Heavy

Combat Heavy Weapons Devastation

"Kill On Sight."

Heavy operatives are walking arsenals—meat sweepers who carry the biggest guns, wear the heaviest armor, and deliver the kind of firepower that ends fights before they begin. When the squad needs overwhelming force, they call the Heavy.

Important: Heavy specialists using HEAVY WEAPONS ONLY. They sacrifice versatility for raw destructive power.

Role Overview

Heavy operatives excel at:

• Heavy weapons deployment - miniguns, rocket launchers, plasma cannons
• Suppression and area denial - pinning entire enemy squads
• Armor penetration - destroying vehicles and hardened targets
• Intimidation - enemies break and run when a Heavy opens fire

They are the squad's hammer - blunt, powerful, and absolutely devastating.

Roleplaying a Heavy

Heavy operatives are often quiet until the shooting starts. They know their role: be the biggest threat on the battlefield. Some are stoic professionals; others revel in destruction.

Consider:

• What's your relationship with your weapon(s)? Do they have names?
• How do you feel about collateral damage?
• Are you a precise instrument of destruction, or do you prefer "quantity over quality"?
• What made you choose devastation over versatility?
• When the guns stop firing, who are you?

Core Skills

Heavy Slang

War Story: Havoc's Lane

Combat logs: -- Heavy Warspooler designation "Havoc"

The Zod flooded Deck Seven—too many, too fast, like the ship itself was bleeding enemies. Havoc planted her boots, felt the familiar weight of her new spooler—an M-90 Reaper she'd named "Choir Boy"—and let the barrels spin and angels sing.

The corridor filled with noise and judgement, "Burn the lane," she muttered to herself.

The first burst was brass vomit, pure and beautiful. Casings fountained off her shoulder guard in a golden cascade. Zod raiders exploded into mist.

"Hold the spin!" the Commander barked over comms. "Don't let them flank!"

Havoc wasn't going anywhere. The corridor ahead was turning into red fog—that thick crimson haze that happens when you put enough kinetic energy into enough organic matter. She couldn't see the enemy anymore. Didn't need to. Just kept the trigger down and watched the fog get thicker.

Choir Boy's heat angel started screaming—that high-pitched whine that meant the cooling system was past safe limits. She ignored it. The Zod kept coming. She kept firing.

Then came the sound every spinjack dreads.

Click.

The dry cry. The belt was empty.

Havoc stood in the red fog, smoke pouring off Choir Boy's overheated barrels, and listened to the silence. For three heartbeats, nothing moved.

Then her squad leader's voice: "Lane's burned. Good work, Havoc."

She patted the cooling barrel and whispered, "Welcome to the Gritcore, Choir Boy."

Suggested Synergies

Best Legacies: Soldier, Hauler, Rock-Hopper
Best Origins: Boehec, Silicoid, Cyborg (high Mass origins)
Best Organizations: CONFED, MERCS, UNI-NAV
Recommended Skills: Movement - Athletics, Intel - Survival, Systems - Shields
Suggested Skills: Engineering - Repair, Movement - Zero-G

Title Progression

Starting Equipment

New Heavy operatives begin with the following standard-issue gear:

Combat Telemetry

Accuracy matters less when you're hosing a corridor with suppressive fire. It matters more when the ammo bill arrives.
Here's what keeps your rounds on target.

Combat Window: Retribution

"You want to shoot at me? Let me show you what a mistake that was."

Unlike other CCS specialists who trigger their Combat Window on attack rolls, Heavy operatives trigger on defense rolls. When enemies attack a Heavy and the Heavy's defense roll falls within their Combat Window, they punish the attacker with devastating counter-fire.

Defense Trigger

Heavy Combat Window opens when:

1. Near-Miss Defense: Your defense roll against an attacker's TL is within your Combat Window range (You just failed).
2. Critical Defense: Your defense roll exceeds the attacker's TL by 60 (TL + 60), or is a natural 96-100

When your Combat Window opens on defense, you make a confirmation roll against the attacker's TL. If you exceed it, you execute Retribution.

The Heavy Combat Window : Retribution

When a Heavy confirms their Combat Window, they unleash devastating counter-fire against the attacker. The heavy weapons and armor that define Heavy operatives make them walking fortresses - attack one, and you'll regret it.

Effect: After the creature's attack resolves, but before it takes its next action, you make an immediate counter-attack against it, provided you're still standing. This attack:

• Uses your equipped heavy weapon
• Does NOT consume an action
• Benefits from your stacking modifier (see below)
• You can trigger Retribution a number of times per round equal to your Tier (resets at the start of your next turn)
• You may spend 1 Energy per additional Retribution beyond your Tier limit

Retribution Scaling

The stacking modifier from your confirmation roll determines the bonus damage and effects, following the standard Stacking Modifier formula:

Condition Reference:

• Hindered: -1d4/-1d6 to Attack and Defense rolls (Physical)
• Slowed: Speed halved (Physical)
• Prone: Attackers gain Boon(1), costs 1 action to stand (Physical)
• Shaken: +1d4/+1d6 Psych (Metaphysical)

Fortified Position

When you haven't moved this turn, your Retribution gains additional power:

• Counter-attack deals an additional +1 Hit
• You gain +2 DR against the triggering attack (applied retroactively if the attack hit)
• If multiple enemies attack you this round, each subsequent Retribution gains cumulative Boon to hit

Example

A Rank 4 Heavy (Combat Window 8) is attacked by a Zod raider with TL 35.

1. Defense Roll: She rolls 28. The Combat Window range is 27–35 (TL minus Combat Window to TL). Her roll of 28 falls inside; Combat Window opens.
2. Confirmation Roll: She rolls 47 against TL 35. That exceeds the TL by 12.
3. Stacking Modifier: 12 ÷ 5 = 2 (round down), +1 = +3 bonus Hits. Look up the table at row 10–14: Hindered(1) + Slowed, Shaken(1).
4. Result: She fires her minigun, dealing weapon damage +3 Hits. The raider is Hindered(1), Slowed, and Shaken(1).

If she'd been stationary (Fortified Position), she'd deal an additional +1 Hit and gain +2 DR against that attack.

Ability Tree

All Heavy abilities are purchased with Ability Points (AP) during R&R.

Tier 1 (Ranks 1-3)

Heavy Lifter

Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: You suffer no movement penalty for carrying heavy weapons. You can deploy heavy weapons that normally require setup in one action instead of two.

Reactive Plating

Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: After you are hit by a damage type, gain +1 DR against that type. The DR persists until you are hit by a different damage type, which replaces the adaptation. Your armour takes the first hit at full price; then recalibrates so the next one hurts less.

Heavy Loader

Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: Reduce the reload cost of heavy weapons by 1 action (minimum 1 action). Belt-fed, magazine-fed, cell-charged; you've done them all under fire.

Braced Stance

Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: If you forego all movement this turn, gain Boon(1) to attack rolls until the start of your next turn. Plant your feet and let the gun do the walking.

Intimidating Presence

Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: Allies within 5 metres of you gain Boon(1) to defence rolls against enemies. Your silhouette is enough to redistribute attention.

Ammo Conservation

Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: Heavy weapons consume 20% less ammunition. Controlled bursts, efficient cycling; you get more from every belt.

Anchored

Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: You cannot be forcibly moved (Push, Reposition, knockback) while wielding a heavy weapon. Your Mass plus the weapon's weight is an engineering problem nobody wants to solve.

Blast Shield

Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: Gain +2 DR against area-of-effect and explosive damage. Heavy armor is built for blast zones; you're meant to stand where others can't.

Bunker Buster

Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: Your heavy weapon attacks deal +1 Hit against structures, vehicles, and objects. What's the point of a rocket launcher if it can't crack a wall?

Devastating Impact

Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: When you deal 2 or more bonus Hits above your weapon's base damage with a single attack, the target gains Rattled(1) until end of their next turn. Heavy caliber leaves an impression; both physical and psychological.

Target Saturation

Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: When you attack a target that an ally has already hit this turn, gain Boon(1) to your attack roll. Focus fire is the Heavy's love language.

Collateral Damage

Cost: 2 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 1
Effect: When your attack roll is within 10 of the target's TL but doesn't exceed it, the target takes 1 Hit from splash and fragmentation. Heavy ordnance doesn't need precision; close is enough.

Tier 2 (Ranks 4-6)

Suppressive Barrage

Cost: 6 AP
Activation: 2 Actions + Heavy Ammo
Requires: Tier 2
Frequency: At will
Effect: Target a 45-degree cone up to medium range. All creatures in the cone are pinned down until the start of your next turn. Pinned creatures who attempt to move take 1 Hit. Creatures can throw themselves Prone as an Extra Action to escape the pin. Allies gain Boon(1) to all rolls against pinned enemies.

Armor Piercing

Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2
Effect: Your heavy weapon attacks ignore 1 point of the target's Damage Reduction. On a critical hit, ignore 3 points of Damage Reduction.

Improved Retribution

Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2
Effect: Your Retribution deals +1 bonus Hit on top of the stacking modifier result. Heavier counter-fire, heavier consequences.

Wide Spread

Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2
Effect: Your cone attacks (Suppressive Barrage, etc.) increase by 15 degrees. More barrel coverage, less breathing room.

Threat Magnet

Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Extra Action (1 Energy)
Requires: Tier 2
Effect: When an enemy within your threat range attacks anyone other than you, you may spend 1 Energy to make a free attack against them. You're the biggest problem in the room; ignoring you is a mistake, not a choice.

Counterstrike Mastery

Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2
Effect: Your Combat Window confirmation roll gains Boon(1). Retribution comes faster and hits harder.

Iron Fortress

Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2
Effect: Your Fortified Position DR bonus increases to +4 (instead of +2). When you dig in, nothing gets through.

Entrenched

Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2, Braced Stance
Effect: For each consecutive turn you forego all movement, gain an additional cumulative Boon(1) to attack rolls. Moving or being forcibly moved resets the bonus. The longer you hold, the deadlier you get.

Overwatch Position

Cost: 6 AP
Activation: 1 Action + 1 Energy
Requires: Tier 2
Frequency: At will
Effect: Spend 1 Energy to designate a 45-degree arc in your line of sight. Until your next turn, you may make a free attack against the first enemy that moves within that arc. The Heavy's version of patience; sit still, watch the killzone, wait.

Ablative Plating

Cost: 6 AP Activation: Passive Requires: Tier 2 Effect: The first time you take Hits each round, reduce incoming Hits by 1 (minimum 0). The first shot is always free; for you, not for them.

Sustained Fire

Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2
Effect: When you attack the same target on consecutive turns, each subsequent attack deals +1 Hit (max +3). Switching targets or losing line of sight resets the bonus. Persistent fire erodes everything.

Threading Needles

Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2
Effect: Your area-of-effect attacks and suppression effects no longer affect allies. Your fire control is precise enough to thread the needle; everything else in the zone isn't so lucky.

Overwhelming Barrage

Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2
Effect: Your Suppressive Barrage also deals 1 Hit to each pinned enemy at the start of their turn. Suppression isn't just denial; it's attrition.

Close Quarters Barrage

Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2
Effect: Your heavy weapons' minimum range increments are halved; Disadvantage penalties kick in at half the normal distance. You've learned to control the recoil at ranges that would make other Warspoolers flinch.

Adaptive Armor

Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2, Reactive Plating
Effect: Your Reactive Plating now tracks the last two damage types that hit you. Gain an additional +1 DR against adapted types (stacks with Reactive Plating for +2 total). Your armour maintains two calibration profiles; it learns from every impact.

Structural Analysis

Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2, Bunker Buster
Effect: Your heavy weapon attacks deal an additional +1 Hit against structures, vehicles, and objects (stacks with Bunker Buster for +2 total). Your attacks halve the target's cover bonus (round down). You've studied load-bearing points, structural weak spots, and exactly where to put a round to make the wall work against whoever's hiding behind it.

Concussive Force

Cost: 6 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 2, Devastating Impact
Effect: When you deal 4 or more bonus Hits above your weapon's base damage with a single attack, the target gains an additional Rattled(1) (stacks with Devastating Impact). The shockwave doesn't just wound; it scrambles everything behind the armour.

Tier 3 (Ranks 7-10)

Walking Arsenal

Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 3
Effect: You gain 4 additional Back slots that can only hold heavy weapons or heavy weapon ammunition. Switching between deployed heavy weapons costs 1 action or 1 Energy. Two guns, one Warspooler; the math checks out.

Extinction Event

Cost: 10 AP
Activation: 3 Actions + All Remaining Ammo
Requires: Tier 3
Frequency: Once per Mission
Effect: Unleash everything you have. Make an attack roll. Each enemy in a large area (GM determines exact zone) whose TL you exceed takes 6 Hits, ignoring DR. Enemies whose TL you do not exceed take 3 Hits instead. Structures and cover in the area take double damage and hardness DR is ignored. You are out of ammunition for all heavy weapons after this attack.

Second Salvo

Cost: 10 AP Activation: Passive Requires: Tier 3 Effect: Extinction Event can be used twice per mission. Once wasn't enough? Do it again.

Multi-Target Retribution

Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Extra Action (1 Energy)
Requires: Tier 3
Effect: Spend 1 Energy to activate. Until the end of your next turn, your Retribution triggers against every enemy that attacks you (one confirmation roll per attacker), ignoring your per-round Tier limit for the duration. Attacking a Heavy in numbers is a group decision everyone regrets.

Living Turret

Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 3, Entrenched
Effect: While you forego all movement, gain an additional Boon(1) to attack rolls and +2 DR. These stack with Braced Stance, Entrenched, Fortified Position, and Iron Fortress. You become part of the architecture.

Unstoppable Force

Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Extra Action (1 Energy)
Requires: Tier 3
Effect: Spend 1 Energy to become immune to Hindered, Slowed, Staggered, and Prone conditions until the end of your next turn. Nothing moves you, nothing slows you, nothing puts you down.

One-Man Army

Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 3
Effect: You may spend 1 Energy to trigger Retribution on any defence roll, not just those within your Combat Window. At this point, attacking you is less a tactical decision and more a suicide note.

In Your Face

Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 3, Close Quarters Barrage
Effect: Your heavy weapons ignore minimum range penalties entirely. No Disadvantage, no flinching, no apologies. The barrel is in their face and so are you.

Kill Zone

Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 3, Overwatch Position
Effect: Your Overwatch Position arc increases to 90 degrees. You may make free attacks against ALL enemies that move within the arc, not just the first. Your patience has a body count.

Bullet Wall

Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 3
Effect: While your Suppressive Barrage is active, allies positioned behind you (relative to the cone's direction) gain +3 DR against attacks originating from within the cone. Your sustained fire is a shield made of brass.

Deterrence Field

Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 3
Effect: Enemies that start their turn within 5m of you take 1 Hit. Your weapon's idle cycling and the heat radiating off your barrel assembly is a threat all by itself.

Unending Fury

Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 3, Improved Retribution
Effect: When your Retribution triggers, you may immediately make a second Retribution attack against a different target within range. One burst answers the attacker; the second answers anyone watching.

Scorched Earth

Cost: 10 AP Activation: Passive Requires: Tier 3 Effect: When your attack destroys cover or a structure, all enemies within 3m of the destroyed cover take 2 Hits and are knocked Prone. The blast radius isn't just the bullet; it's everything the bullet touches.

Full Spectrum Plating

Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 3, Adaptive Armor
Effect: Your Reactive Plating now tracks every damage type that has hit you this encounter; no replacement, no limit. Gain an additional +1 DR against adapted types (stacks with Reactive Plating and Adaptive Armor for +3 total). Your armour catalogues every impact and hardens against all of them. By the end of a long firefight, you're practically invincible.

Total Demolition

Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 3, Structural Analysis
Effect: Your heavy weapon attacks deal an additional +1 Hit against structures, vehicles, and objects (stacks with Bunker Buster and Structural Analysis for +3 total). Your attacks ignore the target's cover bonus entirely. Your heavy weapons penetrate walls and light structures; you can attack targets behind cover as though the cover doesn't exist. Structures reduced to 0 SP by your attacks detonate, dealing 2 Hits to all creatures within 3m. There is no safe side of the wall.

Tectonic Impact

Cost: 10 AP
Activation: Passive
Requires: Tier 3, Concussive Force
Effect: When you deal 6 or more bonus Hits above your weapon's base damage with a single attack, the target gains an additional Rattled(1) (stacks with Devastating Impact and Concussive Force for Rattled(3) total). At this level of force, the target's nervous system files a formal complaint.

"Three heartbeats of nothing. That's when you know the lane is burned."

— Havoc, CONFED