New Skill: Landmine Focused Skill

Thisis a specialized, Military PSA skill that permits a character without the demolition skill to set landmines and IEDs, provided the appropriate equipment, such as detonators, are available. This focused skill only costs 1 experience point for characters with the Military PSA – or 2 experience points for those who have a different PSA.

This is a one-level only military skill. It does not allow the character to disarm the mines or explosives. A character cannot buy more than one level, though the individual can use the experience points spent to learn this focused skill to earn demolitions.

The chance of success is one-half of either the character’s Logic or Intuition abilities plus 10 percent. If a demolition specialists tries to disarm a mine or IED set by someone with this skill, assume the setter’s skill level was zero (0).

Landmine Sensors[1]

Landmine sensors act as the method to detect targets and detonate the grenade or warhead in the mine package. Thirteen types of mine sensor clusters are listed below.

Tripwire. The tripwire is a 3-meter-long, monofilament nylon cord or metal wire, which costs 1 Credit. Whenever a tug occurs on the cord, or the tension is released on the wire, it will trigger the landmine’s detonator. It is a level 1 sensor and is a fairly inexpensive.

Characters who are actively looking for such boobytrap wires receive a +10 percent bonus to their Intuition checks. A bright light or simple line laser – similar to a laser pointer but projects a visible laser beam – provides an additional +10 percent modifier to find tripwires. Line lasers cost 1 credit and are powered by a 1 SEU battery with 100 hours oflife.  

Pressure/Tripwire Sensor. This is a level 2 standard mine sensor. It is activated in one of two ways of triggering a mine – either by the pressure plate or if something activates a tripwire mechanism (tripwire sold separately).

The pressure/tripwire sensor is for landmines that are buried in the ground or under debris. If used as a tripwire, it has the same drawbacks as the basic tripwire sensor – characters receive a 10 percent bonus when actively searching for such devices and an additional 10 percent bonus if they supplement their search with a bright light or line laser.

When used with just the pressure plate, the sensor has a simple weight cell that relays analog weight levels back to the control unit, which could either have a computer chip or it could be mechanical. The control unit compares the detected weight against the sensitivity adjustment set during the setting of the charge.

It takes 5 turns to dig, bury, cover, perform a weight tare, calibrate the setting, and conceal a mine with this type of sensor. Any creature equaling or exceeding the weight setting will detonate the weapon. If desired, the mine’s detonation can be delayed 2 turns after the weight is released, in an attempt to attack a larger group being followed by a party’s scout who set it off.

Magnetic Sensor. Using magnets, this level 3 sensor triggers a mine when it detects large metal objects entering its immediate area.

Motion Sensor. Using multiple different technologies including detecting vibrations, sending out micro- and ultrasonic waves this sensor can measure reflections off of a moving object.

It can be calibrated to filter out repetitive motion (such as rotating satellite antennae) and can even have filters put in place to define minimum and maximum speeds and sizes of detected motion. When the propers ized object or creature moves at the proper speed, it will detonate the landmine.

It takes 2 turns to set and calibrate a filter array for a mine equipped with a motion sensor cluster.

Photon Sensor. This type of sensor is set to detect either light or lack thereof, depending on the presence or lack of light in the turn directly following the turn in which it is set.

For example, if it is dark when the mine is set, the sensor will detonate the explosive as soon as light becomes present. If it is light when the mine is set, it will detonate when darkness is detected.

This can be used as a booby trap: simply place in a dark room near the door, and when the door is opened and the light in the hallway pours in, the person opening the door will be surprised. It takes only one turn to set a mine equipped with a photon cluster.

Proximity Sensor. This level 4 sensor comes in one of two forms: electromagnetic proximity sensor or laser-eye sensor.

The electromagnetic sensor detects the presence of an electric field, either a bioelectric field generated by a living being or an activated defense screen – including a sonic screen that conceals the noises of an approaching intruder!

The laser-eye sensor has a beam projector and a receiver. The sensor wirelessly reports data safely back to the mine central processor through a simple radio frequency transmitter/receiver pair. The mine will detonate if it detects the light beam is broken or the signal is somehow interrupted. It takes 2 turns to properly set and calibrate a mine equipped with a proximity-sensor cluster.

Time Delay. Instead of a sensor, this cluster simply comes with a series of dials and buttons used to set a desired countdown. It can be set from 0 to 999 and can have hours, minutes, or seconds selected.

Once selected and the “Initiate” button is pressed, the countdown begins. When the time runs out, the mine detonates. It takes onlya single turn to set a mine equipped with a time delay delivery cluster.

Voice Recognition Cluster. One of the most advanced sensor clusters, it has a programmable logic controller that is set by simple voice commands. Although expensive, this cluster is destroyed by the mine’s detonation – as are all sensor clusters.

The character setting the mine simply speaks his command set to the mine. For example, a character can dictate: “Mine. Activate. Motion Sense. One meter movement size. Ten meter minimum movement rate. One hundred meter maximum movement rate. Initiate.”

The sensor cluster combines the operations of all other sensor types types. It is also possible to set up exclusion rules, such as identification of friend or foe (IFF transponders) to prevent allies from tripping the mine.

Voice recognition clusters are quite difficult to defuse because they require programming knowledge to identify how they’ve been set. It takes only a single turn to set a mine equipped with a voice recognition cluster.

Remote Control Unit. This is a simple plug-in addition to a normal mine sensor to permit a character to set off a mine byremote control. Each mine still requires a sensor cluster of some type, because that also has the detonator. The most basic type of remote controlled detonator is connected by a wire to a triggering device.

Several mines could be strung together to one central triggering device, which in turn could be connected to a landline or a radio receiver. That way, a character many kilometers away from the site can detonate the mine. The wire is sold in spools of 10, 50, or 100 meters, costing 1 Credit per meter in length. A spool of wire weighs 1 kilogram for each 10 meters of wire.

Ittakes two additional turns to set a mine that can be remote detonated.

Radio Beam Unit (Basic). Instead of using a wired remote control unit, a radio beam unit can receive a radio beam from a signaling device. This is aplug-in unit that must be used with another sensor cluster to work. The receiver has a 100 meter range.

RadioBeam Unit (Mid-Range). Similar to the basic model, the mid-range radio beam unit is sensitive enough to detect the detonation signal from up to 5 kilometers away.

Radio Beam Unit (Advanced). The advanced model can a ccept a signal from a radiophone, 500 kilometers away. Or, in space, it can receive a signal from a spaceship communication system from 100,000 kilometers away.

Radio Beam Signaling Devices. The basic signaling device for a radio beam unit only has a 100-meter range. Another option is a chronocom-based signaling device has a 5 kilometer range. The advanced signaling device has a 500k ilometer range.

Note, radio beams can be jammed, preventing the proper signal from going to the sensor.

Moving Mines

These are mines the move toward their targets to inflict damage. This category includes Bounding Mines (also known as the “Bouncing Betty”), plus the Grasshopper and Leapfrog mines from Zebulon’s Guide.

Some of these mines use a propelling charge – which is a small amount of explosive placed at the bottom of the weapon – so it can spring toward targets before the warhead detonates. 

S-Mine. This is an obsolete, anti-infantry mine that was created by the Germans before World War II.  Nicknamed the “Bouncing Betty” by the Allies, it uses a mechanical pressure/tripwire sensor. When triggered, it will spring 1 meter into the air before detonating. It causes 6d10 points of fragmentation damage.

Grasshopper Mines. These weapons will fling themselves up to three meters straight up in the air before detonating, which can help them attack low flying or hovering targets. If it hits an obstacle on its way up, it will be deflected two meters in a random direction before detonating. Use the Area Effect Weapon Miss Diagram to determine a random direction.

The grasshoppers in Zebulon’s Guide only accept grenades as warheads, though a referee could design larger, anti-vehicle mines. Such a landmine would have a secondary blast area.

Leapfrog Mines. This landmine is made to jump up to 5 meters toward its target. If it misses, use the Grenade Bounce Chart to determine where it lands. The trigger system is usually a magnetic, motion, proximity or voice sensor cluster, as it must know which direction to leap toward the target.

Thel eapfrogs shown in Zebulon’s Guide only accept grenades as warheads. A referee could design larger, anti-vehicle mines. Such a landmine would have a secondary blast area.

Damage to Characters and Vehicles

Buried fragmentation and similar mines will generally cause injuries to a character’s feet and legs, a robot’s lower half or the underside of a vehicle.

The type of damage that a landmine causes depends upon the type of warhead it has been equipped with. While most 20th and 21st century mines are the explosive/fragmentation type, Star Frontiers offers a variety of different munitions including stun, sonic, electrical discharge, incendiary, tangler, and other warheads that can cause either nonlethal or other types of injuries.

For fragmentation landmines, the explosion has similar effects of other blasts –such as causing knockdowns, fragmentation damage, and maybe even stunning. Much of this damage will normally hit one of the character’s legs (determine the leg randomly).

Moving mines – such as the grasshopper, which jumps up in the air, or the leapfrog, which leaps towards a target – will cause general damage to a character, robot or vehicle.

Consider any damage from a buried mine that is equal to one-fourth (25 percent) or more of the character’s Stamina points will hobble the individual, similar to impairment (see the Alpha Dawn combat rules for wounds). The character is reduced to one-half movement. Additionally, all of the character's attacks have a -10 percent penalty and the wounded person can fire only one shot per turn.

If the character’s STA score falls below half due to the landmine’s detonation, assume that the individual’s lower body has been badly injured. The person is gravely injured.

The character will only be able to crawl (one-fourth walking speed) if they make a current Strength check each turn. But, all of the gravely wounded person’s attacks, skill and ability checks (such as STR) are cut in half. Again, the character can only fire one shot per turn.

Defenses. As with any other type of damage, the type of armor the characters are wearing may help avoid or reduce damage from a landmine. For example, if a character is wearing a skeinsuit, it will absorb one-half of the damage from a fragmentation landmine, but not from a sonic or incendiary device. A sonic screen will shield a character from the effects of a sonic mine, but not from a foam weapon, etc.

If a character is wearing powered armor, mine damage will impact the suit’s legs.

Medical Treatment. Anesthetic drugs, which reduce pain, will cancel out the modifiers for impairment. For the gravely injured character, two doses of anesthetics are required. This will trim the penalty for skill and ability checks to a -10 percent penalty.

A dose of anesthetic lasts five hours.

When a gravely wounded character’s Stamina is restored above one-fourth, he will be considered impaired. Once an impaired character’s Stamina is restored to a 90 percent level, hewill no longer suffer impairment penalties.

For Dralasites. Just like how a Dralasite can absorb a “broken limb” and grow a new one, the character can absorb a mangled limb(s) and replace it/them. This will cut the movement penalties, but the Dralasite would still be impacted by the damage, such as loss of Stamina and penalties due to pain unless itreceives medical treatment.

Damage to Vehicles and Robots. Contact damage to a vehicles – from a static explosive landmine – roll on the vehicle damage table and ignore the “No Effect” result unless you are using the rules for structure points for vehicles. In that case, the explosion damages the structure.

Robots will receive damage to their legs or lower half. If the damage is equal to 25 percent of the robot’s stamina points, its movement will be reduced by half. If the damage is equal to 50 percent or more of its STA, the robot will be reduced to one-fourth speed. Repairs will negate these effects.

Damage to Characters Riding in Vehicles. Assume that a portion of the damage caused by an anti-vehicle mine will pass through to injure characters riding inside. To determine this damage, roll a 1d10 – separately for each character inside the vehicle. 

A result of 1-4 means the character takes no damage, a 5-6 means that the character will take 10 percent damage, a roll of 7-9 means the character takes 25 percent damage, while a roll of 10 means the character takes 50 percent damage.

Mine-Resistant Vehicles and Robots. Some armored vehicles and warbots may be specifically designed with a V-shaped body and armor to reduce the damaged caused by landmines exploding beneath them. This protection adds 50 percent of the cost of a robot body style or a base vehicle (without other modifications). Such protection will reduce damage to vehicles and robots by 75 percent while negating any pass-through damage to characters riding inside avehicle, or atop a warbot.

Electromagnetic Pulse Shielding. Electromagnetic Discharge (ED) warheads or other electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapons can cause short-circuits that will shutdown robots, vehicles, computers and other electronics that have not been properly shielded. This shielding is not a power screen, but rather an extensive hardening of circuitry that is much more comprehensive than installing an electric shock implant.

If EMP shielding is included as part of a vehicle’s or robot’s initial construction, the cost is only an additional 50 percent of its base cost (or the body style in the case of robots with a 10 percent boost in weight). If this shielding is installed later, the modification is an added 90 percent of the vehicle’s base cost or 90 percent of a robot body style’s cost while increasing the body weight by 20 percent.

Effects: an anti-shock implant is only 10 percent effective against an ED or EMP weapon. A gauss screen is only 20 percent effective. EMP shielding is about 70 percent effective. It can be combined with an anti-shock implant and/or gauss screen to theoretically provide 100 percent shielding (an automatic hit by an EMP weapon will overcome any protection).

While most unshielded vehicles and robots will need extensive repairs if they suffer an EMP attack, those that have EMP shielding have a cumulative 5 percent chance per turn of “rebooting” and being able to resume operations. 

Detecting Mines[1]

When entering an area with mines, characters without mine detection equipment shouldmake an Intuition check to notice the device(s). Characters with a demolitions skill and technical skills, such as detecting alarms and defenses, should make a skill check.

Since mines are normally concealed, those relying strictly on an Intuition check might receive penalties of -5 to -10 percent to notice and avoid a mine. Conditions that reduce visibility – such as smoke, fog, dusk, nighttime, rain, etc. – wil lalso impact a character’s efforts to discover mines, providing penalties ranging from -5 to -20 percent.

Characters can use tools – such as a knife or stick – to probe for mines, providing a 10 percent bonus, though it does risk triggering weapons that use motion and proximity detectors.

The other way characters detect a mine is when a hapless individual encounters one that explodes. Once the characters know they are in a minefield, they receive a +10 percent bonus for checking around.

Advanced detection equipment, such as the Demolitions-Computer Access Scanner (Demolitions-CAS), will help in detecting mines before they explode.

Demolitions-CAS. A Demolitions-Computer Access Scanner can check for explosives, bombs, or mines within a 10 meters radius and up to two meters deep.[2]Its detection equipment can look through all materials except federanium. It can indicate what type of explosive it is, what detonation devices areattached, and give suggestions on how to defuse it.

The Demolition-CAS provides a +20 percent bonus to characters with a Demolitions skill when they are trying to defuse an explosive.[3]

Marking and Removal[1] 

Once a minefield is discovered (either by detection as described above or by someone setting off a mine) characters who have successfully detected a mine can mark its location for removal. Only a demolition specialist – or a specialized robot– stands any chance of successfully deactivating a mine.

The ease of disarming a mine depends on its sensor type. A demolition specialist receives a +15 percent bonus for disabling a tripwire sensor or a +5 percent bonus for disarming mines with a time delay sensor. The character receives a normal skill check for deactivating mines with pressure, magnetic, and photonsensors.

The character has a -10 percent penalty when trying to disarm a mine with a proximity sensorand a -15 percent penalty for one with a voice sensor cluster. When the demolition specialist disables the primary sensor cluster, it will also incapacitates any remote controlled detonation devices.

Failure of the skill indicates that a mine has been accidentally detonated.

In a typical anti-personnel minefield, each 5-by-5 meter square will have an average of 10 mines. If supplemented by anti-vehicle mines, there will be an average of 2 anti-vehicle mines per square (these are in addition to the 10 anti-personnel mines).

Marking mines allows characters to crawl or walk through the minefield without hazard. Trotting through a marked minefield will require a Dexterity check. A character will receive a -10 percent penalty if they try to run through a marked minefield.

Marking a minefield does not reduce its hazard to vehicles.

Removing mines allows vehicles and personnel to move through the minefield without hazard. Paths marked or removed must be 1 meter wide for walking characters or 5 meters wide for vehicles.

Fountain of Death (FoD). This is the UPF Landfleet’s nickname for a Sathar landmine that spits out two dozen sonic or explosive micro-grenadesto all adjacent squares within a 3-5 meter radius. Use the grenade bounce chart for each group of three mines to determine where they land.

The FoD often uses a simple pressure sensor. It has abase chance of 40 percent to hit. Assume the targets are at short range. Three micro-grenades are fired at each adjacent square. This type of mine has a lifespan of 30 years and apparently the Sathar can set them off by remote control radio signal. Characters with the right equipment could jam this signal.

The Sathar sonic grenades are similar to the Frontier’s sonic marble grenades while the explosive micro-grenades do 2d10 points of fragmentation damage each. Characters can make a RS check to take half damage.

Dropper Mines

Dropper mines are a class of weapons that can be mounted in the ceiling of a corridor, on tree branches, cliff sides, roof overhangs or other high places. They can be set to bomb opponents below or offer a nasty surprise to a gliding Yazarian who lands next to them.

Hhrach Tkah (“Dishonor Mines”). Dropper mines are an outgrowth ofYazarian weapons called the “hhrach tkah,” which roughly translated into Pan Gal means “dishonor mines.” These are hanging bombs, placed in trees or on ledges. Their purpose is to deny or discourage enemy warriors from rival Yazarian clans from gaining and advantageous perch from where they could launch an attack.

They were called dishonor mines because they are considered a sneaky tactic. These weapons use a simple mechanical tripwire/pressure sensor that triggers the bomb whenever anything larger than 20 kilograms disturbs it. A true hhrach tkah does not drop, but rather is a stationary bomb that will explode, causing 4d10 points of damage to anything within a three meter blast radius.

Dropper Mine Kit. This kit turns an ordinary grenade into a dropper mine. Any average character can use it without needing a demolition skill to set it up. It is meant to be used as a short-term trap. The user must set a timer for it to go inert – generally from 4-20 hours.

After it goes inert, it can be collected and reused. Or the user can purchase a radio remote control receiver for the mine. This will allow the user to either switch off the mine, cause it to drop/detonate on command, or to reset the deactivation timer via a simple chronocom. Each mine has its own radio code to prevent an adversary from easily taking control of the mine.

Equipped with a combination proximity/motion sensor, it can detect objects (characters, robots, vehicles, etc.) that come within 10 meters below. If the target meets the unit's parameters, it will drop. The bomb has a 70 percent chance to hit. Conversely, if someone comes within three meters of where the mine is perched – such as a Yazarian landing on a branch where themine has been set – it will also explode.

The dropper mine attaches to a branch or ceiling thanks to a resin backing that is similar to tangler threads, but it dissolve safter 30 days. Solvaway also can be used to remove the backing. A new resin backing must be installed (the mine kit comes with two spare backings) or a character needs to jerry-rig a mount for the kit to be reused.

Limpet Mines and Sticky Bombs

Limpet mines are a naval weapon that attaches to a target ship with magnets. Its name is derived from the limpet sea snail that clings to rocks and other surfaces.

First used in World War I by Italian divers, limpet mines are credited with sinking an Austro-Hungarian dreadnaught called the SMS Viribus Unitis and a freighter on Nov. 1, 1918. Using a timer detonator, limpet mines were used during World War II but also there are notorious examples of their use by government special forces in peacetime. This included when French DGSE agents used limpet mines in1985 to sink Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior ship while it was in harbor in New Zealand.

Sticky bombs were anti-tank hand grenades that were made by the British during World War II. For those who have seen the movie “Saving Private Ryan,” American soldiers used an improvised explosive device (IED) as a sticky bomb to destroy a German tank. It is called a sticky bomb because it is a “bomb that sticks,” as one character in the movie proclaimed.

The British sticky bombs used an explosive gel with 680 grams of nitroglycerin. The gel was placed in a glass container (later plastic). A sock of woven wool covered with a sticky substance wrapped the container. A primed bomb would be thrown at a tank, lighting a five second fuse. 

In the Frontier, the term “limpet” is used beyond naval warfare. It refers to anymine with a magnetic sensor and a delayed timer that can latch on and stick to a vehicle or robot or even the steel framework of a building.

Limpet Mines and Sticky Bombs

Limpet mines originated as a naval weapon that a saboteur attached to a target ship with magnets. Its name is derived from the limpet sea snail that clings to rocks and other surfaces.

First used in World War I by Italian divers, limpet mines are credited with sinking an Austro-Hungarian dreadnaught and a freighteron Nov. 1, 1918. Using a timer detonator, limpet mines were also successfully used during World War II.

Government special forces have used limpet mines during peacetime in several notorious incidents. In one such event in 1985, French DGSE agents used limpet mines to sink Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior ship while it was in harbor in New Zealand.

Sticky bombs were anti-tank hand grenades that were made by the British during World War II. For those who have seen the movie “Saving Private Ryan,” American soldiers used an improvised explosive device (IED) as a sticky bomb to destroy a German tank. It is called a sticky bomb because it is a “bomb that sticks,” as one character in the movie proclaimed.

The British sticky bombs used an explosive gel with 680 grams of nitroglycerin. The gel was placed in a glass container (later plastic). A sock of woven wool covered with a sticky substance wrapped the container. A primed bomb would be thrown at a tank, lighting a five second fuse. 

In the Frontier, the term “limpet” is used beyond naval warfare. It refers to any mine with a magnetic sensor and a delayed timer that can latch on and stick to a vehicle or robot or even the steel framework of a building.

Sticky Bomb. This is an IED weapon that a character with a demolition skill may be able to create, if the proper materials are available. The damage would depend upon the type of explosive material used.

Limpet Mine Kits. These kits turn grenades along with type I-III missile warheads into anti-vehicle and anti-robot limpet mines. As noted, it uses a combination of a magnetic sensor, a delayed timer detonator, and something to make the bomb stick to a surface.

Often the mine is activated by a user, who attaches it to the target. The bomb can be attached either via a magnet that is powered by a 1 SEU microdisc or has a tangler adhesive. When equipped with a magnet, it can only stick to an object with ferromagnetic metal properties, such as steel alloys, iron, nickel, cobalt, dysprosium and gadolinium.

They could be placed or buried on the ground so when a vehicle or robot runs over them, the mine would attach to the underside, starting the time delayed detonator. A big drawback is that magnetic limpet mines will not adhere to other surfaces, which led to the creation of the “sticky” limpet.

An adaptation of of tangler thread technology, the sticky limpet has a tangler adhesive pouch. The user peels off the pouch’s backing to expose the tangler adhesive to air, which activates it.

The mine can be attached to any surface. It will remain stuck in place for 60 minutes before the adhesive decays and the mine drops, setting off the mine.

Typically, limpet mines have a variable timer. The user with set the timer to detonate the mine within 10 seconds to 60 minutes after the mine is activated. (The idea for this mine comes from Tom Verreault.)

Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)

As shown in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, IEDs can be deadly. Assume, they are not as accurate as a purpose-built mine. The most basic IEDs would have a level 1 pressure sensor, giving it a 40 percent chance to hit. Otherwise, consult the previous stories about the expanded demolition skill to figure out what kind of sensor/detonator such a weapon has, which would determine its to-hit number.

IEDs can be detonated by timer, radio signal, weapon fire or other devices. A timer lets the character set a time when the charge will explode. The timer can beadjusted to delay from 1 second to 60 hours.

If achronocom or subspace radio is available, charges can be set to explode when a particular signal is beamed at them. The chance to explode a charge with a radio beam is 10 percent less than normal.

Demolitions experts also can set off a charge with a laser. If the expert hits the charge, it explodes, according to the Alpha Dawn Expanded Game rulebook.

Demolitions experts can use type I missile warheads as improvised mines. Referees may allow a character with this skill to manufacture small explosives one-tenth the strength of TD-19 for around 12 Credits.

More Moving Mines

The moving mines covered in the last article included the S-Mine, which was also called the “Bouncing Betty,” along with the Grasshopper and Leap Frog mines that were introduced in Zebulon’s Guide. These will now be joined by several other moving mines including the Locust Anti-Vehicle Mines, which are enlarged versions of the Grasshopper.

Locust Mine Kits. These weapons will fling themselves up to five meters straight up in the air before detonating, which can help them attack low flying or hovering targets. If it hits an obstacle on its way up, it will be deflected five meters in a random direction before detonating. Use the Area Effect Weapon Miss Diagram to determine a random direction.

There are three types of Locust Mines. The Locust Mk. 1 accepts type I missile warheads. The Locust Mk. 2 can mount one type II missile warhead while the Mk. 3 version accepts a type III warhead. Because they bounce up into the air, these landmines have a secondary blast area.

Scorpion Mine Kits. Also called a “charger mine,” after this anti-personnel weapon detects an approaching foe, it springs up from the ground and rushes toward the target on its six legs to bring its warhead within range.

Scorpion mines accept most grenades – except sonic marble grenades – as a warhead. They typically have a level 3 motion detection sensor with a 20 meter range. When rushing at a character, they move at 30 meters per turn (slow) and are considered a tiny target. A character can shoot at it. Each mine takes 5 STA points of damage before it is disabled.

These mines use level 3 and 4 sensors, usually motion or proximity detectors. A drawback of this mine is that it can only make one 45-degree course correction per turn. If a target gets behind it, the scorpion loses track and will then rush at the nearest object, whether it is a rock, a tree, or another character and then detonate.

Also, a character or robot can try escaping by put a large object between them and the mine – say a tree, boulder, wall, etc. The mine will then attack that object.

Or, if the character can keep moving, he may be able to outrun the mine. A scorpion will run a maximum distance of 120 meters before returning to standby mode.

Wolf Mine Kits.Similar to scorpion mines, these are anti-vehicle moving mines that come in three sizes, the Mk. 1, which accepts a type I missile warhead; the Mk. 2, for a single type II warhead; and the Mk. 3, which accepts a single type III missile warhead. 

Wolf mines usually have a sensor level of 3-5. Once a mine detect a foe, it springs up and run toward the target on four legs. The wolf mine are considered to be medium size targets and have a medium movement rate (50 meters per turn). If they have time, characters can fire at the wolf mine; they would need to inflict 15 STA points of damage to disable it.

These mines have several weaknesses including being only able to make one 45-degree course correction per turn. If a target gets behind it, the wolf mine loses track and will then rush at the nearest object, whether it is a rock, a tree, or another vehicle.

The vehicle or robot can try escaping by put a large object between them and the mine – say a tree, boulder, wall, etc. The mine will then attack that object.

Roller Bomb Kits. Instead of using legs, roller bombs are spherical-shaped moving mines. They have the advantage of being able to make 180-degree turns and are faster than either scorpion or wolf mines and are limited to sensor levels 5 and 6.

Roller bombs come in four different sizes. The Mk. 0 accepts all grenades, except for sonic marbles while the Mk. 1-3 accept a missile warhead of the corresponding size. These mines have a secondary blast area.

Roller mines are considered to be small targets while their movement rate is fast (100 meters per turn). A character would need to inflict 25 STA points to disable one.

A character, vehicle or robot can try escaping a roller bomb by putting a large object between them and the mine – say a tree, boulder, wall, etc. The mine will then attack that object.

Or, if the target can keep moving, it may be able to outrun the mine. Roller bombs will travel a maximum of 800 meters before returning to standby mode.

Mole Mine Kits. This is a borrower type of mine that remains just under the surface of the ground, but can change positionto get into the path of an oncoming target, whether that is a person, animal, robot, or vehicle.

Mole mines come in four basic kit styles, with the smallest accepting most grenades as a warhead, to the largest accepting one missile warhead. They use a combination vibration and motion detection sensor, which is level 4.

Once it detects a target coming into sensor range, which is 20 meters, the mine will burrow toward its foe, while attempting to remain at least 5-10 centimeters below the ground. It moves at a slow rate, 15 meters pe rturn. It can only make one 45-degree turn. 

Rocky ground may decrease its travel rate by half and it cannot tunnel through solid rock. If it encounters solid rock, it will pop out of the ground to scuttle on the surface. But it can tunnel under a roadway.

A character that detects a mole mine approaching – seeing the ground rising up, for example – a can try to fire at it to disable it. If the mine is underground, treat it as having hard cover. Its target size is tiny (for the grenade model) or small for the mole mines that accept missile warheads. The mine will take 20 points of damage to disable it.

If a target gets behind it,the mole mine loses track and stop. If it acquires another target, it will pursue that instead.

Also, the vehicle or robot can try escape a mole mile dodging behind a large object between them and the mine – say a tree, boulder, wall, etc. The mine will then attack that object.

Or, if the vehicle or robot can keep moving, it may be able to outrun the mine. Mole mines will travel a maximum of 50 meters before returning to standby mode.

Family of Scatterable Mines (FASCAM)

FASCAM refers to a number of military systems that are used torapidly deploy mines against vehicles, robots and personnel. This can be doneto impede an enemy from traveling in a certain direction to directly strikingat enemy formations.

FASCAM mines can be delivered via rockets, artillery, and bombs.They can be dropped off of aircraft or positioned by vehicles and robots. Sincethese are meant to be short-term obstacles, they have a life cycle from 4 hoursto 20 days.

Only two FASCAM systems will be detailed below. Rules forartillery and bomb delivered systems will be provided for in futureinstallments of “Things that go boom!”

Modular Pack Mine System (MOPMS). This is a 75 kilogram packagethat contains 70 fragmentation mines that can be used for both anti-personneland anti-vehicle use. Each mine does 8d10 points of damage with a 3 meter blastradius.

It can be deployed by a robot or vehicle within minutes across mosttypes of terrain, with only one mine per 5 meter square. These mines use level2 pressure/tripwire sensors but they can also be activated, deactivated ordetonated individually by radio remote control.

A single radio-controller can command up to 20 MOPMS. Or, thesystem can be hardwired to the control unit. The MOPMS can be recovered andreused.

Personal Deterrent Mine System. Nicknamed “Crow’s Feet,” thisis a package of nine fragmentation mines that can be dropped by a character. Mineswill automatically deploy within one turn in a circular pattern across a 5meter square.

Each mine has a level 2 pressure/tripwire sensor. It will do 5d10points of damage to any targets that trigger it within a two meter radius. Crow’sFeet has a lifespan of 5 days before it self-destructs. The user can get aremote control unit that will allow them to activate, deactivate or detonateindividual mines.

A single controller can operate up to four Crow’s Feet. Unused mines can be recovered and reused.  

More Detection Methods

Characters can search for the telltale signs of mines with their eyes, carefully probe the ground with knives or marking sticks, or use Demolitions-Computer Access Scanner. Other equipment is available for this task including metal detectors, ground penetrating radar sensors, flying drones or robots with visual and laser sensors, plus trained bomb-sniffing animals have varying degrees of success to detect land-mines.

The people who locate, excavate and deactivate landmines are called deminers.

Demolitions-Magnetic Duo-CAS.This computerized analysis scanner combines the functions of a demolition and magnetic CAS into one unit. As per the Zebulon’s Guide rules, this duo-CAS costs 20 percent more than the separate units, but is especially useful for detecting mines and bombs with magnetic, motion and proximity sensors before entering their range. It improves the character’s mine detection rate by 30 percent.

Demolitions-Chemical Duo-CAS. Combining the demolitions and chemical CAS units into one device, this duo-CAS provides the Demolition specialist with a 30 percent bonus for disarming mines, bombs, charges, and other unexploded munitions.

Metal Detectors. Among its capabilities, the Demolitions-CAS does have a meta ldetector, which can detect tiny pieces of metal up to four meters deep. Separate handheld units have about the same performance. One problem is that metal detectors will pickup all metals in the ground, leading to false positives. Sweeping an area with a metal detector alone is a slow, onerous process.

A character using a metal detector receives a 10 percent bonus for detecting landmines, but they can only check a one-by-one meter area per turn. When used in conjunction with a ground penetrating radar, the character receives a 15 percent bonus to detect mines and can sweep a two-by-two meter area in one turn.

Magnetic Sensors. Measuring magnetic fields, magnetic sensors can help detect landmines that are mostly made out of plastic, but they cannot distinguish scrap metal near the ground’s surface and mines that are deeper underground.

A character using this sensing system alone receives a 10 percent bonus for detecting mines.

Bomb Canines. Human colonists brought a number of domesticated animals with them when they came to the Frontier. Among them were numerous breeds of dogs (see the story “Terran Fauna” by Tom Verreault in issue 3 of Frontier Explorer). With a nose that is about 40,000 times more sensitive than the typical Core Four races, some breeds of dogs were well-suited for training as bomb detectors.

They can detect the odor of explosive chemicals and then perform a specific action –normally sitting – to indicate the presence of a bomb or even a land mine. Thetypical bomb detecting K9 is a medium carnivore with the following statistics: Movement: Fast (90 meters/turn), IM/RS: 6/55, STA: 40, Attack: 75, Damage: 2d10 (bite and clawing).

It costs 5,000 Credits to train a bomb K9 and they initially have a 60 percent chance to detect a hidden explosive or a 50 percent chance to detect a buried mine. Their abilities can improve with additional training and experience. Keeping a bomb K9 trained costs 1,000 Credits per year. With each successful mission, their detection rate could improve by 3-5 percent.

A bomb K9 will provide a Demolition specialist an additional 15 percent bonus for detecting hidden land mines. Some of the drawbacks of bomb K9s are that they can get bored and are affected by adverse weather conditions and illnesses. On the plus side, due to breeding and genetic engineering, the typical terran canine has an average lifespan of nearly 30 years before they become too old and infirmed to operate.

Bomb Rats. Humans also trained a Terran rodent, the rat, to sniff out land mines. These creatures are much lighter than dogs, meaning they have a far less chance of tripping an explosive and causing it to detonate. Often called “hero rats,” they do not become bored easily with repetitive tasks, but they do not bond with their trainers.

It costs 5,000 Credits to train 10 hero rats. They will initially have a 60 percent chance to detect a hidden explosive or a 50 percent chance to detect a buried mine. Their abilities can improve with additional training and experience. Keeping an individual hero rat trained costs 100 Credits per year. With each successful mission, their detection rate could improve by 3-5 percent.

Each hero rat will provide a Demolition specialist an additional 5 percent bonus for detecting hidden land mines. Like bomb K9s, rats can be affected by adverse weather conditions and illnesses. They only live up to five years.

Their statistics are: Tiny Omnivore; Movement: Medium; IM/RS: 7/70; STA: 5; Attack: 45; Damage: 1d5 (bite). Unlike wild rats, hero rats have been inoculated against spreading most diseases.

Bomb Insects. Certain insects can also be trained to sniff out explosive materials. Again, like hero rats, they will not cause most land mines to detonate. These insects might be trained with a sugar-coated explosive. When they are released into an area with a suspected minefield, they will cluster together in spots where they detect the explosive odor.

The training typically takes only 1-2 days. Humans have used honey bees, which havea detection rate of 97-99 percent and a false positive of less than 1 percent. However, bees do not fly at night and are affected by adverse weather conditions. For example, they will not fly in rain or high winds. They also need constant retraining.

The Yazarians use a pet insect called a Dzelt (see “Creatures of the Frontier” byDaron Patton, Star Frontiersman magazine issue 19). The creature is a tiny carnivore that is native to Exib, one of the two moons of Yast (Athor).

Deltz help keep sting fly and other annoying insect populations in check. As bomb detectors, they are about as good as honey bees, though they only need retraining every month. The statistics for the deltz are: Number: 1-10; Movement: Fast (flying, 90 meters/turn); IM/RS: 9/90; STA: 15; Attack: 90; Damage: 1d5(bite); Special Attack: none; Special Defense: None.

It costs about 1,000 Credits to initially train insects and about 100 Credits for each retraining session.

Bacteria Detection. Bacteria have been bio-engineered to detect specific explosive materials, TNT or Tornadium, ammonium nitrate fuel oils or plastid, etc. Large quantities of bacteria can be sprayed over a wide area in a short time. The bacteria can grow for several hours and then release fluorescent signals if it detects that specific explosive.

While this technique is 90 percent effective, it does have drawbacks. The bacteria in question may have to specifically bred to operate on a certain planet, for example.