Since tank arms are too weak to move vehicles, your main ways of interacting with them is either using your whole frame to push them, your tow ropes to pull them, or your weapons to shoot them. Of course, you can also communicate with them in various ways.
COMMUNICATING WITH OTHER VEHICLES
You can always use gestures to communicate (as long as you can act, of course), but unless you and your allies have agreed upon body language, you will need to use other ways of communication to express yourself in more complex ways.
TALKING AND SHOUTING
Every tank has a voice box, a device that allows them to vocalize like organic beings. Each tank’s voice is randomly different, but they can alter their voices or imitate others at will.
They can talk normally, whisper, or shout. In terms of volume, normal speech is about as loud as a human shouting (due to having to talk over the engine noise).
RADIO COMMUNICATION
Additionally, tanks make extensive use of their radios. They can send verbal messages, which is basically just spoken transmissions. They can also send nonverbal messages, which are more like a series of electrical impulses, essentially text-messages without actual text.
Nonverbal messages are silent and suitable for situations where making a sound would be inconvenient or dangerous, but they take slightly longer to compose than spoken messages.
A tank can also send and receive pings about its or others' locations.
INTIMIDATION
A tank can attempt to scare another tank. This is called an Intimidation check. An Intimidation check counts as a contested check, as well as an interaction check.
To attempt to intimidate another tank, the target tank needs to be able to hear the intimidating tank. A line of sight is not required.
It’s easier to intimidate others when you are big and dangerous-looking; A tank that attempts an Intimidation check against a target rolls using its Size score + its Mentality score as a dice pool. The target tank must immediately roll with its Mentality score as a dice pool. The TN for both rolls is 8.
If the tank attempting to intimidate has more successes, the target tank takes 1 point of OST damage. In the event of a tie or if the target tank has more successes, nothing happens.
If an intimidation attempt fails, it can’t be repeated in the same battle.
RALLYING
To get a scared ally to keep fighting, it may be necessary to encourage it.
In order to rally an allied tank, it needs to be able to hear you. A line of sight is not required. Radio communication can be used. To rally the target, roll using your Mentality score + Insight score. The TN for the roll is the difference of the target’s maximum OST – its current OST.
On a success, the target regains 1 point of OST.
You can repeat a failed Rally check in the next turn.
A Rallying check counts as an interaction check. It is not a contested check.
PUSHING OR PULLING OTHER VEHICLES
When two tanks are trying to move each other, or when one tank is trying to move another unwilling tank, both make contesting Strength checks. The TN is (target’s Size – actor’s Size) + 5. The tank who has more successful rolls wins.
When a tank tries to move another tank that is either willing or unconscious/incapacitated, the TN for the actor is (target’s Size – actor’s Size) + 5. If the roll is successful, the actor can move the target.
A tank can push another tank without any aids, but needs at least one tow rope to pull another tank. Tanks can never move other tanks that are 2 or more Sizes bigger than themselves.
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