OPAD SHADOW DIRECTORATE

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PG 0 OPERATIONAL ADDENDUM 001

 SHADOW DIRECTORATE OPAD

TABLE OF CONTENTS CREDITS

SHADOW DIRECTORATE ............................ 2
BACKGROUND ..................................... 2
WHAT IS A DIRECTORATE? ................... 2
CODE NUMBER .................................... 3
CREATING A CODE NUMBER ............ 3
NON-OPERATIONAL COVER .................. 4
CREATING A NOC ............................ 4
by DwD Studios staff
LICENSING
Covert Ops role-playing game™ is copyright 2013
and is a trademark of DwD Studios, used under the
Creative Commons License (specifically, the
Attribution Noncommercial ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
License, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0); Some Rights Reserved. To

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THE DIRECTORATES ............................. 4 view this license, visit:
0 ELIMINATION................................ 5 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
1 CONFISCATION ............................. 5 Or send a letter to:

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2 INVESTIGATION ............................ 6 Creative Commons,
444 Castro Street, Suite 900,
3 INFILTRATION .............................. 6 Mountain View, CA 9404.
4 PROTECTION ................................ 7
For specific details, appropriate credits, and updates
5 RECON......................................... 7 to this license, please see:
6 TRANSPORTATION ....................... 8 http://dwdstudios.com/barebones/license
7 OP-TECH...................................... 8
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8 SCIENCES.................................... 9
9 ADMINISTRATION ......................... 9
CHANGING MEMBERSHIP .................... 10
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OPERATIONAL ADDENDUM
This is an Operational Addendum, an official game micro-accessory for the Covert Ops
role playing game. This is the designation we at DwD Studios use to refer to small
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modular optional accessories which can be used to enhance your espionage and
paramilitary adventure. Some will have plug-in rules, others will have setting-related
things like new organizations or elaborations on old ones. We hope you like the
concept. Instead of building a new 100 page accessory filled mostly with things you
DON’T want, this smaller and more compartmentalized philosophy allows you to just
purchase only what you DO want.
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But don’t sit around waiting for us to write the next Operational Addendum – you too
can write them. It’s the beauty of a product written under a Creative Commons license.
You can publish them yourself! Or, if you want the fancy logo and some assistance with
art, editing, etc. then submit it to us and we’ll publish it for you. And don’t be afraid to
contact us with feedback, pitches, and ideas – info@dwdstudios.com. We look forward
to hearing from you!

OPERATIONAL ADDENDUM 001 PG 1

 OPAD SHADOW DIRECTORATE

SHADOW
DIRECTORATE

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BACKGROUND
This is a short supplement for the Covert Ops role-playing game. It can be used
with the setting provided in brief within the core rulebook (SECTOR) or can be used
in any setting you desire. Since this supplement is settingless, it uses the generic
term “Command” to refer to the player operatives’ organization.
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Using this optional supplement, starting operatives have a more defined role and
responsibility within a team. Additionally, it provides for a way to glue together
some of the perhaps underused features in the GM Operations Manual, tying them
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in specific ways to operatives based on their skillset. It also provides an avenue for
operatives to have code numbers like secret agents found in cinema.

If adding this supplement to an existing campaign, simply inform the players

between missions that they are sent for extended training and are being recruited
into one of Command’s Directorates. Allow them to make choices and benefit from
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merits just like new operatives created using this system.

WHAT IS A DIRECTORATE?
A Directorate is an organizational division within a larger agency. It is led by a
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Director and any number of Assistant Directors (depending on the scope of

authority for the directorate). It has compartmentalized responsibilities, duties,
and perquisites.

Once you have completed building your operative using the normal rules from the
Covert Ops core rulebook, you may now select membership in a directorate. There
are ten such directorates within Command, and each has different prerequisites for
acceptance, duties and responsibilities, enhanced training, and benefits. Players
may choose their membership now or you, as GM, may choose membership for
them.

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 SHADOW DIRECTORATE OPAD

CODE NUMBER
A code number is given to all field operatives and is
comprised of three numbers. This code number will
follow your operative throughout his entire career.

Command has no more than 100 active field

operatives of each directorate, often only a
handful of each at any given headquarters.

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If their need ever exceeds this, new recruit
operatives may gain another digit to their
code numbers.

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Code numbers are used in formal paperwork
from Command, in an attempt to keep field
operative’s identities a secret. At later ranks,
when operatives develop a code name, their code
names will be used in informal communication, radio
and phone use, etc. When they receive official
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documents, awards, etc. from Command, operatives will
be referred to by their code numbers. If captured by
enemy agents, an operative’s code number is
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considered unclassified. A player should give that out
before he gives out his operative’s real name.

CREATING A CODE NUMBER

After deciding to which directorate your operative
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belongs to at the start of his career, you must create his

code number. Use the directorate number shown in the
lists which follow (for example, 0 for Elimination, 9 for
Administration, etc.) and roll D00, appending the
result after this directorate number.
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Example: If your operative is built as an assassin and

therefore belongs to the Elimination directorate, your
code number begins with 0. You then roll D00 and get
09 as a result. Your operative is agent 009. If he
belonged to the Confiscation division and you rolled
45 then you are agent 145.

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 OPAD SHADOW DIRECTORATE

NON-OPERATIONAL COVER
Field operatives have a NOC. This is a cover story to explain what they do for a
living, where they go each day, why they travel a lot, etc. Between game sessions,
these covers get worked on. Directorate administrators work diligently to help
maintain these covers by working with the business and establishing relationships
with them. Only the highest ranking officers at any business know which of their
employees are real and which are field operative cover stories.

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CREATING A NON-OPERATIONAL COVER
Players may create any cover they wish. This doesn’t cost them any extra
equipment allowance, just like their operative packs and pistols. Players should

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pick covers which allows for travel and which few people would question in
accordance with their interests and skills. Consider this a “Complex Cover” by the
standards presented in the core rulebook, page 21. This cover uses the operative’s
real name, so it is considered classified and should not be shared willingly.

THE DIRECTORATES
Directorates are defined as follows:
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RESPONSIBLITIES – This defines what role operatives who belong to this
directorate play on missions. It helps give areas of specialty to individual
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operatives and is a guideline to players on how to develop their operatives
to be good at what they do.
QUALIFICATIONS – Operatives must meet or exceed the minimum
prerequisites presented before any directorate will accept them. These
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prerequisites are fairly low, so a typical starting operative will likely have a
few from which he may choose.
ENHANCED TRAINING – Once the player chooses a directorate for which
his operative qualifies, the player (or the GM) may select one of the perks
listed. Apply whichever one is selected immediately, and recalculate any
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derived statistics. For instance, if you choose to increase your STR by +5,
your Body Points and perhaps your damage adjustment for melee and
unarmed combat may raise as well. If the player has a bone to spare, he
may spend one to select a second perk (different from the first) from the
same directorate.
MERITS – When an operative reaches a professional level of expertise
within his directorate, he is typically provided with access to certain
benefits other operatives might not have. These can come in handy when
trying to plan a mission. In game terms, when an operative reaches Rank 3
(and again at Rank 6) they receive access to a String or a Rank Benefit as
detailed in the GMs Operation Manual (pages 36-48). This benefit must be
selected from among those listed for the directorate.

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 SHADOW DIRECTORATE OPAD

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ELIMINATION
This division is colloquially known as the Osiris
Directorate. It represents that darker side of an
intelligence agency responsible for assassination,
demolitions, and tactical insertions. Its
members are recruited from the ranks of
soldiers, mercenaries, hit men, and worse.

Code Number – begin with 0 (zero).

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Responsibilities – assassinations,
tactical insertions, demolitions, etc.
Qualification – STR 50, DEX 50, Soldier 50

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Enhanced Training – choose one of the
following at rank 1:
STR +5
Demolitions Pack (always assigned, free)
Thief level 1
Merits – choose one at rank 3 and again at rank 6:
Command (Rank Benefit)
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Concealed Weapons Permit (Rank Benefit)
Munitions Contract (Rank Benefit)
Fly-By, level 1 (String)
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CONFISCATION
This division is commonly referred to as the Shadow Directorate. Sometimes
secrets, people, and things belong to someone else but need to be acquired for
Command (either because the current owners are dangerous or because it’s the
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secret, person, or thing that is a danger). That’s when members of the Confiscation
Directorate are brought in. They are experts in avoiding security and in remaining
unseen and unheard.

Code Number – begin with 1 (one).

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Responsibilities – acquisition of secrets, people, and things in other

people’s possession.
Qualification –DEX 50, LOG 50, Thief 50
Enhanced Training – choose one of the following at rank 1:
DEX +5
Infiltration Pack (always assigned, free)
Martial Artist level 1
Merits – choose one at rank 3 and again at rank 6:
Black Market (Rank Benefit)
Concealed Weapon Permit (Rank Benefit)
Fence (Rank Benefit)
Data Grid Manipulation, level 1 (String)

OPERATIONAL ADDENDUM 001 PG 5