The Shadowrun Supplemental #11 - The NARCAR Phenomenon
by
Alexandre van Chestein
QTTV News Sports Special
Welcome to QTTV News Sports.
I’m your host, Nigel Manahan, for this week’s special on a sport that has been steadily gathering itself audience upon audience in Seattle’s population. I am, of course, referring to the heart-wracking phenomenon that is NARCAR, more commonly referred to as Nova Racing. A combination of combat biking (another crowd favorite ), classic racing and motocross, Nova Racing pits a hundred-odd racecars against a three-level track, some twists and turns, and themselves. In the next hour I shall go on location myself and unravel all the mystery around this Pandora’s Box. Mayhap we shall both learn something new. And now, QTTV News Sports.
» Yet another QTTV report to add to the province. This is a transcript of a special that aired last week about NARCAR and its relative functions, bells and whistles, compiled by yours truly. What sets this apart from the rest is that Nigel Manahan is hosting; some of you might remember him from Melting Pot, the high-rated talk show on The Deep Thought Channel a while back. Sources say he was pink-slipped back into this position, quite against his will. All italicized words and phrases are where the irony in his tone was apparent. I did exercise some control in doing this, else this whole file would read at an angle. Thanks go to Dreamcatcher for the images; some were taken from the show tself, others, from less than public sources.
As always, children, take it in, but do not take it apart. Storage is, as
always, available for those of you with something to add.
» Captain Chaos
The NARCAR Phenomenon
To bring a breath of fresh air to this show, I shall use an outside-in process to exposing NARCAR to our viewing public. Therefore, let us begin by examining the place NARCAR takes place every week in Seattle: the Seattle Nova Stadium. A towering installation of concrete and machinery looming over the surrounding low-cost apartment complexes, the Nova Stadium stretches for over 900 by 500 meters, encompassing the former resting places of low-cost housing and approximately thirteen family-owned businesses, as well as the odd warehouse or two.
The Stadium
The Seattle Nova Stadium has eight large pinions that stretch up to the very top of the structure. Each of these pseudo-pyramids, reminiscent of the Renraku Arcology’s features, hold an entrance to an underground parking lot, as well as twelve ticket counters and four entrances to the stadium itself.
I will state that whoever designed the stadium had a
hint
of
a good head on his shoulders; the parking lots are connected to
each other via a central web that is easy to access and
seldom
gets congested. The signals inside are clear and easy to see, and
the parking spaces are indeed spacious. The best feature found
here is immediately noticed by those of us with an automatic
navigation computer system installed; the stadium’s parking
mainframe establishes a
prompt
connection and allows you to
view how much of each of the eight lots are filled, as well as
suggesting the
best
route to the optimum space for you. A four-star
feature in this otherwise dimly lit sky of a stadium.
» Four-star for those of us with acceptable
standards of vehicles, that is. Be warned; if your
autonav has had any modifications at all from the
norm such as minor tweaks to shut it off when it’s
time to rock and roll , chances are the stadium
system will know. Should you not have an autonav
at all, it’ll detect that, too - either way, prepare
to be watched closely by certain members of the
staff.
» Sixth Gear
» Hey, make it your daily public service - give
public transportat on a go.
» Sir Longshot
» Those of us who st ll can, you mean. Bus drivers
just aren’t as oblivious to dermal plating as they
used to be.
» Grind
The stadium walls outside, separated into eight facings by the pinions, are virtual advertising boards for various corporations, companies and establishments who not only desire this magnitude of publicity, but can also afford it. I should mention that only seven of those eight walls are as such; the eighth is the primary accessway to the underground factory which holds everything vital to the function of the stadium’s track. But, more on that later.
Amenities
Once parked, it is a quick stroll up to the lobby of your respective pinion. I would indeed like to end my review here, on a positive note, but alas there is much, much more to bring to light.
The lobby is reminiscent of a Frankenstein’s monster, coupling deceased corpses of automobiles and the last remnants of a debaucheried fast-food restaurant. All sorts of soy-based products blast-furnaced under fifteen seconds are served here, stacked into easily-carried trays for your trip to your seat, where you shall remain for the better part of five minutes before realizing that there are only eight restrooms in the entire building.
» That’s not entirely true. Those eight are split up
for men and women, so that means 4 bathrooms
in the stadium.
» Sir Longshot
» He’s kidding, right?
» Wavelength
Tickets are available for sale here as well, though it is highly, highly recommended to purchase them in advance via the matrix or phone - the lines for last-minute purchases have been known to cause casualties. Once you have your ticket in hand, along with any reprocessed food you may wish to force down to your stomach, the next step is to find your seat among the few hundred thousand available.
» Hey, anyone thinking what I’m thinking? I have
to call my J and redirect our next meet.
» Grind
» And those hundred thousand other spectators
around you also make for great buffer zones
should that particular J want you dead.
Obliviousness for rent on a weekly basis; I like it.
» Punctual Brendal
» Find a better place, Grind. You never know if
the next fan is packing a shotgun mic. Or just a
shotgun.
» Paranoia In A Can
Seating & Service
The seats themselves vary wildly between the first and last row. I sought to try every angle so as to get the most accurate feel for every position. Unfortunately, as the stadium is oftentimes packed, this meant I had to experience many a race.
To set the stage for you, let me begin by stating that the track the spectators see is not the real track. Rather, the entire track is covered with an impenetrable dome of reinforced metal the SNS isn’t quite prepare to describe fully. Along the inside of the dome are thousands upon thousands of trideo camera sets, encased in ballistic glass. The images they capture are transmitted to the central computer expert system, which then sends back separate signals to a few hundred trideo projectors installed around and over the stadium, which then project upon the clear white dome. Various lens and glasses are available to see from the point of view that corresponds to yours. The end result of this overuse of technology is the exact same effect than if you were looking at the track, except that should a stray missile come your way, you will not face a premature death.
» Wow.
» Grind
» That computer expert system is courtesy of
good ol’ MCT, by the way. In case you haven’t
noticed, that’s why these three letters are
plastered over nearly everything in the stadium -
another giant leap for advertising. That thing
would make for one hell of a righteous hack if it
were just matr x-connected.
» Wavelength
But, back to the seating . The front row is the most heart-wrenching there is; you are directly up and against the action, whether you like it or not. Every single explosion , every vivid crash screams out before you with frightening accuracy. Appropriately, the first row seats are the second costliest of the stadium. Those unfortunates seated here will have access to TrueSight glasses and visors to experience the race. Seats here can cost between 100 and 250 nuyen.
» I happen to have in my possession a few pairs
of TrueSight glasses should anyone want to skip
the additional fee or watch the race from
somewhere else than the stadium. Drop me a
line.
» Lightway
» Sorry to bring your house of cards down, Light,
but they switch the broadcast frequency for all
their TrueSight apparati every week. Yours’ll only
pick up static.
» Wavelength
» Frequency? They’ll still see the damn dome.
» Lightway
» Ahem. Let me explain for you non-initiated.
The big blimp over the stadium courtesy of
Media Vision, big brother of all media gathers
up all the data it receives from the central
computer and distributes it to the projectors,
about a tenth of which are on flying drones. Now
these project ons are on specific frequency
bands, which the TrueSight lenses and glasses
pick up, filtering all that don’t conform to their
position. Their ability to filter out those projections
come from the frequency they’re set at to receive
all the necessary informat on from the Media
Vision blimp. So, in effect, your nabbed glasses
won’t work simply because they won’t pick up the
data they need from the eye in the sky. They
won’t be on the same wavelength, so to speak.
» Wavelength
» ......Uh. Anyone else catch that?
» Grind
» They take their glasses and their big blimp.
They set them both to a new, similar frequency.
Lightway’s old glasses don’t work anymore
because they’re still on the old frequency.
» Sixth Gear
» Righto.
» Grind
The middle row is where the saner seats can be found. Not too far from the track, yet far enough to avoid major ear damage. The middle rows have access to a wide range of TrueSight glasses, visors, binoculars and a single small screen which they can set to any camera they wish. Seats here are affordable , varying between 25 and 150 nuyen.
The top rows are, strangely enough, where a spectator will be the hardest hit account-wise. Here, the view is so poor that a bewildering array of trideo screens, virtual reality visors and even an access port for those of us chroming at the temple so that we can experience the full array of assaults to the senses. Seats at the very tip of the mountain cost between 200 and 500 nuyen, while the VIP booths above, with everything lavishly decorated, are available from 2,000¥ up. If you truly need to see the race from every possible angle in full surround experience, this is the place for you.
» And let me tell you, there’s no other way to
experience the Corporate Clash than in a Super
Speedway Suite. For a measly 10K, you’ve got a
full-immersion jack/trode set at your fingertips,
and a few wall-projection trids for your buddies.
There’s nothing like it.
» Sixth Gear
» Hey Sixth, old buddy, old pal...
» Roadkill
» You call 10K measly?
» Grind
Call buttons for attendants are available on all seats, in case you desperately need a replacement set of glasses, a new mug of soybeer, or a big bag of peanuts.
The Track
The track itself is reminiscent of the olden days of NASCAR, but barely. The 750 meter long and 350 meter wide three-level track is a towering daedalus of reinforced concrete, beaten and battered by the races it holds every week. Large machinery and replacement sections hold the entire level below the track; in fact, the whole track is based on a modular design which can be changed or replaced to the manager’s whim . This is particularly helpful when large pieces of the track are ground to dust by an overzealous competitor with a now-empty rocket pod. Large cranes are present to replace track sections and remove burning car corpses.
» Not to mention the traps. The Badland
Tournaments every month or so wreck that track
someth ng fierce.
» Punctual Brendal
» Do elaborate.
» Lightway
» Gladly. Every month or so the big security
system companies sponsor a race; this means
they get to try out all their nasty little toys on the
track. Not only do you have to worry about the
other cars, but you also have to think of those
lovely autonomously targeted autocannons, snap-up
spike trails, and copious amounts of bombs.
Fun fun fun, but then the prize is worth it.
» Punctual Brendal
Violent Vehicles
We now come to the pièce de résistance, NARCAR racing itself. What, exactly, is Nova Racing?
The concept is simple ; you take a hundred or so cars, outfit them with insane modifications, upgrades and all sorts of weaponry, put them on the same track, and give them the goal of making it around five times, coming to the end the first. The cars are emptied of seats, being controlled remotely by their drivers who stay in a large room near the top booths referred to as the Arena. The stadium owners see little risk in having extremely deadly weapons used, as there is no chance of them getting out of the dome, and there are no drivers in the fray. The result is a feast of violence and sport rivaling even combat biking’s top honors in this field.
» Hey hey hey, don’t you go around knocking
combat biking! I’ve had my big break in that
heavenly arena. Ah, the smell of firearms and
motor oil, the sweet feel of bone under your rear
tire...
» Roadkill
» That reminds me, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask about that ga <Block Deleted>
» This is not the place for it. Check the archives;
that subject was covered a long time ago.
» Captain Chaos
Most Nova Racing events are composed of three parts; the Race, the Rush and the Roar . The Race is mainly a qualification event where no weapons are allowed; the qualifying 51 cars move on to the Rush, where weapons come into play after the first lap. The twenty-one cars who make it out of this move on to the Roar, where weapons are again activated on the second lap, but this time there is no final lap; the last car to cross the finish line wins and receives its prize. And that draws the event to a close, until the following week.
» Speaking of which, what DO those drivers win?
Old Nigey hasn’t spoken a whisper about that.
» Wavelength
» It gets better the longer you last. The fifty lucky
cars to make it past the Race get 10,000¥,
whereas the twenty that make it to the Roar get
50K each. The lone winner, if any, gets a quarter
mil. You have to realize the CARS get these
prizes; if those cars are corp-owned, guess where
the money goes.
» Sixth Gear
» As opposed to?
» Grind
» They allow independent entries with very little
background checks. You haven’t ran until you’ve
raced here. Those Lone Star patrollers are
tricycles to you when you’ve made it past the
Rush.
» Sixth Gear
» So what’s stopping some people from just
making off with the cars?
» Grind
» The security is insane. Pure and
simple. No car or weapon can
make it out of the dome until
every single spectator is long
gone, and even then each team
brings their own security and
armored trailers to make sure
nobody makes off with their ride.
Good luck.
» Sixth Gear
Those Brave Men at the Wheel
The drivers themselves, sometimes referred to as riggers, control their vehicles from the Arena. They are individually linked to whichever machinery they need to take the virtual wheel of their respective cars, and are seldom seen anywhere else than on the winners’ podium, displaying their specially-woven racing suits designed to show the maximum possible amount of advertisers at the cameras at any given angle.
» The Arena also has extra buffering to make
dump shock less severe when you wreck.
» Roadkill
» Extra buffering as far as suits see it. Think of it
more like softening a ten-story fall with a pillow.
» Sixth Gear
The Great Clockwork
Drivers belong to teams, which are usually associated with one or more major fund-providers (such as megacorporations or even cities themselves). The teams are charged with designing new cars which will destroy the competition on all grounds. There is little else than this; NARCAR is a simple art, no matter how glitzy it might appear to the viewers.
» Now now, Nigel, don’t bite. » Punctual Brendal
A Final Touch
I shall end this report on a cautionary note; no matter how high-touted an activity might be, it is always better to be your own judge than to trust someone else’s judgement. I believe I, for one, have accomplished this today - you will not catch me at the Seattle Nova Stadium anytime soon. I am Nigel Manahan, for QTTV News Sports, signing out.
» If we do catch you, Nigey, we’ll be
sure to send you a little high-explosive hello.
» Roadkill
Tools of the Trade
Greetings, fellow racers. This is Sixth Gear, your friendly-neighborhood rigger and all-around racing aficionado. The good captain has allowed me to grace the storage space we all partake in to add something to Nigel’s little exposé. Since he’s touched the experience, I’ll go into the nitty-gritty here and give you the down and dirty on all the new equipment and car gear NARCAR has brought up. Keep in mind that most of this stuff is intended for Nova Racing cars, and will likely put you in deep trouble should you showcase it on the streets. Still, some of it may save your rear bumper, so do keep a lookout. The technical stats are at the end of the file.
Afterburners
You’ve heard of nitrous oxide injectors; this is the step up. Consisting mainly of one or a pair of jet thrusters installed into the chassis, these will give your ride a tremendous burst of speed when you really need it. The only problem is that they’re not too keen on taking orders from anyone; nothing short of a wall will turn the car when these babies are alive. But should you ever need an insane burst of speed in a long straight stretch, these are for you.
» I caught one of the racers use a set of those
last week in the adlands Tournament. Put him
clear in the lead for a whole two seconds before
he hit a pop-up jump ramp and took out four
cameras on the side of the dome. Bravo.
» Punctual Brendal
Chassis Reinforcement
A simple enough procedure that involves strengthening the skeleton of the car, trading load for added anchoring space. This’ll add just enough overall resilience to add another firmpoint, or provide the chassis strength needed to finish out a hardpoint. Don’t leave home without it. This is a design-only procedure, chummers, so be sure to think of it before the car rolls off the lot or you might have to take it apart from the headlights to the drive shaft in order to add this mod to your black book.
Cheese Slicer
Nasty. That’s all I can say about this monstrosity. The Cheese Slicer is
launched from a rudimentary tosser anchored
on a firmpoint, and consists of two mono-tipped harpoons trailing
four whole monowire lines between them. Hit the switch, and it
sends one off behind you (unless you didn’t install it right),
anchoring it between two walls (or cars, parking meters, etc.) and flaking the
next car to pass by. They’ll usually snap or tear off the first time anything
runs into them, but not before doing a
hell of a body job on the first half of whatever got sliced. Like I said, nasty.
» I contacted my man Charlie to get a set of
those for an upcoming job. Said he wouldn’t
touch the stuff anymore, so I asked why. Said a
good client of his ordered a set and actually
managed to get one, but messed up when
hooking it up and stood at the wrong place at the
wrong time.
» Grind
» Ouch. Separate caskets?
» Roadkill
Hopper Plate
Now there’s a neat toy many of you will appreciate. Consisting of a very simple curved plate mounted on a hydraulic slam pump system, it’s installed on either side of your vehicle and is precisely calculated to punch down on the pavement with just enough strength to send your ride into a two-wheeler. If you have the skills to keep it there and not roll over, this’ll not only make for a great show at stunt expos, but also let you avoid any ground nasties or incoming fire. A personal favorite of mine.
» Just be careful when you install it. The slightest
misinstallment and you’ve got a rollover switch at
your fingertips.
» Punctual Brendal
Hubcap Shredder
Another favorite. This one is pretty simple, and was the first modification to
officially become a part of Nova Racing. Consisting of refurbished ablative
armor over a hubcap, this explodes and sends a few good charges of shrapnel in
a three-meter cone, effectively destroying the tire of the vehicle next to you.
Runflats will probably tough out a bit longer against this puppy, though, so be
warned.
Jump Plate
A step up from the hopper. This is a monster plate directly in the center of your vehicle which packs enough punch to send you flying for a brief second or two, just enough to clear a pitfall, speed bump, or mine. Be careful not to punch it in a curve, or you’ll be the next star of Racecars on Ice.
Mine, D 4
Mines are another crowd favorite when it comes to car warfare. The D 4 variety looks like a four-sided pyramid about the size of a shoe. When deployed, these little buggers clamper around and flap out, revealing a proximity detonator and a chunk of C-12. Their shape ensures that they’ll always deploy straight up. This packs enough of a whallop to send most cars flying off the track, but be careful when you use ‘em - they’ll still be there when you come around the second time, and they won’t play favorites.
Mine, Snap
The snap mine is the classic when it comes to roadside explosives. A touch-detonator activates when it touches any surface, where it snaps onto place and won’t budge until disarmed or stepped on.
» I personally get a good chunk of solid steel for
my rear bumper and snap a few of those on.
Vaporizes tailgaters.
» Warmachine
Mine Dropper
The Mine Dropper is the effective way of using all these newfangled mines other than tossing them out the window. Mounted on a firmpoint, this holds mines internally and has a pretty well made mechanical dispenser that allows you to drop just as few or as many mines stored as you want to. There’s also very little chance of them jamming inside and accidentally activating.
» Very little? Sorry, no dice - it’s gotta be 100%
safe.
» Punctual Brendal
» 100% safe? Uh, Virginia, I’ve got some news for
you about the world you live in...
» Wavelength
Minirocket Pod
For those who don’t quite want to step up to a full-fare rocket, the minirocket pod fits the bill for most smaller vehicles. A four-pack of minirockets for any occasion, mounted on a firmpoint. Before anyone asks, they don’t make missiles out of these, sorry.
Pepper Shaker
Take three grenade launchers, put them on a pivoting arm, and strap them together. This nets you the Pepper Shaker, a grade-A way to disperse tailgaters. One punch of the big red button will scatter three minigrenades in a semi-random pattern behind you, making opposing drivers either swerve out of the way or pray their armor will take the blow.
Rammer Plate
The second official entry into NARCAR fame, the Rammer Plate is the ancestor of the Jump Plate; it’s pretty much the same mechanism, but mounted sideways into a door. Activated, it delivers a hell of a whallop to whatever’s on your bad side. This is usually enough to send a nose-to-noser reeling, or a pedestrian sailing. Be careful not to use it near a wall, though, or you might just be the one to see pavement up close and personal.
» I wouldn’t be too sure about that. Our resident
gearhead rigged one up so to speak on the
team van - that thing makes a great battering
ram when you need a door in a hurry.
» Grind
T-Shot Conversion Kit
Not a mod per se, but worthy of mention; this is a step up from the usual conversion kit for firearms to firmpoints. This takes two of any weapon up to an LMG and sets them up back to back so they fire directly opposite each other. This means no, repeat, no recoil at all, for the modest price of perforating anything behind you as well as in front of you. Be careful for any team members, though, and especially careful of jams or it’ll wreck your steering real good.
» I mount mine sideways.
» Roadkill
Winch Harpoon
A homemade addition that might save your skin, the Harpoon fits onto a typical winch and includes a powered-up delivery blaster powerful enough to jam it into any hard surface, including other cars. A release mechanism is also included for when good times turn bad.
» Want to hear something wild? I know a guy
who rigged this baby up with conductive wire and
plugged it into a mega-voltage battery. Instant
system roastage in the receiving car.
» Roadkill
SSVCR
This one I’ve put at the end because it’s very different from the rest. It’s in fact a Simsense Vehicle Control Rig; a mix between the popular Simsense rig and the VCR we’ve all learned to know and love. Piggybacking a recorder on the VCR, it effectively allows people to record their experiences inside a vehicle the same way people record Simsense flicks. Not very useful for anyone here, but hey, it’s something that you probably didn’t know.
» Wiz. I can make hardcopies of my
escapades for later.
» Roadkill
» Unless you’re a rigger, you’ll probably find this type
of Simsense pretty weird. The things that us Riggers
go through isn’t all that fun to the non-initiated. If you
really wanna experience the rush like we do, start
slow, or you might find it a bit too real.
» Warmcachine.
The Competition
No exposé on NARCAR would be complete without a few little token bios and readouts on the big boys and girls of the field. I’ve added here the official NARCAR template for cars, which is considered to be the minimum for competitivity, along with my personal entry in the races, which I use from time to time to add some more gasoline to my personal Zurich-Orbital fire. I also have the bios on two of the best racers on the circuit these days, but no dice on the stats - they’ve got some wiz defenses my buddies can’t crack.
Cars
NARCAR Template
Type : | Sports Car Drone |
Handling : | 3/8 |
Speed : | 200 |
Acceleration : | 15 |
Body : | 3 |
Armor : | 1 |
Signature : | 1 |
Autonav : | 0 |
Pilot : | 1 |
Sensor : | 1 |
Seating : | None |
Entry Points : | None |
Cargo : | 11.5 (max: 21.5) |
Load : | 103 kg |
Engine : | Gasoline |
Fuel : | 60 liters |
Economy : | 8 KM/liter |
L/T Profile : | N/A |
S/B Time : | N/A |
Other : |
Nitrous Oxide Injector [Level 1]
Contingency Maneuver Controls [Level 1] Remote-Control Interfaces Rigger Adaptation Standard Armor [Level 1] External Fixed Mount (Firmpoint) x2 Performance Tires |
Design : | 110+65+111+320 [606] |
Mark-Up Factor : | 3.0 |
Total Cost : | 182,000 ¥ |
The Mark-Up Factor for all NARCARs is always 3.0, regardless of additions. The template car is far from being a true contender to all the big boys out there, but it’s good enough to net you a good standing if you’ve got the talent to go with it. It’s also got plenty of upgrade space should you want to hike it up later on.
» It’s also a fair prize if you can make off with
one.
» Grind
» That’s one big if.
» Sixth Gear
NARCAR Sixth Gear Special
Type : | Sports Car Drone |
Handling : | 2/8 |
Speed : | 265 |
Acceleration : | 26 |
Body : | 3 (4 for firm/hardpoints) |
Armor : | 2 |
Signature : | 1 |
Autonav : | 0 |
Pilot : | 1 |
Sensor : | 1 |
Seating : | None |
Entry Points : | None |
Cargo : | 7.5 |
Load : | 2 kg |
Engine : | Gasoline |
Fuel : | 60 liters |
Economy : | 8 KM/liter |
L/T Profile : | N/A |
S/B Time : | N/A |
Other : |
Nitrous Oxide Injector [Level 1]
Contingency Maneuver Controls [Level 1] Remote-Control Interfaces Rigger Adaptation Chassis Reinforcement Nitrous Oxide Injector [Level 3] Turbocharged Contingency Maneuver Controls [Level 3] Remote-Control Interfaces Rigger Adaptation Standard Armor [Level 2] Internal Firmpoint x2 Smartlink II Integration Kit Ingram Valiant LMG x2 External Firmpoint x2 Smartlink II Integration Kit Minirocket Pod x2 Performance Runflat Tires Hubcap Shredder x4 Hopper Plate (right side) |
Design : | 220+65+438+964 [1687] |
Mark-Up Factor : | 3.0 |
Total Cost : | 525,000 ¥ |
This is my take on NARCAR, and I’ve gotten off quite a few good races in one piece with it. My current racer is much different, but at least you have an idea of where you can go with a few of the toys you have access to.
» In one piece? I thought this was last-man-standing racing.
» Grind
» It is, but you always have the option of taking
your winnings then and there and quitting. No dishonor in making an honest
buck.
» Sixth Gear
Racers
Gans Burke (Team Richstone)
Gans, a fellow from Calfree, has been around the circuits ever since NARCAR has
come to
Seattle. Rumored to be a former fellow runner, he’s now worth more per square
inch than his car -
advertisers practically kill each other to get their logo on him, as he’s
almost always bound to grab
attention wherever he goes.
He’s also rigged up with an SSVCR, a primo toy indeed; it’s made him not only a famous racer, but a Simsense ringer as well. He’s living it large in Seattle these days, basking in the glory and constantly finding new ways of riding out his 15 minutes of fame.
His car, referred to as the Limelight, is noticeable by its horrible light green color. No stats on it at the moment, but from personal experience it has twin LMGs mounted up front and afterburners on top. It’s also got a mine dropper if I’m not mistaken, and I’m dead certain it’s got runflats. It’s not too well armored, however, so his main tactic is usually to hightail it to the front and stay there.
"Jäger" Polzler (Team MCT)
Polzler is a new arrival from the corporate team of Mitsuhama Computer
Technologies, one of the solo big boys in NARCAR. No info is available on him,
but I’ll keep you posted; he seems to be
another one of those corp-trained-from-the-crib kids who got the best money had
to offer. Why MCT is funding him is a mystery; NARCAR racing isn’t that
moneymaking unless you’ve got sponsors or win a hell of a lot of times, and
Polzler, while a terror behind the wheel, has been out of the latter parts of
most tournaments lately due to trouble with his ride.
The car, nicknamed the Landshark, is a hell of a machine. Sleek, aerodynamic, and with a pair of afterburners to boot. It has twin firmpoints up front, but so far they haven’t been used much. The engine’s jacked up something fierce, but the signature has seen some prime upgrades - that makes for a fast car that’s not easy to lock on, which is why Polzler is usually comfortable in the lead. I’ve seen it use a Jump Plate, and my sources say that rear spoiler hides a Cheese Slicer launcher. Wicked stuff, but since it seems to zonk out every so often, not that big a worry
» I’ve poked around, and seems that Polzler is just
an excuse for MCT to test out new gear and
prototypes in a fitting env ronment, which would
explain why it’s out of commission more often
than not. Watch for it, chummers - this might just
be a hint of what’s to come in the real world.
» Paranoia in a Can
» What would MCT do with a jazzed-up car?
Come on.
» Grind
Discussion Forum
Since this article has been stirring up some discussions of late, some of which were dwarfing the original text, I have moved the lengthier ones here so as to remove clutter. You are free to add what you wish, disregarding the usual 2.5:1 ratio.
» So what does it take to get into NARCAR, really?
Get some sponsors, form a team, and sign up?
» Grind
» In essence, yes. The NARCAR League is the
official authority on the matter; it’s based in
Calfree and constitutes the baseline from which
all NARCAR associations and stadiums take heed.
You’ve got your usual independents, but it ain’t
NARCAR unless the League backs you up. To
register yourself as an official NARCAR team, you
just have to pay a flat fee usually about
100,000¥ a season and there you go. You’re a
team, and you have the right to offer up any car
to NARCAR races around the world. You can also
design and make cars, and you also have the
right to make all that illegal-look ng gear you all
have your eyes on - so long as it stays in your
designated Team B ase, however. You have to
lock it up real good using League standards when
you move it around. Being a Team also gives you
access to the worldwide network of designers and
workers at the League’s beck and call. All in all,
a huge pricetag, but with its perks. Personal
membership of the League, with just the right to
maintain a single car and sign up independently
in circuits and tournaments, costs a mere 10,000¥
yearly.
» Sixth Gear
» I should point out that individual membership is
also much less strenuous on background than
team membership is. All you need is a face for
the ID card, along with a solid SIN.
» Punctual Brendal
» I haven’t seen ECM anywhere here.
» Roadkill
» Simple explanation: the cameras and mics.
ECM messes up reception real good, which
cheapens the audience’s feel for it all - so it’s
officially barred, as well as ECCM. Gotta use
exhaust dampers, antireflective surfaces and
other olde-time remedies to avoid those target
locks.
» Sixth Gear
» Has anything penetrated that big dome?
» Grind
» Once. An independent entry, Warmachine,
used a previously "acquired" subtac nuke and
crumbled half of the entire dome, as well as
wrecking a good portion of the track. They’ve
disallowed that magnitude of weapons since; the
official threshold is the penetration power of a
high-end autocannon shell.
20D and lower
» Sixth Gear
» Since nobody’s brought it up yet, I’ll bite. What
exactly is the use of all of this for us runners?
Apart from letting our resident gearheads run free
or waste money on high-octane entertainment.
» Grind
» The ways NARCAR can become useful are
multiple. A fellow shadowrunning group, whose
name shall remain withheld, was contracted to
make a certain corporate car malfunction and
drop the race. The result was a sudden
downspike in said corporation’s stock for a few
fifteenths of a second, which allowed a third
party to make a few million nuyen, a certain
percentage of which was then transferred into the
shadowrunning group’s Zurich-Orbital account.
» Mac
» Best part is, I got to make off with a few choice
pieces of prototype ware while I was there, too.
» Sixth Gear
» I’ve been hired out once to, let’s say, flatline a
particular opponent. A little bit of tango on the
track, a little bit of harpoon in my winch, a little
bit of voltage in the wire, and a great big helping
of dump shock on the poor slot. Braingeeked him
on the spot.
» Warmachine
» Remind me never to hook up with you, War.
» Sixth Gear
» It’s a man’s game. No place for the weak. You
have to grab the lead or crush it out of whoever’s
in front of you. This is truly what it means to be
alive; the rest of you are mere targets.
» Warmachine
» I think someone needs a hug.
» Wavelength
» Oh, and one last bit - this isn’t just racing. It’s a
hobby, a form of entertainment for many. People
perk up when hearing its name; turn their heads
when its ads appear. This is the public scene,
where the art of running the shadows comes to
life - because the moment you screw up, it’s your
face on the evening news. Whether it’s to meet
someone at the stadium, make off with a car or a
piece of tech, or just rig the hell out of the
Badlands Tournaments’ traps so they trap the right
car, it all comes down to what you do best. For
me, it’s the mix of rubber and concrete - for my
man Mac, it’s the great chess game of life. It all
boils down to where your talent lies. Use it wisely,
and careful about those cameras. Because
what’s great with NARCAR jobs is that once it’s
over, you can just return to your seat and have a
hell of an afternoon before going back home.
» Sixth Gear
The Stats
Here are the stats and ‘textbook’ rules for the gear discussed in ‘Tools of the Trade’.
Afterburners
Afterburners take a Simple Action to activate/deactivate. They add a number of dice equal to their level to the Acceleration test (or Braking test if they’re mounted backwards), as well as adding a number of automatic successes equal to their level to the same test. A car with Afterburners at level 2 would get 2 successes and an additional 2 dice to roll in the Acceleration test when they would activate. No turning can take place while the Afterburners work. They take their fuel from an internal tank, giving them enough juice for 20 combat turns of continuous use, approximately equal to one minute. Refueling takes about fifteen minutes; the fuel costs the same as jet fuel for a typical fighter jet.
Design Specifications
Design Cost : | 100 points per level |
Maximum Rating : | 3 |
CF Consumed : | 5 |
Load Reduction : | 50 kg |
Customization Specifications
Parts Cost : | 10,000¥ per level |
Parts Availability : | 8/1 week |
Street Index : | 2 |
Maximum Rating : | 3 |
Base Time : | 64 hours |
Skill : | Car B/R |
Target Number : | 6 |
Equipment Needed : | Vehicle Facility |
CF Consumed : | 5 |
Load Reduction : | 50 kg |
Cheese Slicer
The Cheese Slicer is not an anti-vehicular weapon, and stages its damage down for hardened armor. It has an effective damage rating of 10S for its pincers to determine if they latch or dig into something hard enough to pull the wire taught. If ran into by a vehicle that it doesn’t completely destroys, it snaps after inflicting damage. Cheese Slicers will not penetrate anything that has been Dikoted (such as a bumper or chassis); additionally, it will become harmless should either of the anchors come loose.
Concealability : | 4 |
Ammunition : | 3 (m) |
Mode : | SS |
Damage : | 8S, +1 Pow / 24 kph |
Weight : | 1 kg |
Availability : | 10/14 days |
Cost : | 1,000¥ |
Street Index : | 1 |
Ammunition Cost : | 3,000¥ |
Availability : | 24/14 days |
Street Index : | 3 |
Hopper Plate
It takes a Free Action to activate the Hopper Plate, and a Driving Test (Handling) is needed not to lose control. Another Driving Test is needed to land the car back on four wheels without problem.
Design Specifications
Design Cost : | 50 points |
Maximum Rating : | N/A |
CF Consumed : | 2 |
Load Reduction : | 25 kg |
Customization Specifications
Parts Cost : | 750¥ |
Parts Availability : | Always |
Street Index : | 1 |
Maximum Rating : | N/A |
Base Time : | 6 hours |
Skill : | Car B/R |
Target Number : | 4 |
Equipment Needed : | Vehicle Facility |
CF Consumed : | 3 |
Load Reduction : | 25 kg |
Hubcap Shredder
Hubcap Shredders each take a Simple Action to use and deal out 9S(f) damage to anything in their three-meter-cone radius, modified by a Driving Test if the rigger is trying to hit anything particular (For example, an opposing cars tires.).
Design Specifications
Design Cost : | 5 points per wheel |
Maximum Rating : | N/A |
CF Consumed : | 0 |
Load Reduction : | 1 kg per wheel |
Customization Specifications
Parts Cost : | 500¥ |
Parts Availability : | 3/36 hours |
Street Index : | 1 |
Maximum Rating : | N/A |
Base Time : | 1 hour |
Skill : | Demolitions |
Target Number : | 4 |
Equipment Needed : | Vehicle Kit |
CF Consumed : | 0 |
Load Reduction : | 1 kg per wheel |
Mine Dropper
The Mine Dropper takes 1 Complex Action to use, and can drop up to 12 mines at once. On a Rule of One Fumble, the mines jam and explode, setting off any and all stored. Use Full Auto rules for compound damage.
Design Specifications
Design Cost : | 20 points |
Maximum Rating : | N/A |
CF Consumed : | 3 + (1 per 5 mines) |
Load Reduction : | 10 kg + mine weight |
Customization Specifications
Parts Cost : | 2,000¥ |
Parts Availability : | 6/48 hours |
Street Index : | 1.5 |
Maximum Rating : | N/A |
Base Time : | 12 hours |
Skill : | Car B/R |
Target Number : | 4 |
Equipment Needed : | Vehicle Facility |
CF Consumed : | 3 + (1 per 5 mines) |
Load Reduction : | 10 kg + mine weight |
Mine, D 4
The D 4 mine is an anti-vehicular weapon. Anything coming closer than three meters will set it off, excluding bullets.
Concealability : | 5 |
Damage : | 10S |
Weight : | 0.5 kg |
Availability : | 6/5 days |
Cost : | 100¥ |
Street Index : | 1.5 |
Mine, Snap
The Snap mine is an anti-vehicular weapon. Any weight stronger than 1 kg on it sets it off.
Concealability : | 5 |
Damage : | 8S |
Weight : | 0.5 kg |
Availability : | 5/4 days |
Cost : | 60¥ |
Street Index : | 2 |
Minirocket Pod
The Minirocket Pod is a vehicular weapon, and thus does not stage its damage down for hardened armor. It needs a conversion to be able to be fired manually; use the same rules as the conversion kits.
Concealability : | - |
Ammunition : | 4 (cy) |
Mode : | SA |
Damage : | 10D |
Weight : | 8 kg |
Availability : | 12/14 days |
Cost : | 6,000¥ |
Street Index : | 2 |
Ammunition Cost : | 750¥ |
Availability : | 8/14 days |
Street Index : | 2 |
Pepper Shaker
The Pepper Shaker is not aimed; rather, targets in the area of
effect (roughly a 10-meter cone behind the vehicle) must make a Driving
Test (Handling) or resist standard damage. Test for each burst fired.
Concealability : | - |
Ammunition : | 18 (m) |
Mode : | BF |
Damage : | 10S |
Weight : | 8 kg |
Availability : | 8/4 days |
Cost : | 5,000¥ |
Street Index : | 3 |
Ammunition Cost : | 100¥ |
Availability : | 8/4 days |
Street Index : | 2 |
Rammer Plate
It takes a Free Action to activate the Rammer Plate, and a Driving Test (Handling) is needed for the target not to lose control. The Rammer has 50 centimeters of range and inflicts 10M damage (non-vehicular).
Design Specifications
Design Cost : | 50 points |
Maximum Rating : | N/A |
CF Consumed : | 3 |
Load Reduction : | 30 kgs |
Customization Specifications
Parts Cost : | 1,000¥ |
Parts Availability : | Always |
Street Index : | 1 |
Maximum Rating : | N/A |
Base Time : | 6 hours |
Skill : | Car B/R |
Target Number : | 4 |
Equipment Needed : | Vehicle Facility |
CF Consumed : | 4 |
Load Reduction : | 30 kgs |
T-Shot Conversion Kit
Same rules as for standard conversion kits. If ever the weapon jams (perhaps due to a Rule of One), one side jams and the other racks up recoil as standard. If the weapon is not mounted along the center line, this disrupts driving enough to necessitate constant Driving Tests (Handling) every time the gun is fired.
Design Cost : | 3 |
Customization Cost : | 600¥ |
Availability : | 6/72 hours |
Street Index : | 3 |
Winch Harpoon
Effective damage of 9S; any kind of success determines penetration. This is not adjusted for vehicle damage.
Design Cost : | 0.5 |
Customization Cost : | 500¥ |
Availability : | 4/24 hours |
Street Index : | 1 |
SSVCR
Use standard Simsense rules from Shadowbeat (Page 97). VCR functions as normal.
Level 1
Essence Cost : | 3 |
Baseline Cost : | 200,000¥ |
Full-X Cost : | 400,000¥ |
Level 2
Essence Cost : | 4 |
Baseline Cost : | 350,000¥ |
Full-X Cost : | 600,000¥ |
Level 3
Essence Cost : | 6 |
Baseline Cost : | 500,000¥ |
Full-X Cost : | 800,000¥ |