POWER USAGE FOR ARTIFACT ARMOR:
We found that with the 1st. and 2nd. edition rules, the time rates given to drain atomic batteries weresort of unweildy to work with (mainly because we tend to be kind of lax about keeping track of time.)Thus we decided to adopt this point system for powered armor.
For starters, we assumed that an Atomic Cell holds about 50 points of energy. Atomic cells run for about a year before needing a new fuel core, shorter if they're put to heavy use. After 50 points of energy are used up, they switch into recharge mode and are inoperable until they regain their power. They recharge at 25 points a day. Setting them on recharge mode before they are at least 50% drained will reduce their capacity by five points for each time this is done. We then assigned different power costs for each action, as follows:
| Action: | Point Cost: |
| Basic Operation: (Includes life support, scanners, and comlink.) | 1 pt. per day. |
| Powered Punch | 1 pt. per attack |
| Carrying weight over 1/2 the suit's maximum capacity | 1 pt. per 100 feet travelled. |
| Carrying weight at the suit's max capacity | 2 pts. per 100 feet. |
| Shield Operation | 1 pt. per turn. |
| Jump Jets | 2 pts. per jump. |
| Anti Grav Flight | 2 pts. per round |
| Laser Weapons | 1 pt. per shot. |
SOME THOUGHTS ON POWER SHIELDS:
Ah, Force Fields, what wonderful devices, umbrellas to protect you against a rain of lead and lasers. The problem we encountered, however, was that once everybody somehow got hold of one, or faced something with a particularly powerful shield, there was an awful lot of shooting going on with no hitting. So we came up with a couple alternate ways of playing them.
BASICS: In the 1st. and 2nd. Edition of Gamma World, the rule was that a force shield had a certain amount of hit points, say 25 for a basic, belt carried shield unit, and that every point of damage dealt to a character wearing one below that 25 points was absorbed by the field. Each round the shield would snap back up for another 25 points. This is fine, but if you're facing something with a 200 point field, you're dumping a lot of ordinance for no effect. Most weapons would have to all hit for full damage to even begin to make any progress. So here are some alternate game mechanics for force fields.
SYSTEM 1:
This is the simpler system. It assumes that instead of snapping back up
to full power each round, it regenerates on a constant, slow cycle. In general
a shield would regain 10% of it's total power every round (rounding up fractions).
Thus a 50 point force shield would gain 5 pts. per round.
Mean spirited G.M.'s could opt to make the shield have to power up slowly when first activated, taking about 10 rounds to warm up to full strength.
Robots and Powered Armor could possibly divert power from other systems to speed up the recharge process, adding 10% for every other system powered down In terms of the Power Point system outlined above, a suit's wearer could spend a point for every 10% additional shield power they desire per round.
SYSTEM 2:
This is slightly more complex. In this system, the shield will snap back
to full every round, provided it has not been reduced below 0. If a shield
is overcome, roll a Reliability check for the unit. A failed check means
the unit is burnt out, and a new battery must be inserted to reactivate
it. A successful check means the unit reactivates at full power. (Again,
a peevish G.M. could have it regain power in 10% per round increments, if
they cared to.)
