The Black Campbell

I wrote this up because it featured prominently in Life, a show I rather liked…

1987 Buick Regal Grand National GNX

The Buick Grand National was one of the last rear wheel drive muscle cars the company put out. Even while they came electronically limited to 120mph, the GNX was one of the fastest American cars of the late 1980s. The turbocharged 231 cu.in. v6 motor was produced by MacLaren and would generate 276 hp and 360 ft. lbs. of torque. Only 547 were made.

PM: +1   RED: 4   CRUS: 70   MAX: 120 (165)   RNG: 250   FCE: 2   STR: 6   COST: $11,000 (new)

GM Information: +1EF to Pursue/Flee. With the rev limiter disabled, the motor will push the vehicle to 168mph.

In honor of Skyfall, and the idiotic biometrically tagged PPK/S (great idea…when it works…), here’s the weapon Bond should be using when undercover (if we’re sticking with Walther.) I’ve shot one of these and was shocked by how accurate it was out to about 15 yards and how controllable, despite the low weight.

WALTHER PPS 9mm

Introduced in 2007, the PPS (Police Pistol, Slim) is one of the smallest 9mm self-defense guns available. Weighing in at 19.4 ounces unloaded, having an overall length of 6.3 inches and 5.9 inches from bottom of the large magazine to top of slide, it is easily concealable, powerful, and very accurate. Unlike the PPK, the PPS is highly reliable. The magazines come in 6, 7, or 8-rounds — the six round lies flush with the grip and is best for concealment, the eight best for grip and control.

PM: +1   S/R: 2   AMMO: 6   DC: F   CLOS: 0-3   LONG: 8-14   CON: -3   JAM: 99   DRAW: +1   RL: 1   COST: $600   GM Information: The stats are for the 6 round magazine, the 7 and 8 round raise the AMMO appropriately and lowers the CON to -2. There is a .40 S&W with the same stats, but has a 5, 6, and 7 round magazine.

Just in time for Skyfall, here’s the Aston Martin DBS…

ASTON-MARTIN DBS

Introduced in 2007 to replace the Vanquish, the DBS is a 5.9 litre 12-cylinder luxury GT automobile that brings an even more aggressive look, power, and handling to the line. The motor generates 510 horsepower and 420 ft-lbs of torque that takes the car from 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds and up to 191 mph (183 mph if through the Touchtronic2 transmission.) 85% of the car’s weight rests between the wheels and the hull of the vehicle is carbon fiber to reduce weight and aid in acceleration and fuel savings. The Adaptive Damping System, or ADS, tweaks the suspension for road/weather conditions.

The interior of a DBS is a blend of carbon fibre, alcantara leather, wood, stainless steel and aluminium surfaces. The seats both bear the DBS signature with an optional 2+2 seating configuration. The key is made from stainless steel and glass and is inserted into a special hole in the dashboard. It also has a 1000-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system with 13 speakers in 10 different locations throughout the cabin, as well as an integrated Apple iPod connector.

PM: +2   RED: 2   CRUS: 110   MAX: 191   RNG: 260   FCE: 2   STR: 6   COST: $290,000

GM Information: The DBS receives a -1EF to Force maneuvers and safety rolls associated with the same, however, otherwise it receives a +1EF to safety tests.

Q Department: The 00 section DBS vehicles are equipped with the latest in vehicular armor (-4DC to attacks), and a shielded, biometric secret compartment in the glove box that can hold a sidearm and extra magazine. There is also a vital signs monitor/ emergency defibrillator (in the glove box) and combat medic kit  (in a compartment under the passenger seat.) GPS, wifi hotspot for the agent’s cell phone are also standard.

Like most of the new AR-style assault rifles, the ARX-160 is a short-gas pistol operated 5.56mm carbine using polymers for much of the body of the weapon. It has an adjustable, collapsing stock, a foregrip designed for using lights and other tactical accouterments, and comes in carbine (16″ barrel) or rifle lengths.  It uses standard AR magazines.

The ARX-160 can also be had in 6.8SPC and 7.62mm NATO, as well as 5.45x39mm (using AK magazines.)

PM: 0   S/R: 2/10   AMMO: 30   DC: I/L   CLOS: 0-15   LONG: 30-80   CON: n/a   JAM: 98+   DRAW: -2   COST: $2000

GM Information: With the stock folded, the ARX-160 has a CON of +3. In 6.8SPC the DC is J/L with a LONG: 30-90. In 7.62mm the AMMO: is 20, and the otherwise is similar to the 6.8SPC. 5.45mm is the same as the normal ARX.

I haven’t had a chance to shoot one of these, but they look like they’re about to be the 2o-teens Desert Eagle, for film-makers (it’s already being featured in Total Recall.) Stats might need a change the first chance I get to lay paws on one of these.

CHIAPPA RHINO

The Chiappa Rhino is a clever new revolver from the designer of the Mateba revolver. Chambered in .357 magnum, the revolver fires from the six-o’clock position (the bottom chamber of the cylinder) rather than the usual 12-o’clock position. This drops the bore axis dramatically and reduces recoil to almost nothing. Firing full 125 grain hot loads feels like firing a typical .38 snubnose. The sides of the cylinder are also flattened, giving it a hexagonal profile and making the weapon more concealable. It can be had in 2″, 4″, and 6″ barrels. There is a chromed-version called the White Rhino.

Accuracy on the gun is very good and it can be fired quickly, even in double-action. With practice, the Rhino is faster on follow-up shots than any magnum revolver.

PM: +1  S/R: 3   AMMO: 6   DC: H   CLOS: 0-4   LONG: 11-22   CON: +2   JAM: 99   DR: 0   COST: $750

GM nformation: The above stats are for the 6″ barrel. In the 4″, CON is +1, LONG 11-20; for the 2″ barrel, see below:

PM: 0   S/R: 3   AMMO: 6   DC: G   CLOS: 0-3   LONG: 10-18   CON: 0   JAM: 99   DR: +1

UPDATE: There’s also a .40S&W and 9x21mm IMI (used by Israeli forces) version: The only change is DC — G for the longer barrels, F for the short.

UPDATE OF THE UPDATE: There’s been a run on these puppies and quality control on the trigger group seems to be off. As a result, GM’s might want to give the player a “mushy trigger” — Jam is 96 and the gun will malfunction and be unusable with a 97+. it will need a new trigger job to work (warranty work.)

Presenting the Lanborghini P400 Miura, produced from 1968 to 1972. It was a 4 litre 12 cylinder sportscar that produced 370hp and 280 ft/lbs of torque, and that was capable of 0-60 in 6.7 seconds, and had a top speed of 170 mph. A total of 300 or so were built. They were beautiful, fast, and a pain in the butt to drive with their disk brakes, wishbone suspension, and a propensity for shredding their gearbox. But the Bertone body is the epitome of late 60s cool…

Here’s the stats for James Bond: 007:

PM: +2   RED: 3   CRUS: 80   MAX: 170   RNG: 175   FCE: 2   STR: 6   COST:

GM Information: The Miura has a -1EF to safety tests.

Kel-Tec is a small firearms company in florida that does excellent polymer handguns that are cheap, small, and very light. (Also, others have described their products as being the Saabs of the gun world — you either get the best gun you’ll ever own, or a nightmare that goes back to the company repeatedly….my experience has been exclusively the first.) Now they’re building a bullpup, 14-shot 12-gauge shotgun that features two side by side tube magazines. Finish off one mag, you flip a small switch at the front of the feed area under the gun to the next one. Recoil is manageable and with a foregrip on the pump, it’s very controllable.

KEL-TEC KSG 12 GAUGE SHOTGUN

PM: 0   S/R: 2   AMMO: 14   DC: H   CLOS: 0-9 LONG: 25-40   CON: n/a   JAM: 98+   DR: -2   RL: 5

GM Information: When swapping one mag to the other, the character must make a EF5 DEX test to switch to the new 7-round magazine.

The United States Marine Corps is swapping out their M249 SAWs for the new M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. It’s a gas piston driven 5.56mm NATO M4 similar to the FN SCAR and the H&K 416 (which this is based on.) Other than the piston drive  — which makes the weapon much easier to maintain and more resistant to heat, dirt, and other fouling — and full-auto rather than a 3-round burst function, it’s the same gun. The USMC is using both 30 round standard magazines and the 100 round Beta-C double drum.

PM: 0   S/R: 2/10   AMMO: 30/100   DC: I/L   CLOS: 0-15   MAX: 40-70   CON: n/a   JAM: 98+   DR: 3   RL: 2

GM Information: The M27 JAM is 99 for single fire.

Q Evaluation: The M27 represents the latest and best evolution of the M16/M4/AR15 platform, with a much more robust action (the gas piston similar to the AK-47) coupled with the accuracy of the 5.56mm round. There is some concern that this weapon represents a reduction in the firepower for a marine squad in comparison to having an M249 in the squad, but that is debatable.