Aspects

Zone 17 has two gameplay aspects: Roleplaying and Miniatures. These are not mutually exclusive. Your game could be a mixture of roleplay and miniatures combat. It could also be focused exclusively on Agent-scale roleplaying missions or Battle-scale vehicle combats.

THE ROLEPLAYING ASPECT

The Roleplaying aspect revolves around the exploits and adventures of a Squad of characters, primarily at Agent-scale. Each character is controlled by a Player. One Player is the Controller, who sets up and directs the Missions that the other Players embark on.

Player characters fall into one of four roles, reflecting their station in the world.

A Suit is an agent of the employing megacorp. When the company needs a task completed off the books or one that requires a particular set of skills, it assigns Suits to troubleshoot. The shooting part is often literal. The employing company trains new Suits and provides gear and other resources. In exchange, the Suit must work off a sizeable debt.

A Soldier works for a megacorp to provide heavy security to one of the city-states that dot Zone 17. Like Suits, Soldiers signed an employment contract that leaves the soldier an indentured servant to the employer until the contract debt is satisfied.

A Solo works for a small company, a local crime boss, or themselves. Solos begin with very little debt but have limited access to gear and talent. Their contacts in the criminal underworld can be a boon to any Squad.

A Scav is a survivor who lives in the wasteland between the city-states, making a living salvaging the wreckage of the past. Scavs are at home in toxic deserts and abandoned city ruins, and make great scouts and guides.

THE MINIATURES ASPECT

The Miniatures aspect forgoes deep characterization in favor of action. Players build and command futuristic vehicles, such as the humanoid Walkers, tracked Crawlers, and insectoid Creepers. They then duke it out against Controller-led NPCs or each other. Use electronic warfare to shut down your enemies, or heavy rail guns to blast them away. Zone 17 has 7 classes of vehicles, with an extensive customization system.

Crawlers are the armored behemoths of the battlefield, Crawlers are tracked vehicles (like tanks and bulldozers with guns strapped to them). They have thick armor and can mount heavy guns. Both of which they’ll need, because they’re big, lumbering, easy-to-hit targets.   

Creepers are part of the next generation of vehicle designs: multilegged vehicles intended for use on uneven terrain. Take advantage of their versatility to outmaneuver foes, but be warned! They’re flimsier than Crawlers and are more limited in what they can carry. 

From sleek racing bikes to rugged ATVs, Cycles are the nimble gazelles of the Zone. And, like a gazelle, they explode in a spray of parts when hit by heavy weapons. Cycles are best deployed where their strengths are maximized: busy megacity freeways, clusters of urban ruins, and other terrain where they can outpace heavier vehicles.  

From the attack helicopters raining down 20mm rounds to the news choppers filming the aftermath, the skies of the Zone are filled with Hoppers. They have excellent in-air maneuverability, being able to lift off and land from most terrain. However, they’re easy targets for anti-air. A good hit can ground them permanently.  

Rovers are the old classic: the car, the wheeled vehicle, with a balance of speed, heft, and maneuverability. And boy are they varied. Multi-ton Armored Personal Carriers equipped with enough firepower to take on a platoon. Cutting-edge sports cars for doing sick drifts in street races. Rusting pickup trucks with a heavy machine gun in the bed. Rovers are variable and versatile.  

Roaring over the battlefield of the future, Skimmers are fixed-wing aircraft. The kings of the skies, they range from nimble dogfighters contesting airspace to flying bricks raining down close air support. While unmatched in speed, they’re not precision weapons. When you’re only over the target for a few seconds, it’s hard to be accurate. Skimmers are also dependent on airfields and runways, and the ground forces that guard them.  

Colloquially referred to as ‘mecha’, Walkers are the pinnacle of military vehicle technology. Pilots are neurolinked into the machine, essentially making it an extension of their own body. Walkers have unprecedented dexterity and control; they can build fortifications, clear blockages, fight hand to hand, and generally do all the things a human soldier can do. Well, expect for entering buildings.