Brent P. Newhall's Musaeum of Fantastic Wonders

In the game, you play the driver of a car, which you build based on the following stats:

• Frame
  • Light (+1 to max speed, 120 pound capacity)
  • Medium (150 pounds capacity)
  • Heavy (-1 to max speed, 250 pound capacity)
• Engine
  • 4-cylinder
  • 6-cylinder (+1 to max speed, extra 30 pounds)
• Tires
  • Normal
  • Reinforced (extra 20 pounds)
• Shocks
• Armor (5 points and 5 pounds per half-inch of armor per side; max 2 inches)
• Weapons
  • Light machine gun (2 power, 10 pounds, 5 range)
  • Heavy machine gun (4 power, 20 pounds, 5 range)
  • Flamethrower (5 power, 40 pounds, 3 range)
  • Rocket launcher (7 power, 50 pounds, 10 range; must have its own grid square; only hits with a 3-6 on a 1d6 roll)
• Options
  • Gunner (150 pounds)
  • Kevlar vest for driver (10 pounds, 5 extra damage points)

As a driver, you also have a few stats, among them damage points (10).

Your car is placed on a grid (using standard graph paper); each square represents approximately 1 square yard. Your car is 2 squares wide by 4 squares long.

The driver, engine, weapons, and any options that don't state that they modify another item must all be located on one of the eight squares of your car's grid. Up to three weapons can share a space, unless they say otherwise.

Weapons placed on one side of the car or another are pointing in that direction; if it's ambiguous for some reason, you've got to choose a facing (draw a little arrow indicating your choice).

Each turn, first everyone simultaneously moves their vehicles and optionally makes a Maneuver action, then everyone makes an Attack action in sequence. You may skip your Maneuver action or your Attack action (or both).

If people seem to be cheating about their movements, feel free to require each player to write down their Maneuver action before performing it.

You can accelerate or decelerate 1 square per turn. Based on your frame and engine, you max out at a certain number of squares per turn (4 for a medium frame and 4-cylinder engine).

If you skip your Maneuver action, your vehicle maintains its current speed.

You can turn your car up to 45 degrees during your turn, but you must decelerate by 1 square while doing so.

If you attempt to maintain your speed when you turn, roll a die. On a 3-6, you succeed. On a 2, you spin out (see below). On a 1, re-roll; if you get a second 1 your car flips, while on any other number you spin out.

If you attempt to increase your speed by 1 when you turn, roll a die. On a 5-6, you succeed. On a 3-4, you spin out (see below). On a 1-2, re-roll; if you get a second 1 or 2 your car flips, while on any other number you spin out.

If you spin out, you may take no more actions this turn. Next turn, your entire maneuver action is taken up by turning your vehicle another 45 degrees (a total of 90 degrees from your original position), reducing your momentum to 0.

If you want to slow down dramatically, decelerate 2 squares and roll a six-sided die. If you roll a 1, you slide 1 square to the left. If you roll a 2, you slide 1 square to the right. Rolling 3 through 6 has no other effect.

(When a motorcycle slides it has a chance of flipping; roll a die, on a 4-6 you're fine.)

If you enter a square containing a passive hazard on the ground (oil, water, etc.), roll a die.

If you have regular tires, then on a 1 you decelerate by 1 and shift to the left; on a 2 you decelerate by 1 and shift to the right. On a roll of 3-6 there's no effect.

If you have reinforced tires, then on a 1 you decelerate by 1 and shift to the left or right (your choice).

If you enter a square containing an active hazard (like a mine), roll a die + the hazard's power. If you roll more than 3, the hazard hits, and deals the damage specified by the hazard.

During your attack action, you can fire one weapon at an enemy. If you have a gunner, the gunner can also attack after the driver.

First, roll 3d6, subtracting distance and relative speed. Distance is the number of squares between the weapon you're firing and the side of the vehicle you're attacking. Relative speed is the absolute difference between your vehicle's speed and the speed of the vehicle you're attacking.

If you want to specifically target an attack at one item on a car side with no armor (such as the driver), subtract another 1.

If you roll above a 2, you hit.

To calculate damage, roll a die, add the weapon's power, and subtract the total from points of armor on the side most facing you.

Once all the armor is removed from one side of a car, future hits may damage the driver or any weapons or options on that side of the vehicle. Roll 1d6 to randomly determine where the damage goes. (In case of four choices, roll twice to choose two, then roll off between those two; in case of 5 choices… you'll figure something out.)

Of course, you can also build a truck, van, or motorcycle. Vans are 2×5 squares, while motorcycles are 1×3 squares. Light frames are not available for vans; heavy and medium frames are not available for motorcycles.

Download a blank record sheet for your car (PDF).

Medium frame, 4-cylinder engine
Armor: 1 inch on front, back, and sides; 1/2 inch on the top and underside
Weapons: 2 heavy machine guns (pointed front and rear) and 1 flamethrower (pointed front)
Options: 1 Kevlar vest for the driver

Light frame, 6-cylinder engine
Armor: 1/2 inch all around, plus an extra 1/2 inch on each side
Weapons: 1 light machine gun (pointed front), 1 heavy machine gun (pointed right)
Options: Reinforced tires