Movement and Encumbrance

Encumbrance

Encumbrance is how weighed down a character or vehicle is, and is measured in kg of weight. Rogue Planet has a similar gravity to Earth so in this matter there is little difference between movement on Earth and Rogue Planet. 

To find out how encumbered your character is, find their strength score and the total weight carried or worrn.

Category	Max Weight for category	Max base speed
Unencumbered	2kg x strength score	Sprinting (60m + 2 x agility adjustment)
Lightly Encumbered	4kg x strength score	Jogging (20m + agility adjustment)
Encumbered	6kg x strength score	Walking (10m)
Heavily encumbered	12kg x strength score	Slow Walking/shuffle (5m)

Max base speed is per 10 second turn. 

So if a character is carrying the following:

Items	Weight (kg)
Laser carbine	2.5
Carapace Armour	20
Backpack & webbing	0.5
4 energy packs (0.5kg each)	2
Hand Torch	0.5
Total	25.5

and the character happens to have a strength score of 11, then they have just gone over the limit of unencumbered (2kg x 11 = 22kg weight limit) and into the category of Lightly Encumbered. This means their max base speed is jogging at 10m per combat turn. 

If they dropped the carapace armour they would only be carrying 5.5kg total, making them unencumbered (under the max weight of 22kg), allowing them to sprint up to 60m + agility score per combat turn. 

Uneven and difficult terrain

The steps above to calculate movement speed are all assuming relatively flat and easy terrain. Sand, ice  and mud can all slow a traveller down.  Similarly rocks and boulder fields will prove problematic while some obstacles such as barbed wire can halt someone completely. 

A GM can use their own discretion as to how much difficult terrain will slow someone down but it is usually a percentage applied to their maximum speed. Other effects (such as slipping on ice on a failed agility check) may apply as well. 

Tiredness

A character can move at their max speed for 1 minute (6 combat turns)  before needing to make a stamina check. If they succeed they can keep going for another minute before making another check. If they fail, they drop down to the next lower speed category. 

If a character moves at the next lower speed (e.g. an unencumbered person jogging when their max speed is sprinting) they can keep this up for 10 min before needing to make a stamina check.

If at a category below that (i.e. an unencumbered person walking) then this can continue for 2 hours before needing a stamina check. 

Usually a minute’s rest is required before resuming at one’s intended speed after a failed stamina check.