Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - CW 6e Equipment Tech Level and Avaiiability Ratings

HeatDeath · 07-11-2022, 02:39 AM

I 've build an UNOFFICIAL spreadsheet that divides all of the CW6e equipment into technology levels that tell you where the equipment can be obtained or repaired. This is designed to facilitate campaign games where the players may find themselves in e.g. a small town in the middle of nowhere, and asking themselves very important questions like "Is there a shop here who can repair my shot-up Betatron? Or at least sell me some steel plate to weld over the holes from our last fight?"

The spreadsheet can be found at this link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

The weapons are divided into Technology Levels, a la GURPS, with a tab on the spreadsheet for each tech level. I've used the GURPS Tech Levels as a base, but the descriptions are modified to more clearly sort the equipment by the types of materials and precision of the engineering involved, to more clearly tell you whether you can reasonably expect to be able to purchase or repair the item in a settlement of that size.

TL5 - This is the technology level available at a Bandit Camp or small Wastelands town. This is basically anything that can be cut from steel - simple mechanical actions, crude explosives, crude machining or forging. Also anything more or less ubiquitous in the grey- or black-market: handcannons, assault rifles, concussion grenades.
TL6 - This is the technology level available at a large town or small city. Anything that doesn't involve electronics or plastics can generally be repaired or rebuilt.
TL7 - This is electronics, plastics, and more exotic materials. Equipment on this list could typically be obtained or repaired in a large city.
TL8 - This is the technology level of a coastal megacity. It adds advanced electronics, lasers, and equipment with very high power densities.
TL9 - This is the bleeding edge - equipment generally only available in the mechanic's bays of multi-million dollar world-class arena dueling teams. This adds the shock weapon class, advanced nanotech coatings, and highly advanced self-driving software like that found in the autopilot accessory.

Generally speaking, a facility at a given tech level will be able to repair or build equipment at a lower tech level.

Additionally, I've given each Tech Level some additional capability attributes to provide more granularity in the availability of equipment manufacturing and repair capabilities. Eg, what if the garage you're holed up in the rough part of a big city doesn't have hoists for moving large pieces of equipment around? What if the refugee camp's only welder is on the fritz?

Each piece of equipment has been given a Y if its manufacturing or repair requires a certain capability. If a piece of equipment has a Y under that attribute, a facility will need that capability to build or repair it:

Large: equipment with this attribute requires large cranes, hoists, or lifts for repair or manufacturing.
Welding: requires welding capability.
Welding - Large: requires the capability to weld very large or heavy pieces of metal.
Precision Machining: requires lathes or milling machines to precisely shape metal.
Precision Machining - Large: requires large heavy duty machine shop tools that can handle very heavy workpieces.
Advanced Materials: requires the ability to shape and machine composites, fiber optics, laser media, specific alloys, etc.
Electronics: requires the ability to assemble circuit boards and other electronic components. See note below.
High Power Density: requires the ability to work with high energy batteries, wiring, and power systems.
Exotic Chemistry: requires the ability to formulate extremely specific and difficult chemical compounds.
Nanotech: requires the ability to create and manipulate microscopic self-assembling materials or active electronics.
Advanced Software: requires the ability to create and deploy software involving advanced machine learning or related techniques.

Regarding electronics, the simplest electronics are found at TL7. Generally speaking, a TL7 facility will be able to provide replacements for damaged equipment with the electronics requirement, but not repair damaged electronics. The capability to begin to repair damaged electronic equipment by rebuilding them with undamaged components - i.e. replacing screens, mainboards, reflashing memory chips - is a TL8 capability. Actually repairing electronics - e.g. patching a hole in a shot out circuit board, re-laying traces, and soldering replacement components - is a TL9 capacity.

07-11-2022, 02:39 AM	#1
HeatDeath Join Date: May 2012	CW 6e Equipment Tech Level and Avaiiability Ratings I 've build an UNOFFICIAL spreadsheet that divides all of the CW6e equipment into technology levels that tell you where the equipment can be obtained or repaired. This is designed to facilitate campaign games where the players may find themselves in e.g. a small town in the middle of nowhere, and asking themselves very important questions like "Is there a shop here who can repair my shot-up Betatron? Or at least sell me some steel plate to weld over the holes from our last fight?" The spreadsheet can be found at this link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing The weapons are divided into Technology Levels, a la GURPS, with a tab on the spreadsheet for each tech level. I've used the GURPS Tech Levels as a base, but the descriptions are modified to more clearly sort the equipment by the types of materials and precision of the engineering involved, to more clearly tell you whether you can reasonably expect to be able to purchase or repair the item in a settlement of that size. TL5 - This is the technology level available at a Bandit Camp or small Wastelands town. This is basically anything that can be cut from steel - simple mechanical actions, crude explosives, crude machining or forging. Also anything more or less ubiquitous in the grey- or black-market: handcannons, assault rifles, concussion grenades. TL6 - This is the technology level available at a large town or small city. Anything that doesn't involve electronics or plastics can generally be repaired or rebuilt. TL7 - This is electronics, plastics, and more exotic materials. Equipment on this list could typically be obtained or repaired in a large city. TL8 - This is the technology level of a coastal megacity. It adds advanced electronics, lasers, and equipment with very high power densities. TL9 - This is the bleeding edge - equipment generally only available in the mechanic's bays of multi-million dollar world-class arena dueling teams. This adds the shock weapon class, advanced nanotech coatings, and highly advanced self-driving software like that found in the autopilot accessory. Generally speaking, a facility at a given tech level will be able to repair or build equipment at a lower tech level. Additionally, I've given each Tech Level some additional capability attributes to provide more granularity in the availability of equipment manufacturing and repair capabilities. Eg, what if the garage you're holed up in the rough part of a big city doesn't have hoists for moving large pieces of equipment around? What if the refugee camp's only welder is on the fritz? Each piece of equipment has been given a Y if its manufacturing or repair requires a certain capability. If a piece of equipment has a Y under that attribute, a facility will need that capability to build or repair it: Large: equipment with this attribute requires large cranes, hoists, or lifts for repair or manufacturing. Welding: requires welding capability. Welding - Large: requires the capability to weld very large or heavy pieces of metal. Precision Machining: requires lathes or milling machines to precisely shape metal. Precision Machining - Large: requires large heavy duty machine shop tools that can handle very heavy workpieces. Advanced Materials: requires the ability to shape and machine composites, fiber optics, laser media, specific alloys, etc. Electronics: requires the ability to assemble circuit boards and other electronic components. See note below. High Power Density: requires the ability to work with high energy batteries, wiring, and power systems. Exotic Chemistry: requires the ability to formulate extremely specific and difficult chemical compounds. Nanotech: requires the ability to create and manipulate microscopic self-assembling materials or active electronics. Advanced Software: requires the ability to create and deploy software involving advanced machine learning or related techniques. Regarding electronics, the simplest electronics are found at TL7. Generally speaking, a TL7 facility will be able to provide replacements for damaged equipment with the electronics requirement, but not repair damaged electronics. The capability to begin to repair damaged electronic equipment by rebuilding them with undamaged components - i.e. replacing screens, mainboards, reflashing memory chips - is a TL8 capability. Actually repairing electronics - e.g. patching a hole in a shot out circuit board, re-laying traces, and soldering replacement components - is a TL9 capacity. Last edited by HeatDeath; 07-11-2022 at 09:51 AM.