Carbon Grey Quickstart v1F
Carbon Grey Quickstart v1F
Carbon Grey Quickstart v1F
OPERATION: QUICKSTART
The mission brief you are reading
is the Quickstart document for
the Carbon Grey RPG. A condensed
and simplified version of the full
game, the Quickstart is designed to
introduce you to the world of Carbon
Grey and the Magnetic Variant of the
West End Games D6 System ruleset.
It also includes an introductory
adventure and some pregenerated
characters to play. For the full force
action of this war-torn world, you'll
need the Carbon Grey Role-Playing
Game Core Rulebook or Deluxe Boxed
Set Edition.
Carbon Grey, The Roleplaying Game, Published 2021 by Magnetic Press, LLC.
Officially licensed by Magnetic Press, LLC based on the ‘Carbon Grey’ graphic novel series
by Hoang Nguyen, Khari Evans, Mike Kennedy and Paul Gardner © Hoang Nguyen 2016. All rights reserved.
WEST END GAMES™, D6™, and their associated distinctive designs are trademarks of Nocturnal Media.
MAGNETIC PRESS™, MAGNETIC™, and their associated distinctive designs are trademarks of Magnetic Press, LLC.
No similarity between any of the names, characters, persons, and/or institutions in this book with those of any living or
dead person or institution is intended and any such similarity which may exist is purely coincidental.
www.magnetic-press.com www.magneticpressplay.com
CREDITS
CREATIVE DIRECTOR/LEAD WRITER: ANDREW E.C. GASKA
GAME DESIGNER: E.L. THOMAS
EDITOR: MIKE OLSON
ART: HOANG NGUYEN AND KHARI EVANS
GRAPHIC DESIGN: JARED EARLE/NIGHTFALL GAMES
ANDREW E.C. GASKA
FORCES ON
THE FRONT
These are but a smattering of the friends
and foes—mostly foes—who await you
on the battlefield.
PURGE CORPS
The Kaiser’s most effective and
highly feared force after the Sisters
Grey, the troopers of the Purge Corps
have a reputation for quick, efficient
completion of missions, and usually the
complete devastation of their targets.
The ominous drab uniforms, full-face
gas mask and headgear, cutting-edge
armor, and high-tech armaments give
the Purge Corps an advantage over all
but the most seasoned of soldiers.
FENRIS PACKS
The sight of stark-white, horse-sized
Fenris Wolves in the otherwise drab
landscape of war is a recent addition
to the battlefields of Mitteleuropa.
Humankind has destroyed the habitat
of the noble creatures, forcing them
into the trenches and ruined villages in
search of food and shelter.
NO BOARD—AND NO
PATH BUT YOUR OWN
While characters’ actions and
movements can be plotted on a map
using detailed miniatures, there
is no board for this game. How to
proceed during any given adventure is
completely up to you. If the mission
seems to be leading your character
west, you can turn around and go east.
This might be a really bad idea—it may
get you killed!—or you may find an
alternative solution to the problem, but
either way, the choice is yours.
MINI YOU
While they are not necessary for
gameplay, scale gaming miniatures
can be used in conjunction with maps
and tiles to help players visualize their
character in relation to the world
around them. Many of the character
archetypes on the following pages have
a corresponding detailed 32mm-scale
miniature, included in the Carbon Grey
RPG Deluxe Boxed Set.
RELUCTANT MENTOR
The Reluctant Mentor is an elder expert
of a defeated house. Too useful to be
eliminated, they are given the chance to
prove their loyalty as advisors to the new
regime.
SOVEREIGN
An elder statesperson, the Sovereign’s
knowledge of the inner workings of
Mitteleuropa’s halls of power makes
them a formidable asset in the war
against oppression.
FOR CLASSIC D6
SYSTEM FANS
If you’re coming to the Carbon Grey
RPG from previous D6 System games
like Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game,
you may notice the attributes are a bit
different. We’ve broken up Technical
between Knowledge and Mechanical,
and introduced Willpower to cover most
situations involving social interaction
and self-discipline.
MEDICAL
SURVIVAL
(BASIC, SLOW)
(QUICK, BASIC, SLOW)
First aid, medical treatments, and
Surviving and thriving in the wilderness,
surgery. For details on treating injury, see
including navigation, orienteering, fire-
page 39.
making, tracking, foraging, and the like.
SCHOLAR
TECHNICAL
(QUICK, BASIC, SLOW)
(QUICK, BASIC, SLOW)
Fields of knowledge other than applied
Knowledge relating to industrial,
sciences, such as art, linguistics, history,
electrical, or information technology.
philosophy, religion, and tactics.
REPAIR/DISABLE STREETWISE
(BASIC, SLOW) (SLOW)
Repairing, modifying, and disabling Making contact with criminals and
machines. For details, see The Carbon locating places to acquire, sell, trade or
Grey Role Playing Game Core Rulebook. buy black-market or illegal goods and or
services.
DECLARING ACTIONS
After determining the initiative order,
everyone on the side with the highest
initiative declares what they’ll be doing
that round, including what skills they
plan to use and what movement they’ll
take, if any. Usually it’s simple to decide
which skill corresponds to the desired
action, but when in doubt, the GM
and players can work it out together.
Everyone acts in whatever order
everyone on that side wishes, whether
they’re players or the GM.
UNUSUAL ATTACKS
There’s a whole lot more a character
can do in combat besides poking holes
in their enemy. Grappling, disarming,
and tricking your foe are time-honored
traditions.
EFFECT ON
SITUATION
ATTACKS
Ranged attacks use Marksmanship for When calculating these defenses, drop
ranged weapons, Thrown for thrown any modifiers to the attribute. For
weapons, and Gunnery for artillery, example, the defenses of a character with
vehicle-mounted weapons, and the like. DEX 3D+2, PER 2D+1, and WIL 3D are
The difficulty of a ranged attack is set Surprised 6. Ready 9, and Psyche 9.
by a combination of the target’s defense
modified by the range of the attack. The
further away the attacker is, the more
FULL DEFENSE
difficult it is to score a hit. When a character’s prime concern in a
combat round is not getting hurt, they
can go Full Defense as a Basic action
SRP DEFENSES on their turn. This lets them add their
Every character has three defenses: a Reflex or Instinct die code to any STR
Surprised defense, a Ready defense, roll they make to resist physical damage,
and a Psyche defense. The first two or add their Grit die code to any WIL
are for avoiding physical attacks, such roll they make to resist mental trauma.
as in combat; the third is for resisting For example, if a character with STR 3D
intimidation or fear. The relevant and Reflex 2D goes Full Defense against
defense sets the DN for the attack roll. an attack, they’d roll 3D+2 to resist its
damage.
Your Surprised defense applies when
you don’t see an attack coming. Whether In practice, Full Defense is rolling with
you’re being ambushed or simply a hit to avoid the worst of the damage,
stabbed in the back by a “friend,” this is or gritting your teeth and enduring
your attacker’s target number. fear, toture, or other mentally taxing
situations. Full Defense has no effect on
Your Ready defense applies when you a character’s Surprised, Ready, or Psyche
do see an attack coming. Whether you defenses. If the character takes another
started it or the other guy did, the higher Basic action in the round, they lose the
this defense, the harder you are to hit. benefits of Full Defense.
MORTALLY WOUNDED
For example, the defender gets a 15 on
their STR roll. They are Stunned if the As Incapacitated, but until they are no
DMG is 14 or less, Wounded if DMG is 15 longer Mortally Wounded, they must roll
2D at the end of every round.
ACTIVITY DN
Running a kilometer 5
Running 10 kilometers,
engaging in a day’s hard 10
labor, eating rotten food
Enduring a harsh
15
environment for an hour
Enduring a harsh
environment for several 20
hours
MENTAL RECOVERY
A character suffering from mental trauma can receive treatment from another character
using a skill appropriate to the nature of the trauma, such as Medical or even Charm.
A character can also “heal” themselves using WIL (Grit). (The penalty imposed by the
trauma doesn’t apply to these rolls.) The DN of the roll depends on the severity of the
penalty, as shown below.
Ammo 10 (box
Emissary’s Sidearm 4D 3-10 / 11-30/ 31-120
magazine)*, pistol
Ammo 8 (box
Officer’s Pistol 5D 3-10 / 11-30 / 31-120
magazine), pistol
Ammo 30 (box
Submachine Gun 5D 3-25 / 26-60 / 61-250
magazine), SMG
Ammo 5 (box
Huntsman Bolt- 3-30 / 31-100 / 101-
4D+2 magazine), sporting
Action Rifle 300
rifle
Ammo 6 (box
Zuverlässig Z93 3-30 / 31-100 / 101-
5D magazine), assault
Infantry Rifle 300
rifle
Ammo 5 (box
Witwenmacher 3-100 / 101-300 / 301-
9D magazine), sniper
Sniper Rifle 900
rifle
Pump-Action
8D* 3-6 / 7-14 / 15-30 Ammo 5, shotgun
Shotgun
Fragmentation
5D 3-7 / 8-20 / 21-40 Scatter
Grenade
armor out there that mitigates these a lot. Every firefight feels even deadlier
penalties, but for the standard armor a when you know there are only so many
character is likely to encounter, these times you can pull that trigger.
penalties apply.
RELOADING
AMMUNITION Ammo comes in many different forms,
AND RELOADING from arrows and loose bullets to spring-
loaded magazines and drums. Some
As you might expect in the Carbon Grey weapons on the Firearms and Grenades
RPG, firearms are commonplace, and table (page 45) are listed as using box
bullets even more so. magazines that store rounds and feed
them into the gun’s chamber for rapid
AMMO STYLES firing. The rest have to be loaded a round
at a time, or, in the case of a revolver like
There are two ways to handle
the Reliable, using a speedloader that
ammunition and reloading in
quickly loads six rounds at once.
your games: Unlimited Ammo or
Quartermaster Ammo. It’s up to the GM For simplicity’s sake, the guidelines for
to pick the one that best fits the playstyle reloading are broken down into general
of the group. types and their corresponding actions, as
shown below.
UNLIMITED AMMO
Lead sprays freely, revolvers rarely seem
ACTION
to run low on bullets, and only when it is RELOAD TYPE
REQUIRED
pivotal to the story does a hero need to
reload. With Unlimited Ammo, ammo Nocking an arrow or
is a state of mind. A PC’s gun only runs Quick
readying a sling
out of bullets when the player rolls a 1
on their Wild Die, or when the GM gives Loading a single
them a Hero Point in exchange. bullet, shell, or Basic
crossbow bolt
QUARTERMASTER AMMO
Changing out a
They put ammo capacities into the magazine or drum, or Basic
game for a reason, you know. With using a speedloader
Quartermaster Ammo, every player
tracks their ammunition expenditures, Basic, and
and when they’re out, they’re out. This Changing an ammo
adds an
means a bit more bookkeeping, but not belt or loading a
additional
black-powder weapon
-1D penalty
FOR CLASSIC D6
SYSTEM FANS
In previous D6 System games, vehicles
had a Hull or Body Strength attribute.
We’ve changed it to Frame for a few
reasons. It’s unambiguous, more
concise, and works with a broad range
of vehicle types, from bicycles to
mechs and more.
Maneuverability (MVR). How well the by another vehicle, or any other time
vehicle can perform complex maneuvers. getting from one point to another as
The higher the die code, the more agile it quickly as possible is the primary factor
is. Add the vehicle’s MVR die code to any of the roll. A lumbering bulldozer has
skill roll the operator makes that involves SPD 1D, but a future-tech fighter plane
quick or precise positioning. The typical could have SPD 6D!
tugboat has MVR 1D, while a typical
motorcycle has MVR 3D or 4D. Vehicles are further defined by a few
other traits, including payload (how
Speed (SPD). How fast a vehicle can much it can carry), assets (upgrades or
travel and the power of its engines. improvements for special vehicles), and
The higher the die code, the higher scale. All of these can affect a vehicle’s
the horsepower. Add the vehicle’s SPD attributes and performance. For more,
die code to any skill roll the operator check out the core rulebook.
makes when pursuing or being pursued
SRP DEFENSES
Surprised 9
Readied 9
Psyche 9
Deceptive: The Resistance Spy gains
+1D bonus to all Charm and Con skill
rolls.
Weapons: Emissary’s Sidearm, folding
knife (knife)
ARM: 0D
Other Gear: Pencil, scrap paper, wire
cutters, common clothing, extra pistol
ammo (1 magazine of 10 rounds)
GREEN
RECRUIT
DEX 2D+2
Melee 1D
KNO 2D+2
Medical 1D
MEC 2D+1
Demolitions 1D
PER 2D+1
Marksmanship 1D
STR 3D+2
Stamina 1D
Throwing 1D
WIL 2D+1
Grit 1D
SRP DEFENSES
Surprised 6
Readied 6
Psyche 6
New Guy Luck: Once per round, the
Green Recruit can reroll 1D of one of
their attribute or skill rolls.
Weapons: Eagleton E1 Carbine (uses the
statistics of the Zuverlässig Z93 infantry
rifle), bayonet
ARM: +2 (helmet +1, uniform +1)
Other Gear: Rifle ammo (4 magazines
of 15 rounds each)
THE CARBON
CARB GREY ROLE PLAYING GAME 55
Gianlucca Rech (order #31333391)
INFANTRY OFFICER THUG (CANNON FODDER)
DEX 2D+2 DEX 2D
Melee 2D Melee 1D
KNO 3D+2 KNO 1D
Scholar 1D MEC 1D
MEC 1D+1 PER 3D
PER 2D+1 Investigate 1D
Marksmanship 2D Marksmanship 1D
Evaluate 1D STR 3D
STR 2D+2 Brawl 1D
WIL 3D+1 WIL 2D
Command 3D
SRP DEFENSES
Grit 3D
Surprised 9
SRP DEFENSES Readied 6
Surprised 6 Psyche 6
Readied 6 Weapons: Reliable Revolver, brass
Psyche 9 knuckles
ARM: 0D
Confident Leader: Once per round,
Other Gear: Illicit goods worth 1d6
the Infantry Officer can take a Quick
Marks
action to grant +1D to all Grit, Gunner,
Marksmanship, Melee, and Stamina rolls
made by allies within 20 meters who can
hear or see them.
Weapons: Officer’s Sidearm,
submachine gun, cavalry saber (sword)
ARM: +2 (helmet +1, uniform +1)
Other Gear: Signal whistle, pistol
ammo (4 magazines of 8 rounds each),
submachine gun ammo (4 magazines of
30 rounds each)
A QUICKSTART SETUP
ADVENTURE FOR THE The PCs are sent on a supposedly easy
courier mission that turns into a running
CARBON GREY RPG rescue-and-escort mission real quick
This short adventure is meant to thrust when they find a bunch of crying kids
players into the Carbon Grey RPG. It and a wounded contact.
starts off right in the action and takes off
from there. BACKGROUND
The events of the adventure are divided Horst Hahanentritt, a lesser lord seeking
into a few sections, with random higher standing with the Kaiser, offered
encounters to fill in the gaps, as follows: his glorious leader the promise of a state-
of-the-art warplane—a promise beyond
Setup. Here you present the players with what his wealth and landholdings
the immediate backstory, give everyone could truly provide. In an effort to
a chance to introduce their PC, and sort fulfill his obligation, Herr Hananentritt
out each PC’s motivations for being conscripted the folk of several remote
here in the first place. The PCs find their villages to construct and staff a hastily
contact more dead than alive in a pine erected factory facility and work camp.
forest, leaving them with a dozen scared To ensure the conscripted workers’
children to look after and several guards cooperation, the misguided nobleman
to deal with. Will the PCs make a mad held their children hostage at a nearby
dash to the getaway truck with a gaggle location.
of kids in tow, or turn and fight… with a
When the local arm of resistance fighters
gaggle of kids in tow?
got wind of the remote facility and began
Shooting Gallery. The PCs traverse to investigate, the conscripted workers
dangerous territory while being hunted had already suffered through months
by a merciless sniper. of hard labor and separation from their
children. By the time Greta, a resistance
Almost Home. The PCs reach their operative posing as a cook, managed to
truck and face one final obstacle to get herself onto the workcamp kitchen
getting their charges to safety. staff, the prototype plane was due to be
completed in only a few weeks.
RANDOM
ENCOUNTERS
At several points during this adventure,
you’ll be asked to roll on the Random
Foe Encounter Table below to determine
what opposition the PCs will face.
You’ll only roll 1D, but you may apply
modifiers to the roll as explained after
the table.
RANDOM FOE
ENCOUNTER TABLE
1D RESULT
1-2 2 Guards
3-4 3 Guards
5-6 1D Guards
ALL THE LITTLE CHILDREN For the most part, the children act as
one, following each other’s leads. For
The twelve kids are split evenly between
convenience, you can make one roll for
boys and girls, and all between five
all the children in the scene rather than
and eight years old. They’re also all
making individual rolls, unless you really
malnourished, sick, and as scared as
want to.
you’d expect them to be.
The PCs have limited supplies--just What happens next depends on what the
what gear their character templates PCs do. The sections that follow account
have listed. This was supposed to be no for the most likely situations, but players
big deal, and they’re not prepared for will often throw you for a loop. If they
anything else. come up with an idea we didn’t cover,
good! Use what we’ve provided here to
The kids trust Greta and won’t willingly help you sort it out.
leave her behind. If the PCs agree to help
Greta, the children will cooperate, within • If the PCs are still at the clearing
reason. Otherwise, they’ll make all kinds when the guards arrive, go to Make A
of trouble. The PCs may find it difficult Stand.
to sneaking through the woods with a
dozen wailing children. • If some of the PCs go out to hold off
the guards to give everyone else a
When the PCs arrive, Greta is Mortally chance to get away, go to I’ll Hold
Wounded (For Greta,use the Resistance ‘Em Off.
Spy stats on page 54). Explain to the • If they try to just distract
players what that means, then roll 2d6 to them instead, go to Dangerous
show them you mean business. If doesn’t Distraction.
receive treatment, she will die.
• If all the PCs, kids, and Greta have
Overwhelming forces—camp guards, already left the clearing when the
war dogs, and a very vicious officer and guards arrive, go to We Move Like
his loyal sharpshooter—are currently Ghosts.
closing in on three sides, so the clock is
ticking. During this section, the PCs may try to
pass through The Creek (Area 2) and or
Tension is the name of the game here. may just risk The Rolling Pines (Area 3),
Danger is closing in and there’s little as shown on the map. Whether they use
time to think. Play up the sounds of the cover of the creek as far as they are
muffled speech and cracking twigs as the able, risk the road, or just cut thrrough
searching guards and dogs begin closing the rolling pines, eventually they will get
in on three sides of the clearing. Roll to Sapling Swath (Area 4). Move to the
1D3+1 to determine how many rounds next section, Shooting Gallery.
MAKE A STAND flight, and may end with the guards and
dogs pushing past those PCs attempting
This plan is straightforward, but
to hold the line and chasing the others as
extremely risky. The PCs will have to
they race to their getaway.
weather wave after wave of guard and
dogs and are likely to be overwhelmed. Alternately, that forward force of PCs
might go hunting, pulling the pursuing
Make three rolls on the Random Foe
guards and dogs in opposite directions
Encounter Table and arrange the results
and allowing the other PCs to get their
around the clearing in three cardinal
charges back to the truck with minimal
directions. Roll once on the table at the
risk and fewer foes to encounter.
start of each subsequent round until the
PCs run or are defeated. Finally, the players might think to
use some or all of the PCs as a roving
If the PCs flee, their foes will follow.
perimeter around the kids and Greta to
Continue to roll for a random foe at the
protect them on all sides as they move. If
start of each round. Should the PCs
the PCs deal with threats they encounter
change their tactics, go to the relevant
quietly, the group could make it back
section (I’ll Hold ‘Em Off, Dangerous
to the truck without too much trouble.
Distraction, or We Move Like Ghosts)
Obviously, it shouldn’t be easy for them
and proceed from there.
to do this, especially with barking dogs
and signal whistles in the mix, but as the
I’LL HOLD EM OFF GM it’s good practice to reward clever
This strategy is actually one of a few thinking with a fighting chance.
related plans.
DANGEROUS DISTRACTION
The players may split the party, using
some PCs to hold off the incoming foes Instead of fighting, in this plan a
others escort Greta and the kids to the detachment of PCs splits off from the
truck. This will entail both fight and kids to make noise and draw the guards
in the wrong direction. While brave, it
It wasn’t hard to lose your pursuers in • The PCs discover that the resistance
the thick pines where you stashed the sold them out! Now they have kids to
truck. You can still hear the shouts and protect while trying to fight their way
whistles of the guards mingled with the clear of an ambush from turncoat
growling yelps of their vicious canine resistance fighters and concealed
counterparts. After pushing branch after soldiers.
branch of the close-set pines, there it • The PCs get the kids back safely, but
is--the truck! The vehicle looks just as are asked by the resistance to help
you left it earlier today. It’s time to load free the other children from the work
up as quickly as possible before you are camp in a daring moonlight raid
discovered… and hope the road back isn’t while the resistance fighters bomb
as full of enemies as the woods you’re the manufacturing facility.
leaving behind.
• Greta isn’t Greta, but a Kaiser • Did the players portray their
loyalist or double-agent using the characters well? (1-3 Skill Points
PCs to uncover the resistance base. each)
ARM:
OTHER GEAR: