How to Adapt the Palladium Compendium of Contemporary Weapons to Fudge

The Palladium Weapon series of books is a resource requiring a bare minimum of effort by the GM to adapt to Fudge. As it states on the cover of every book in the series, it is "For use with any game system" and as such, it seems perfectly suited for Fudge. Even the game-related abstractions can be used with little or no conversion necessary.

The Compendium of Contemporary Weapons

The information presented in this article will enable you to use the Palladium book The Compendium of Contemporary Weapons, written by Maryann Siembieda (with additional writing by Matthew Balent and Kevin Siembieda) and published by Palladium Books, in your own Fudge game. The Compendium of Contemporary Weapons is required to make use of this information.

The first section deals with firearm ammunition, including definitions of terms, descriptions of different types of ammunition, prices, and suggestions of how to translate firearm damage into game terms. Much of the material can be used without modification.

Ammunition Damage and Penetration Tables

Tissue Damage Rating: The Tissue Damage Rating system offers a numerical damage value for each type of round rather than each type of weapon. Thus, any weapon that fires a .45 bullet will cause the same amount of damage, although other characteristics of the weapon (such as effective range, capacity, etc.) may vary. A table lists the ratings as General Damage Ratings (a number followed by a description) and Tissue Damage (a suggested die roll). Both refer to tissue damage, but the first can be used in Fudge as the offensive factor of the weapon. This number (in parentheses) is used in the cartridge descriptions.

Penetration Values: The Penetration Value of a round refers to its ability to penetrate hard (i.e. non-flesh) substances, such as armor. A table lists the ratings as numbers followed by descriptions, both of which can be used in Fudge as the penetration factor of a weapon.

Incorporating Tissue Damage and Penetration Values

In summary, one can refer to a firearm as having both an offensive factor and a penetration factor. The offensive factor is the ability of the bullet to cause injury to a target. The penetration factor is the ability of a bullet to penetrate hard substances such as armor. If the penetration factor is lower than the defensive factor of a piece of armor or other substance, the bullet is deflected by or embedded in the armor or substance even if the bullet's offensive factor is higher. If the penetration factor is higher than the defensive factor, then the bullet uses whichever factor is higher to determine damage: offensive factor or penetration factor (plus relative degree). The defensive factor of the target is then subtracted from this number.

Damage Ratings by Cartridge Type

This section is divided into Revolvers: Caliber Cartridges & Damage, Automatic Pistols: Millimeter Cartridges & Damage, and Rifle Cartridges & Damage. In all cases, the Tissue Damage (offensive factor) is listed in parentheses, and the Penetration Value (penetration factor) is denoted by the initials P.V. A brief description is provided for each cartridge.

The section Special Cartridges, Bonuses & Penalties may be used unmodified.

Firearms & Damage in RPGs

Shock Rules (optional): Use unmodified if so desired.

Blood Loss (optional): This could be adapted by simply having each wound increase to the next higher severity per minute.

Hit Location, Damage & Penalties (optional): This can be used as is, for the most part, but it could slow combat considerably more than other Hit Location rules that have been designed for Fudge.

Damage at Point-Blank Range (optional): Use unmodified if so desired.

Body Armor

For Fudge purposes, it is probably best to simplify the way body armor is handled by reducing it to defensive factors. Each type of body armor is described as belonging to a particular class with various characteristics. The characteristics most relevant to Fudge follow.

Class I/IA: defensive factor +4

Class II/IIA: defensive factor +5

Class IIIA: defensive factor +6

Class IVA: defensive factor +6 (also resistant to many special rounds)

Class IVB/C: defensive factor +6 (also resistant to all special rounds)

Class V: defensive factor +6 (also resistant to all special rounds and .30-06)

Statistics of Firearms

Firearms are divided into sections on Revolvers & Pistols, Rifles, Shotguns, Submachine Guns, and Machine Guns. In all cases, replace the listed damage with the offensive factor derived from the cartridge used.

Statistics of Other Weapons

The remaining sections are devoted to Combat Hand Grenades, Light Support Weapons, Special Support Weapons & Anti-Tank, Anti-Aircraft, Mortars, Pyrotechnics, Surveillance Equipment, and Tanks & Armored Vehicles. Most of the information can be used as is, but the damage ratings will have to be adapted according to the needs of one's particular Fudge game. Structural Damage Capacity (along with the damage ratings listed for anti-tank, anti-aircraft, and other heavy weapons) may be used as a parallel method of combat resolution for use with vehicles and buildings, or it may be modified to one's own Fudge game or ignored entirely.

[Originally posted in Fudgery.net in 2007.]