Some of you may remember I have a set of rules for aliens in DSII. People on
this list have commented on them before. One of the observations was the lack
of different psychology rules.
Well I have a first draft of possible rules for aliens. Comments are
enthusiastically encouraged! The text contains some elements which are
explained in the full rules. Any confusion just ask. The next rules I have are
for Warrior type races (i.e. klingon etc.)
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Alien Psychology: Colony Based on an insect colony the entire alien force acts
and fights as
one. This co-ordination requires the presence of a controlling alien.
The colony goal is simple. Destroy the enemy and preserve their own existence.
Colony controlling aliens are willing to sacrifice units to obtain their goals
but they have an underlining sense of preservation, which stops them
committing complete genocide. Individual leaders do not exist in colony forces
and so units are not inhibited by the loss of an element. Subsequently the
morale of colony forces is very different to conventional ones.
Colony forces are allocated unit quality markers as per the normal rules but
the number is irrelevant. Only the colour matters. The colour indicates the
age of the unit, how many battles it has taken part in, how well it can
interpret commands from the control alien etc. Control aliens are always
considered to have a leadership rating of 1 and all Pseudo control aliens have
a leadership of 2 or 3. All tests are made against the control aliens
leadership marker but the units' quality rating.
Confidence Levels and Effects: Colony Level Effect for both Armour & Infantry
Untested (UN) Will act normally at all times. Cautious (CA) Unit will not
enter close assault without a reaction test. Preservation (PR)Unit may no
longer move towards enemy units (May not close assault). If in open must
withdraw to nearest cover.
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Sacrifice (SA) Unit moves to protect controlling alien. Unit must fire on any
unit(s) attacking the controlling alien or move until in range. Unit is now
immune to other confidence tests until control alien threat is resolved.
Normal units cannot go beyond the level of PR. Before the battle starts the
alien player can nominate any or all of their forces as bodyguard units(costs
more for unit). Only these units can move straight to SA confidence.
Circumstances and Threat Levels:
A Confidence Test should be taken when any of the following apply:
A unit has suffered its first
element destroyed: Threat +1
Unit suffers 50% or greater Casualties (destroyed or damaged)
In one attack: Threat +2
Controlling alien damaged: Threat +2
Controlling alien destroyed: Threat +4
Reaction Tests are required as follows:
Moving to SA to protect Controlling
Alien: Threat +3
Preventing automatic opportunity
Fire from green unit:* Threat +2
Unit ordered to close assault or Attacked in close assault See below
*Optional Rule: Alien colony units that are Green automatically use
opportunity fire if the situation arises whether or not the controlling player
wants them to. The controlling alien can make a reaction test to prevent it
from firing.
Infantry Close Assaults: Colony Reaction tests are carried out as per normal
for attacking. Modifiers to the threat level are:
Untested +0
Cautious +2
Preservation (Cannot close assault) Sacrifice (Automatically passes reaction
test)
Defending Confidence tests are as per normal rules.
With the exception that non-colony races suffer a threat level of +4 if
assaulted by Claw infantry(basically like the Bugs in SST).
[quoted original message omitted]
> > Alien Psychology: Colony
Well I'll drop the word Insect since this is Sci-fi. But insect does
conjure up the image of a colony working towards a common goal with each
member knowing their own place and purpose.
> Basically, the colony "intelligence" is a distributed process brought
Once again this is sci-fi so for communication you can go as far as
telepathy.
> The Queen breeds and also sends out some control pheromones indicating
This is the simplest form. I was thinking more of colonies thinking lets grow
some more interstellar craft, some artillery, support units and attack the
adjacent system.
Jeremey
G'day,
> Controlling alien destroyed: Threat +4
I'd be tempted to call them the colony core or breeder or leader or something,
as calling them a controller suggests that once they're dead the whole colony
should go into chaos or stop dead as nothing is controlling them anymore (OK
probably a bit picky, sorry).
> Infantry Close Assaults: Colony
Is there any room for the "attackers" to try and stealth who they are so that
they can slip in unnoticed (like some spiders etc can in ant's nests)?
Cheers
> Some of you may remember I have a set of rules for
These are some notes lifted from striker 1 (I miss GDW) they be some more food
for thought in regards to psychology.
Aslan (cat people) add 2 to morale but subtract 2 from initiative.
K'ree (centaurs) no individual figures allowed, all must be part of a team.no
militia. most common troop type conscript. because of caste system the more
experienced troops will not necessarily be officers. because of size and
claustophobia issues multiply crew space requirements by 6.
vehicle crews suffer morale penalty of -2 unless 12 times amount of
space is allocated.
Vargr (dog people) recruits and regulars havw lower morale than normal while
vetrans and elites have higher morale than usual. All leaders have a morale
modifier 1 greater than usual.
Zhodani as humans but commando units will be less capable than a normal human
commando unit because they are selected by their psionic abilities rather than
their combat abilities.
just some thoughts to throw into the mix
> > Controlling alien destroyed: Threat +4
No that is exactly it Beth. In the rules I had the player bringing sort of
queens in waiting who take over if the top bod is killed.
Here is the passage for that: Secondary Control Aliens Colony armies may only
have one Control alien. In order to prevent total disaster every time a
Control alien is killed, alien armies may also have Secondary Control Aliens.
These units are waiting for their turn to run the colony. They can have all of
the systems normally restricted to Control aliens but because of the rivalry
they cannot carry any weapons. Defensive systems are allowed. When the control
alien is killed any of the Secondary Control Aliens can take over running the
colony.
> > Infantry Close Assaults: Colony
I must admit I hadn't thought of that. I was being narrow minded and thinking
of Aliens vs Humans type battles. Mind you that it would make an interesting
battle if a successful roll means an enemy unit is ignored as a friendly
one.......hmmmmm
regards
> On Tue, Feb 26, 2002 at 09:04:55AM +0000, Jeremey Claridge wrote:
Not impossible. "Spray your powered armour with this pheromone and they'll
ignore you."
Tricky if the bugs are being run by a human player, though.
> These are some notes lifted from striker 1 (I miss GDW) they be some
You know I would have given my cats the complete opposite;)
> Zhodani as humans but commando units will be less capable than a
I hadn't thought about Psionics, I must admit. Mind you rules for that could
cover any race. Would affect morale though. If you lose communication with a
unit you can blame equipment failure. But if your Psionic tells you he still
has their dying screams echoing in his mind..........dodgy.
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> >I must admit I hadn't thought of that. I was being narrow minded and
Quite. Do we have a list of non-human players anywhere? ;)
> On Tue, Feb 26, 2002 at 09:24:42AM +0000, Jeremey Claridge wrote:
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> >> Tricky if the bugs are being run by a human player, though.
Well you could still use it in another way. If a bug unit wants to attack a
non bug unit coated with the pheromone they could be forced to make a specific
reaction test or just an oppossed roll. Something similar to the mechanics of
the ECM system.
On Tue, 26 Feb 2002 09:24:42 +0000 Jeremey Claridge
> <jeremy.claridge@kcl.ac.uk> writes:
I have a couple of co-workers I might submit...
Gracias,
G'day,
> I must admit I hadn't thought of that. I was being narrow minded and
Well so it was still a wargame of sorts you could make the roll evenly
weighted (or weighted against success) so not everybody succeeded. You could
also have that the effects were ignored once a "friendly" fired or stole your
eggs or whatever;)