Berserk
By
Eleanor Holmes
and
Jamie Houston
,
with additional material from Alexandre van Chestein, Adam Jury, and Brett
Sanger
A spin-off of Urban Brawl, Berserk was established in the 2050s thanks to a marketing push and pressure from government and corporate agencies. The original Urban Brawl game was played with felons and criminals, and the fannish adulation such undesirables enjoyed as a result of their status as Urban Brawl players was considered risky by corporate spindoctors and government sociologists alike. Violent criminals were not seen as good role models for impressionable children and sports fans, and the UCAS government banded together with several megacorporations (most notably Ares, Shiawase and Gaeatronics) to pressure the Urban Brawl league into cleaning up their act.
Most of the league resisted, but there was a significant faction that could see the appeal in more glitzy, marketable games that didn’t endorse acknowledged criminals. A breakaway group formed the North Continental Brawl Union in 2055, funded by healthy donations from lobby groups, governmental subsidies, and generous corporate sponsorship. However, a protracted legal battle with Urban Brawl’s ruling body ISSV left the NCBU legally unable to broadcast any matches played under the trademarked, patented and heavily protected official Urban Brawl rules.
Rather than play a pale imitation of "proper" Urban Brawl, the NCBU’s brightest marketing sparks and sports experts put their heads together and cooked up a brand-new game - fast-paced, flashy and exciting, Berserk bears little resemblance now to the game that spawned it - and it’s fast catching up on Urban Brawl’s media dominance.
The GameBerserk is an urban combat game, somewhat akin to the old paintball games of the 20th century. The game is played in four quarters of twenty minutes each; there are two three-minute breaks after the first and third quarters, and a fifteen minute half-time break.
Points are scored by ‘tagging’ enemy players with firearms or melee weaponry. The referees will adjudicate disputed tags, but most players are sensible about accepting a fair tag on them. Each tag is worth one point, and the victim is considered to be ‘tagged-out’. A tagged-out player has to run back to their home goal area and hit a large button, referred to as ‘tagging in’. Tagged-out players aren’t considered eligible targets for more tags, but they can’t participate in the action until they’ve tagged back in at their goal. A tagged-out player who tries to score their own tags, provide covering fire for team-mates, or otherwise participate in combat receives a three-point penalty.
A player who tags out another with sufficient force to wound them has to call "Medic" after the tag, to ensure that the victim receives timely medical attention if necessary. Failure to comply with this rule earns a three-point penalty.
The playing field is usually dotted with mannequins to represent civilians; tagging a civilian scores a one-point penalty. Wily players will lure their opponents into firing on a mannequin whenever possible.
The RefereesThere are normally five mundane referees controlling the game - one in the referee’s crows-nest, two on the playing field and two in a control room scrutinizing the extensive video feeds and communicating with the on-field referees to indicate infractions.
Magical ControlThe referee team also includes two mages, one in the referees crows-nest and one projecting astrally over the field. In addition, astral space around the Berserk arena is thickly populated with watcher spirits and elementals with orders to identify all illegal uses of magic on the field. Any illegal use of magic during a game earns an immediate disqualification for the rest of the game for the player responsible, a five-point penalty for the offending team, and possible referral to a post-game disciplinary tribunal, depending on the circumstances of the incident. For example, mages who lose their head and stunbolt (or worse yet, manabolt) an opponent in the heat of combat will be referred to the tribunal after the game; a mage player who casts a Levitate spell to save the life of a player who’s just fallen off a four-storey building will probably get away with just the game disqualification.
The MedicsDocWagon supplies two trauma medics for each game; they are equipped in Glo-Yellow full body armor and are forbidden targets. Tagging a medic is a five-point penalty. The medics are totally independent of the Berserk teams, and provide impartial medical aid on-field and off; severely injured players may be evaced at the medics’ discretion as all Berserkers have DocWagon contracts. Medics are often ex-HTR docs who enjoy the adrenaline of mid-combat trauma work.
GimmicksBerserk is a game about trid ratings, and game organizers use any number of gimmicks to spice up a Berserk game. Usually the first quarter is a full-light ‘day’ quarter. The second quarter has very dimmed lighting and is a ‘night’ quarter. The third is variable - sometimes rain, fog or snow. The fourth quarter is usually back to daylight conditions but with a twist. One of the more popular gimmicks involves the appearance of fake ‘Lone Star officers’, who carry encoded passes worth bonus points if slotted in the goal area. Tags from ‘Lone Star officers’ are permanent tag-outs for the rest of the quarter. Other gimmicks include armed ‘Citizens Defense Forces’ appearing from amongst the mannequins, hordes of ‘killbot’ drones, or rigger-controlled robotic ‘animals’. The home team is responsible for selecting each game’s fourth-quarter gimmick, with approval from the opposing team’s management.
BerserkersThe players, or "Berserkers", come from all walks of life - generally they’re already trained in professional athletic violence, and many are ex-gangers, ex-cops or elite security personnel, and more than a few ex-shadowrunners. There are typically 22-25 Berserkers on a team, of whom 18 are nominated to play any given match. Each team may deploy up to 15 players at any one time; substitutions are unlimited and may be made for any reason, but only between quarters.
WeaponryThe firearms in a Berserk game fire a modified gel round that splatters on impact and contains a luminescent dye to tag victims with. Melee weaponry is blunted, and the impact surfaces are coated with the same dye to indicate a successful tag.
The team as a whole has a roster of permitted weapons that may be on the field at any time, and it’s up to the individual team to allocate weapons to the fifteen fielded players. The roster currently stands at 20 pistols, 4 SMGs, three shotguns, one rifle, one bow or crossbow, and unlimited melee weaponry. This can make substitution strategies rather involved, as substitutions will often need to be between players who prefer the same class of firearm, so as not to exceed the limitations of the roster. Players on the field can swap weapons with each other at any time, and are also allowed to improvise weapons and tools from anything they find on the field - with the usual proviso that combat should be non-lethal (so garrottes made from electrical flex, for instance, are a bad idea).
CyberwareDue to the self-limiting nature of cyberware, there are no restrictions on the amount or type of ware a player may employ, with two exceptions - cybernetic (or external) comms gear must be disabled for the game, and since the regrettable incident of the 2059 Spring Demonstration Spectacular, subjects of the mysterious procedures known as ‘cybermancy’ are not permitted to take the field.
MagicThe use of magic is rigidly controlled in the Berserk game. Magicians, and aspected magicians, are permitted to use one and only one Sustaining Focus holding one of a short list of available spells. All other applications of magic are forbidden - no spellcasting on the field, no use of spirits, no metamagic, no astral perception or projection, and so on.
AdeptsAdepts are the single exception to the ‘no-magic’ fiat. Their powers are carefully monitored, and those such as Killing Hands and Astral Perception are prohibited - but they are highly sought after for those teams without sufficient funding to keep up with the SOTA curve of cyberware for their players.
The Playing FieldBerserk is usually played in an arena approximately the size of a large city block. The stadiums are vast, elevated affairs; seating usually begins several storeys above street level, and a typical Berserk arena seats 100,000+. The ‘field’ is a scaled-down city block or two, thickly interwoven with alleys and walkways. Overhead ‘telephone wires’ run between the buildings for easy use of grapple lines and flying foxes; the entire set-up is designed to allow as much spectacular action as possible. Buildings in the ‘block’ generally are limited to four storeys high, although variations have been noted - there are currently few rules about what consitutes a regulation Berserk playing arena. In this, as in everything about Berserk, flexibility is the key - the game designers made a conscious effort to keep the game simple and fluid, and in comparison with other popular North American sports, it’s relatively unregulated.
Tridscreens dot the Arena’s walls, showing multiple views of the action at any one time. A cylindrical scoreboard is usually suspended from the rim of the arena’s roof, and below the scoreboard is a referee’s ‘crow’s nest’.
The buildings in the block are often real buildings that have had an Arena put up around them; otherwise, they are constructed to be as realistic as possible. To spice up a game, there are often additional threats around - real gun-toting ‘civilians’ interspersed amongst the mannequins of passers-by, automated sentry weaponry on building roofs and corners, and the like. Players are allowed to disable automated measures if they’re able to, and can take action against hostile ‘civilians’ without scoring penalties.
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The Teams
San Diego Pumas
The Pumas were one of the original fifteen teams, and are credited as being essential to the success of the fledgling sport. They won the first Beserker Gauntlet in 2056 effortlessly, but dropped to second in 2057, and have since been unable to rise above skilled mediocrity. Their tactics mirror small-unit actions of special forces units, and while initially popular, have been unable to maintain crowds interest in an increasingly competative media-driven sport.
The Pumas were a solid team with a good sense of marketing, and their personal appearances throughout the UCAS helped create a supportive fan base, but they fell quickly behind franchises that accepted wildly dramatic tactics and experimental cyberware. The arrival of the five new teams in 2058 thinned their fanbase, and the recent rise of "theme" squads has threatened to end any hopes of a recovery.
The Pumas remain popular outside the arena, and several members are widely regarded as perfect role models for a new world: Friendly, composed, clean-cut, and skilled. The Pumas former manager, ex-marine Jake Tredlins, has recently been replaced with an Adept named Elaine Rathskin. Rathskin has put in place some new policies, and has not made herself popular with the team, who enjoyed a close relationship with Tredlins. The owners hope the Rathskin can put the Pumas back on the trail of success, but the results of recent policies, training, and trades remain to be seen.
Puma Star Players & Notable Figures
Scott Lawson
Scott Lawson has been with the Pumas since their start, almost always running
shotgun. While he is famous for tagging three Slayers with one shot during the
2056 Gauntlet, his greatest fame is off the field. Lawson has a natural charm,
and his charismatic smile has won over many a reporter of either sex, leading
to some good early reviews for the team. Recent scandals involving numerous
young ladies in towns along the Puma’s season have been largely ignored by the
public and the media alike. Lawson has some basic combat cyberware (eyes,
smartlink, wired reflexes), but has avoided anything that would ruin his useful
looks. His relative lack of skill and focus on one weapon is becoming a
hinderance to the Puma’s attempt to recover, but his popularity makes him
difficult to give up.
Erin Flass
Erin Flass is perhaps the female counterpart to Scott Lawson, with a elven
beauty and charisma that have helped the team be popular. She has a wider
range of skills, but didn’t join the team until 2057, when she was brought in
as a rookie, and thus missed the peak of the Puma’s career. Flass is an Adept
specializing in stealth and detection, and acts as point for the group. Unlike
the self-assured Lawson, Flass is very aware that the Pumas are in a state of
flux, and that she could be traded out, a state she finds very undesirable for
reasons unknown. With Tredlins gone, her safety line is cut, and she and
Rathskin have been glaring daggers at one another.
Ross "Gadgetman" Poris
Gadgetman is a newcomer to the Pumas, just traded in from the Slammers. His
combat skills are strictly mediocre, and he doesn't excel in stealth,
detection, or other related talents. His cyberware is minimal (though he
reportedly wishes to change that), and he isn't enhanced by any kind of magic.
As an ork, he's fairly tough, but that doesn't score you tags.
What Gadgetman does have, however, is an uncanny ability to fashion traps and
weapons out of the miscellaneous items found in the Arena. While the combat
effectiveness of these traps in comparison to a skilled player is debatable,
their appeal to the crowds is undeniable. Gadgetman was brought in by
Rathskin, as part of a move to increase Puma popularity on the field. She
traded away Eric Atkinson and Allen McGrath, two of the Pumas better marksmen
to get him, and the deal is not popular with most of the other Pumas.
Reportedly there is an agreement between Gadgetman and Rathskin about cyberware
enhancements, but nothing appears on the official contract.
The Vikings were one of the original fifteen Beserker teams, and consistently placed last in every ranking for most of their career. Their players, while not stellar, were not poor enough to explain their solid losing streak. Every figure they tagged turned out to be a civilian, or bait for a trap. Every room they took was an ambush. A combination of moderate skill, bad luck, and poor morale maintained this state.
With an almost non-existant fan base, and with snide comments abounding about the genetic heritage Canada had brought to the UCAS, the Vikings reinvented themselves late in the season of 2058. Gone was the lackluster team that everyone expected to be tagged. Now the Vikings take the field wearing animal furs, chanting in Norse. Their roster of weapons is hardly a concern, as they wield mostly melee weapons. No longer do they slink into the field to be quietly tagged out, and tag themselves in again to repeat the feat. The Vikings have taken the imagery to the extreme, referring to the goal as "Valhalla", and even booing their own teammates who return to Valhalla without taking out an enemy first. Some backers of the team and the game reacted with shock and horror, but many new backers poured in, as the public roars their approval for this imagery. The 2059 season provided the Vikings with a full stadium for the first time, and introduced the five newest teams to the sport.
If possible, the team scores even worse, earning multiple penalty points each game, (for charging an enemy after being tagged, for use of potentially lethal force, and for numerous other penalties), as well as often being unable to return ranged fire. The Vikings still place on the bottom on all rankings, but the franchise is very profitable, popular, and the Vikings are credited with the introduction of "theme" teams, which might lead Berserk to a new level.
Viking Star Players & Notable Figures
Eric Bjornson
A member of the Vikings since 2057, Bjornson was previously famous for his
ability to leap into a room held by enemies, spraying with two-full auto SMG’s,
and hitting no one. (A feat he accomplished no fewer than three times out of
four attempts, the fourth being an unfortunate incident involving mistaking a
room held by his team for one held by the enemy. His aim was impressively
accurate that day.)
Now, Bjornson is credited with the rebirth of the Vikings. He will not discuss the change, refusing to discuss anything about the team that happened before the new look. He now wields a battleaxe in combat, and has garnered three records in the 2058 season: Most penalties, most times a single Berserker has been tagged, and most taggings with a melee weapon.
The change has had a profound affect on his social life. Previously, Bjornson was a quiet, soft-spoken man with relatively little social interaction. Now he is a loud, belligerent man reknown for his carousing.
Denver initially ignored Berserk, seeing it as a media-driven attempt to dictate their choice of sport, and unlike Urban Brawl, Berserk didn’t have underground support. By 2058, it appeared that Berserk was going to be around a while, and so a group of Texas based backers, tired by the claims of the top teams at the time, assembled the Cowboys.
The Cowboys joined the League in 2059, along with four other late-comer franchises. Filled with well-payed, cybered, and skilled individuals, the Cowboys have been almost impossible to beat. At first it was thought that the Cowboys were one of the new "theme" teams, but it was discovered that that was only partially true. The Cowboys, owned and run entirely by Texans are Texas to the core, and really do talk like that. It’s a bit exagerated perhaps, but only because the Cowboys want to show off their heritage, or so they claim.
Cowboy Star Players & Notable Figures
Larry "Slim" Thurble
Slim Thurble is a true pistol-packing, ten-gallon hat-wearing cowboy. A
retired cop hired off of a ranch near San Antonio, given a crash course by an
ex-Green Beret, and then turned over to the best cybertechnicians in Dallas.
Now he’s the best shot in the Cowboys, and among the fastest Berserkers in the
League. Slim is always polite and friendly, but rumors persist that he isn’t on
the team voluntarily. Neither Slim nor the owners will acknowledge anything
other than full willingness, but the rumors persist. Slim leads the Cowboys,
and is intimately aware of each individuals strengths.
Bruno "Tiny" Mertle
Tiny Mertle is a huge man. Larger, actually. While he moves quickly for such
a large man (aided by his Adept abilities), he really works for the team in two
other ways: detecting ambushes, for which he seems to have an uncanny ability,
and functioning as a mobile shield. He might get tagged out, but Slim Thurble
and Curly Haskins can use him for cover for an essential second or two,
enabling them to take out any ambushers. This tactic has infuriated other
teams, no formal complaint has been approved.
Aaron "Duke" Loper
Duke Loper is the Cowboys manager. Plagued over the last year with gambling
and bribe scandals, only the lack of concrete evidence and the continuing
success of the Cowboys on the field has kept him in the manager’s spot. Duke is
eager to keep his paycheck, and is watching closely to make sure nothing
interfere’s with the performance of the team.
Good clean entertainment for the employees of Bostons many high tech firm, the Carbines are an average team with a steady fan base. They play out of the Boston United Arena in the Back Bay area, and the team keeps a clean cut professional image which fits well with the climate in Boston. An aging team, the Carbines will be fraught with problems if they don't pick up some younger players. However, a winning combination could be formed if a few younger players are signed and gel well with the nucleus of the team.
You can guess the theme of the Cleavers. One of the few teams that plays the game using almost entirely melee weaponry, the Cleavers make up what they lack in efficiency - and firepower - with raw bloodlust towards the game. General Manager Patrick French makes it a practice of hiring mostly ex-gang members and those of "questionable" backgrounds, shady types who really want to succeed at the game, rather than ex-corporates who are only looking for a payoff. "Nails" Mahony has been the teams captain for the last three seasons, leading the team to winning records in the last two.
Owned by Turner Network Television (TNT), the Chargers have a virtually limitless payroll and advertising budget. However, frequently manager turnovers have left the team weakened, and they have never managed to capitalize and win the Gauntlet - or even get there, for that matter. The Chargers are well known for luring players from other teams with fat contracts, often using the other media under TNTs umbrella. Recent "purchases" (So named for the Chargers habit of locking players in long term contracts so they have no hope of going to other teams later in their career) include Shawn McCoy, a media-friendly and charismatic pistol wielding Adept, and Seth "Lumber" Jones, so named not only for his tree like proportions but also his lumbering gait.
Critics of the Posse repeatedly maintain that the team must have cost all of fifteen nuyen to put together, considering the uncouth and vile-smelling mass that is their roster. Fans of the Dallas team disagree wholeheartedly; they believe the figure is more along the lines of ten nuyen. Nonetheless, facing the Posse is often compared to being mugged in a dark alley by fifteen drunken vagrants at once. This, says their number one fan, is their charm. Or lack thereof.
The Raptors feature the cream of the corporate crop when it comes to players. While this means most opponents expect to fight a dozen accountants, the reality is that the Detroit corps feed the team most of their 'special cases' when it comes to security guards and operatives. This means that not only are the Raptors one of the most surgically precise of all teams in competition, but their teamwork is impeccable and at least two or three members of each participating set is sure to have something unusual about them that effectively means all bets are off. Several Berserkers have reported that fighting the Raptors is similar to trying to break out of New Alcatraz.
An all-show team, the Rebels are little more than calculated attempts at gaining popularity among rebellious teens and young adults, and have zero fanbase everywhere else. They're a rather good team apart from that, though, and critics say that if team captain Chip Rocksteady (of the New England Rocksteadies, no doubt) spent as much effort in tagging as he does in greasing every follicle on his body the Rebels would lead the tourneys.
The only amerindian-themed team in Berserk, the Tomahawks, apart from being a decent team, suffer from one of the worst quitting streaks in Berserk player history, as the team can't seem to keep its players on for very long. Many attribute this to the extremely stereotypical garb and mannerisms the players are forced to emulate and endure; the crime here is that most of the stereotypes that form the base of the team's theme are partially, if not completely wrong. It would be easy to inject some historical and contemporary accuracy in the Tomahawks and thus get rid of their nasty problem, but team owner Jessica Rothcastle acquired the team in a soiree's flimsy and is now loathe to even pay attention to it.
The Los Angeles Phantasms are downright spooky, but not for the obvious reason; the team isn't at all theme-oriented, but happens to boast the longest winning streaks in its tumultuous set of matches. Few can explain this, as the players themselves aren't that incredible to begin with, although they are competent and well-trained. The best explanation for the Phantasms' record is that of monumental momentum; as soon as they grab a win, they steer themselves onward in a surge of willpower and nearly never give it up. This unreal aspect has given the Phantasms a gargantuan fan base, though critics attribute it all to their coach, an ex-military squad leader referred to as Sarge by the team. Very little, if anything, is known about Sarge's history, though his current lifestyle is modest and reserved in L.A.'s suburbs.
The Marauders boast a few ex-mercenaries, some sports heavyweights, reformed gang lieutenants and (some say) a shadowrunner or two. This makes a very explosive and dedicated mix, and as such the Marauders are on a hellfire rocket to the top of the charts. A relatively new team to the list, the Milwaukee Marauders are marking their place in Berserk history not by overwhelming wins or climactic upsets, but by a seemingly unstoppable bullet train of points that can't seemingly be stopped. The slow and steady team by excellence, the Marauders should become a force to be reckoned with in short order.
The Barons are one of the newer teams as well, and their main clame to fame is that they are nearly entirely composed of former Urban Brawl heavy-hitters. Though this meant a rocky start as the players adjusted to the Berserk style of play, the team quickly adjusted and are now contending with the best. While some feel this is a surefire sign that Berserk is winning out against Urban Brawl, the Barons' heritage (and slightly underhanded publicity) has diverted a lot of their Berserk fans back to their original sport, perhaps not unintentionally. The team owner, a numbered corporation, has made no official comment on this.
Said to be entirely made up of street misfits and thugs, the Muggers are actually a rather professional-looking team that specializes in ambushes and surprise tags, perhaps as a way to counterpoint their low rate of skill as far as standard combat goes. An underdog from day one, the team has embraced its status and fought around it to become nearly respectable in ranking. The New York Muggers now boast a fan base as diverse as can be imagined; some like their look, some their tactics, some their fighting spirit.
The Juggernauts are another theme team, as each and every member is decked-out in heavy combat armor and the heaviest weaponry they can get away with, blitzing into combat in large packs and charging their opponents with reckless abandon. While some criticize this as copycatting the Montreal Vikings, fans maintain that the difference here is the Juggernauts are actually effective; in fact, they're not that bad a team and mostly thought to be on their way up the ranking ladders. Whenever the Juggernauts and Vikings face off, however, the stadium is always sold out and the ratings skyrocket as the behemoths clash.
Commonly nicknamed the Philly Phraggers, the Dawns are a respectable team of professional sportsmen who take pride in remaining true to the sports unlike the new 'themed' teams coming into the game. The Dawns play (mostly) fair, take their tags with accuracy and receive theirs with good spirit, though not without coming back with a vengeance. Thought by many to be the epitome of what Berserk is supposed to be, the Dawns keep a loyal fan base and a steady rank in the charts. While this somewhat unchanging status can be a curse, it is their strength.
The Portland Saints are a themed team, with wings, halo, white and gold team colors, and so on. The best way to describe them was coined by their team captain, Gabriel 'Seraphim' Low: "The faithful spirit of Heaven and the raw power of Hell." The Saints are one of the top teams, due to a mix of amazing skill and a staggering amount of willpower from the whole of the team. While most of their fan base is linked one way or another to religion, the rest are hardcore fans of the team's pure white record boasting little or no losses every season. While more than half the team is comprised of elves, this aspect isn't emphasized as much as the team's theme, and this has turned out to be the right way to go for the team so far.
The Slammers are another team who favor the use of melee weapons. Big melee weapons. Large, unwieldy, bash-in-your-goddamn-head blunt melee weapons. And the players are big. Bigfoot big. Eight-foot-tall, armored-to-the-metal-teeth, steel-plate-in-place-of-groin, fragging HUGE big. As can be expected, most matches involving the Slammers end up in forfeit, one way or another. And as can also be expected, they're among the top 5 most popular teams in Berserk history.
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Mac tags an opposition player. Several times. |
One could say that Zachary Jackson, owner of the Wizards, has serious connections. The team has the highest quantity of Adepts, almost more than all other teams put together. There are practically no mundanes in the Wizards, which means the referees are falling over themselves to keep everyone in check. This in turn means that there are bound to be holes here and there where nobody's watching, and the Washington Wizards are sure to sniff these blind spots out and take advantage of them whenever they can. While they haven't gotten caught yet, critics who suspect something is afoot repeatedly say it's only a matter of time before this series of calculated illegal uses of magic blows up in the team's face, causing a sudden and rather deadly drain in players, so to speak.