Voltarn Stats Page

Voltarn Scout Ship

The Voltarn Race are thought to be far and few between. Until the past few years, none had been seen. However, recent survivors of space pirate attacks have reported strange space craft which bear a resemblance to the craft of ancient times belonging to a vicious insectoid race that attacked Human Space millenia ago, and which nearly wiped out all life on Terra. Only a major nuclear war stopped the Voltarn, but at huge cost. Most of the subsector in which Terra is located was destroyed in the last great conflagration.

Voltarn Scout Ship
	The Voltarn Race are thought to be far and few between. Until the past few years, none had been seen. However, recent survivors of space pirate attacks have reported strange space craft which bear a resemblance to the craft of ancient times belonging to a vicious insectoid race that attacked Human Space millenia ago, and which nearly wiped out all life on Terra. Only a major nuclear war stopped the Voltarn, but at huge cost. Most of the subsector in which Terra is located was destroyed in the last great conflagration.

Voltarn are an insectoid race, standing between 1.5 and 2metres in height. They appear in form similar to huge grasshoppers, and have a natural armor of 6SP or 1 in Trav terms, though usually they wear a type of plate mail, some reflective, others in Klan colors. One layer of armor +natural form gives a cumulative SP value. IE a light armor jacket giving 14 SP has their natural armor added, giving them a 20SP armor rating. Both must be penetrated before the creature takes damage. It reduces as for other forms of armor till it reaches 0, then ceases to protect at all.

Voltarn Pirates' Stats:

INT=9 REF=8 TECH=5 COOL=4 ATTR=-3

LUCK=2 MA=6 BODY=15 EMP/PSCI=4 LIFT=800/1750KG (carry/dead lift)

**Voltarn Pirates' Stats:**
INT=9	REF=8	TECH=5	COOL=4	ATTR=-3
LUCK=2	MA=6	BODY=15	EMP/PSCI=4	LIFT=800/1750KG (carry/dead lift)

Skills & Gear

SPEC: CMBT SENSE=4 PISTOL=5 RIFLE=5 MELEE/SWORD=7 STR FEAT=14

L.ARMOR VAC SUIT=10SP LASER PISTOL=2D6 SHOTGUN=4D6 SWORD=1D10+STR FEAT COMM UNIT

Skills & Gear
SPEC: CMBT SENSE=4	PISTOL=5	RIFLE=5	MELEE/SWORD=7	STR FEAT=14
L.ARMOR VAC SUIT=10SP	LASER PISTOL=2D6	SHOTGUN=4D6	SWORD=1D10+STR FEAT	COMM UNIT

Voltarn fighters, due to their grasshopper shape, get up to 4 attacks per action. They can rear back on their hind legs and fight with their top four arms, making them formidable opponents when engaging them in melee combat. They can also bite (2D6 vs unarmored and flexible armor, 1D6 vs rigid or plated armor) if they dispense with their helmets. It is generally unknown if they have Pscionic powers (though as Referee or Games Master, you know some do. Roll to see which NPC's do, unless stated in scenarios.).

Voltarn weapons are similar to Rastan ones in that they are larger than human ones, but can be weilded by Terrans with large BODY stats (11+) Voltarn swords appear similar to over-sized Scimitars, and suffer no DEX or attack penalty modifiers when using two or more melee weapons, or any combination of ranged and melee weapons. Laser weapons halve all non-reflective armor values, which effectively doubles their lethal power. IE a target with reflective armor like the L. Armor Vac Suit only can suffer 2D6 damage vs the 10SP, whereas the poor guy in an ordinary armor jacket (14SP) will suffer 4D6 damage effectively, or have only a 7SP actual armor value against a laser pistol. Ouch!

The Voltarn pirates like to board vessels rather than destroy them with laser fire for obvious reasons--more profit in capture and plunder than space debris! With random encounters, the Voltarn will always close quickly, and will try to open the air locks keeping them intact once docked. However, if all else fails, they will use shape charges to blow them open, and charge in to overpower any crew inside. However, their morale is not good. They are used to quick victories, and hate losing personnel, as they have not bred well in their home sector (which no one knows where it is--feel free to put it wherever you wish for your campaigns). If they encounter stiff resistance, Referee is to make a Cool check at a Difficult Task level. If you fail, the Voltarn will retreat to fight another day.

As with most creatures, the Voltarn's weak spots are the joints in their limbs, and their receptors, namely, eyes which are on stalks. Voltarn helms protect these somewhat, but the clear plastic covers, as with human helms, are the most vulnerable (on a helmet with an SP of 14, the visors only rate 10SP. A successful aimed shot can be very useful in a tight spot.)

Voltarn Scout Ship Stats in Brief

Tons=100 Armor=5 (30SP) Jump=2

Shields=1 Comms=2 Sensors=1

Computer=2 Cargo=5tons Fuel Scoop=none

Cloak=none Passengers=10 Wpns=2 lasers: 1.1.0.0.

Voltarn Scout Ship Stats in Brief
Tons=100	Armor=5 (30SP)	Jump=2
Shields=1	Comms=2	Sensors=1
Computer=2	Cargo=5tons	Fuel Scoop=none
Cloak=none	Passengers=10	Wpns=2 lasers: 1.1.0.0.

Watchers' Stats:

INT=12 REF=10 TECH=10 COOL=8 ATTR=0

LUCK=2 MA=3 BODY=5 EMP/PSCI=14 LIFT=70/185KG (carry/dead lift)

**Watchers' Stats:**
INT=12	REF=10	TECH=10	COOL=8	ATTR=0
LUCK=2	MA=3	BODY=5	EMP/PSCI=14	LIFT=70/185KG (carry/dead lift)

Skills & Gear

SPEC: PSCIONIC=14 ANCIENT HISTORY=5 PHYSICS=12 TELEPORT=7 SHIELD=8

TRANSLATOR CHOKER READ SURFACE THOUGHTS=9 REGENERATION=8 ASTROGATION=6 SEND THOUGHTS=8

Skills & Gear
SPEC: PSCIONIC=14	ANCIENT HISTORY=5	PHYSICS=12	TELEPORT=7	SHIELD=8
TRANSLATOR CHOKER	READ SURFACE THOUGHTS=9	REGENERATION=8	ASTROGATION=6	SEND THOUGHTS=8

Watchers are highly psionic creatures. They never fight, and at the first sign of trouble will teleport away to a safe location, either onto another planet, spaceship or into another section of a building, ship or location. Hence they need no weapons. They also hesitate to intrude too deeply into the thoughts of others. They prefer to be invited to share another's thoughts.

The Watchers' primary mandate is to observe whatever race they are assigned by their Supreme Council. They watch and report, making recommendations for the good of the race they study, and the common good of the Galaxy. They try never to intervene directly. At most, they persuade other races to quarantine subsectors which may either be in danger or pose threats to other subsectors, as in the case of Terra, which had become too primative to be allowed into the space-faring community of races following their great war with the Voltarns. Virulent diseases are another reason for quarantines, and remain in place until cures can be found and the plagues are eliminated. As observers only, Watchers are rarely seen by anyone outside select high-ranking government officials and other Watchers. They should appear in campaigns very rarely, and then only in dire circumstances.

Below are the Rastan Cave Spider Stats again.

Spider Stats

Legs=armor 2 (10SP for Cyberpunk) Torso/Head 4 (20SP for CPunk) Speed=8 (MA 12 for Cpunk)

Fangs Damage=1/2 armor value, 1d6 wound damage + poison Legs Damage=crush damage 2d6 unless victim is wearing rigid armor, then 1d6. Must make a successful grapple test at +2 to dice roll to crush victim Venom= Paralyze victim in 3 minutes

**Spider Stats**
Legs=armor 2 (10SP for Cyberpunk)	Torso/Head 4 (20SP for CPunk)	Speed=8 (MA 12 for Cpunk)
Fangs Damage=1/2 armor value, 1d6 wound damage + poison	Legs Damage=crush damage 2d6 unless victim is wearing rigid armor, then 1d6. Must make a successful grapple test at +2 to dice roll to crush victim	Venom= Paralyze victim in 3 minutes

Some classic failures only my PC's could manage

1: Fighting off a pirate boarding party The Rastan pirates were retreating, badly injured and trying desperately to detatch their scout ship from the Party's and escape. With the fight all but over, Dr. Jules, a Corp Suit who hardly ever engages in combat, experienced a rare rush of blood to the head and leapt into action. He decided to perform a diving roll across the airlock door, fire a shotgun burst at the retreating Rastans, and wind up behind the far bulkhead in cover. He casts his D10 and rolls a 1. A fumble. Check the Fumble Table and he rolls 8, wounding himself. He rolls for damage, 4D6 and gets two 6's and two 5's. He rolls for location and blows off his left leg. He rolls a stun save for shock and fails. Finally he makes a death roll, and at last remembers to add a point of luck to the roll. Good thing, because without it, he would have failed and died. Fortunately, Norman Greene, inventor of the Killer Taser, stabilized him with a Trauma Patch so Dr. Jules didn't bleed to death. He wound up paying more for a cyberleg at the next Tech level 11 planet than he got on the adventure, and still gets hassled about it every time he picks up a weapon.

2. Fighting off Hermes Cave Spiders Four party members decided to ignore the Rastan warnings about cave critters and boldly went where none had gone before (and survived to talk about it). They did an Observation check and failed, and promptly walked into a big nearly transparent web string. Instantly half a dozen of the arachnoid monsters dropped down around them and the fight was on. Vlad the Impaler holstered his Killer Taser and raised the trusty auto-shotgun, opening fire at the nearest eight-legged attacker while Dr. Jules, who had a major aversion to spiders, failed his Cool check and fled screaming down the hill back toward the airship. Of course, Vlad rolled the big number 1, and fumbled. He rolled again and got a 9, which on the Fumble Chart means "wound own party member". Poor Norman Greene got the unlucky die roll and was hit in the head. Lucky for him his helmet had 20SP. His helmet was wrecked, he failed his Stun roll and dropped senseless to the ground, but at least he lived, for the moment. Vlad and Scott barely managed to fight off the spiders and drag Norman back to the Airship, where the Rastan gunners in the gondola overhead laid down heavy machine gun fire, holding back the creepy crawlies till the Party could be winched back aboard. "Sorry," was all Vlad could say. "I won't forget this!" Norman promised, plotting vengence.

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This page has conversions both ways, from CP2020 to Traveller and vice versa.

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Strasser Airships by Chris Cox A.K.A. chriscox@ix.netcom.com