Radiation effects rules

[cyberdon]

Seeing that Rifts is a post-apocalypsy setting, I think it could use rules to cover radiation exposure.

Anyone able to share there ideas on this?

[Killer Cyborg]

Seeing that Rifts is a post-apocalypsy setting, I think it could use rules to cover radiation exposure.

Anyone able to share there ideas on this?

There are some rules for radiation in Heroes Unlimited, under the Control Radiation power.
I'd like to see the rules expanded for Rifts.
After all, a lot of OCCs start with geiger counters.

[Natasha]

Meltdowns are not required; the failsafes could have simply shut down the reactors when things went bad. If there were meltdowns there likely no radioactivity. As I recall, the longest lasting radioactive elements used in nuclear electricity power generation is less than half of a century. As for the effects, it seems to be depending from the type of radioactive elements encountered.

[DhAkael]

the radioactive decay of certain isoptopes can be anywhere from 50 years to 10,000. You'd have to have a chemistry / physics handbook to find out exactly.
Good rule of thumb for things like vehicle reactors (just for ball-parking when one gets breached / melts down) is 1D4 months. From what I gather most of the micro-reactors post-appocalypse seem to be of the clean short-lived rads variety.
Though I'd say intensity of the radiation when initial breach ocours would be pretty intense.
*shrug*

Guess if you want realistic radiation & fall-out rules you'll have to do some reasearch... or just use what's in HU2 and have fun, cuz it's, y'know a GAME.

[Lenwen]

hehe .. the post apocolyptical setting does not have rules for Radioactivity .. but the normal running super world has them..

Rather ironic ..

[Natasha]

I doubt that Rifts qualifies as post apocalyptic; I’d say it’s moved on.

As for the half-lifes of radioactive elements used in nuclear power plants, again, I think the longest lived are cesium and strontium and both are less than 50 years.

EDIT: Longest lived non-alpha radiation.

[Josh Sinsapaugh]

Although not exactly what you're looking for: the effects of prompt radiation from a nuclear device are described in Sourcebook 4, page 47.

~ Josh

[kaid]

Yes Triax one probably covers it the best under the U-round description. It seems like from most of the descriptions most of the nuclear power plants used in armor is both incredibly well shielded and very clean. It seems like the only real radiation type issues are things like the U rounds where they are intentionally using "hot" substances.

[cyberdon]

Cool -thks guys.

[Pepsi Jedi]

I'm not sure if there's rules for radiation there, (( the book is across the room and I'm lazy)) but there's a Hazmat troop in Merc Adventures. You might find it there.