So, I'm just now having an IM conversation with someone who plays Shadowrun with me, and we were talking about how cool it would be to have a Shadowrun adventure set on a moving train in Europe, since they're so big on trains over there.

And then I was thinking that as long as the PCs are engaging in combat on a moving train there would be ample opportunities for PCs and NPCs to:
1.) Get knockbacked out of large train windows while the train is in motion,
and
2.) Get knockbacked over the edge of the roof of the train for the obligatory rooftop fistfight scenes.

The question is what would be the damage code of getting flung off a train at high speeds? Would it be like a crash test for a vehicle moving as fast as the train? Some combination between the falling damage code plus the crash test? Or a crash test *and* falling damage back to back? Should 1/2 impact armor help?

I'd really appreciate your input. With a reasonable take on this situation we'd be able to start flinging people off of a train in no time.

i'd probably calculate it as an impact between two vehicles going in the same direction, as per rigger 3.

Unfortunately, I don't have Rigger 3, so I can't consult it for that.

Here, I have tentatively worked this out using the SR3 sourcebook as my guideline. Tell me if it's a good idea or not.

According to http://www.h2.dion.ne.jp/~dajf/byunbyun/sp...eds/records.htm the "fastest scheduled average speed between two stops" as of 1997 was 261.8 kilometers per hour. Since it's the future, let's use that as our figure for how fast the train would be moving.

So, the first thing I do is convert that to meters per combat turn.

It should end up as Deadly anyway, if we're really talking about velocities in excess of 250km/h. A Power of 30+ is not really called for -- a pedestrian getting hit by a vehicle at 250km/h is going to be in for a lot more hurt than someone jumping off the same vehicle at 250km/h. Being hit insanely hard by a 1-ton sledgehammer vs. getting a lethal case of road rash.

The terrain can make it a lot worse, though. Big rocks at 250km/h = Splat.

how much damage you take depends a lot on what you land on. someone who has their velocity stopped by a wall or telepohone pole will take a lot more damage than one who lands in a field of grass, or in the water (of course with water, you risk drowning).

and then theres athletics to try to land better. if you tuck and roll, you should get hurt less than is you do sliding friction with your face. plus aiming for a softer landing spot.

bone lacing of any type would present an interesting problem, as titaniums barrier 10 would be damaged by a power 21+ impact. bones are probably going to break.

cyberlimbs may help, as those limbs will protect you a lot more. sliding friction on a couple cyberlimbs would be interesting... trail of sparks, then the guy minght even get up again (but those limbs will be taking some stress)

Based on the math provided, I'd suggest 9-30D depending on terrain features. 9 is enough of a TN that your average unarmored human will usually die from it, but amazingly tough trolls and chromeys should survive with varying levels of injury. Also, toss in an athletics test to avoid facing an equal stun wound as well as the physical.

I'd personally suggest using the sideswipe rules with the SR3 rules for determining the base damage level (staged up once as per pedestrian vs. vehicle rules). Needless to say, the earth should not take damage from the collision. In this case, it'd just be (Speed/2)/10 in Power, or 11D for the above scenario.

Though this does seem rather forgiving. If you go with it, I'd suggest not using armor.

~J

Well, how big a rock would have to hit it to do appreciable damage? If we can find the Body of the rock and the velocity of the collision, we can start calculating that.

Then we also need to ask if we're talking purely the physical structure of the earth or the biosphere as well.

~J

Just to be nice, I'd let them make a quickness test to tuck-and-roll.

maybe knock it down to 24D... Maybe.

I´d probably tell the player (If I didnt want to kill him) that he recieves 10 boxes of stun and 9 boxes physical. When he complains I´ll give him the choice of facing (something like) 25D and 25D stun instead.

Mmm Trauma Dampeners and Platelet factories.

A normal body 1 human could walk away. Mwhahaha.

Not with Deadlier Over-Damage.

~J

An optional rule. But yes with that, I don't think he would survive.