The players are flown by air/raft to Valarus, a small trawling colony near the scene of the trouble. There, their sub marine has been prepared. They will start out at once, searching to the south, but also checking the various small 'hamlets for any clues. The three nearest colonies are LC-261, IG-43 and AS-5TZ. This last is a special deep-water base, on the sea floor, which is about three hundred metres deep at this point, approaching the depth limit of the submarines. Each hex on the map represents one kilometre, thus allowing the submarine to cover the distance in a fairly short time. However at each of the small clusters of houses they must stop off. Each time they stop roll 8+ for there to be a rumour awaiting them.

1-3 :1 = The pirates are based at Valarus

:2 = The pirates are due south of Valarus.

:3 = The pirates use submarine trawlers.

:4 = A man called here lately - he was selling weed-derived drugs, but was not a Lindar employee. He left in a mini-sub

:5 = A submarine was destroyed last week by a Gunni skate - a kind of giani flatfish.

:6 = The pirate base is not at any listed area. Not LC-261, IG-43, AS-5TZ.

4-6 :1 = A man purchased some illegal ex plosives under the counter at Valarus only last week.

:2 = A trawler pilot reports seeing a gigantic blue-grey bulk on the surface in a weed patch. It dived at once, and he thinks that it must have been some kind of sea creature, as it let out a blast of ait and water as it went under.

:3 = A fisherman in a weed-clear area heard powerful submarine drives running on the surface at night, but saw nothing

:4 = The weed was largely chewed up to the south of here.

:5 = The pirates are based at LC-261

:6 = A coastguard saw a starship land at night in the sea to the south.

Roll 10+on 2cI6 per hex crossed or entered for an event or encounter, then 2d6 for type.

2:Gunniskate. This large grazer is no1 intentionally danqerous, but if attacked it will fight back on a thrown of 5+ on 2d6. See submarine combat.

Gunniskate 36,000 kg. A10/F8/S3. Hits: 38/14. Damage: 8D + 8. Thrasher.

3:Undersea turbulence. Roll 9+ to regain control. Each time the throw is failed, roll 8+ for the submarine to be damaged. If the submersible is currently at 300m or near the floor of the sea, add 4 to the chance to be damaged. If it is damaged roll on the hit table under submarine combat.

4:Mechanical failure. Some piece of equipment fails. Roll randomly on the diagram (2d6-2) to determine what part of the submarine is affected, then decide which particular piece of equipment is affected. The failure may not be noticed until the equipment comes to be used.

5:Sonar malfunction. The curious nature of the water causes a sonar echo to appear 1-6 hexes away from the submarine. The echo vanishes, and when the sub arrives there is nothing to be seen.

6:Weed trawler. A legitimate weed trawler passes by, forcing the submarine to dive if it is on the surface or at a shallow area.

7:Submersible. Another minisub is encountered - roll on the random person encounters table (Book 3) to find out who the occupants are. Dice also for a rumour to be available, if the crews of the two subs talk with each other. Use common sense.

8:Sandy water. The water is clouded for the next 1-6 hexes, and vision is reduced to just over 100 metres.

9:Subsea forest. A dense tangle of weed appears unexpectedly. Roll 8+ on 2d6 to avoid becoming entangled. If the sub is entangled it must be freed by the crew. 4-24 man hours of work will be needed, and during the time roll every 6 hours for an animal encounter: 9+on 2d6, and use the Animal Encounters Maritime locations in Supplement 2. The referee must choose which table is most suitable. An event should also be rolled for on these tables.

10:Seaquake. A small seaquake occurs. Roll 8+ for the submarine to be damaged, taking 1-3 hits, and ld6 damage to each person in the submarine.

11:Shoa/. If the submarine is near the seabed, an unexpected shoal occurs; roll 8+ on 2d6 to avoid it. If the roll is failed, the submersible takes 1-6 hits.

12:Pirates. Real pirates, as opposed to weed pirates. They will either have torpedoes of lethal capability and order the players to stop and hand over their sub, or they may try to board the ship by either pretending to be in need of help or simply inviting the players aboard their own ship.

Submarine combat is basically similar to space combat, and the control of torpedoes is much the same as that of missiles. Consequently Gunner expertise is of use here. Any expertise the character may have in submersibles is also valuable. The weapons used are of two types: (1) Microtorpedoes - intended to scare off animals, but sometimes effective against submarines; (2) Torpedoes - the illegal weapons used by pirates. They consist of two or three micro-torpedoes welded together, with the warheads replaced by mining explosives with contact fuses. The basic roll of 8+ applies for the 'to hit' roll; DMs are: target's Submersible skill, + gunner's Gunnery skill.

If a hit is scored roll on the table below to see where the hit occurred. The number in parenthesis is the number which must be rolled on 2d6 for a microtorpedo to do damage.

Hit Location (2d6)

2:Airlock. (5+) A hit here will destroy the airlock, and flood the submarine on 8+.

3:Steering jets, aft. (9+) A hit here will render the submarine incapable of forward movement.

4:Lounge. (6+) A hit here will do 2d damage to anyone in the lounge, and blow the roofplate in on 9+, flooding the submarine, and doing another 1d6 damage to anyone in the lounge.

5: Aft corridor/ballast tanks. (9+) A hit here will incapacitate the aft ballast tanks and slow the submarine. It will also do 2d6 damage to anyone in the corridor.

6:Cargo hold. (8+) A hit here will burst the cargo doors on 9+, but otherwise will only shake equipment off wall racks and do 1 d6 damage to anyone in the hold.

7: Cargo hold.

8:Cargo hold.

9:Fore corridor/ballast tanks. (9+) hit here will have the same effect as in area 5. It will also burst the dome on 8+, flooding the submarine.

10:Equipment pylon. (6+) A hit here will ruin the equipment pylon, and an cargo or equipment currently on the pylon. It may start a fire in the bridge on 10+, o flood the cargo hold (9+).

11:Bridge. (6+) A hit here will do 2d6 damage to anyone in the bridge, destroy the sonar (1-3), pylon controls (4) or sub controls (5) or two of the previously mentioned (6). It will also flood the bridge and the rest of the ship on 8+. Any damaged equipment may be repaired on 9+, DM of relevant expertise. Repairs take 3-13 minutes - expertise level. (2d6+1 skill level).

12:Hull. (9+) A hit on the hull may split the submarine open on 9+. If a hull hit occurs, the submarine is totally wrecked, with crew taking 1-3d6 damage, and drowning if they cannot find breathing gear and get it on.

Damage: A torpedo does 10d6 damage to a man in the open sea; a micro-torpedo does 5d6 damage.