From: Robin Paul <Robin.Paul@t...>
Date: Fri, 7 Jul 2000 16:10:45 +0100
Subject: DS2 and SG2: Flora and fauna
A few ideas for flora and fauna in DS2 and SG2. These are for "ordinary
unpleasant wildlife", rather than opponents in their own right, and most would
work best with an umpire. My intention is to use the existing game mechanisms
wherever possible. Where I give an Earthly animal or plant as an exemplar, I'm
not suggesting these ideas accurately simulate anything local!
General points: beasties should be allocated to particular terrain types, e.g.
"there are snakoids in the scrub and crocoids in the forest". Numbers,
distribution and the severity of the beasties causing chit draws
can be tuned according to whether the scenario calls for a hell-planet
or just a bit of local flavour.
1) Ambush\trap predators:
a) snake-like, or "carnivorous plantlike" entities. These can be
treated as a type of antipersonel mine, with moving infantry forced to draw
a chit in DS2, or a low-impact mine attack in SG2, unless they use a
combat action to watch out for the wildlife. b) large predators conducting
close assaults from cover, like crocodiles or lions. When infantry enter the
appropriate terrain, check to see if there's an attack (roll a 1 on whatever
die type is agreed before the game). If there is, roll a die for the number of
elements attacking, and treat them as Confident Militia assault elements which
always try to follow through. A
hell-planet might produce something big enough to overrun a vehicle.
c) kraken type lurker- not necessarily in water. Perhaps a huge
antlion type in a concealed pit. This could perhaps draw several chits against
the first element (including vehicles) to approach within a critical distance
(I assume it would then be killed by modern weaponry). A rarity on non
hell-planets.
2) Swarmers- killer bees, vampire bats, Star Trek "flying omelette
monsters" etc: a) ordinary ones cause panic in green troops. b) more severe
types cause panic in any troops on foot or open vehicles. c) really severe
ones put an "under fire" or suppression marker on infantry.
3) Confusers- local wildlife causing sensor readings which can be
confused
with enemy troops or mines. Perhaps the seed-pods of a local plant
gives off a chemical resembling burnt scattermine propellant, or perhaps those
"local badgers" might be a camouflaged enemy platoon, Kra'Vak LRRPs or the
like. Mine or hidden unit markers are used, and each requires a combat action
to remove it.
4) Interferers:
a) Pesky critters-These cause hidden units to be revealed by
changing
their behaviour and giving away units' positions- think of troops of
baboons in a wildlife park, stealing food and windscreen wipers and generally
drawing attention to their vicinity, or of spore-clouds puffed into the
air when touched. If the pestered unit is fired on, count the range as being
6" closer for DS2, or one range band for SG2.
b) Migrating megafauna- vast numbers of big beasts traughling across
the
board- any dismounted (and perhaps vehicles less than Armour-2) in the
way either move or draw a chit.
5) Terrain modifiers: I suggest these mostly be quite localised in effect e.g.
a scattering of the iron hard nests of the local termites let infantry
count as dug-in, or a patch of apparently open ground is in fact riddled
with nests and tunnels, making it rough.