⚔️ Solo of Fortune 2045
“Effective immediately, stop buying Solo of Fortune if you’ve never seen combat. This magazine isn’t for you.” — John “The Hoss” Havel Jr.
Solo of Fortune 2045 introduces Mercenary Level play — a higher-powered tier of Cyberpunk RED featuring ACPA (Assisted Combat Power Armor), machine guns, military-grade ammunition, combat drugs, and tactical mission gameplay. This content takes the game beyond The Street into full-scale military operations.
⚡ Quick Reference
Solo of Fortune At A Glance
Feature Summary Mercenary Level Higher-powered campaign tier. Missions, not gigs. Operational budgets, rival crews, Hardened enemies. ACPA Power Armor = Linear Frame + Metalgear Shell. Pilot inside, immune to Aimed Shots/Crits, sealed environment. Machine Guns New weapon category. Autofire (Machine Gun) mode. BODY requirements. Assault Rifle ammo. New Attachments Range Table Mods, autofire conversions, compatibility upgrades. New Ammo 7 types: Burrowing, Explosive, High Precision, High Velocity, Hyper Expansive, Serrated/Hollow Point, Tracer. Combat Drugs 8 chemical weapons: Anti-Cerebral, Deliriant, Mindfire, Mortalis, Rime, Terrifier, Red Lace, White Lace. New Armor Light, Hybrid, and Heavy Metalgear variants.
🎖️ Mercenary Level
Mercenary Level takes the action beyond The Street by focusing on tactical combat and freeform missions. Planning and tactical gameplay are required from the start.
How It Differs from Street Level
| Aspect | Street Level | Mercenary Level |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Gigs, heists, personal drama | Missions, objectives, tactical ops |
| Enemies | Standard NPCs | All Hardened — Lieutenants as baseline, Mooks are rare |
| Balance | Scaled to party size | Scaled to the situation — military bases don’t empty for small squads |
| Rivals | Occasional | Complete Package rival crews with Role Abilities and LUCK |
| Loot | Strip the battlefield | Spoils belong to employer. Your objective is the mission. |
| Impact | Local neighborhood | Regional power shifts. Topple factions. Change the status quo. |
Mission Parameters
| Difficulty | Operational Budget (per person) | Pay (per person) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| ”Easy” | 1,000–5,000 eb | 3,000–4,000 eb | Organized resistance expected. No mission is truly easy. |
| Typical | 2,000–7,000 eb | 4,000–7,000 eb | Entrenched, outnumbering enemy. Crew has tactical advantages. |
| Dangerous | 10,000–30,000 eb | 6,000–9,000 eb | Outclassed, outnumbered, outgunned. Slim chances. Deniable ops. |
Operational Budget
Given at mission start. You can’t keep anything bought with it after the mission. Unspent budget goes away. Many missions take place far from home — rent is waived, and a Headquarters is provided on-site.
All Roles Fit
Yes, all Roles work at Mercenary Level — but motivation and Role Ability logistics may need creative explanations. Lawmen and Execs may work with local factions. Fixers negotiate increased pay the same way they do for gigs. Every mission survived counts as at least a successful Mission for Group IP.
🤖 ACPA — Assisted Combat Power Armor
ACPA are combat environment suits encased in Metalgear plates, built around a powered Linear Frame. They serve a siege role — outclassed by vehicles on open ground but superior in narrow urban environments.
Getting In and Out
- Enter: 1 Action. Connect via 2 installations of Interface Plugs. Most ACPA have Authorization Handshake Ports (DV 17 Elec/Sec Tech to bypass temporarily, DV 24 to permanently disable).
- Exit (intact ACPA): 1 Action.
- Exit (destroyed ACPA): Free — walk through the hole they made.
- Passengers: None. Room for one pilot only.
Clamshell Protection
While piloting an ACPA:
- Your worn armor penalties still stack with ACPA penalties. Wear something light.
- Cyberware that needs to pop out, plug in, or physically engage with the outside cannot be used.
- Physical attacks damage the ACPA, reducing its HP and SP. Your personal armor doesn’t lose SP.
- Cannot be grappled by anyone with BODY ≤ 14. Pilot cannot be grappled at all.
- Immune to Aimed Shots — head and limbs aren’t weak points. Martial Arts don’t halve SP.
- No Critical Injuries — instead, each Critical scored deals 5 HP directly to pilot (0 for FBC pilots) as neural feedback.
- Sealed environment — immune to EMP, electrocution, toxic gases, flashbangs, radiation, extreme weather. Suitable for underwater and space use. Oxygen lasts 24 hours.
- All ACPA components are Hardened (immune to EMP/Microwaver/Non-Black ICE effects) and cannot be set On Fire.
When Reduced to 0 HP
- ACPA is Destroyed — ceases all protection.
- Onboard weapons, cyberware, and Linear Frame become unusable.
- Pilot walks out freely (no Action needed).
- ACPAs are immune to Wound Threshold effects.
Piloting Rules
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Stats | Pilot uses their own Skills. ACPA modifies REF, DEX, MOVE via bonuses/penalties. |
| BODY | Set by the Linear Frame Core. Doesn’t affect HP or Death Save. |
| Weapons | Can wield any weapon as if human. Two-handed weapons can be wielded one-handed. |
| Onboard Weapons | Don’t require hands. Connected via Interface Plugs. Cannot be disarmed. |
| Onboard Cyberware | Up to 6 pieces. All treated as paired. Prerequisites ignored. Includes built-in Radar/Sonar (100m range). |
| Max Operation Time | >4 hours/day: −1 to all Checks until rest. >8 hours: −2. FBCs and Moto/Interface Rank 4+ ignore the 4-hour penalty. |
Dodging Bullets in ACPA
Normally no. Unless one of these is true:
- ACPA has MOVE bonus +3 or higher
- Pilot has REF 8+ + Reflex Co-Processor and ACPA has no REF penalty
- Pilot has DEX 8+ and ACPA has no REF, DEX, or MOVE penalty
- Pilot has Combat Awareness Rank 6+
ACPA Repairs
| Damage Level | DV | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (less than full HP) | 9 | 4 Hours |
| Major (less than ½ HP) | 13 | 1 Day |
| Destroyed (0 HP) | 17 | 1 Week |
Repair uses Weaponstech Skill. On failure, start over from scratch. Repairs restore HP, SP, and all onboard systems to full.
🔧 Building an ACPA
Step 1: Choose a Linear Frame
| Frame | Cost | BODY | HP | Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salvaged | 1,000 eb (VExp) | 10 | 14 | — |
| Sigma | 2,000 eb (Lux) | 12 | 22 | +1 MOVE |
| Beta | 10,000 eb (SLux) | 14 | 27 | +2 MOVE |
| Omega | 20,000 eb (SLux) | 16 | 32 | +3 MOVE |
Step 2: Choose a Shell
| Shell | Cost | SP | HP Bonus | Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salvaged | 1,000 eb (VExp) | 14 | +2 | −1 MOVE |
| Light Metalgear | 2,000 eb (Lux) | 16 | +3 | — |
| Hybrid Metalgear | 5,124 eb (Lux) | 17 | +10 | −1 MOVE |
| Metalgear | 10,000 eb (SLux) | 18 | +17 | −3 MOVE |
| Heavy Metalgear | 10,000 eb (SLux) | 19 | +21 | −4 MOVE |
Step 3: Tune (Choose A or B for each)
| Tuning | Option A | Option B |
|---|---|---|
| Acceleration | −7 HP | −1 DEX |
| Hydraulics | −1 SP | −1 MOVE |
| Maneuverability | −7 HP | −1 REF |
| Weight | +7 HP | +1 MOVE |
Step 4: Onboard Equipment
- Up to 6 Onboard Weapons and 6 pieces of Cyberware.
- Cannot install: additional Linear Frames, SP-granting cyberware, FBC-only cyberware.
- All cyberware is treated as paired. Prerequisites are ignored.
Pricing
| Component | Cost |
|---|---|
| Base | 4,000 eb |
| + Linear Frame | (frame cost) |
| + Shell | (shell cost) |
| + Each Onboard Weapon | (weapon cost + 500 eb) |
| + Each Onboard Cyberware | (cyberware cost + 500 eb) |
| Availability | = most difficult-to-acquire component |
Fabrication
Fabrication cost = 2,000 eb + ½ frame cost + ½ shell cost. Final assembly: DV 24 Weaponstech, 24 hours. On failure, start over (components not lost). Techs must upgrade/fabricate/invent components separately.
📋 Pre-Built ACPA Catalog
🛡️ Full ACPA Catalog (10 models)
Model Cost HP SP BODY Bonuses/Penalties Frame Shell Zetatech Grasshopper 12,050 eb 18 15 12 — Sigma Light BlueRaven Sewer Rat 14,104 eb 23 4 10 −2 MOVE, −1 REF, −1 DEX Salvaged Salvaged Arasaka Neo Guardian 17,900 eb 25 16 12 −1 DEX Sigma Light Arasaka Neo Standard 25,100 eb 37 16 12 −1 REF, −1 DEX Beta Light Militech Commando 25,274 eb 30 17 14 — Beta Hybrid Tsunami Arms Magus 26,624 eb 25 17 12 −1 MOVE Sigma Hybrid SovOil Bombardier 32,200 eb 51 18 14 −1 REF, −1 DEX Beta Metalgear MetaCorp Nyx 35,400 eb 28 16 16 +3 MOVE, −1 DEX Omega Light Zhirafa Boris 46,900 eb 60 19 16 −1 REF, −1 DEX, −1 MOVE Omega Heavy Arasaka Shin DaiOni 61,350 eb 39 19 16 −1 MOVE Omega Heavy Notable highlights:
- Grasshopper — Lightest ACPA. Can fit in a vehicle’s passenger seat. Squads on motorcycles!
- Sewer Rat — Budget homebrew design. Low SP (4!) but twin Scatter Ratters + Popup Shields.
- Commando — Militech’s workhorse. Balanced for squad tactics.
- Nyx — MetaCorp speedster. +3 MOVE makes it one of few ACPAs that can dodge bullets.
- Shin DaiOni — Arasaka’s bogeyman. Heavy armor, massive weapon loadout. Requires elite FBC pilots.
🔫 Machine Guns (New Weapon Category)
Machine Guns are a new class with no “generic” version — each is unique. All use Assault Rifle ammunition unless stated otherwise. They accept AR-compatible attachments.
New autofire types: Machine Gun and Machine Pistol (see Expanded Autofire DV table below).
| Weapon | Cost | Quality | Damage | ROF | Capacity | Autofire | BODY Req | Range Table | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Militech MK.27 LMG | 1,400 eb | Standard | 4d6 | 1 | 80 | MG 4 | 10 (or Prone) | Assault Rifle | 2 Reload Actions |
| Midnight Arms HB | 3,000 eb | Standard | 5d6 | 1 | 60 | MG 5 | 11 (or Prone) | Marksman Rifle | — |
| MetaCorp Victoria | 4,000 eb | Excellent | — | 1 | 100 | MG 5 | 12 (or mounted) | Battle Rifle | 2 Reload Actions. 20 bullets per burst. Autofire/Suppressive only. |
| Scatter Ratter | 2,552 eb | Poor | 4d6 | 2 | 56 | SMG 5 | 8 (or mounted) | SMG | ROF 2. Excellent Quality if fired Single Shot last turn. |
| Tsunami Helix | 5,000 eb | Excellent | — | 1 | 40 | MP 5 | 11 (or mounted) | Carbine | 2 Reload Actions. Autofire only. |
| TekRussia BMG-500 | 3,000 eb | Standard | 5d6 | 1 | 500 | AR 5 | 11 (or Prone) | Assault Rifle | — |
Nomad Perk
A Nomad may choose to receive any Machine Gun when they first install a Vehicle Heavy Weapon Mount.
🔧 New Attachments
Full Attachments List
Attachment Cost Eligible Effect Slot? DV Ammo Compatibility Internals 100 eb All bullet/shell weapons (not flamethrowers) Fire all Non-Basic ammo types the weapon could fire. Cannot uninstall. No DV 17 Weaponstech Reinforced String 250 eb Bows, Crossbows +1d6 damage (max 5d6) when not in Kyudo Stance. Must fire 2-handed. Cannot uninstall. No DV 17 Archery/Weaponstech Sniper Rifle Rechamber 300 eb Sniper Rifles +1d6 damage (max 6d6). Cannot uninstall. No DV 17 Weaponstech Compatibility Rail 50 eb All Exotic Ranged Gains 1 slot (Scope only). No DV 17 Weaponstech Range Table Modification 100 eb All Ranged (by category) Changes weapon’s range table. See Range Table Mod types. No — Pistol Autosear 100 eb All Pistols Gains Autofire (MP 3) + Suppressive Fire. Excellent Quality: MP 4. No — SMG Cyclic Internals 100 eb SMG with AF(SMG 3) Replace Autofire (SMG 3) → (SMG 4) or (MP 4). No DV 17 Weaponstech Shotgun Auto Control 100 eb All Shotguns (slug/shell) Slugs: Autofire (MP 3/4). Shells: 4 shells for AF roll with −3 to dodge. No DV 17 Weaponstech
Range Table Modification Types
Range Table Mod Options
Category Short Standard (default) Long Pistols Snubnose Pistol Pistol Long Barrel Pistol SMGs/HSMGs Subcompact SMG SMG — Shotguns Short Barrel Shotgun Shotgun Long Barrel Shotgun Assault Rifles Carbine Assault Rifle Battle Rifle → Marksman Rifle Sniper Rifles Scout Rifle Sniper Rifle Anti-materiel Rifle Bows/Crossbows Short Bow/Crossbow Bow Long Bow/Crossbow Launchers Grenade Launcher Rocket Launcher Missile Launcher
💣 New Ammunition
| Ammo | Cost (10) | Types | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burrowing | 40 eb | Arrows, Bullets, Slugs | Requires Skill 7+ or Combat Awareness 1+. +1 Attack (Single Shot), +2 Attack (Aimed Shot). |
| Explosive | 100 eb | Arrows, Bullets, Slugs | −2 Attack penalty. Cannot Aimed Shot. 5s count as 6s for Critical Injury determination. |
| High Precision | 100 eb | Arrows, Bullets, Slugs, Shells | Crits can’t be Quick Fixed (unless permanent). Quick Fix/Treatment DV +2. |
| High Velocity | 40 eb | Bullets | Targets take −2 to dodge. |
| Hyper Expansive | 100 eb | Arrows, Bullets, Slugs, Shells | On Crit: victim rolls a second Critical Injury (no Bonus Damage). |
| Serrated/Hollow Point | 30 eb | Arrows, Bullets, Slugs | On Foreign Object Crit: roll again for a second Crit (deals Bonus Damage). |
| Tracer | 40 eb | Bullets | +1 to Autofire Skill Checks. |
💥 Explosives
| Item | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| C9 Charge | 250 eb | Plant as Action. DV 17 Demolitions: 8d6 AP Grenade (5d6 on fail). Arms in 30s. Remote or timer detonation. |
| Mini C9 Charge | 60 eb | Same but 6d6 (4d6 on fail). |
| C9 Kill Switch | 100 eb | Install on vehicle/ACPA/LF/smartgun/cyberdeck. Detonates on unauthorized access. Guaranteed destruction if DV 17 Demolitions was met. |
| Stickybomb Launcher | 1,300 eb | Grenade Launcher. Fires sticky Mini C9s. ROF 2, Cap 8, 1-handed. Remote detonate only. |
🛡️ New Armor
| Armor | Cost | SP | Penalties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light Metalgear | 1,000 eb (VExp) | 16 | −3 REF, DEX, MOVE |
| Hybrid Metalgear | 2,552 eb (VExp) | 17 | −3 REF, −4 DEX, −4 MOVE |
| Heavy Metalgear | 5,000 eb (Lux) | 19 | −4 REF, −5 DEX, −5 MOVE |
☠️ Combat Drugs (Chemical Weapons)
Chemical Weapons
These are military-grade chemical weapons, not recreational street drugs. Originally developed by Biotechnica for the Second Central American War. Delivery methods include injection, Arrowhypo Ammunition (100 eb/arrow), Airburst Ammunition (125 eb/grenade, requires 3 doses), and Multihypo (500 eb, quad-reservoir).
| Drug | Cost/Dose | Duration | Primary Effect | Secondary Effect (DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Cerebral | 60 eb | Instant | 1d6 HL + immediate Secondary check | DV 17: 1d6 HL. Not addictive. |
| Deliriant | 50 eb | 10 min | DV 17 RTD: Damaged Ear + Eye + Torn Muscle (no Bonus Dmg). Cybereyes immune to Eye. | DV 17: If addicted to Blue Glass, 1d6 HL. Not addictive. |
| Mindfire | 50 eb | 1 min (30 rds) | DV 15 RTD: 1 HP/turn (min 1 HP). Requires no Pain Editor. | DV 15: 1d6 HL if failed Primary. Not addictive. |
| Mortalis | 250 eb | 9 sec (3 rds) | DV 21 RTD: Mortally Wounded effects (no Death Saves). Enhanced Antibodies: 1 round only. FBCs immune. | DV 13: Death Save. Fail = Brain Injury + Concussion (no Bonus Dmg). Not addictive. |
| Rime | 60 eb | 24 hr | −2 REF (min 6). Cyberspine immune. | DV 15: 1d6 HL (no Cyberspine). Not addictive. |
| Terrifier | 40 eb | 24 hr | DV 15 RTD: −2 vs anyone seen in first minute after dosing. Speedware/Berserk immune. | DV 17: Re-suffer Primary (same targets). Not addictive. |
| Red Lace | 110 eb | 24 hr | 1d6 HL. Melee 5s count as 6s for Crit determination. Removes Black Lace addiction REF penalty. | DV 17: Addicted. +impulsive RP. −2 DEX while not on Red Lace. |
| White Lace | 20 eb | 12 hr | 1d6 HL (returned if no Secondary). Ignore Seriously Wounded. Removes Black/Red Lace stat penalties. | DV 15: HL permanent. Addicted to Black Lace (−2 REF while off). |
🔫 Other New Weapons
Full Weapons Catalog
Weapon Cost Type/Quality Damage Capacity Range Table Key Features Arasaka Takanami SMG 600 eb Exc. Heavy SMG 3d6 50 Subcompact SMG AF(SMG 4), 1-hand Arasaka Neo Rapid Assault 16 1,600 eb Exc. Shotgun 5d6 16 Shotgun AF(MP 4), Drum Mag Militech Mountain Goat 1,550 eb Exc. AR 5d6 25 Battle Rifle AF(AR 4), Smartgun + Scope Midnight Arms Dawnmaker AMR 2,300 eb Exc. Sniper 6d6 4 Anti-materiel IR Scope, Smartgun, Rechamber Militech Big Boomer 1,100 eb Exc. VH Pistol 4d6 28 Snubnose Pistol AF(MP 4), Drum Mag Tsunami Deathwind Railgun 12,000 eb Exc. Sniper 6d6 30 Scout Rifle Ignores armor < SP12. Overheats after 3 shots (Action to vent). BODY 14 (12 Prone). Smartgun requires 2× Interface Plugs.
🧰 Other Equipment
| Item | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Authorization Handshake Port | 100 eb | Install on ACPA/External LF. Only authorized Interface Plugs can operate it. DV 17 Elec/Sec to bypass (24hr), DV 24 to disable permanently. |
| Thermal Decoy | 100 eb | Inflatable heat decoy. Registers as human to Smart/Tech weapons and IR. Enters initiative. DV 17 Perception to spot. Destroyed by any damage. |
| Multihypo | 500 eb | 4-reservoir drug injector. Administers all 4 at once as 1 Action. Cannot inject unwilling conscious targets. 16 total doses (4×4). |
| Arrowhypo Ammunition | 100 eb (×1) | Arrow loaded with 1 drug dose. No damage — injects on meat hit. Recoverable. |
| Airburst Ammunition | 125 eb (×1) | Grenade/Rocket. Requires 3 doses of 1 drug. No damage — gases targets on meat hit. Blocked by nasal filters/gas masks. |
📊 Expanded DV Tables
Expanded Single Shot DVs by Range (m/yds)
Weapon Type 0–6 7–12 13–25 26–50 51–100 101–200 201–400 401–800 Snubnose Pistol 12 13 15 25 30 — — — Pistol 13 15 20 25 30 — — — Long Barrel Pistol 12 13 14 16 25 — — — Subcompact SMG 16 17 18 20 21 30 — — SMG 15 13 15 17 16 17 30 — Short Barrel Shotgun 14 15 13 13 13 14 15 16 Shotgun 13 15 16 16 18 20 25 30 Long Barrel Shotgun 14 13 15 15 16 25 20 20 Carbine 14 14 15 23 20 20 22 20 Assault Rifle 15 13 15 16 17 19 25 28 Battle Rifle 16 15 13 15 15 25 26 25 Marksman Rifle 19 21 20 27 25 18 15 13 Scout Rifle 14 15 18 20 22 21 17 15 Sniper Rifle 17 15 20 35 30 20 27 25 Anti-materiel Rifle 32 30 25 20 15 14 14 17 Short Bow 15 15 22 20 17 — — — Bow 20 20 17 30 29 27 24 20 Long Bow 35 22 30 25 17 — — — Grenade Launcher 35 28 25 20 19 18 17 16 Rocket Launcher 15 — 22 20 22 20 20 — Missile Launcher — 30 — 30 — — — 30
Expanded Autofire DVs by Range (m/yds)
Weapon Type 0–6 7–12 13–25 26–50 51–100 Machine Pistol 17 22 20 17 18 SMGs 20 17 20 25 30 Assault Rifle 22 18 27 25 20 Machine Gun 21 19 17 20 20
❓ Quick Answers
Can I use Solo of Fortune gear in a Street Level Campaign?
Technically yes, but your GM should be warned: the source explicitly says these items raise the power level. Your GM will need to field Hardened threats to compensate. Many tables restrict this content to one-off storylines.
Can any Role pilot an ACPA?
Yes. ACPA use the pilot’s own Skills. However, FBCs and characters with Moto/Interface Rank 4+ handle extended piloting better (immune to the 4-hour fatigue penalty).
How do I get an ACPA?
Most are provided by employers as part of Mercenary Missions via Operational Budget. Building one requires a Tech (Maker Role ability for components, DV 24 Weaponstech for assembly). They’re not something you casually buy at a Night Market.
Can a Tech upgrade an ACPA?
Techs must upgrade/fabricate/invent each component separately. The full ACPA cannot be upgraded as a single item. Final assembly is a DV 24 Weaponstech check taking 24 hours.
Are the combat drugs addictive?
Most are not addictive (Anti-Cerebral, Deliriant, Mindfire, Mortalis, Rime, Terrifier). Exceptions: Red Lace (DV 17) and White Lace (DV 15, addicts to Black Lace).
Do Operational Budget items carry over?
No. Anything bought with Operational Budget must be returned after the mission. Unspent budget disappears. Your personal gear stays yours.
🔗 Related Topics
- Combat — Core combat rules
- Ranged Combat — Range DVs and firing modes
- Weapons and Gear — Base weapon categories
- Cyberware — Chrome that synergizes with ACPA piloting
- Full Body Conversions — FBC pilots excel in ACPAs (immune to neural feedback)
- Drones — Alternative to ACPA for remote combat
- Drugs & Addiction — Street-level drugs and addiction mechanics
- Gear Durability — Maintenance and malfunction rules
(Source: Interface RED Volume 5, Chapter 9, pp. 105–147)