Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Rebellion Era Campaign Guide
See also: Cracken's Rebel Field Guide
Equipment Type: Explosives
Power Pack Bombs are unpredictable but powerful improvised explosives. Rebel agents find them useful because the basic components are usually at hand. However, their unpredictability causes agents to use them only when desperate. The bomb works by taping 2 to 5 Power Packs together, then disabling the packs' sturm dowels, thereby causing the packs to build up an excessive charge and to explode after about 30 seconds.
Although blaster Power Packs are typically used, any large power cell can be adapted to the task. Attaching an optional timing device or remote-controlled detonator is possible, but it is complicated by the need to include a mechanism to remove the dowels. Also, the explosion is not instantaneous, since the Power Packs must build up the charge first.
Required Items: 2 to 5 Power Packs, Mesh Tape, optional timing device or remote detonator with dowel-removal mechanism; Tool Kit required for timing device.
Creation Time: 2 Minutes without timing device (30 seconds with timing device)
Skill Check: Mechanics DC 15 (DC 10 with Tech Specialist) without timing device. A failure of 10 or more below the DC results in immediate detonation. With a timing device, the checks are instead Mechanics DC 25 (DC 20 with Tech Specialist). Failure results in immediate detonation.
Result: The bomb detonates 1d6 rounds after the last dowel is removed or the detonation device is activated (rolled secretly by the Gamemaster). The bomb can be thrown like a Grenade, but it does not explode until the charge builds up. The bomb can also be set as in the Place Explosive Device aspect of the Mechanics skill.
Once the charge begins building up, the bomb cannot be disarmed. Damage is 2 die of the type of Power Pack used (for example, a bomb made from two Blaster Rifle Power Packs and a Blaster Pistol Power Pack is 4d8+2d6). A standard power cell uses d6 damage dice.
The explosion deals damage as an Area Attack to all targets within a 2-Square Burst radius.