Motorslaves
Context
Bubblegum Crisis (バブルガムクライシス) was a 1987-1991 cyberpunk animé . It is a minor classic of the genre, especially since from a Western point of view it is an early example (the imports weren’t all that back then, especially for genre fiction).
BGC features an all-women team of vigilantes with special power armour in a very late 1980s dystopic future. They often take on out-of-control robots that the police lacks the firepower to destroy.
Advertisement
Overview
Motorslaves are an ace in the hole for the Knight Sabers, one used surprisingly rarely. They are custom motorcycles that can either transform into a limited intelligence autonomous unit, or into an augmentation suit that can fit around the hardsuited Knight Sabers. These grant them added power, durability, and firepower.
Both the Hurricane and the Typhoon I have unusual arm articulation in Motorslave mode. Rather than encasing the arm of the wearer, the wearer’s arms (and head) are exposed, and she uses a manipulator to operate the arm. This quirk is done away with on the Typhoon II Motorslave.
In “Motoroid” mode, it is possible to remote-control a Motorslave. In that case, the pilot’s Weaponry and Vehicles skills are averaged with the pilot’s.
In Motorslave mode, any and all attempts at physical skills suffer a +1 CS to the OV, and all Initiatives are at a -4 penalty. This represents the impact that the armature has on reflexes. This only applies to rolls made using straight (or modified) Dex, not rolls made using actual Skills.
The Motorslaves do not appear to be in Bubblegum Crash at all. Perhaps it was decided to be not enough of an upgrade to counteract the loss of quickness and mobility.
Advertisement
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
HURICANE MOTORSLAVE
- Common Stats: Radio Comm: 11, Skin Armor: 06, Ultra Vision: 08.
- Motoroid mode (anthropomorphic autonomous mode): add DEX 03 STR 08 BODY 10 INT 03 WIL 01 MIN 01, Vehicles (Land, Air): 03, Weaponry (Heavy): 04, Flight: 07, Growth (Always On): 02.
- Motorslave mode (anthropomorphic mode with a pilot in hardsuit): add instead /STR/ 08 /BODY/ 10, Flight: 07, Growth (Always On): 02.
- Motorcycle mode : add instead STR 07 BODY 10, Running: 07.
- Transformation from one mode to another takes one Phase.
Advantages:
Skin Armor also adds to OV/RV to resist “Boomer Fusion”.
Equipment:
MG-442 MACHINE CANNON [BODY 06, AV 07, Projectile Weapons: 13, Sharpness (Projectile weapons): 02, Range: 09, Ammo: 05, Bonuses & Limitations: AV can be superseded by a higher AV (say, from a high Weaponry score) ; Projectile Weapons has no Range (use the listed Range instead] The primary weapon of the Hurricane is this 35mm autocannon, usually loaded with bursting munitions. Two extra clips of 5 bursts each are available, one on each hip.
Notes:
The original Motorslave. While Linna, Sylia, and Nene used theirs for some time, Priss gets hers destroyed in the first episode].
TYPHOON MOTORSLAVE
- Common Stats: Radio Comm: 11, Skin Armor: 06, Ultra Vision: 09.
- Motoroid mode (anthropomorphic autonomous mode): add DEX 04 STR 08 BODY 10 INT 03 WIL 01 MIN 01, Vehicles (Land, Air): 04, Weaponry (Heavy): 05, Flight: 07, Growth (Always On): 02.
- Motorslave mode (anthropomorphic mode with a pilot in hardsuit): add instead /STR/ 08 /BODY/ 10, Flight: 07, Growth (Always On): 02.
- Motorcycle mode : add instead STR 07 BODY 10, Running: 07.
- Transformation from one mode to another takes one Phase.
Advantages:
Skin Armor also adds to OV/RV to resist “Boomer Fusion”.
Equipment:
88mm ROCKET CANNON [BODY 06, Projectile Weapons (Area of Effect 0 APs): 14, Range: 11, Ammo: 03, Bonuses & Limitations: Projectile weapons has neither AV nor Range – use Weaponry (Heavy) Skill of operator and listed Range instead] w/ BUILT-IN ENERGY CANNON [BODY 04, Energy blast: 15, Range: 12, Ammo: 01, Bonuses & Limitations: Energy blast has neither AV nor Range – use Weaponry (Heavy) Skill of operator and listed Range instead].
A much more powerful weapon than the Hurricane’s MG-442, it can launch three rockets, or switch to ’beam mode‘ and fire a single shot. Each clip (the default in the weapon, plus one on each hip) contains three rockets and enough energy for one energy blast.
Notes:
A reconstruction of Priss’s demolished Hurricane, this itself lasted only until Episode 6 (“Red Eyes”). Boy, she goes through those motorslaves quickly, doesn’t she?]
TYPHOON II MOTORSLAVE
- Common Stats: Radio Comm: 11, Skin Armor: 06, Ultra Vision: 09.
- Motoroid mode (anthropomorphic autonomous mode): add DEX 05 STR 09 BODY 10 INT 05 WIL 03 MIN 03, Vehicles (Land, Air): 05, Weaponry (Heavy): 06, Flight: 06, Growth (Always On): 02.
- Motorslave mode (anthropomorphic mode with a pilot in hardsuit): add instead /STR/ 09 /BODY/ 10, Flight: 06, Growth (Always On): 02.
- Motorcycle mode : add instead STR 07 BODY 10, Running: 07.
Advantages:
Skin Armor also adds to OV/RV to resist “Boomer Fusion”.
Equipment:
HANDCANNON [BODY 06, AV 06, Projectile Weapons: 13, Sharpness (Projectile weapons): 02, Range: 08, Ammo: 05, Bonuses & Limitations: AV can be superceded by a higher AV (say, from a high Weaponry score) ; Projectile Weapons has no Range (use the listed Range instead].
A miniaturized version of the old MG-442, in a pistol sized package. It can fire either the standard rounds shown above, or Armor Piercing / Incendiary rounds which replace the Projectile Weapons with Flame project. As usual, a spare clip for the weapon is stored on each hip.
Notes:
Built by Dr Raven as thanks for stopping the Gryphon Cybermonster (a Boomer car), it is the first to fully enclose the wearer (save for the head). Only used by Priss, it was to be the first of individualized motorslaves for all the Knight Sabers].
(missing Typhoon 2 illustration)
Source of Character: Bubblegum Crisis (videos, comics and RPG by R. Talsorian Games).
Helper(s): The neat black and white draft illustrations are from the aforementioned RPG.