THE

SUPER
HACK

by

Simon Burley Based on

THE BLACK HACK

-1-
by David Black
 An ‘OSR’ First Edition Hack
into the world of the Superhero

- developed by -

SIMON BURLEY

- based on THE BLACK HACK by -

DAVID BLACK

THANKS TO

In no particular order – David Black (Author: The Black Hack), Paul Baldowski
(Author: The Cthulhu Hack), John R. Davis (Author: The Jack Hack, The Hex
Hack and The Penny Black), Matt West, Stan Lee
everyone that playtested these rules for me
the wonderful organisers of UK RPG Conventions
and my terrific wife - Carol

- cover and interior art by –

James Nguyen and Rudolph Montemayor

- and used under licence from –

Louis Porter, Jr. Design

350 NW 87th Terrace
Plantation, FL 33324 USA
http://www.lpjdesign.com/DevilsWorkshop/ImagePortfolio.html
Havengod@lpjdesign.com

This edition
– text and layout –
Copyright © Simon Burley
January 2017

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WHAT’S THIS?
The Super Hack (TSH) is a traditional tabletop roleplaying game,
played with paper, pencils and dice. It uses The Black Hack (which
is based on that Original 1970s Fantasy Roleplaying Game) as a base.
But it adds and takes away elements to let you run Superhero games
in the style of those games.

Players create Superhero characters who take part in adventures

designed and controlled by a Gamesmaster (GM).

THE CORE MECHANIC

Everything a character might possibly attempt that could result in
failure is resolved by testing attribute stats. In order to successfully
test a stat - a player must roll below it on a d20. Villains and other
opponents don’t make tests - a character must avoid their attacks by
making a test. The only time an adversary would roll is for damage.

These rolls can be affected if the character is fighting a Powerful

Opponent, using Protection without Proficiency or the GM needs
to apply a modifier to reflect a particular situation.

ROLLING STATS
Stats are generated with 3d6 in the following order Strength (STR),
Dexterity (DEX), Constitution (CON), Intelligence (INT),
Perception (PER), Charisma (CHA). If a stat of 15+ is rolled the next
must be rolled with 2d6 + 2, then continue with 3d6 until the end or
another 15+ is rolled. Once all stats are generated 2 may be swapped
around.

CHOOSE A CLASS
There are 4 choices: Brick, Blaster, Crimefighter or Unique.

Your class determines how much damage you do, your Hit Points
and your unique superpowers and abilities.

-1-
SUPERPOWERS
Every character starts the game with a number of Superpowers.
Some will be determined by your choice of class, others can be freely
chosen – within the limits of that class.

You may choose to select a superpower more than once instead of

taking a range of superpowers. In this case you get the superpower at
a higher level.

You MUST come up with a character concept and explain to the GM

exactly what you look like and how your powers work.

SECRET IDENTITY
Every new character starts with a secret identity. You must state what
job or role your character fulfils in that non-Superhero identity. You
must list 3 ordinary skills related to that job/role. Rolls to use that
skill will be made at Advantage.

EQUIPMENT
Every new character starts with 2 items of equipment. These may be
freely chosen to match their Superpowers. Examples are given on the
facing page, but you can choose other common items instead if it is
appropriate for your character.

If their Superpowers and/or Rationale don’t require a special

costume, then they will gain a free costume in addition to their two
items of equipment.

PROTECTION POINTS
Protection by reduces all incoming damage. It will reduce damage by
a limited amount, depending upon the character’s class. Protection
Points are regained after a character rests. Once the player or
opponent has used protection to absorb its maximum amount, they
are too tired or wounded to make effective use of it again - they then
begin taking full damage.

-2-
Villains and other adversaries have 1 point of protection for every
HD above 1, to figure this out quickly, simply -1 from their HD.

ITEM OF APPROPRIATE
NOTES
EQUIPMENT SUPERPOWERS
Allows a PER roll to
Bug - listen in on bugged
areas. Usage Die d8
Saves constantly
explaining to the GM
Computer
Information where you’re getting
(Crystal ball etc.)
your information from.
Usage Die d10.
Chameleon, Growth,
Invisibility, Costume changes with
Custom costume
Shapechange, Shrink, power use.
Statechange, Teleport
Cures 1d4 fresh Hit
Points damage (or 1d6 in
First Aid Kit - the hands of a skilled
Medical Practitioner)
Usage Die d8
Obviates the need for
Gas Mask - CON saves versus Gas
Attacks. Usage Die d8.
Removes any penalties
IR Sight Marksmanship (only)
due to darkness.
Allows attacks to be
Knuckledusters
Martial Arts freely made against hard
(Nunchuks etc.)
or inorganic targets.
Allows movement to Far
Line slinger Acrobatics
Away areas
Obviates the need for
Oxygen Mask Flight CON saves at high
altitude. Usage Die d6.
Allows free
Radio communicator - communication between
team-mates.
PER roll to locate an out
Tracker/Tracer Hypersenses of sight target which is
“tagged”. Usage Die d8.
Allows free movement to Far Away areas. A flying
vehicle counts as two items. The vehicle may NOT
Vehicle
be used in combat in any way unless defined as part
of a Superpower in their rationale. Usage Die d10.

-3-
PROFICIENCY
Characters must be proficient in the equipment they use. If a
character attempts to use equipment or wear protection that is
inappropriate for their character, class, powers and/or rationale, they
will receive a penalty.

All tests made using inappropriate equipment are made at a

Disadvantage. In addition, if they attempt to use inappropriate
protection they add their total Protection points (despite how many
they have used) to all test rolls.

ATTRIBUTE SAVES
The Super Hack asks the player to roll attribute tests when any
superpower, trap or effect would impact them - using the below as a
guide.

STR DEX CON

Physical Harm that Physical Harm that Poison, Disease,
cannot be dodged. can be dodged. Radiation or Death.
INT PER CHA
Resisting Mental Deception and Attempts to
Attacks. Illusions. convince, persuade or
charm.

ADVANTAGE & DISADVANTAGE

A GM may decide that a particular course of action or task has a
higher or lower chance of success. They will ask a player to roll an
additional d20 when making a test - with advantage the lower result
is used and with disadvantage, the higher.

GMs can apply modifiers to a die roll to reflect how task difficulty.
Positive modifiers indicate a task is difficult to achieve.

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USAGE DICE
Most Superpowers and some items listed in the equipment section
have a Usage Die. An item like this is considered a consumable,
limited use item. A character can only carry one of this type of item
at any given time.

When that item or Superpower is used during a Chapter, at the end

of that Chapter (turn) its Usage Die is rolled. If the roll is 1-2 then
the Usage Die is downgraded to the next lower die in the following
chain: d20 > d12 > d10 > d8 > d6 > d4.

When you roll a 1-2 on a d4 for an item, it is expended and the

character has no more of it left. They will have to replace it. This
takes place between Issues.

When you roll a 1-2 on a d4 for a Superpower, the character cannot

use it until they have rested.

PLAYERS TURN
During a player’s turn a character may move and perform an action.
They could attack, look for a clue, talk with an NPC, use a Super-
power - interacting with the world is an action. Often they will test
their attributes to determine the outcome.

TIME & TURNS

There are 2 important types of tracked time - Pages (rounds) and
Chapters (turns).

Pages are used during combat and fast paced scenes of danger and
Chapters are used when exploring and adventuring.

A GM may advance the clock as they need substituting Chapters for

Issues, Graphic Novels or even Collected Editions should the
adventure require it.

-5-
MOVEMENT & DISTANCE
Rather than track precise numbers, TSH uses 4 abstract ranges for
measuring distances. Close, Nearby, Far-Away and Distant.

Hand to Hand attacks are made at Close range. Missile Attacks

(including Blasts) are made at targets which are Nearby.

Attack can be made at Targets which are Far Away but these are
made at Disadvantage.

On their turn every character can move somewhere Nearby as part

of an action, performing that action at any stage of the move. If a
target is flying and Nearby, the character cannot move Close to
them unless they also have an appropriate power.

They can choose to forgo their action in a round and move

somewhere Far-Away instead. Anything beyond Far-Away can be
classified as Distant and would take 3 moves to get to.

This system is designed to support the narrative ‘theatre of the mind’

style of play, and is less concerned about tracking squares and fiddly
distances. If more exact measures are required use the following as a
guide:

CLOSE NEARBY FAR AWAY

0 - 5ft. 5 - 60ft. 60 - 120ft

INITIATIVE
When combat breaks out, everyone must be sorted into an order so
they each get to act and react in turn. Every character tests their
DEX, those that succeed, take their turn before their opponents.

At first level, they must act in order of their Dexterity. At higher

levels they may act as a group – deciding their own order for actions.
Those that fail their DEX tests, go after their opponents, using the
same rules as those that won initiative.

-6-
ATTACKING, DEFENDING & DAMAGE
When a character attacks a creature they must roll below their STR
stat for a Melee Attack or DEX for a Ranged Attack.

Likewise, when an adversary attacks, the character must roll below

their STR against a Melee Attack and DEX against a Ranged
Attack to avoid taking damage. The GM will usually give the stat
required for the test.

The damage an attack deals is based on the character’s class or the

number of Hit Dice (HD) an opponent has.

To make a Melee Attack an opponent must be Close. Ranged

Attacks against Close opponents are possible, but the attacker
suffers a Disadvantage.

Adversaries deal damage based on their HD - refer to the table

below, but if the GM prefers to use different damage stats and call
this a Superpower, they can certainly do that instead. The GM
decides whether adversaries roll dice to determine damage or do a set
amount. (Both options are listed on the table.)

OPPONENT
DAMAGE
HD
1 d4 (2)
2 d6 (3)
3 2d4 (4)
4 d10 (5)
5 d12 (6)
6 d6 + d8 (7)
7 2d8 (8)
8 3d6 (9)
9 2d10 (10)
10 d10 + d12 (11)

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DOUBLE FISTED ATTACKS
If it is appropriate, the character can make a more deadly attack by
simply adding +2 to all dice rolled for that attack. They deal
additional damage, but are also harder to hit with.

CRITICAL DAMAGE
If a player making an attack rolls a 1, they double the result of the
damage dice they roll. If they roll a 20 when avoiding an attack, they
take double damage. Protection Points are used normally.

POWERFUL OPPONENTS
HD represents a villain's level and the number of d8 rolled to
determine their HP.

For every HD above the character’s level, add +1 to every roll the
player makes for any attribute test that would determine the outcome
of a conflict between them and an NPC.
A level 3 Hero defending against a HD 5 Villain’s attack
would add +2 to their roll.

NON-PLAYER CHARACTER REACTIONS

Most Villains and other NPCs will have predetermined personalities
and goals that will guide a GM when choosing their actions and
feelings towards the characters – usually following a CHA test.

For those that do not, such as minor street criminals, make a

Reaction roll on the following table:

ROLL REACTION
1 Flee then roll again.
2 Avoid the characters entirely.
3 Trade with characters.
4 Give the characters aid.
5 Mistake the characters for friends.
6 Trick the characters.

-8-
INCAPACITY & DYING
When a character is reduced to zero Hit Points (HP) they are taken
Out of Action (OofA), they are unconscious and cannot make any
actions.

When the fight is over/are out of danger, a character that is taken

OofA can roll on the table (below) to see what happens to them.

OUT OF ACTION
1 KO’d - Just knocked out.
2 Rip – Cosmetic damage to costume.
Fat Head- Disadvantage on all tests for
3
the next hour
Pulled Muscles - STR, DEX and
4
CON are temp.-1 for the next hour.
Cracked Bones - STR, DEX and CON
5
are temp.-2 for a day.
This is Serious – roll on the table
6
below

THIS IS SERIOUS
Cracked ribs CON is temp.-2 for the
1
next 6 weeks.
Broken Bones STR, and DEX are
2
temp.-2 for the next 6 weeks.
Broken Spirit INT, PER or CHA is
3
permanently reduced by 2
Crippled STR or DEX is permanently
4
reduced by 2
5 Disfigured CHA reduced to 4.
6 Dead Not alive anymore.

If they survive they gain 1d4 HP.

If the characters lose the fight or their team-mates are unable to recover the body of
a team-mate, they will be placed in an inescapable death trap and suffer the
villain’s gloating!

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HEALING
Characters can regain Hit Points from Resting, First Aid,
Superpowers or Abilities.

They can never gain more than their maximum - and can never go
below zero either.

When healing a character who is OofA – and the combat isn’t over -
just start at zero and count up. That character is now back on their
feet and no longer OofA. Still roll on the table, though.

FIRST AID
This is applied as soon as possible after damage is taken. It requires
an INT save and a First Aid kit. Only one attempt can be used on
any set of damage, just after it is taken.

RESTING
Immediately after a battle, the characters can rest. This takes until the
end of the current chapter. When characters rest, they regain the use
of all their Protection points.

Also once per day, after resting, they may roll a Hit Die associated
with their class and regain that many HP.

They may also increase the Usage Die of any partially drained
Superpower by one increment.

CHARACTER CLASS
The next four pages give a selection of character classes from which
the players may choose freely. No character class has a specific
physical description. They can each be described in lots of different
ways.

Only protection gained from a Superpower has a Usage Die. Base

Protection does not.

The GM should decide if they want players to roll for additional

Superpowers, choose freely or make the choice themselves.

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 THE BRICK
Starting HP: d10 + 4
HP Per Level/Resting: 1d10
Attack Damage: 1d8 / 1d6 in Secret Identity
Base Protection: 8 / 4 in secret identity

SUPERPOWERS
The Brick starts with the following powers at Grade 1:

Superstrength (Usage Die: d10)

Protection (Usage Die: d8)

They may choose or roll for one other power at Usage Die d6 or
increase the Grade of Strength or Protection to Grade 2.

SPECIAL FEATURES
Once per hour, whilst in combat, a Brick can regain d8 lost HP.

Once per adventure, if a Brick fails a STR test and would be dealt
damage from an attack, they can opt to sunder (destroy) an object
they are carrying and ignore the damage.

LEVELING UP
Roll to see if attributes increase, roll twice for STR.

Gain ONE Grade increase in Superpowers.

Sometimes called a BRAWLER, the Brick is the up close combat specialist of

the team. Their protection CAN come from alien invulnerability, scales, rocky
skin and the like, but it can as easily be rationalised as an armoured exoskeleton.

- 11 -
 THE BLASTER
Starting HP: d8 + 4
HP Per Level/Resting: 1d8
Attack Damage : 1d6/1d4 in secret identity
Base Protection: 6 / 2 in secret identity

SUPERPOWERS
The Blaster starts with the following powers at Grade 1:

Blast (Usage Die: d8)

Protection (Usage Die: d6)

They may choose or roll for two other power(s), at Usage Die d6, or
add up to two Grades between Blast and Protection.

SPECIAL FEATURES
Roll with Advantage when testing to avoid damage from Ranged
attacks.

As part of their action The Blaster can choose make 1 attack per level
at their base (d6) damage.

LEVELING UP
Roll to see if attributes increase, roll twice for DEX.

Gain ONE Grade increase in Superpowers.

The Blaster is the long-range character in the team. They can be rationalised to
fire any one of a variety of energy blasts, with their protection often being from force
fields or the like. They could just as easily be an ex-special forces marksman,
however, with a sniper rifle and flak jacket.

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 THE CRIMEFIGHTER
Starting HP: d8 + 4
HP Per Level/Resting: 1d8
Attack Damage : 1d6/1d4 in secret identity
Base Protection: 6 / 2 in secret identity

SUPERPOWERS
The Crimefighter starts with the following powers at Grade 1:

Martial Arts (Usage Die: d8)

Acrobatics (Usage Die: d6)

They may choose or roll for two other power(s), at Usage Die d6 or
add up to two Grades between Martial Arts and Acrobatics.

A Crimefighter can only choose Superpowers

appropriate for use by a normal human being.

SPECIAL FEATURES
Roll with Advantage when testing PER to solve crimes.

Rolls with Advantage when making a surprise attack deals 2d6 / 2d4
+ the Crimefighter's level damage.

LEVELING UP
Roll to see if attributes increase, roll twice for DEX or PER.

Gain TWO Grades of increase in Superpowers.

Sometimes called a VIGILANTE, the key feature of the Costumed

Crimefighter that he or she is an ordinary human who has decided, for reasons of
their own, to pull on the costume of a Superhero. Through training, skill, gadgets
and pure bloody determination they take on opponents who should, theoretically,
be massively out of their league.

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 THE UNIQUE
Starting HP: d6 + 4
HP Per Level/Resting: 1d6
Attack Damage: 1d6 / 1d4 in Secret Identity
Base Protection: 4 / 4 in secret identity

SUPERPOWERS
They may roll for or choose any 5 powers at Usage Die d6. At any stage of the
character creation process, instead of choosing or rolling for another power they
may increase the Grade or Usage Die increment of a power already possessed by
one.

SPECIAL FEATURES
The Unique may choose to specify 4 non-combat related saves which
they roll for at advantage.

The Unique may specify up to an additional 3 non-combat related

saves which they roll for at advantage as long as they specify an
additional number of equivalent saves which they roll for at
disadvantage.

LEVELING UP
Roll to see if attributes increase, roll twice for any one attribute of the
player’s choice.

Gain THREE Grades increase in Superpowers.

Whether MUTANT, ANDROID, ALIEN or some other aberration, the Unique is can
rarely be considered as truly human. Sporting a weird and wild array of Superpowers, these are
often the strangest Superheroes of all.

- 14 -
EXPERIENCE
Adventurers learn through defeating and overcoming obstacles.
Defeating a lone street thug won’t bring a revelation to someone.
Defeating Super-villains, foiling heinous plots or simply escaping
death-traps are the things that bring perspective and growth.

Every storyline or issue the character completes they gain one level.

The GM will decide when, and it’s recommended that this decision
remains more or less a constant throughout the campaign- and a GM
should be clear and upfront with the players so they know where the
‘goalposts’ are.

GAINING LEVELS
The characters also get to choose to improve their Superpowers. For
each Grade they get, they may either:

1) Increase the Grade of one of their Superpowers by 1.

2) Increase the Usage Die increment of one of their Superpowers by

one.

3) Develop a new Superpower at Grade 1 with a Usage Die of d6.

In each case they must explain to the GM in game terms how this
development has occurred.

In addition, when a character levels up, their maximum Hit Points

increase by rolling the Hit Die for the class.

Also a player should roll a d20 for each Stat, if the result is higher -
that Stat increases by 1.

They will get the chance to roll more than once for some Stats,
depending upon their individual character class.

- 15 -
SUPERPOWERS
Possible Superpowers are listed on pages 19 and 20. Of course, there
is nothing to stop you devising your own, or adapting powers from
comics, films or TV series.

Most Superpowers from the source material can be simulated using the powers
given here, however.

Superpowers are given a description and an effect. There is also a

d20 option in the event that the GM or player wishes to generate the
Superpowers randomly. Some effects have more than one
description. Players must choose one description for the power.

All Superpowers come in a range of Grades. As a Superpower

increases in Grade it becomes more powerful. This will usually
follow the pattern in this table:

POWER EFFECT
GRADE random fixed
1 d4 2
2 d6 3
3 2d4 4
4 d10 5
5 d12 6
6 d6 + d8 7
7 2d8 8
8 3d6 9
9 2d10 10
10 d10 + d12 11

The Superpower effect will state whether the power uses the
random or fixed values.

(These can be exchanged in the case of an individual character if the

GM agrees.)

Separately from the Power Grade, each character has a specific

Usage Die for each of their Superpowers. There is no direct link
between the level or grade of a power and the increment of its Usage
Die.

- 16 -
GM MODIFIER
Many situations where a Superpower may be used will vary in their
difficulty or danger level. In this case, the GM should assess what the
character is trying to achieve and apply a penalty modifier of between
1 and 10 to the relevant save.

Mod. Description
+1 Adds a bit of “colour” to the storyline.
Minimal effect on current situation and adds “colour”
+2
to the storyline.
+3 Minimal effect on the current situation.
Noticeable effect on current situation and adds
+4
“colour” to the storyline.
+5 Noticeable effect on the current situation.
Significant effect upon the battle but adds “colour” to
+6
the storyline.
+7 Significant effect upon the battle.
Very significant effect upon the battle but adds
+8
“colour” to the storyline.
+9 Very significant effect upon the battle.
+10 Gamechanger. Could effectively win the battle outright.

RATIONALES
Any single superpower can be defined or described in several
different ways. The exact description will affect how the powers are
used and perceived during the comicbook series of adventures.

A Superpower such as Superstrength , for example, could be defined in several

totally different ways. The character could look normal and just be very strong.
Alternatively, they could mutate into a large muscled form – possibly some kind of
animal. This would require them to take a special costume as one of their items of
equipment. (Unless they want to tear their clothes to shreds every time they
change.) They could be permanently giant sized. They wouldn’t need a special
costume but their large size would put a crimp in their social life. The player
might come up with some other, weirder, explanation. A character that gets
Superstrong by getting dense when the shrink, for example (this is usually linked
with either the Hide or State Change superpowers).

- 17 -
When you make your character and develop your Superpowers
during play, you must describe and rationalise exactly how your
superpowers work and how any developments have been achieved.

It’s fun to write an origin story for your GM telling them how your character
gained their powers, how those powers work and why they’ve decided to become a
Superhero.

BEYOND THE TABLE

The Superpower table gives the game effects of the Superpowers you
possess. Each superpower will also give other abilities and effects
beyond the mechanical effects described on the table – depending
upon the individual character rationale of each power. The GM
should allow the players to use their powers in interesting ways which
forward the storyline.

Suppose a player chooses to make a Blaster with Flight whose blasts are lightning
and whose Protection comes from the buffeting winds that carry them aloft. There’s
no harm in allowing them to summon a minor rain storm from time to time.

TEAMWORK
At first level, characters must act in strict Dexterity order within the
initiative system. At second level or higher, they may act in any order
they wish, within the initiative system. A character who fails their
DEX save may not act before their opponents even if their team-
mates wish them to.

From third level upwards, the GM may wish to allow characters to

develop one specific team tactic per level with one specific team-mate
at each level which gives a bonus to damage, range, attack or defence
success.

One Brick may train to throw another Brick at opponents for a single attack,
using Dexterity instead of Strength to hit but doing damage equal to their
combined totals, for example.

- 18 -
D20 Description Effects
Add Grade to STR/DEX for Defence Saves. Move
1 Acrobatics to Nearby areas through vertical/leaping movement.
Can make a ranged attack doing base damage plus the
2 Blast Superhero Effect Random Dice.
Add the Superpower Fixed Points to Hit Points for
3 Boost the duration of the chapter.
Can move freely to any Nearby areas. At higher
Flight Grades can increase range - move to Distant, then
4
(Teleport) Far Away areas – or carrying capacity – one person
per Grade.
When character is made, choose DEX or INT or
Hide PER. A successful save against your personal stat plus
(Invisible, power Grade renders you hidden. You may not be
5
Chameleon, targeted for attack until you make yourself known.
Shrink) Opponents may then attack you in the current page
before you use your next action to try to hide again.
6 Hypersense +1 per Grade to PER saves.
Illusions Create illusions or magical effects which do JUST
7 Superpower random effect dice as damage – or
(Magic) equivalent. Save vs. INT to succeed.
Instantly knows a useful piece of information. Save
vs. INT plus Grade minus a number determined by
8 Information the GM based upon the usefulness/rarity of the
information.
9 Marksmanship +1 per Grade to DEX or STR attack saves.
Roll Melee Attacks and Defence saves at Advantage.
10 Martial Arts +1 point damage per Grade to Melee Attacks.
Is accompanied by (or can generate or split into) 1HD
of follower per Grade. Each moves/acts
11 Mook independently of the character on the character’s
initiative.
12 Protection Add the Superpower Fixed Points to protection.
Can use INT to attack opponents who are Close or
Nearby doing JUST Superpower random effect dice
13 Psionics as damage. Damage can be physical damage or versus
willpower. If taken OofA by willpower attack, target
is under the influence of the Psionic.
Spend an action to recover Superpower Random
14 Regeneration Effect Dice worth of hit points.
15 Shapechange Change into a shape which enables you to do your
base damage plus Superpower Random Effect Dice.
OR Change form into a state that allows you to perform
unusual actions. Save vs. INT plus Grade minus a
15 State change number determined by the GM based upon the
usefulness of the effect.

- 19 -
 Can move freely between Close and Distant. Can
16 Superspeed perform one attack per Grade in an action.
Add the Superpower Random effect dice to damage
Superstrength done. If there are objects to hand, STR may be used
17
(Growth) instead of DEX for ranged attack and defence saves.
Can lift a Tonne at Grade 1, doubling for each Grade.
Can survive in environments inimical to humankind.
Save vs. CON plus Grade minus a number
18 Survival determined by the GM based upon the dangerousness
of the environment.
Utility Belt Turns out to be carrying a useful device of some kind.
Save vs. INT plus Grade minus a number determined
19 (Gadgets, by the GM based upon the usefulness of the device
Sorcery) (spell).
Add the Superpower Random Effect Dice to damage
20 Weapon done. STR may used instead of DEX for ranged
defence saves.
(Melee)
OR
Add the Superpower Random Effect Dice to damage
20 (Ranged) done.

Example Opponents
Name HD NOTES
Group of
1 Each hitpoint represents 1 Thug.
Thugs
Mercenaries 2 Each 2hp in the total represents a Mercenary.
Attacks with a Blast or Claws. (Still only does 1d6
Minor Mutant 2
damage.)
Attacks with Blast, Martial Arts, Weapon or Minor
Strength. Has an additional non-combat
Supervillain 3 Superpower (Flight, Teleport, Hide, Invisible,
Hypersense, Shapechange, Statechange, Superspeed,
Utility)
If near metal: Can make one attack per HD, Flight,
Master of Protection (Total: 3 + 5 = 8), Utility (automatically
4
Metal makes device, player must make INT roll to foil it.)
Option: Create 4HD of Mooks.
Psionic – character must defend using INT. Will do
Puppeteer 5 Willpower damage initially, aiming to turn Heroes
against their team-mates.
Attacks stop healing until injected with massive
amounts of antibiotics, immune to normal
Mummy 6
weapons, half damage from Superpowered
attacks.

- 20 -
 EXAMPLE OF PLAY

GM: You’re in the square in the As the camera pans – you realise
centre of the city. Unrolled it’s in full 3D. No-one is wearing
before you is the new Open Air 3D glasses! The crowd applauds.
3D Cinema experience – a
massive screen set on the back of Unique: I look around for
an articulated truck. anyone acting suspiciously.

Blaster: Are there many people GM: OK. Test your Perception
here? by rolling a d20 under it.

GM: It’s the biggest free event in Unique: #rolls# Made it!
months. The square is heaving
with people! GM: You see a group of figures
in green jumpsuits hiding behind
Unique: I got a bad feeling…… the articulated truck, there’s a
larger figure with them. He seems
GM: I take it you’re all in your to be covered with scales and has
civilian clothes? a large tail.

Crimefighter: Yes but my Unique: I warn everyone else.

costume’s under my outfit and
my mask’s to hand ready to put Crimefighter: Hold your horses
on. everyone. Wait……

Blaster: Me, too. GM: Firing guns into the air, the
group of thugs rushes out. The
Unique: Big baggy coat and lizard-like figure leaps to the top
floppy hat. of the truck.

Brick: The armour’s in the “Behold – Super-city – see the

briefcase. might of PSAURO-PSYCHE!”

GM: There’s an “oooh!” from He gestures towards the screen.

the crowd as the screen comes There’s a bang and a burst of
on. It’s crystal clear – even in sparks and smoke. Suddenly, you
daylight. You see the words can feel wind blowing out of the
“Jurassic Experience” floating screen. A dinosaur comes into
over a desert landscape. view…. Roll initiative everyone.

Crimefighter: Made it!

- 21 -
Blaster: Me too! #rolls against Dexterity. Hits.
Rolls d6 (Base Damage) plus d6
Unique: Urgh! Failed. (Energy Blast Grade 2)#

Brick: I won. My case clicks Blaster: Only 3 points of

open and my armour clicks into damage.
place. I fly up and call for the
crowd to disperse. GM: Blunted by his scales. He
can’t reach you – even though
GM: Make a Charisma roll. you’re nearby so he leaps down
to attack Bastion.
Brick: #rolls# Nope.
“How dare you interfere with
GM: The crowd are too stunned my plans!”
by events to react. Who’s next?
Roll a d20 against Strength to
Crimefighter: I make my way defend. Remember to roll at
through the crowd, donning my advantage because of your
mask as I go. Can I reach the Martial Arts and also add +1
thugs? Strength because of your
Acrobatics.
GM: Yes.
Crimefighter: #rolls# Easy!
Crimefighter: “You want to hurt
these people, Psaurosyche, you GM: The three remaining thugs
gotta go through BASTION fire at FLAMESTORM. This
first”. counts as a single attack, so roll
against your Dexterity once.
#rolls against Strength. Hits.
Rolls d6 (Base Damage) plus d4 Blaster: #rolls# Failed.
(Martial Arts Grade 1)#
GM: #rolls 1d6 for the
Crimefighter: 7 points of mercenaries#
damage.
GM: 3 points of damage. And
GM: In a flurry of blows, you you notice the dinosaur starts to
drop seven of the ten thugs. step out of the screen!

Blaster: I burst into flames – Unique: Well I guess I know

that’s another outfit ruined – and who I’M fighting…….
move nearby Psaurosyche – but
I’m flying above him. I blast him.

- 22 -
NAME ALIAS JOB
STR DEX CON
INT PER CHA

HP CLASS

HIT DIE LEVEL

ATTACK DAMAGE /

PROTECTION /
Usage
Superpowers Level Die
Notes

Usage
Equipment Notes
Die

Special Abilities and Advantages

THE
SUPER
HACK
 The Long Minute
A Scenario for THE SUPER HACK
By Simon Burley

Introduction
The Long Minute is a short combat Here are some suggestions you may
based adventure THE SUPER wish to consider:
HACK Superhero role-playing game.
Originally designed to be run as a Past Issues
short introductory game at a games If you choose this option then
convention, it consists of only two Chronos will have successfully used
main scenes and is designed to be his time suspension technology to
completed in a single game session. freeze frame the city before (or
another city). There will have been
The adventure takes place when the some articles in the news referring to
would-be Supervillain, Chronos, a day when the entire city "lost" a
apparently stops time in the Heroes' couple of hours compared to the
home city. Whilst the passage of rest of the world. During these lost
time is suspended for everyone else, hours, jewellery, artwork and money
Chronos aims to have his goons mysteriously disappeared. On these
ransack the city - raiding any site prior occasions there were no heroes
housing easily removed and insulated from the time-freeze to foil
transportable goods. Chronos' plans.

Unfortunately for the villain, the city Alternatively, you may decide that
houses a visitor from another world Chronos needs to pull off a number
whose alien technology is immune to of crimes in order to finance the
the effects of Chronos' time- creation of his Time Suspension
stopping devices. Even worse, when Generator or to obtain rare parts or
the villain's plan goes into effect a elements for the unique device.
number of Heroes happen to be The Heroes may have interfered
near to the hidden alien and they are with some of these heists and be
also protected from the temporal pondering the rationale behind
paralysis. them.

This enables them to at least have a The Alien Agenda

chance of disrupting Chronos' plans. With this option you need to decide
exactly why the alien is here.
Background Remember what he says he is here
As it is designed to be run in a single for and what he is actually after can
session at a games convention, The be two totally different things. Is he
Long Minute can be picked up and merely a scientific observer studying
run without any prior preparation. If the Earth or is he the precursor of a
you are using it as part of an ongoing full-scale invasion? Is he an
campaign, however, you may wish to interstellar policeman hunting for an
foreshadow it in some way. even more dangerous alien criminal?

The Long Minute

 Or is he a criminal himself hiding In fact the laws of probability would
out on the Earth from otherworldly mean that some other race would
law enforcers? Is he after our natural probably have done it to us before
resources or our children? Is he now. The fact that they haven't
"sizing up" the world's Heroes to would tend to indicate that it simply
decide who is worthy of being press- isn't possible.
ganged into his organisation?
Stopping time in a local area would
If you decide what he - and his have dire consequences. Even if
cohorts - are doing on Earth then Chronos had the power and ability
this scenario can form part of an to stop time across the entire world,
ongoing story arc with appropriate the Earth would be frozen in place
events being slotted in both before whilst the rest of the solar system
and after the scenes described here. travelled on without it. Similarly, if a
smaller area - such as a city were to
The Superhero convention be suspended in time, the rest of the
At the beginning of this scenario, the planet would continue to turn and
Heroes are conveniently all together. travel through space. The suspended
You might wish to come up with a city would be torn from the surface
reason for this. They could be going of the Earth, locked in place in the
to an awards ceremony to be vacuum of space.
recognised for previous brave
actions or rushing to stop some So Chronos doesn't actually stop
other crime. time. What he actually does is to
suspend the kinetic energy in
molecules within a certain radius.
"I like the look of that" This is what is referred to in Science
Other parties become interested in Fiction as putting something "into
Chronos' technology and the Heroes stasis".
have to decide whether to destroy it
or to let it fall into the hands of Creating this effect takes a generator
people they trust. of quite a significant size. Chronos'
device is transported on the back of
The problem with time an articulated lorry.
Though Chronos seems to be able to
manipulate the flow of time, this is The stasis effect works on ALL
not the case. To actually stop time, molecules within the given radius -
Chronos would need to stop it which is approximately five miles in
throughout the entire galaxy - at the all directions from the generator.
very least - if not the entire universe. This includes air molecules. For as
Apart from the fact that this would long as the generator is running,
require an almost infinite amount of these are suspended in place -
power, if such an effect were relative to the motion of the Earth.
possible then implementing it would This creates the effect of a dome of
attract the attention - and ire - of dead space around the generator,
races across the galaxy. enveloping the city.

The Long Minute

Nothing can enter or move within However, there must be an
this area - unless it is carrying a appropriate reason for the Heroes to
device which suspends the stasis all be present. If you can think of a
effect with its locality. From the reason appropriate for your
moment the stasis generator is campaign then feel free to use it in
activated it is as if the city is place of the introduction given here.
enveloped in a dome-shaped force Otherwise we'll just assume that the
field within which time has ceased to reason most Heroes come together
flow. is to fight crime. The Heroes will be
stopping a bank robbery
Obviously this comes with masterminded by a pair of minor
consequences. If an aeroplane were league Supervillains when the Long
to fly into the area, for example, it Minute begins. Verdigris will just
would smash into the dome of happen to be a customer in the bank
frozen air molecules and crash. at the time.
Apart from any issues of power
consumption, this is the main reason How the Heroes come to be present
why Chronos wishes to keep his at the scene of the crime depends
robberies as fast and efficient as upon the set-up of your campaign.
possible. He does not particularly
want to be responsible for the death Hopefully they are an organised
or injury of innocents. team and you will only need to use
one of the introductions below to
Prologue work them into the the scenario:
The only reason that the Heroes are
free to foil Chronos' crime spree is  If one or more of the Heroes is
that, when the villain activates his well known - CHARISMA 15 or
stasis generator, they all happen to more - then they will have been
be within the immediate proximity approached by the management of
of Verdigris, an other-worldly visitor a well known chain of banks. A
to our planet. The same technology number of branches have recently
that Verdigris carries with him to been robbed by a well-organised
disguise his alien form also interferes gang of robbers lead by two
with Chronos' stasis field for a Supervillains. If none of the
distance of twenty or so yards Heroes have a CHA of 15 then
around him. This is purely you can have them roll a d20 and
coincidence. Verdigris has no add 5. If anyone rolls under their
knowledge of Chronos or his plans CHA, they will be approached by
and certainly wouldn't feel the need the Bank as above. If they all fail
to interfere - especially if it means the roll but someone rolls under
his identity were to be revealed. their without the +5 then they are
approached by an employee of the
It is extremely fortunate that the Bank who is hoping to curry
Heroes are near Verdigris when the favour with their bosses by
effect is activated, but not beyond bringing in the Heroes on a
the realms of possibility. unofficial basis.

The Long Minute

 If you use this introduction then the She will inform them all about the
Heroes will be given some recent spate of robberies in return
information about the Villains' for a promise of exclusive pictures
abilities and will have time to plan and an interview after the crime is
and set up an appropriate ambush. foiled.
 If one or more of the Heroes has a  Failing the above, you can always
link with the authorities and makes have one or more of the Heroes
their CHA roll then they will be passing by as the robbery happens or
briefed by a representative of the attracted by the bank alarm. As
local law enforcement who has been always, this option should be
tasked with stopping these robberies. avoided unless it is really necessary.
In this case, the Heroes will be fully
informed about the villain's abilities The Bank Robbery is just a way of
and modus operandi and can make getting the Heroes into the real
plans. However, they will not have adventure. Please don't encourage or
any direct support from the Bank allow your players to spend too long
itself and would be unable to set up planning for it. The villains shouldn't
an ambush within the branch itself. pose them too many difficulties.
 If one or more of the Heroes is
aware of events in the Underworld - Just another bank job
PERCEPTION of 15 or more - In this scene the Heroes spring an
then they will have found out about ambush on three hapless villains and
the robberies through one of their seem to have everything going their
informants or through interrogating way just as the Long Minute starts.
a low life thug who has been
approached by one of the villains An alien observer, Verdigris, has
and offered employment. If none of assumed the identity of a normal
the Heroes have PER 15 then you human- including the setting up of a
can have them roll a d20 and add 5. bank account with an associated
If anyone rolls under PER they will safety deposit box where he keeps
gain the information as above. If one of his duplicates of some of his
they all fail the roll but someone more essential equipment.
rolls under raw PER – without the
+5 - then they will have overheard The evil Dr. Stephen Strong has
something about a forthcoming detected emanations from this
bank job in a local bar. If you use equipment. In his alter-ego,
this introduction then the Heroes Dreadnought, he has co-opted two
will only have limited information villains, Thunderstrike and
about the Villains' abilities. They will Nocturne, and a number of thugs to
have time to plan but will have no rob the bank as a cover for a greater
direct support from the Authorities. crime. He plans to break into the
 If necessary the Heroes can be given safety deposit boxes and seize the
a further CHA or PER roll. If source of the strange signals.
successful you can have them
approached by a local reporter. The Heroes interrupt events before
he can do this.

The Long Minute

Co-incidentally, Verdigris is also in Nocturne (Minor Mutant) – 2HD,
then bank as the robbery takes place. Flight from Bat Wings. Attack and
He has a “bad feeling” about this Protection is from a cloud of bats
particular cache of equipment wants which always travel with him.
to check that it is OK.
HP: 10, Protection: 1, Damage: 1d6
Nocturne and the thugs are in it for
the money and know very little Thugs: Each group will have 4
about Dreadnought and Thugs with a total of 4hp and doing
Thunderstrike. They have no loyalty a total of 1d4 damage.
to them. Captured thugs will try to
strike a deal and will talk with very The exact opposition will depend
little pressure. upon the number of Heroes present:

Thunderstrike is in the thrall of Dr Number of

Strong. He thinks he needs the evil Opposition
Heroes
scientist to “bleed off” his excess 1 Dreadnought
energy to stop him overloading. This
As above plus
may or may not be true at the GM’s 2
Thunderstrike
option.
As above plus 4
3
Thugs
There will be one page of combat.
Then the long minute will start, As above plus
4
(ensure all the Heroes are within the Nocturne
area of effect before it happens). By As above plus 4
5
page three Verdigris will realize Thugs
something is wrong and will try to As above plus 4
6
escape. Thugs

The Opposition
Time Bubble
Dreadnought (Supervillain) – 3HD, The Heroes find themselves, the
Superstrength, Protection Grade 2 – Villains and a handful of civilians
all from a suit of armour. trapped within a bubble of normal
time. They have to resolve their
HP: 15, Protection: 5, Damage: 3d4 conflict with the bad guys and work
out why they seem to be the only
Thunderstrike (Minor Mutant) – people in the city immune to the
2HD, Energy Blast from natural effects of the Long Minute.
mutant abilities.
Having identified and come to some
HP: 10, Protection: 1, Damage: 1d6 kind of agreement with the alien,
Verdigris - probably through beating
his co-operation out of him - they
have to decide upon their next step.

The Long Minute

 This section starts as the previous Discrete items or entities are placed
one finishes. There will probably be in stasis in their entirety when there
some overlap - as mentioned above. are more than half enveloped in the
As GM you must decide at what field. Otherwise they are totally free
time the Long Minute will start. to act.

At this point the Heroes will notice: To make things easier on the GM,
Verdigris will, at first, choose to
 Everyone who is more than few remain within the bank with the
yards away from the bank seems to other customers. He will observe
be frozen. No vehicles are moving, what is going on but do all he can to
birds are frozen in the sky. avoid drawing attention to himself.
 Thugs and villains attempting to flee He does not see how the effect can
the scene will bump straight into an possibly be anything to do with him.
invisible wall. Despite all they try, He hopes it isn't. However, he
they cannot break through it. knows that there is the possibility
that this isn't a co-incidence. He will
 Depending where they were when
the Long Minute started, one or desperately try to keep his head
more the Heroes could be caught in down.
the effect.
The area of free space surrounds
 If necessary, you can have a young Verdigris in a 20 yard radius. Anyone
mother screaming as her child is
attempting to leave the area will be
trapped in the time bubble (or vice
unable to do so. They will walk into
versa, the child can be panicking
the area of dead air.
because its mum is trapped).
However, if Verdigris moves, anyone
If you have decided that this is not
is left out of his circle of protection
the first time Chronos has pulled this
will go into stasis and anyone who
stunt, have the Heroes roll under
enters it will become unfrozen (with
Perception with a +5 modifier. If
no knowledge that any time has
they succeed, they will remember
passed).
reading about people " losing time"
(and losing valuables) in another city
Trapped in the Time Bubble with
in the world a month or two ago.
the Heroes will be about 20 people -
They will remember all the details.
half a dozen bank workers, half a
Rolling under raw Perception gives
dozen customers, a handful of
only vague details.
passersby and any erstwhile bank
robbers.
However, they notice the effect, the
Heroes are now duty bound to
The first thing the Heroes need to
investigate it.
do is to determine the area of the
effect.
NOTE: No- one will be caught "half
in and half out" of the effect.
When they have this, they can
triangulate in to find its centre.

The Long Minute

 This will be complicated by three From this point on we'll assume he's
things: a small humanoid whale-type
creature. (His “name” should be
 If the Heroes don't realise it for Ambergris but his translator
themselves, one of the civilians malfunctioned.)
trapped with them will work out that
there is only a limited amount of air He breathes our atmosphere and
within the bubble. So they'll have to survives our gravity by wearing an
work fast because , sooner or later, armoured suit. This has an
everyone is going to start running exoskeleton which gives him great
out of air. Actually, there is plenty of strength. None of this is clear to
air for the time being but it won't passersby, however, due to the
stop some people panicking. advanced hologram projector he is
 Adding to the panic will be the carrying. On top of this, he carries a
claustrophobes present and those stun rod for his own protection.
people that have together home to
their children or aged parents. Let's When it becomes clear that the
not forget the mum whose kid is Heroes think he is responsible for
caught, as well. the Time Bubble, Verdigris' prime
motives to escape without revealing
 If he is awake, Dreadnought will
offer his scientific knowledge to help his true identity.
with the investigation. Obviously,
this is just a ploy to get himself Verdigris (Alien) – 4HD,
untied to try and find a way to Superstrength+Stun Rod,
escape. Protection, Hide
(Invisibility/Holograms), – all from
 When the Heroes start zeroing in on an alien space suit.
the cause of the effect and ask
people to move away, Anyone
HP: 20, Protection: 5, Damage:
caught on the edge of the edge of
d10+d6
the effect when Verdigris moves
could be trapped in stasis.
He will use his Strength to try and
 On top of this Verdigris will become pull free of anyone surrounding him
extremely unco-operative as the and use his hologram projector to
Heroes' attentions fall on him. First turn invisible and depart.
of all he will act confused. Then he
will deny everything and be If he is unable to pull free he will use
extremely helpful. Then he will his stun rod and, when this doesn't
refuse to be searched. Then he will work, he will use the hologram
actively resist. If the Heroes were projector to turn into a huge
badly damaged in the first fight, the slavering monster to get people to
GM may choose to allow a CHA roll back off so that he can turn invisible.
to convince Verdigris to co-operate.
If he turns invisible he can escape,
To catch an Alien leaving the Heroes trapped in the
Though he looks human, Verdigris is Time Bubble. Two things will get in
far from it. He can be as alien as the his way.
individual GM wishes.

The Long Minute

First of all he will have to push past He fears if they meddle with it in any
various civilians, which will give way he may die. (If they do fiddle
away his position. Secondly, as he with it, he WILL die.)
flees the Time Bubble will move
with him. Clever Heroes can use this Conversely, one REALLY good way
to track him. of handling things is to have
Verdigris' equipment damaged in the
The most likely event is that – fight. If the Heroes have a brilliant
because they are ganging up on him scientist who can fix the suit - or
- the Heroes will catch and defeat they can get a villain to do it -
him. If fail to do so then they will go Verdigris will be grateful and
into stasis along with the rest of the extremely co-operative.
city and awake when the Long
Minute is over – in which case they Verdigris will deny having anything
will fail to gain a level. to do with the stasis but will accept
that his equipment could be
If they subdue Verdigris, then they shielding him from the general
can talk to him. effect. As thus it is draining the
energy reserves of his suit at twice
Talking to the Alien the normal rate, it is as much in his
Once he is defeated, Verdigris will interests as the Heroes to discover
agree to talk. the source of the Time Disturbance.

He will first suggest that the Heroes He will be loathe to let the Heroes
interrogate him somewhere away discover too much about his
from the crowd of civilians. (The equipment. (The usual "You are not
panicking crowd of civilians, yet ready for this technology"
remember. Someone should be argument.)
having an asthma attack about
now....) If the Heroes have a brilliant
scientist among their number, he or
If I hasn't already been deactivated she will realise that they can use
in the fight, he will switch off his Verdigris' equipment to track the
hologram projector now. He will centre of the disturbance. If there
explain this he is an alien on a isn't a Scientist on the team, then
peaceful mission to visit Earth there'll have to be one in the crowd
observe its inhabitants. or Verdigris will have to be a
Scientist or, worst of all, they'll have
(If he is asked what he has learnt he to rely upon the bad guys!
will indicate that his overall opinion
is positive but make a couple of Converting Verdigris' equipment to
disparaging comments about a few track time disturbances will severely
public figures. There is a chance for compromise its systems. Whilst his
some humour here.) suit will still keep him alive, there
will be insufficient power to run stun
He will ask that the Heroes do NOT rod, exoskeleton or hologram
try to deactivate or his equipment. projector.

The Long Minute

He will barely be able to move. This will be with 8 of Chronos'
(Well, we can't have him fighting he goons. They are currently stripping a
bad guys can we? The Heroes will row of jewellery stores.
have to do that themselves!)
Each goon is wearing a frame which
However they do it, once they've supports a large metal disc on his
worked out how to convert chest. This negates the stasis field in
Verdigris' gear, the Heroes can go the area immediately surrounding the
looking for the reason their City has wearer.
been frozen in time.
They are loading the jewels into a
White van which has a larger version
Moving through time of the disc device fitted to its roof.
Good news! As the "free" area
travels through the city, the bad air There will be one robot with them.
trapped within goes into stasis and
fresh air is released. So as long as the Goons: Two groups of four goons,
Heroes keep moving, they won't each with 2hp apiece.
suffocate.
HD: 2, HP: 8 and 8, Damage: 1d6
Bad news! As they travel through the
City, they will unfreeze people as Robot: HD: 2, HP: 10, Protection:
they pass. Apart from having to 5, Damage d6
explain what is going on over and
over (and over) again, the Heroes This will be an easy battle for the
will have to decide what to do about Heroes. The Goons aren't even
them. When they leave the bank, one carrying guns as they would be
of the civilians will make it clear that useless in the stasis field.
they do not want to be left behind, (Remember, Heroes' long range
trapped in time. However, if the attacks also will not work outside the
Heroes choose to take them along, range of Verdigris' suit.) However,
they a going to slow them down. these thugs are more organized and
co-ordinated and less likely to cave
And, the further they travel the more in easily to questioning.
hangers-on these altruistic Heroes
are going to pick up. Sooner or later The battle serves a number of
Verdigris' bubble is going to be full purposes:
of innocent civilians.
 It makes the players aware of the
Even if it goes against the grain, it is reason for the apparent suspension
better to leave the non-heroes in of Time in the city.
stasis rather than choose to take  It gives the opportunity to question
them into danger. some of the criminals for find out
Regardless of their decision the name of their boss, and his
regarding bystanders, the Heroes will abilities, and the size of his army of
have an encounter before they locate thugs – allowing some future rolls to
Chronos' generator. be made at advantage as appropriate.

The Long Minute

 It gives the Heroes the chance to get The Heroes now have 5 minutes. As
their hands on the discs the crooks soon as his stasis field is deactivated,
are using to short-circuit the stasis Chronos will collect together his
field on an individual basis, freeing remaining cronies. Two of them will
them from having to stand by be sent with all the swag to a secret
Verdigris. They can even use the location known only to one of them
criminals' van. and to Chronos. The remaining
 They will see what happens if they twenty (a group of 4 for each Hero)
remove a disc from one of the or so and several robots (one per
crooks. If this is done without due Hero) will accompany him back to
care, the wearer will age rapidly. (The the lorry to try and find out what
thugs are not aware of this effect.) had happened. Chronos would like
to retrieve the generator, in whatever
When they are finished here, the state it is in, as it would cost him a
Heroes can proceed rapidly to deal lot of money (as in tens of Millions)
with Chronos and his Time-stop and a lot of time to rebuild it from
generator. scratch.

Chronos (Time-Master) – 5HD,

Minute's End Superspeed grade 5.
Finding the large articulated lorry
housing the generator will be easy. It HP: 25, Protection: 4, Damage: 1d12
is being looked over by two of – can make 5 attacks per
Chronos' more intelligent thugs, page/action.
guarded by one robot, so seizing it
and de-activating it should be an Goons: Groups of four goons, each
easy job. Presumably by now the with 2hp apiece.
Heroes have a scientist, even if that
is Verdigris or Dreadnought. HD: 2, HP: 8 per group, Damage:
1d6
If they try to deactivate the generator
by blasting it, or through similar Robot: HD: 2, HP: 10, Protection:
random means, roll on the following 5, Damage d6
d6 table:
Chronos and his thugs will ambush
Die Roll Effect the Heroes. As well as his
Superpowers and his thugs' fists and
1 No effect
coshes, Chronos will employ the
2 Stasis Generator Deactivated following tactics:
Lorry Explodes (see later for
3 effects.)  If anyone is still wearing one of
Everyone nearby gets 1d6 years his discs, Chronos can place that
4 younger person into stasis. They cannot act
Everyone in the city gets 1d6 until the disc is removed. Placing
5 years older
everyone wearing a disc within a
Roll twice or Create another
given area takes just one action.
6 table with a more extreme
outcomes

The Long Minute

 (Heroes with powers that are Special Note: It is highly likely that
mentally activated may be able to use the Heroes will lose in a direct
those powers.) confrontation with Chronos and his
 He can set off the self-destruct forces. However, as long as the
device he built into the lorry and he villain can escape with his ill gotten
has a remote control detonator. He gains and/or his stasis generator
will use this once it becomes clear intact, he’ll be happy with merely
that his generator is lost. He will use humiliating the Heroes and won’t
the explosion to cover his tracks. seek kill them.
Activating the device takes an action
and is a very obvious routine. The There are other things the Heroes
explosion will take place at the end can do to “win” this scenario. The
of his actions on the NEXT page. players may come up with some
Depending upon initiative, the wonderful ideas of their own, but
Heroes might have time to flee, possible solutions include:
shield some thugs or civilians or -
even - deactivate it.  As soon as the Heroes get their
 The Thugs will use co-ordinated hands on the stasis generator and
tactics (eg. Combined fire on specific deactivate it, they contact the
Heroes or to penetrate force fields). authorities and hand it over.
They will happily take hostages Chronos might be happy to tackle
(Verdigris, maybe?) and threaten to a handful of vigilantes. He’ll think
harm them. twice before assaulting a fully
manned Police station.
In addition:  The Heroes could disguise
themselves as Goons and infiltrate
 If Dreadnought has been helping the Chronos’ mercenary force –
Heroes, this is the point he will ambushing him when he least
choose to turn on them and escape. expects.
He can attack using live wires torn  They can reverse the stasis
from the generator. (At his normal generator, freeing the city but
damage – 3d4 – even without his putting Chronos’ robots and any
armour.) He can also set off the self mercenaries wearing discs into
destruct built into the lorry, even stasis.
rigging a delayed fuse if necessary -
though he can't set up a remote Loose ends
detonator with the equipment at 1) Even if they have captured
hand. Chronos, he will not divulge the
 Alternatively, this could be Verdigris location of the loot his thugs
who is trying to stop Chronos’ stasis escaped with. If he was able to set
technology from being developed. off his self destruct device, that
He may even try to kill Chronos. will probably have taken care of
any remaining thugs.
The exploding lorry does 2d10 2) If any Goons survived, then they
damage to anyone inside, 1d10 to do not know where the loot has
anyone within a couple of metres been taken.
and 1d6 to anyone in the street.

The Long Minute

3) Upon careful questioning it will 4) What are the Heroes going to do
transpire that some of them do with Verdigris and his technology?
know one of the crooks who What are they going to do with
escaped with the loot on a the remnants of Chronos' devices?
personal basis.

They even know their address, or

Leveling up
have their wife or son's mobile Even if they lost the final battle with
number. Tracking them down Chronos, the characters should all go
shouldn't be too hard. up to level 2 at the end of this
adventure.

The Long Minute

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THE BLACK HACK, Copyright 2016, Gold Piece Publications; Author David
Black
THE SUPER HACK, Copyright 2016, Simon Burley (Author)