Animals:

Horses

In the world of the Fallout pen and paper there are in the south-west of what once was the USA still three breeds of horses. These breeds survived the Great War largely unmutated, but of course, the studbooks have long since been lost, which means, that “breed” is only a description and no longer a clear definition.

These breeds are:

Quarter Horse (warm blooded):

Good for sprinting, versatile to use and enduring.

Character: Intelligent, empathetic, active, mentally agile

Size: 145 – 153 cm (shoulder height)

Use: Riding horse or pulling of light and small carts.

Mustang (warm blooded):

Tough and frugal, enduring.

Character: freedom loving, volatile.

Size: 142 – 152 cm (shoulder height)

Use: pure riding horse (needs at least 55 points on training)

Suffolk Punch (cold blooded):

Actually an English breed, these animals must have, similar to Brahmin, survived on some kind of a ranch.

Character: docile but active, intelligent.

Size: 160 – 165 cm (shoulder height)

Use: draft animal, but can also be used for riding, but is not very fast at it.

The statistics of horses:

No statistic may lie under its minimal value. To the minimal values 29 points are added, but no value may exceed the race maximum.

The following thre examples are typical for the breeds and are fitting to +/- 2 points. One can of course create a fully unique bastard breed, but must then decide its character.

STRENGTH.

PERCEPTION

ENDURANCE:



CHARISMA:

INTELLIGENCE:

AGILITY:

LUCK:

COURAGE:

For each point of strength a horse can carry 40 pounds. (That applies to the weight of the rider, too, as well as other loads).

Perception works with horses as it does with humans: it shows how well the animal can perceive a danger or even an escape route or an obstacle in the way or something like that.

The endurance is the value, that shows how long a horse can work at one time. If it is not overloaded (for example, by having to pull to much or not getting enough fodder) the value corresponds 1 to 1 to the hours it can work in between pauses for rest and feeding. This applies, of course, also to galloping. Details at the rules for movement.

Furthermore, endurance also decides the hit points of the animal.

For Mustangs, the value is 50 + EN, for Quarter Horses 47 + EN and for a Suffolk Punch 44 + EN.

Animals can suck up, too. This value shows how docile the horse is.

Each point of intelligence gives a +5 bonus to the training of horses.

For each point of agility, a horse can move for 4.5 cm in a combat round, as long as it’s unladen. A pack- or draft-horse still for 4-3.5 cm per action point.
(AG = action points)

As with humans, luck influences everything and nothing.

This value shows how urgently a horse tries to withstand danger. Please remember, that horses are herd animals, that dislike braving dangers. Therefore, here the skill of the rider in riding and training is also important.

Feed and rest:

Basically the rules distinguish between full encumbrance and half encumbrance. Furthermore the result of the times get rounded up. (5.5 hours = 6 hours).

Half encumbrance is, when the animal has to use less than half of it’s carrying capacity. Full encumbrance is when it has to use more than the half.

A horse is a lot more frugal than a brahmin: it’s enough for a horse to get 5 to 15 kilos of fodder a day, as well as 10 – 20 kilos of water. As with brahmin, the more choosy examples didn’t survive well and the horses still living after the Great War, eat pretty much everything plant based.

With half encumbrance a quarter horse can be ridden for a full hour for each point it has on Endurance or pull a cart for three quarters * hours of it’s endurance.

At full encumbrance both values are split in half.

Example: a quarter horse with endurance 8 can pull a cart for 6 hours when it’s half encumbered or for 3 hours when fully encumbered.

Being a half encumbered, a mustang can be ridden for 1.5 hours for each point of endurance.

Having a mustang pull a cart is just impossible however, since the animal will simply refuse to pull. At full encumbrance a mustang can be ridden for 1 hour for each point of endurance.

Being half encumbered, a suffolk punch can be ridden for 1 full hour for each point of endurance or pull a cart for 1.5 hours per point.

At full encumbrance it can be ridden for half an hour for each point of endurance or pull a cart for one hour for each point of endurance.

A horse needs pauses, of course. For each hour in which it was encumbered, a horse needs three quarters of an hour of pause. If it’s used for more hours the hours * EN formula allows, it then needs a pause of 1.5 hours for each hour it was used or part thereof.

If the animal is encumbered for EN * 2 hours, whether half encumbered or fully encumbered, it dies enfeebled.

Training:

Training depends fully on the breed with horses.

For quarter horses this means: the training to a draft or riding horse takes 15 months (one and a quarter year) and is possible with a skill value of 60.

For mustangs this means: the training takes 18 months (one and half year) and is possible with a skill value of 75.

For a suffolk punch this means: the training takes 12 months and is possible with a skill value of 50.

Movement:

A horse can, half encumbered, go for 60 km a day or pull a cart for 40 km. Fully encumbered, it can be ridden for 40 km or pull a cart for 30 km.

In combat an unencumbered horse moves for 4.5 cm per action point, a half encumbered horse for 4 cm per action point and a fully encumbered horse for 3.5 cm per action point.

Horses in combat:

Horses have an armor rating of 5 against normal, laser, explosive and electrical damage, as well as 3 against plasma and fire damage.

The hit points of horses are detailed under the statistics.

They can kick enemies that come too close to them. Such an attack does (ST :4) * D3 and costs 3 AP.