TEXT: The Modern Dispatch
  Deadline,�Inc.
  Page 1
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  #32
  Deadline, Inc.
  By Michael Tresca
  NOTE: This article, while usable on its own, is best 
  used with Ronin Arts’ Modern: Mercenary Manual, 
  also by Michael Tresca.
  Taylor checked the periscope again.  Not that it 
  would do him any good.  The opposition, a squad 
  sent by Deadline, Incorporated, was spread out, 
  hiding behind crates that had proved impenetrable 
  to the main cannon.  Although Taylor’s squad had 
  superior ﬁrepower, he had limited visibility and 
  mobility, a deadly combination. 
  They needed to get out.
  Taylor’s men had seen hopeless situations before.  
  They knew the tide could suddenly turn in their favor.  
  That was the way of war.
  The ﬁve of them were tired, frustrated, and getting 
  desperate.  Executive Solutions had promised 
  reinforcements, but none arrived.
  The computer identiﬁed a series of crouching 
  targets, brieﬂy outlining them in ﬂuorescent green in 
  the scope. Taylor ﬁred. 
  The blast tore a hole in another shipping crate.  
  The crates were a double-edged sword - some were 
  capable of withstanding the blasts and barely moved 
  when hit.  Others exploded with deadly results. 
  The Deadline soldiers stayed out of sight.  Most 
  of them had run out of ammunition ﬁring at their 
  armored personnel carrier.  It was useless, there were 
  no lucky shots, no exposed gas tanks, not even an 
  eye-slit opening. 
  Taylor swung the turret back and forth, then put the 
  computer on auto-scan.  He turned to face four sullen 
  faces.
  “Where are the reinforcements,” said Bristol, his 
  corporal.  “They should have been here by now.”
  “They’ll be here!” snapped Jones.  He was a big 
  man, prone to sweating.  His uniform was soaked.
  “They’re on the move again,” Raines said over his 
  shoulder.  It was mostly due to his driving that they 
  had survived as long as they did.
  Taylor crouched over Raines’ shoulder to look 
  at the green view screen.  Suddenly, something big 
  loomed into view.
  “SonofaBITCH!” Raines shouted as he yanked 
  hard on the steering wheel.
  The armored personnel carrier lurched and it felt 
  as if it was going to tip.  Then suddenly they stopped, 
  hard.  Taylor’s head smacked into the dashboard.  He 
  cursed and fell backward.
  Raines slammed the personnel carrier into reverse.  
  Taylor tumbled backward.
  “Shit!” shouted Briggs as Taylor crashed into him.
  The personnel carrier jerked to a stop as it hit 
  something else.  Taylor stretched out and grabbed the 
  turret controls.  
  Raines gunned it, but the personnel carrier didn’t 
  move.  All they could hear was the wheels whirring 
  in place.  They were stuck.
  Taylor spun the gun’s scope around.  He couldn’t 
  see anything.  Whatever the obstacles were, they 
  were too close for the gun to see.
  THUMP. 
  Something big pushed up against the personnel 
  carrier.  
  THUMP.
  Jones started breathing fast.  “What the hell are 
  they doing out there?”
  Raines swore vehemently.  Tiny alarms were 
  ﬂashing on his control panel.
  “Motion sensors say we’re in the middle of three 
  
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  Deadline,�Inc.
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  walls,” he said grimly.  “We ain’t going nowhere 
  Searge.”
  Taylor put one ﬁnger up, silencing everyone in the 
  personnel carrier.  The only sound was the insistent 
  warning from the dashboard.  
  There was a banging sound along the side of the 
  personnel carrier, near Briggs’ head.  He jerked it 
  away involuntarily.
  Then another.
  Then another.  A horrible cacophony surrounded 
  them.  Jones started screaming at the top of the lungs 
  for them to shut up.
  The banging stopped. 
  Then they heard the voice of the enemy over the 
  comm. 
  “This is Sergeant Trey Johnson of the 52nd squad, 
  Deadline Incorporated.  We have you surrounded.  
  Surrender now and we’ll let you go.”
  The men gave each other uncertain looks.  Taylor 
  bit his lip.  
  “Maybe we should-” said Jones.  Taylor shot him a 
  glare.  He shut up.
  Taylor grabbed the mic.
  “This is Sergeant Brendan Taylor of Executive 
  Solutions,” Taylor said. “Deadline has regularly 
  violated the international articles of war.  We reject 
  your offer.”
  Jones shook his head a few times.  He disagreed 
  but he wasn’t willing to say anything about it.
  Raines, feeling useless in the front, began dictating 
  what he could see through the view screen.  
  “They’re moving around, going through the 
  crates.”
  Taylor sniffed.  “Looking for something to pry us 
  open, I bet.”
  Briggs frowned.  “Is it true?”
  “Is what true?” said Taylor.
  “Is it true they killed those guys who surrendered?”
  Deadline, Inc. was known for its quick, brutal 
  raids.  They were notorious for showing no mercy.  
  Rumors of killing prisoners abounded.  But that 
  rumor had been leveled at every mercenary company 
  since man drew breath. 
  Taylor would have taken it all back after the words 
  came out of his mouth.  But it was too late for that.
  “That’s what the reports said,” he said in a low 
  voice.
  Jones was sweating even more profusely, if that 
  was possible.
  “Maybe we should, Searge.  I dunno.  I got a bad 
  feeling about this.”
  The voice was talking again over the comm. 
  “This is Sergeant Trey Johnson.  If you do not 
  evacuate the vehicle immediately...we’ve fond rocket 
  fuel in one of these crates.” 
  “Awwww, SHIT,” said Briggs.  
  “That’s it, we gotta surrender,” said Jones.  
  “They’re going to roast us.  Oh my god they’re gonna 
  burn us alive.”
  Taylor could see his tactic was backﬁring.  He’d 
  turned the enemy into a horrifying boogeyman.  They 
  all started shouting at once.
  “Maybe we should-”
  “They’ll fry us!”
  “-the hatch and take as many down with us.”
  “SHUT UP!” shouted Taylor. 
  They shut up. Four pairs of eyes looked to him. 
  “Calm down,” he said.  “We are not going to leave 
  this vehicle.”
  Bristol looked him in the eye.  “I think that’s a 
  mistake.”
  Taylor looked back.  “Thank you corporal, I will 
  make note of your disagreement in my report.”
  He turned back to the comm. 
  “We reject your offer,” he said again.
  Taylor looked through the scope.  A hand poured 
  something liquid on the roof of the armored 
  personnel carrier.  Then it ignited.  The strange 
  green ﬂames turned into what looked like a blasting 
  inferno, overwhelming the view of the scope.
  Taylor slapped the scope away.  
  “What?” Jones said, his voice cracking.
  “Son of a BITCH,” Raines said.  
  Damn it, thought Taylor.  He’d forgotten that the 
  driver could see what the scope saw.
  “What? WHAT?” shouted Briggs.
  “They’re doing it.  The personnel carrier’s on ﬁre.”
  Jones was on the verge of tears. 
  “I say we open the hatch and blow as many of 
  those Deadline bastards as we can get,” said Briggs.  
  He patted his holster.
  “We do not know that is actual rocket fuel,” Taylor 
  said.  “This is a tactic.  They can’t get in.  We lose our 
  only advantage by going out there.  We have time on 
  our sides.  We just have to wait them out.”
  The men calmed down.  Some of them were 
  exchanging looks.  Taylor started to feel like he 
  couldn’t turn his back on them.
  The comm crackled again. 
  “Last chance. If you don’t surrender, we’re going 
  to poor this fuel down the turret.”
  There was a pause.
  “Then we’re going to light it.  Despite what you 
  may have heard, Deadline respects all articles of war 
  and will release you unharmed.”
  This time, nobody said anything.  Taylor started to 
  worry.
  “Look-” he started to say.
  “I say we surrender,” said Bristol. “All in favor, 
  raise your hands.”
  All of the men raised their hands. Except Taylor.
  “Stand down!” shouted Taylor.  “I am the 
  commanding ofﬁcer of this vehicle and you will do 
  what I say!”
  “It’s ofﬁcial. You WERE commanding ofﬁcer,” 
  said Bristol.  
  He pulled his pistol faster than Taylor was able to 
  react.  Taylor’s jaw went slack.  
  “Put this in your report, asshole.” 
  Taylor’s head bobbed backwards as the blaster 
  
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  sizzled a gaping hole through his face. The impact of 
  the blast smacked what was left of his head against 
  the armored interior.  The body ﬂopped to the ground, 
  sizzling.
  Bristol looked around. He gave a nod to Briggs.  
  They popped open the door.
  Stunned faces greeted them.
  “I’m Corporal Bristol,” he said, wiping his sweaty 
  lip with one sleeve.  “I have relieved Sergeant 
  Brendan of duty.  We surrender.”
  Deadline, Inc. is a military arm of another 
  company that has holdings in gas, oil, and minerals. 
  It considers itself to be a military consultancy, and 
  it purports to specialize in advice and problem 
  resolution for legitimate governments.  It is an 
  independent entity, but its senior ofﬁcers are former 
  military personnel from several major nations.  
  Deadline, despite working in good faith, has 
  earned itself a bad reputation for torturing, abusing, 
  and otherwise violating all aspects of the Geneva 
  Convention. This isn’t true, although it may be true of 
  its CEO. If Executive Solutions can’t stop their rival 
  outright, they can certainly slander them.  Deadline 
  doesn’t ﬁght these accusations because, at least in 
  some cases, they are uncomfortably close to Spitzer’s 
  dark past.  
  Agenda: A mercenary organization that acts as a 
  military consultancy.
  Structure: A small business.
  Symbol: A small clock with both hands at 12 
  o’clock with the words “Deadline, Inc.” in small print 
  underneath.
  Most Common Allegiance(s): Deadline, Inc., 
  United Nations, First World Countries.
  Requisition Limit: (40) military.
  Overview
  Deadline was formed as a reaction to the United 
  Nations’ inability to effectively police the world.  
  Unlike Executive Solutions, which acts exclusively 
  for monetary gain, Deadline, Inc. is on friendly terms 
  with most United Nations interests and First World 
  countries.  It ﬁlls the gaps that the United Nations 
  peacekeeping forces cannot by providing training, 
  strategy, and specialized support for internal conﬂicts.  
  Deadline’s core programs include strategic 
  planning and project development, training in a wide 
  variety of combat operations (including intelligence, 
  special operations, and electronic warfare), direct 
  combat operations, humanitarian services (medical 
  services and disaster relief), counter terrorism, 
  maritime support, and insertions into hostile 
  environments.  At least on paper, Deadline, Inc. 
  purports to be the good guys.
  Its CEO, Henry Spitzer, knows much.  Too much.  
  Most governments fear him, as he has done enough 
  black bag jobs to implicate a dozen nations if he were 
  ever to be captured.  He’s too dangerous to kill, too 
  powerful to ignore.  So they allow the relatively tiny 
  Deadline, Inc. to continue operation.  Because to do 
  otherwise is to court disaster.
  Structure
  Chief Executive Henry Spitzer, a former senior U.N. 
  peacekeeper, created Deadline in the mid-1990s. He 
  was their chief assassin for some time, taking out a 
  variety of enemies and would-be dictators that never 
  quite made it.
  Bases of Operations
  Deadline is run out of a small ofﬁce somewhere 
  in Texas.  On this ranch, troops are organized, run 
  training missions, and otherwise prepare for Henry’s 
  personal war.  
  Resources
  Deadline’s resources are large, although not nearly 
  as expansive as Executive Solutions. It negotiates 
  small, smash and grab contracts that are high on up 
  front cash and small on reimbursement. Deadline 
  doesn’t want any equipment or lodging ﬁnanced, 
  but it does expect to be paid the resources it needs to 
  get a job done.  With Deadline, there’s no haggling 
  – the company regularly walks away from dubious 
  contracts.
  Unlike Executive Solutions, Deadline doesn’t have 
  access to every piece of available hardware.  Still, its 
  has enough resources to get the job done.  
  Involving the Heroes
  PCs may end up working for Deadline after 
  becoming disillusioned with the de facto mercenary 
  organization, Executive Solutions.  PCs working 
  for Deadline will quickly become caught up in its 
  mysterious CEO’s machinations.  What crimes did he 
  commit and what is he hiding? Alternately, they could 
  be sent by Executive Solutions to commit sabotage or 
  even an assassination. 
  Using Deadline, Inc.
  Deadline, Inc. can be a cutting edge mercenary 
  company in a Modern campaign or a futuristic 
  peacekeeping task force in a Futuristic campaign.  
  The CEO, Henry Spitzer, is a vat-grown clone known 
  as a Deadliner.  Deadline, Inc. uses Super-Soldiers in 
  the ﬁeld and invests heavily in gene therapy.
  As enemies, Deadline, Inc. is formidable.  They 
  are likely to conduct clandestine raids against heroes, 
  attempting to avoid a major incident when achieving 
  their goals.  They prefer to work behind the scenes, 
  galvanized into action only when all other measures 
  fail.  
  As employers, Deadline, Inc. employees are sworn 
  to secrecy.  They operate in much the same fashion as 
  the CIA, but have a more global scope.  Employees 
  come from all over the globe and bring their non-
  traditional perspectives to the ﬁeld, often surprising 
  
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  Deadline,�Inc.
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  rival mercenary companies with traditional agents. 
  As rivals, Deadline, Inc. mercenaries struggle to be 
  seen fairly and equitably, when they are recognized at 
  all. Unfortunately, Executive Solutions has performed 
  a very successful slander campaign in the press, 
  which has diminished Deadline’s support in the 
  public arena.
  Learning About Deadline, Inc.
  The heroes can gather information about Deadline, 
  Inc. through the use of the Knowledge (current 
  events) or Research skills.  The charts below 
  represent the amount of detail a hero can collect by 
  using each skill.  
  Knowledge (Current Events)
  Deadline, Inc. makes no secret of their activities and 
  enjoys their infamy.  The popular press points to them 
  as the worst kind of mercenaries, literally “Dogs of 
  War.”
  DC 1: Deadline was formed as a reaction to the 
  United Nations’ inability to effectively police the 
  world.
  DC 5: Deadline, Inc. is a military arm of another 
  company that has holdings in gas, oil, and minerals.
  DC 10: Although Deadline, Inc. is an independent 
  entity, but its senior ofﬁcers are former military 
  personnel from several major nations.  
  DC 15: Deadline, Inc. has earned itself a bad 
  reputation for torturing, abusing, and otherwise 
  violating all aspects of the Geneva Convention.
  DC 20: Deadline, Inc. negotiates small, smash 
  and grab contracts that are high on up front cash and 
  small on reimbursement.
  DC 25: The allegations about Deadline, Inc.’s 
  violations of the Geneva Convention are untrue—lies 
  perpetrated by their competitor, Executive Solutions.  
  DC 30: Deadline, Inc.’s CEO Henry Spitzer was 
  a notorious “black bag” operative who committed 
  several assassinations on behalf of the U.N.
  Research
  Research checks represent a hero’s ability to collect 
  data about an organization through fact-ﬁnding 
  efforts like trips to the library and browsing the 
  Internet.  
  DC 1: Deadline, Inc. is a military arm of another 
  company that has holdings in gas, oil, and minerals.
  DC 5: Deadline, Inc. headquarters is located on a 
  ranch just outside of Dallas, Texas.  
  DC 10: Deadline, Inc. is on friendly terms with 
  most United Nations interests and First World 
  countries.  
  DC 15: Deadline, Inc. ﬁlls the gaps that the United 
  Nations peacekeeping forces cannot by providing 
  training, strategy, and specialized support for internal 
  conﬂicts.  
  DC 20: Deadline’s core programs include strategic 
  planning and project development, training in a wide 
  variety of combat operations (including intelligence, 
  special operations, and electronic warfare), direct 
  combat operations, humanitarian services (medical 
  services and disaster relief), counter terrorism, 
  maritime support, and insertions into hostile 
  environments.  
  DC 25: Deadline, Inc.’s CEO is actually Henry 
  Spitzer, a former U.N. peacekeeper.
  DC 30: Deadline, Inc. has been involved in every 
  major conﬂict around the globe since 2001.
  Members
  A typical attack squad consists of the following: 
  1 demolition expert (smart hero), 1 inﬁltration 
  specialist (fast hero/soldier), 4 grunts (strong hero), 
  1 physician (smart hero/ﬁeld medic), 1 tech (smart 
  hero/techie), 1 transport specialist or pilot (fast hero), 
  1 corporal (charismatic hero/soldier) 
  Spitzer speaks in a raspy, raw voice that is husky 
  from decades of smoking.  He always dresses in 
  suits that never seem to ﬁt him quite right, and his 
  hangdog expression and watery eyes belie a man who 
  has seen far too much.  Deadline acts in what appears 
  to be the UN’s best interests only because Spitzer 
  wishes it.
  Spitzer is ancient.  Rumor has it that a majority 
  of his body parts have been regrown and replaced.  
  Despite his war wounds, he is a chain smoker.  He 
  prefers to sit behind the scenes, far too cautious to 
  reveal himself.  Executive Solutions loathes Henry 
  and would very much like to see him disappear from 
  the mercenary scene…permanently.
  Henry Spitzer (Dedicated Hero 7/Helix Warrior 
  7): CR 14; Medium-size humanoid; HD 7d6+21 
  plus 7d10+21; HP 106; Mas 17; Init +3; Spd 30 ft; 
  Defense 19, touch 19, ﬂatfooted 18 (+0 size, +1 Dex, 
  +8 class); BAB +12; Grap +14; Atk +14 melee or 
  +13 ranged; FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Deadliner 
  (hibernate, sleepless); AL none; SV Fort +11, Ref +5, 
  Will +12; AP 7; Rep +8; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 
  12, Wis 11, Cha 16.
  Occupation: Military (bonus class skills: Hide, 
  Move Silently).
  Skills: Balance +2, Bluff +6, Climb +3, Computer 
  Use +2, Craft (chemical) +2, Craft (electronic) +2, 
  Craft (mechanical) +2, Craft (pharmaceutical) +3, 
  Craft (structural) +2, Decipher Script +2, Demolitions 
  +2, Diplomacy +4, Disable Device +5, Disguise 
  +6, Drive +2, Escape Artist +2, Forgery +2, Gather 
  Information +4, Hide +3, Intimidate +4, Investigate 
  +3, Jump +3, Knowledge (Civics) +3, Knowledge 
  (Tactics) +5, Listen +4, Move Silently +3, Navigate 
  +2, Pilot +2, Read/Write Language +2, Search 
  +2, Sense Motive +1, Sleight of Hand +2, Speak 
  Language +1, Spot +6, Survival +4, Swim +6, Treat 
  Injury +2, Tumble +5.
  Feats: Advanced Firearms Proﬁciency, Alertness, 
  Blind-Fight, Combat Reﬂexes, Deceptive, Defensive 
  Martial Arts, Elusive Target, Endurance, Iron Will, 
  Leadership, Personal Firearms Proﬁciency, Renown.
  Talents (Dedicated Hero): Skill Emphasis 
  (Disable Device), Aware, Cool Under Pressure, Faith.
  
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  Talents (Helix Warrior): Haul, Light Sleeper, 
  Survivor, Darkvision (60 ft.), Strong As An Ox, 
  Superior Conditioning, Darkvision (90 ft.), Improved 
  Reaction.
  Deadline, Inc. Genetic Therapy
  Deadline, Inc. scientists discovered how to not 
  only replace abnormal or defective genes, but also 
  safely improve on otherwise healthy genes. Even 
  more importantly, they discovered ways to create 
  retroviruses that target all of an organism’s cells, 
  thus allowing them to change various aspects of a 
  creature. 
  Genetic manipulation can endow a creature with 
  any special quality. In general, discovering the 
  effects of performing a speciﬁc genetic modiﬁcation, 
  requires 3d10 days and a successful Research check. 
  The DC for this check should be no lower than 20 
  and can be as high as the GM prefers. Scientiﬁc 
  research is painstaking and even experiments based 
  on solid theories must often be attempted several 
  times before providing a conclusive result.
  Once the therapy begins, the soldier must make 
  a Fortitude saving throw (DC varies) once per day 
  until such time as he achieves a speciﬁc number of 
  successes linked to the genetic modiﬁcation being 
  attempted (at which point he permanently gains that 
  special quality). Every time a save fails, the soldier 
  suffers 2 points of Constitution damage.
  Type of Special Quality
  Fort Save DC
  Number of 
  Successes
  +1 to one ability score
  15
  10
  Extraordinary ability (Ex)
  15
  15
  Supernatural ability (Su)
  20
  25
  Spell-like ability (Sp)
  20
  50
  During therapy, the ability remains latent, so 
  the soldier receives no beneﬁts from the intended 
  manipulation. Immediately upon completing the 
  required number of Fortitude saves, the ability 
  activates and becomes a permanent special quality 
  of the soldier. A short-term treatment automatically 
  takes effect in 1d4 minutes and lasts for 1d3 hours. 
  At the end of that time, the character reverts to his 
  normal state, is fatigued, and suffers 4 points of 
  Constitution damage. A successful Fortitude saving 
  throw (DC 15) reduces this to only 2 points of 
  Constitution damage.
  To create more drastic changes, the soldier must 
  undergo several gene therapy treatments, each one 
  requiring a separate set of Fortitude saving throws.
  Deadliner (Template)
  “Deadliner” is an acquired template that can be added 
  to any humanoid that is employed by Deadline, Inc. 
  (referred to hereafter as the character). It uses all the 
  character’s statistics and special abilities except as 
  noted here.
  The Deadliner template allows the character to 
  go for long periods without sleep and still function 
  normally. It also allows the character to enter into 
  a sleeplike trance that lasts for many days without 
  suffering the effects of dehydration or starvation. 
  A character acquires the Deadliner template by 
  undergoing a course of gene therapy (above). The 
  regimen requires 25 successful Fortitude saving 
  throws (DC 20).
  Special Qualities: A Deadliner retains all the 
  special qualities of the character and gains the 
  additional special qualities listed below.
  Hibernate (Ex): A Deadliner can enter into a 
  sleeplike state that lasts for an extended period. 
  While in this state, the Deadliner does not suffer 
  the effects of dehydration or starvation. Hibernation 
  can last up to a number of days equal to twice the 
  character’s Constitution. The Deadliner decides how 
  long the hibernation will last before entering into 
  the sleeplike state. If outside forces disturb or try to 
  awaken the character, the Deadliner must succeed at 
  a Will saving throw (DC 15) to end the hibernation 
  prematurely.
  Sleepless (Ex): The Deadliner does not suffer the 
  detrimental effects of sleep deprivation. Once per 
  day, the Deadliner can spend 10 minutes meditating 
  and receive all the beneﬁts of a full 8 hours of sleep. 
  However, Deadliners cannot go indeﬁnitely without 
  sleep. Once every 30 days, the character must get 
  2 full days of uninterrupted sleep or hibernation. 
  Failure to do so makes the Deadliner fatigued.
  Saving Throws: A Deadliner gains a +2 species 
  bonus on all Will saving throws.
  Advancement: By character class.
  Deadline, Inc. Super-Soldier
  While Executive Solutions has chosen to invest in 
  cybernetic technologies, Deadline, Inc. prefers a 
  more natural route.  They success of their Deadliner 
  gene therapy has been coupled with an advanced 
  training program dedicated to maximizing each 
  soldier’s superior physical abilities.  The results are 
  truly frightening.
  Requirements
  To qualify to become a Super-Soldier, a character 
  must fulﬁll the following criteria.
  Base Attack Bonus: +3.
  Skill: Knowledge (tactics) 3 ranks.
  Template: Deadliner.
  Class Information
  The following information pertains to the Super-
  Soldier advanced class.
  Hit Die: The Super-Soldier gains 1d10 hit points 
  per level. The character’s Constitution modiﬁer 
  applies.
  Action Points: The Super-Soldier gains a number 
  of action points equal to 6 + one-half her character 
  level, rounded down, every time she attains a new 
  level in this class.
  Class Skills: The Super-Soldier’s class skills are as 
  
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  follows: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Computer Use 
  (Int), Demolitions (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide 
  (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), 
  Move Silently (Dex), Navigate (Int), Spot (Wis), 
  Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex).
  Skill Points at Each Level: 3 + Int modiﬁer (2 + 
  Int modiﬁer for nonhumans).
  Class Features
  The following class features pertain to the Super-
  Soldier advanced class.
  Haul: Super-Soldiers can carry more heavy gear 
  than the typical soldier. A Super-Soldier’s Strength 
  is considered 4 points higher for the purpose of 
  determining her carrying capacity.
  Light Sleeper: Super-Soldiers are light sleepers 
  and can make Listen checks even while asleep, 
  without penalty. (A sleeping character normally takes 
  a –10 penalty on Listen checks.)
  Survivor: When a Super-Soldier spends an action 
  point to modify the result of a saving throw, she 
  may roll an additional 1d6 and take the best result, 
  discarding the lower roll(s).
  Darkvision: Beginning at 2nd level, a Super-
  Soldier gains darkvision. She can see in total 
  darkness out to a range of 60 feet. Darkvision is 
  black-and-white only, but is otherwise like normal 
  sight. The range of the Super-Soldier’s darkvision 
  improves to 90 feet at 5th level and 120 feet at 8th 
  level.
  Bonus Feats: At 3rd, 6th, and 9th level, the 
  Super-Soldier gets a bonus feat. The bonus feat must 
  be selected from the following list, and the Super-
  Soldier must meet all the prerequisites of the feat to 
  select it: Advanced Combat Martial Arts, Advanced 
  Firearms Proﬁciency, Armor Proﬁciency (light), 
  Armor Proﬁciency (medium), Armor Proﬁciency 
  (heavy), Armor Proﬁciency (powered), Athletic, 
  Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Combat Reﬂexes, 
  Combat Throw, Dead Aim, Defensive Martial Arts, 
  Elusive Target, Exotic Firearms Proﬁciency, Far 
  Shot, Great Fortitude, Improved Combat Martial 
  Arts, Improved Combat Throw, Improved Disarm, 
  Improved Trip, Iron Will, Lightning Reﬂexes, Nerve 
  Pinch, Surface Vehicle Operation, Ultra Immune 
  System, Weapon Focus, Whirlwind Attack, Zero-G 
  Training.
  Strong As An Ox: At 4th level and beyond, the 
  Super-Soldier’s carrying capacity increases as if 
  she were one size category larger (Large instead of 
  Medium-size, for example).
  Superior Conditioning: Beginning at 5th level, 
  a Super-Soldier learns how to shake off adverse 
  conditions. When a Super-Soldier is subjected to 
  one of the following conditions, the duration of 
  the condition’s effect is halved: cowering, dazed, 
  exhausted, fatigued, nauseated, panicked, paralyzed, 
  shaken, and stunned. If the condition’s duration is 
  only 1 round, the Super-Soldier is not affected at all.
  Improved Reaction: At 7th level, a Super-Soldier 
  gains a +2 competence bonus on initiative checks.
  Decisive Attack: At 10th level, when a Super-
  Soldier spends an action point to modify the result of 
  an attack roll, she may roll an additional 1d6 and take 
  the best result, discarding the lower roll(s).
  Trey checked the ammunition on his smart riﬂe.  
  Not that it would do him any good.  The opposition, 
  a squad sent by Executive Solutions, were in an 
  armored personnel carrier with a cannon on top that 
  had already killed thirteen of his men.  They were 
  out-manned, out-gunned, and trapped between heavy 
  artillery and the open desert.  
  They needed that personnel carrier.
  They had seen hopeless situations before.  Trey 
  knew the tide could suddenly turn in their favor.  That 
  was the way of war.
  Every vehicle, every weapon, every mercenary had 
  a weakness. It was just a matter of discovering it.
  The cannon ﬁred again.  Trey had his men spread 
  out, making them a difﬁcult target—if the Executive 
  Solutions soldiers were going to kill his squad; he 
  was at least going to make it hard for them.
  The explosion tore a hole in another shipping crate.  
  The crates were a double-edged sword - some were 
  capable of withstanding the blasts and barely moved 
  when hit.  Others exploded, frying four of Trey’s 
  men. 
  They kept out of sight.  Most of them men had run 
  out of ammunition ﬁring at the armored personnel 
  carrier.  It was useless, there were no lucky shots, no 
  exposed gas tanks, not even an eye-slit opening.
  Trey had an idea.
  The armored personnel carrier was forwarding and 
  TABLE 1-1: SUPER SOLDIER
  Class 
  Level
  Base Attack 
  Bonus
  Fort 
  Save
  Ref 
  Save
  Will 
  Save
  Special
  Defense 
  Bonus
  Reputation 
  Bonus
  1st
  +1
  +1
  +0
  +1
  Haul, light sleeper, survivor
  +1
  +0
  2nd
  +2
  +2
  +0
  +2
  Darkvision (60 ft.)
  +1
  +0
  3rd
  +3
  +2
  +1
  +2
  Bonus feat
  +2
  +1
  4th
  +4
  +2
  +1
  +2
  Strong as an ox
  +2
  +1
  5th
  +5
  +3
  +1
  +3
  Darkvision (90 ft.), superior conditioning
  +3
  +1
  6th
  +6
  +3
  +2
  +3
  Bonus feat
  +3
  +2
  7th
  +7
  +4
  +2
  +4
  Improved reaction
  +4
  +2
  8th
  +8
  +4
  +2
  +4
  Darkvision (120 ft.)
  +4
  +2
  9th
  +9
  +4
  +3
  +4
  Bonus feat
  +5
  +3
  10th
  +10
  +5
  +3
  +5
  Decisive attack
  +5
  +3
  
  The Modern Dispatch
  Deadline,�Inc.
  Page 7
  reversing, swinging the turret wildly to and fro as it 
  picked out targets.  It was computer-guided, which 
  made it twice as deadly.  But the computer did not 
  drive the vehicle; that was up to a mercenary.
  Trey called four of his men over and pointed at the 
  crate he was hiding behind.  Then he began pushing 
  it; it took only a second for his men to understand 
  what he meant.  
  They put their backs into it. Slowly, inch-by-inch, 
  it started to move.  As they gained traction, they 
  moved it into the armored personnel carrier’s path.  
  Trey shouted into his mike. The other groups 
  complied.
  The personnel carrier veered wildly to the left, 
  easily circumventing the ﬁrst crate, but it slammed 
  into the one Trey’s me pushed out immediately 
  behind it.  The wheels squealed as the driver shifted 
  to reverse and gunned it...
  Only to hit another crate that was pushed into place 
  immediately behind it.  The turret swung around, 
  ﬁred in a panic, but it wasn’t able to point downward 
  enough to hit the crates butted up against it.
  A minute later, another crate was in place.  The 
  personnel carrier was trapped on three sides.
  Trey’s men began banging on the personnel carrier.  
  “This is Sergeant Trey Johnson of the 52nd squad, 
  Deadline Incorporated.  We have you surrounded.  
  Surrender now and we’ll let you go.”
  There was silence at ﬁrst.  Trey was so close to the 
  personnel carrier that he could hear them through 
  the armor on the other side.  He was running out of 
  time—in a few hours more troops would arrive.  He 
  needed that personnel carrier.
  “This is Sergeant Brendan Taylor of Executive 
  Solutions.  Deadline has regularly violated the 
  international articles of war.  We reject your offer.”
  Trey sighed.  He didn’t have time for this pissing 
  match.
  He turned to his second. “There was fuel in one of 
  those crates, wasn’t there?  Pry open a few more and 
  see if there’s anything else that might be ﬂammable.”
  His second set his jaw. He knew what Trey meant.
  Five crates later they found what they needed.  It 
  was weak propellant, old world stuff that would never 
  get through armor.  But for psychological purposes, it 
  would do.
  Trey walked over to the armored personnel carrier.  
  “This is Sergeant Trey Johnson.  If you do not 
  evacuate the vehicle immediately...we’ve found 
  rocket fuel in one of these crates.” 
  He let the threat hang in the air.  
  Voices were raised inside the vehicle.  
  Brendan’s voice was still calm, but there was 
  clearly some disagreement inside armored personnel 
  carrier. 
  “We reject your offer,” he said again.
  Jesus, thought Trey, he’s awfully calm.
  Trey poured some of the fuel in front of the sight 
  for the cannon.  Then he lit it.
  Some of his men stood around, curious. 
  He nodded.  Silence was sometimes more effective.
  Minutes went by.  Although outside the ﬁre looked 
  completely unthreatening, inside that was the only 
  thing the ES mercs could see.  
  Trey set his watch.  Five hundred seconds. 
  “Last chance,” he shouted through his audio 
  enhancer. “If you don’t surrender, we’re going to 
  poor this fuel down the turret.”
  He paused for effect.
  “Then we’re going to light it.  Despite what you 
  may have heard, Deadline respects all articles of war 
  and will release you unharmed.”
  Another spate of arguing started in the armored 
  personnel carrier.  Trey took out an herb-stick and lit 
  it.  The likelihood of the ancient propellant igniting 
  anything was about as likely as a sparkler setting off 
  a nuclear missile.  
  The vehicle rocked.  Something was going on.
  There was a shout and then a sharp SPTANG! 
  sound.
  The door to the armored personnel carrier opened.  
  A man with a bloodied blaster pistol stood in the 
  opening. 
  “I’m Corporal Bristol,” he said, wiping his sweaty 
  lip with one sleeve.  “I have relieved Sergeant 
  Brendan of duty.  We surrender.”
  
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