Dogs

Wild and Trained Dogs are both widely used in both PZ and NoGo Territories as either/both Guards and Attack Dogs, and as such are useful on Foot to support Characters with the 'Sharp Teeth and a tenacious attitude'. Wild Dogs can often be found on the Highway scavenging for food and attacking unsuspecting Characters on the road, while Trained Dogs are used to protect Territories and support Forces in the field.

## Dog Types

Trained Dogs are different from Wild Dogs, being better fed and more controllable in a conflict. Wild Dogs however are more ferocious but not nearly as well fed and strong.

### **Trained Dogs**

The use of trained attack Dogs is a long held tradition for Security of locations, Hunting, and Attack situations. These Dogs are trained to wear specialist equipment, and some are even Cybernetically augmented.

**Close Combat:** +1

**Damage:** -1

**Speed:** 16cm

**Wounds:** 4

**Armour:** 0

**Weight:** 75

**Cost:** $500

Trained Dogs may be given Canine Equipment for use in the field, dogs are not able to be equipped with normal Character Equipment obviously and require specialised items. This means they are unable to operate Sidearms, Med Kits, Hack Decks, or other such equipment! However they may be dressed in Rad Suits and Gas Masks at the normal Costs for such equipment.

### **Wild Dogs**

More feral and desperate than Trained Dogs, these animals will stray onto the roads, highways, and settlements of the US in the hopes of finding a soft target to attack.

**Close Combat:** +1

**Damage:** +0

**Speed:** 16cm

**Wounds:** 4

**Armour:** 0

**Weight:** 60

**Quantity:** D6

Wild Dogs cannot be equipped with Canine Equipment as they are not trained to use them and will not wear them in the wilderness.

### **Utility Dogs**

Some dogs are highly Trained and can perform tasks that most Dogs cannot, these Dogs are less vicious than other dogs, but, can perform some additional Actions.

**Close Combat:** +0

**Damage:** -1

**Speed:** 16cm

**Wounds:** 4

**Armour:** 0

**Weight:** 75

**Cost:** $750

Utility Dogs can be commanded to Fetch dropped items or defend injured Characters. \when a character orders the Dog to Fetch (declaring a Shoot Action) the dog will go and collect a dropped item, picking the item up in their teeth and returning it to the character that expended a Shoot Action to do so. The dog may also attempt to drag downed characters back to a Medic or to defend a character who is down.

## Equipping Dogs

Utility and Trained Dogs are able to be fitted or implanted with some specialized equipment that can provide them with some performance enhancements for engagements.

### Canine Armour

Dogs can be fitted with specially made armoured jackets that provide increased protection from attack, this is not common for Dogs as they are generally treated as disposable creatures by most people in the Dark Future.

**Armour:** +1

**Weight:** 10

**Cost:** $500

A Dog wearing Armour cannot remove, or don it on their own, and must be dressed in the armour before the engagement begins.

### **Cybernetic Jaw**

A Dogs primary attack is typically a bite and many Trained Dogs are implanted with Steel Teeth, Reinforced Jaws, and other such improvements that make the animal more dangerous.

**Damage:** +1

**Weight:** 5

**Cost:** $100

Dogs fitted with this Implant have more deadly bites, and add the Damage bonus to all bite attacks.

### Saddle Bags

While dogs are not able to use most regular equipment they can carry items in packs for members of their Force to use.

**Weight:** 5

**Cost:** $100

Dogs equipped with Saddle Bags can carry items as long as the total does not exceed their weight, the Dog cannot access or use these items, but a Character within 2cm can declare a Shoot action to retrieve an item from the Saddle Bags.

### **Passive Layer**

While a dog is not able to use Weapons they can be a platform for deploying Passives, when fitted with a Passive Layer they can cover an area in Smoke or Oil.

**Shots:** 6

**Weight:** 15

**Cost:** $500

**Smoke Shot Cost:** $10 per Shot

**Oil Shot Cost:** $5 per Shot

A Dog can be loaded with Smoke or Oil, when a Character is within 2cm they can declare a Shoot Action to lock on the Dogs Passive Layer Maneuver once on, the dog lays a Passive Marker, each time it Moves, this follows the normal rules on Passives.

## Dog Sleds

Much of the desert in the US is smooth enough for Dog powered sleds to function, and wheels on a sled allows for road travel.

**Passengers:** 1

**Weight:** 50

**Damage:** 6 (4,2)

**Armour:** 0

**Weapon Mounts:** 1 Hood mounted Light Weight Weapon

**Cost:** $1,000

Dog Sleds are treated like Bikes on the road with a Speed equal to the Dogs Speed, each Dog attached to the Sled can pull its own Weight (2 Trained Dogs could pull 150, the Sled and a Human Character).

A Sled can be fitted with up to 2 Layers of Armour, and a single Light Weight Weapon that may be Pintle-Mounted.

Sleds cannot be fitted with Vehicle Systems, Engines, or Drive Systems.

## Dogs as Characters

While Dogs are animals and intended as support Characters it is possible that a Force's back-story may include smart Dogs, perhaps as a result of mutation or cybernetics, if a Force wishes to include a 'A Boy and his Dog' [1] style intelligent Dogs as a part of their Force it is allowed if all Players agree to it.

Such Dogs should be purchased as Utility Dogs, in most respects they should be used as such except that they may declare Shoot actions for Fetching, Dragging, or Defending Actions, though they Cost an extra $100 over their normal price.

These Dogs are not able to use any Weapons or Equipment that a normal Dog 'cannot', but they may activate Passive Layers themselves, either Locking them on, or laying a single Passive Marker.

## See Also

Character Design

On Foot

Environment

Index