Judge's Handbook II - now on Drivethru

[MongooseMatt]

We have just posted the all new Judge's Handbook II on Drivethru. You can grab your own copy here;

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/123328/Judges-Handbook-II?affiliate_id=7242

This book, like its predecessor, is a tool kit, a resource for both players and referees alike, with new rules and options for Judges as they struggle to bring order to their city or travel to protect its interests in distant locations.

There are rules for the generation of Specialist Judges from the Accounts and Administration Divisions, sixteen new specialist units or posting, equipment used by Specialist Judges, new vehicles and robots, an extensive list of NPC Judges, an updated timeline to cover 2031 to 2135, and observations on how recent disasters have affected the Justice Department. Finally, there are individuals and organisations who have appeared in 2000AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine.

Prepare yourself for a new look at the Justice Department and many new options to make your Judges truly unique!

 

[Annatar Giftbringer]

Bought it!
Only had time for a quick peek, but looking good so far!

I think it's gonna be very helpful to 'flesh out' the setting and the Justice Department, with loads of new Specialist Judge careers and equipment!

 

[Ewan]

Is this a PDF only product or will a hardcopy be available?

Thanks

 

[havercake lad]

John here,!
As the writer I hope people enjoy it and find it useful. I'm happy to answer any queries as well.

 

[Annatar Giftbringer]

Lots of fun stuff in there, many tools for starting - and winning - wars  

For the Arkham origins-players out there, we've got shock gloves, and the McGruder tank sounds like it'd give a Baneblade an even match! Riot mechs, combat armor, the entire defense division, ninja gear... Me happy  

Questions: any specific reason for not giving the riot-mech special ammo? Could be useful, perhaps substituting some of the regular shots for non-lethal and/or crowd control? 

I assume the GP ammo is meant to be auto 4 on the Hailblazer, not the hi-ex? 

Speaking of the hailblazer, from the looks of it I'd rather say it's ammo works like on the mk.II lawgiver, not mk.I? 

I like the hailblazer btw, is it from the comics or something you made yourself? Kinda like a mk.II lawrod, could be an alternative to the shotgun... 

That's it for now, great work! 

 

[havercake lad]

Replies in Italics.

Lots of fun stuff in there, many tools for starting - and winning - wars  

For the Arkham origins-players out there, we've got shock gloves, and the McGruder tank sounds like it'd give a Baneblade an even match! Riot mechs, combat armor, the entire defense division, ninja gear... Me happy  

Thats great to hear !

Questions: any specific reason for not giving the riot-mech special ammo? Could be useful, perhaps substituting some of the regular shots for non-lethal and/or crowd control? 

I stuck to the comic strip which only featured cannon fire. I imagine other rounds are perfectly possible.

I assume the GP ammo is meant to be auto 4 on the Hailblazer, not the hi-ex? 
Sounds right, HE ammo will be single shot I imagine.

Speaking of the hailblazer, from the looks of it I'd rather say it's ammo works like on the mk.II lawgiver, not mk.I? 
Strip I used ('Wynter') was set before the issue of Mk II Lawgivers. Quite possibly other ammo types existed but didn't feature in what was, ultimately, a single story. Probably one you'd like given your apparant interest in cold weather RPG settings !

I like the hailblazer btw, is it from the comics or something you made yourself? Kinda like a mk.II lawrod, could be an alternative to the shotgun... 

(See above for origins. )I originally wrote it up as a seperate weapon skill
Gun Combat (Hailblazer).
This skill allows the Judge to use the Hailblazer carbine. The Judge can use a Lawgiver, or any hand gun or carbine at one level less than his level in Gun Combat (Hailblazer).

However it got edited out, probably as most RPG Judges are not , I suspect, going to spend their entire career in the Antarctic !

Obviously the book can't include a pic of every type of item. But if someone needs a reference for the origin of any equipment or vehicle covered, I can give one. Please just don't go mad !l

That's it for now, great work! 

 

[havercake lad]

Re above. I had to invent names (Hailblazer and Orca) for the gun and hover bike featured in the Wynter comic strip. The story was first printed in Judge Dredd Megazine 2:70. I gather it got reprinted in another magazine.

Justice Department Auxillary White
Attached to Archive Section

 

[Annatar Giftbringer]

Ah... Haven't read the "wynter" strip - yet.

What I meant regarding how the ammo worked was that there are a limited number of each special shot, like in the lawgiver mk.II:s mag, so it sounded like it has one combo-mag with all the ammo, and not numerous small ones? On the other hand, if t works like on the mk.I it won't require regular bullets to launch the special ammo...

Haven't read or heard anything regarding the riot-mech before either, it was new to me, but I do like it!

Speaking of images, I forgot to add earlier that I was happy to see images for so many entries! A small pic for every weapon, piece of gear and vehicle (along with deckplans where applicable) is of course "best" but I understand that can't always happen

While I do like arctical settings, my main liking of the hailblazer was actually more due to it being a multi-use flexible rifle

 

[havercake lad]

Hmm.
Looks like I assumed 3 rounds of special ammo in each clip. You are right Auto fire seems to have been mistyped onto the HE round rather than GP. My Bad !

 

[Annatar Giftbringer]

Oh, I think I get it now! The hailblazer has two mags, with 9+3 shots in each? That would definitely make it like the lawrod and mk.I lawgiver, just like you wrote

 

[havercake lad]

Hmm. I need to take a peek again at the strip artwork. I imagined everythng in one mag.
BTW Feel free to rate or review it on Drive Thru.

Just realised the 'The Book of Judges' is a great title for the book :lol: . No idea if it would have got the thumbs up.

 

[Annatar Giftbringer]

One mag sounds good. Ill be silent for a while now, give you some time to rest before I start pestering you for images

I like that you gave the combat armor the same stats I'd envisioned

 

[lastbesthope]

Is this a PDF only product or will a hardcopy be available?

Thanks

Msprange said on fB that there would NOt be a print copy of this

LBH

 

[Annatar Giftbringer]

Hello again

The low-powered grav-belt available to antarctic judges, what level of performance can be expected from it? Slow flight, or limited to reducing the wearers weight? The latter would of course be useful for lessening the strain on the grapple gun, as well as when walking on thin ice, snow or climbing.

The electronux does not and should not have a separate stun damage component, I assume? It's all embedded in the damage it causes and thus the increased knockout chance?

I'd also be interrested in where the riot mek has been used in the comics, if you have that information available - would love to see it in action? And I assume I'll be seeing the Xenos Hammer when I get to Day of Chaos?

 

[havercake lad]

Hello again

The low-powered grav-belt available to antarctic judges, what level of performance can be expected from it? Slow flight, or limited to reducing the wearers weight? The latter would of course be useful for lessening the strain on the grapple gun, as well as when walking on thin ice, snow or climbing.

The electronux does not and should not have a separate stun damage component, I assume? It's all embedded in the damage it causes and thus the increased knockout chance?

I'd also be interrested in where the riot mek has been used in the comics, if you have that information available - would love to see it in action? And I assume I'll be seeing the Xenos Hammer when I get to Day of Chaos?

I concur with anti-grav benefits you discribe. In the strip it keeps the wearer (Judge Wynter) off the ground when he's using using a grapple line winch to board a speeding vehicle. I can't imagine it providing actual flight.

I copied the electronux stats from Strontium Dog RPG. The charge is indeed reflected in the 3d6 damage this weapon dishes out. Dredd wears one on a mission to Hondo City.

Riot meks are from the second Tempest strip in the Megazine. Image you have is from Megazine #293, though the suits featured in later episodes of the story.
Xenos Hammer featured in 'Debris', a story set very soon after the Day of Chaos disaster. The vehicle I named and stated predominantly featured in Prog 1793.

 

[Annatar Giftbringer]

Thanks a lot!

I managed to find an image of the cover to #296, with a Riot Mek on it, and... Grud on a greenie! That's a huge gun! I'd almost be tempted to give it Auto 12 or 18.... (though given it's size, I suppose the Gatling arrangement is what keeps it from being single shot)

After seeing it I definitely support giving it only standard bullets, it looks like a very differrent weapon from the Mechanismo Judgementbringer.

How'd you treat the shield seen on some of the meks? Count it as a Riot Shield as per Judge's Handbook I (+2/+4 armor), or simply part of what gives the mek its total armor (i.e. purely cosmetic ruleswise)?

 

[havercake lad]

I imagine a riot shield would give it an Armour bonus, though these machines are overkill for most missions anyway.
Now if one of the suits ended up with a perp inside it........
BTW: If I write another Judges' Handbook it will concentrate on Psi, Tek and Med Divisions.The list of 'named' NPC Judges I provided in recent book was relatively short, partly because it was keyed to the Divisions the book took a look at and, partly, because I'm waiting to see which Judges from the comic strips actually survived the Day of Chaos.

 

[Annatar Giftbringer]

Perp in a Mek, wouldn't that be something... Hmm, we'd need a sneaky getaway (or break-in) or perhaps a hijacked shipment, or riot gone wrong, or... hey, this could get fun

To balance things, the perp would probably not get Battle Dress, but due to the STR bonus of the mek he's still hit ok in melee, right?

On a side-note, I noticed the Judgementbringer cannon appears to be retractable. Just for fun, what'd you say is hidden in the other arm?

A) Nothing/boring stuff
B) Extra ammo for the gun
C) Another gun
D) An anti-riot package with stumm grenades, cling nets, and perhaps a supply of riot-foam?

 

[havercake lad]

Glad you seem to like the Mek entry. Currently, if I write another handbook it will primarily focus on Med, Tek and Psi components of Mega City One, though it will probably include MC2's Sov-Sec and the infamous Titan penal facility.