% coverage even across the face.

Integrated tactical optics system (visorless, using cameras in the event of powers based on eye contact).

Onboard medical systems reduce wound penalties by 1 while wearing it, filter atmosphere, and reduce the difficulty of any Medicine rolls to treat the user by 2.

Integrated mental shielding increases the difficulty of mental effects/reduces resistance difficulty by 1.

Thermoptic Camouflage

Originally developed in America, thermoptic camouflage is a thin plasticized fabric consisting of a network of piezoelectrically-driven metamaterials that mimic not only various standard uniform camouflage patterns, but can also adaptively adjust to effectively 'cloak' the agent from sight. Additionally, they protect against thermal and milimetric-wave detection. Most commonly they take the form of 'ghillie suits' worn overtop normal gear, but more recently, combat armor and vehicles have become fitted with integrated thermoptics. All versions also include wave negators to counteract motion detectors.

The entire assemblage uses a Forces 2/Life 2 rote to shield from almost all forms of mundane detection, imposing a +3 difficulty modifier to any alertness or awareness rolls made against the character.

Model 25 Thermoptic Camouflage does not respond quickly and fast movement (moving at more than a walk, etc) reduce the penalty to +1. Slow movements (more than a crawl) reduce it to +2.

Model 29 is more sophisticated (and commensurately more expensive) and suffers no penalty.

Carrying objects that cannot be concealed under the thermoptics can reduce the spot difficulty by 1-2 points.

Loosely coincidental in the first world.

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Not even Iterators are immune to the lure of trade show booth babes. Production models discard the deliberate insect styling.

Poseidon Industries 'Cybee' Orni-Frame

Inspired by advanced understanding of insect flight and fluid dynamics and enabled by modern ultralight alloys, Poseidon Industry developed the 'Cybee' flight frame as an alternate to the perpetually unworkable personal jetpack. With two large pairs of flight wings and a further pair of stabilizers the Cybee takes advantage of nonlinear vortex processes to get lift all out of proportion to its size. In addition to providing incredible mobility to the agent-pilot, the production models are fitted with portable MANAR and electro-optical sensors along with a stabilized 6.7mm caseless light machine gun 'stinger'. Audio wave negators reduce the sound of its humming wings to little more than that of a very loud insect.

Provides 2 points of armor to the rear, pilot must otherwise wear body armor for protection. Requires the Pilot or Jetpack skill. Flies at 60 km/h.

Fitted with portable MANAR (as per NWO convention book) and MN-23 rifle with 200 round drum, along with foci for forces, matter and life sensory magics. MN-23 autotargeter has 4D skill and 1 action/round.

Forces 3 keeps it flying, while a supplementary Forces 2 rote stealths the Cybee against Forces (no loud noise or big rocket exhaust) detection.

Coincidental when flitting around in the night or on rooftops, but probably vulgar if sleepers get a good look.

Poseidon Industries Hunter Exosuit

Halfway between a powered exoskeleton and a mecha, the Hunter is a 2.8 meter tall monstrosity constructed primarily to defeat shapeshifting mutants and boomers, as well as massed hemophages. With high-power electroactive polymers, a high-performance fuel cell engine generating three dozen horsepower, and a literal ton of heavy alloy armor, the Hunter is virtually invulnerable to all small arms fire and the user only risks taking damage from the heaviest weaponry or neurohelmet feedback. Despite its expense and complexity, training to use the Hunter is minimally difficult as it takes directional and balancing data from the pilot's own mind.

The Hunter has as its attributes Strength 8, Max. Dexterity 3, Armor 8 (Hardened). Its Health track is -0 x 4/-1 x 3/-2 x 3/-5 x 2/Disabled/Destroyed. The pilot uses his Dexterity or the suit's maximum Dexterity, whichever is lower. The exosuit can move 50 yards a turn at full speed (half if it wants to make an attack).

Its Early Warning AI has a Perception + Alertness pool separate from its user of 6 and a Perception + Awareness pool (again separate from its user) of 4.

To use a exosuit the pilot must have at least one of the following: Pilot [Battlesuit] at 2, interface implants (can be installed by SF0, merely require a software patch if you have a DEI/ADEI), or the destiny to become the protagonist of a mecha anime.

The powerful musculature of the exosuit cause it to deal grievous wounds against "soft" targets. Hand to hand damage from a Hunter exosuit is lethal.

Any attack on the Hunter that deals damage causes 1 level of bashing damage as neurohelmet feedback. This damage can be soaked by the pilot as normal.

Its complexity renders it particularly vulnerable against Entropy magic, certain shapeshifter gifts, and precisely targeted (Technology of 4+, or Hypertech of 1+) Matter magic compared to a proper Device/Wonder. When attacked via such supernatural means, it cannot soak any damage dealt via this method.

Vulgar anywhere besides urban Japan or a Battletech/Heavy Gear convention. In such areas it generally tends to break down and/or explode.

Noncombat Equipment

Sensor Glasses
Simulates Rank 1 sensory magics at a 1-success level. Most common are Forces 1 (Nightvision), Life 1 (Heartbeat sensor), Mind 1 (Bioelectrical monitoring). Sensor glasses are cheaper and far more discreet than tactical optics, and can even be found in contact form.

Tactical Optics
Tactical Optics come in various forms such as large wraparound shades, futuristic night vision goggles, and so forth. Their primary benefit is the integrated motion vision system (-1 to alertness difficulties to detect a moving target) and its integrated targeting assistance when coupled with a firearm with the proper electronics (-1 to firearms difficulties). Typically tactical optics will have at least one or two sensor glasses options.

Wound Closure Gel
Wound closure gel is basically "tissue glue" with a powerful topical analgesic and disinfectant ability that can hold wounds together, allowing for a wounded operative to maintain combat effectiveness. When used on a person, any Medicine rolls to stabilize a wounded person are reduced by 1 in difficulty, and that person's wound penalties are reduced by 1.

Cybernetics

Overdrive Network
Implants added to critical points in the nervous system read from a primary battle computer in the brainstem bypass the meat-slow nervous system with light-speed reaction, while combat drugs boost physical performance and eliminate pain. The benefits are immense, more than enough to be worth the terrible cost of skeletal and muscular damage that inevitably follow pushing one's body so far beyond its limits.

An agent using an overdrive network gains +1 to all physical attributes (which can go above 5), takes no wound penalties, and reduces all multiple action penalties by 1.

At the end of the scene, the agent takes one unsoakable level of bashing damage from the strain and a cumulative 1B damage (soakable) for every turn it was activated. If the soak roll botches, overdrive network damage becomes lethal instead.

Fixed Response Pattern Software
Occasionally used by agents who require combat expertise and cannot be trained up to spec in sufficient time, Fixed Response Software uses an implanted computer system to override the agent's own mind and use preprogrammed, mechanical moves to engage enemies. Although such software can take a desk jockey and give him the same skill as a trained commando, the uncomfortable sensation of being a puppet in one's own body is more than enough to discourage most to use it.

Response Pattern Software gives an effective rating of 4 in a primarily physical combat skill (Brawl, Melee, Dodge, or Firearms).

However, a botch while using RPS skills is particularly dangerous, as it often causes neural damage or muscle damage from conflicting nerve responses. Botching a roll while using a software-induced skill requires a willpower roll. Failure of this roll takes the software offline and incapacitates the user for one turn, while a botch incapacitates the user for the remainder of the combat due to seizures and deals 3B damage as well.

Finger Needler
This augmentation replaces the agent's hand with a bionic one (+1 strength for punching and gripping). An integrated coilgun allows it to fire small slivers of metal from its fingers, which can be silver-alloy if creatures vulnerable to such are suspected.

Difficulty 6, Damage 5L, Rate 4, Clip 16, Range 40

Subdermal Armor
Implanted polymer armor under the skin provides 2d of armor with no penalties.

Emotion Suppressors
Emotion Suppressors protect agents using them against Delirium, the Veil, or the Mists. However, they do not remove the memories of these experiences. Agents using Emotion Suppressors often have the Nightmares flaw.

Gills
Wetware gills allow the extraction of oxygen from even tainted environs and can even store and recycle oxygen in a hostile environment.

Other Stuff

Janus Semi-Automated Sentry Gun

7.62mm machine gun mounted on a remote-controlled platform. Can be set to operate via teleoperation, semi-autonomously (user designates targets, fires with a pool of 4d), or fully autonomously. Only has very limited intelligence-typically set up to automatically fire on any target without human-normal body temperature. Personnel with severe fevers should not walk within its firing arc.

Uses the .30 caliber machine gun stats (Technomancer's Toybox p.92), has a Dex + Firearms pool of 4d when operating autonomously.

.30 Caliber MG: Diff 6, Damage 6/12, Rate 21/5, Capacity 100.

Go Pills

Go Pills are the finest in nearly 100% consensual methods of pharmaceutical enhancement. Designed to significantly tweak a soldier's metabolism, they allow a SF0 operative to stay alert and awake for significant periods of time, boosting their resistance to fatigue and their alertness. Although occasionally used for field operatives, "Go Pills" have become surprisingly popular with the dispatch offices and administrative staff, especially when there's a tight deadline and a deluge of paperwork.

Users gain the "Concentration" merit as well as the 3 point versions of the "Light Sleeper" and "Acute Senses" merit.

The pills can only be used for up to [Stamina] consecutive days with no side effects. Past that the user takes a cumulative +1 difficulty penalty to all mental and physical actions for each day the pills are used. Going "cold turkey" for a week resets the counter, and the difficulty penalty fades at the rate of 1 per day the pills are not used.

Accelerant

A derivative of stimulants such as PCP, accelerants combine potent stimulants and powerful antipsychotics to ensure that a soldier on the field can stand on even footing with hemophages and other monsters which go bump in the night. Accelerants last for 15 minutes.

Users gain the "Stress Atavism" flaw for the duration. However, if the WP roll (which is made at difficulty 6) is successful, the user gains the benefits of the Stress Atavism flaw (+2 strength, +1 stamina, and 3 -0 HLs) with none of the penalties.

If the WP roll fails, the accelerants merely have not taken effect. Only if botched does the user suffer from the full effects of the Stress Atavism flaw.