HardWired Sourcebook

Hardwired by Walter Jon Williams is a sourcebook for Cyberpunk 2013. It is set in the fictional universe of Hardwired (1986), a cyberpunk novel by the same author.

Hardwired is set in an alternate future in which the Orbitals, powerful mega-corporations with facilities in space, are the supreme world powers. Originally the Orbitals were regulated by blocs of countries. However, the Orbitals felt that since they were wealthier and more powerful than any planetbound government or alliance, they should be independent from their control. When the blocs refused, the Orbitals began what has been dubbed the "Rock War". The Orbital platforms dropped lumps of mining debris and meteorites (the "rocks") on the planet below (causing shockwaves equal to that of atomic bombs) until their autonomy and supremacy were recognized. The whole war was over in a matter of minutes.

The Orbitals now have an aero-space blockade to keep their monopoly on goods and services. Pilots called "Panzerboys" drive fast armor-plated and stealth-coated cargo transports loaded with commodities to run the blockade.

The sourcebook has stats for major NPCs from the book, like Cowboy and Sarah. There are also stats for new weapons, gear, and cyberware (like Sarah's "snake" implant). There are also alternate Netrunning rules and two new roles (Panzerboy and Crystaljock).