Monday, December 10, 2018

Frightening Animal Encounter - Outriders

Many of you have by this time seen the film Avengers: Infinity War, I'm sure. I've made reference to the Avengers before but today I'm bringing in an opposing force. Some creatures that are more likely to appear in a Traveller game. Although you might hope they don't. 

I'm talking today about these guys:
Hi. I don't like you. I have a LOT of claws. Poor You.
Animal description 

  • 4-armed, sometimes 6-armed
  • Upright bipedal mammals
  • capable of quadrupedal movement
  • skin black to gray, no hair

Genetically altered creatures 

4-Armed Outrider
Carnivore/killer    Natural terrain: Jungle

100 kg     Hits: 5D/2D [20/8]     Armor: as Cloth and Ablat (use better DM)
Weapons: Claws and Teeth  Wounds: 1D+3, 2D-1    A:3  F:9  S:2
Number Appearing: 6
Attacks: 2 claws per round

6-armed Outrider
Carnivore/killer    Natural terrain: Jungle
200 kg     Hits: 5D/3D [20/12]     Armor: as Cloth and Ablat (use better DM)
Weapons: Claws and Teeth  Wounds: 1D+3, 2D    A:3  F:9  S:2
Number Appearing: 6
Attacks: 4 claws per round 

They are of low intelligence,but they can be taught to follow simple orders. 

Individually, maybe not so bad. But in large groups, as they were employed in A:IW, they can be a serious threat.

In my TU:
Unknown scientists, possibly under orders from MK-203 or some other Interplanetary Criminal Organization (see link here), have taken a Faldorian (see link here) carnivore and substantially altered it to produce this fearsome multi-limbed monstrosity.

They are utilized by a faction of Faldor's civil war as commando forces, bursting from the jungle undergrowth in packs to fall upon a village, an outpost, a fort, or whatever. They attack with abandon, always moving to Close Range with any human in sight. They don't stop until dead, or ordered to by their handlers. How that is accomplished is not known at this point. Outriders do not take Morale throws, their morale is considered 12 and is not reduced by casualties.

So far they have not been seen off of Faldor, but the ICO responsible might try employing them elsewhere. Importation of genetically altered life forms is subject to tight restrictions on most worlds. The Triplanetary worlds all have agents on Faldor to observe or advise, and all three want to know where these things came from, and how they were developed. The Three Eyes network has feelers out across the subsector looking for intelligence on them.

If the referee wants to throw them at PCs in really large numbers (heh, heh) I suggest the Striker format:

4-creature team base
Veteran, Claws (x2), Teeth
Veteran, Claws (x2), Teeth
Veteran, Claws (x2), Teeth
Veteran, Claws (x2), Teeth
Morale 13, Initiative High

Claws Attack +1, Range 1, Defense -1, Pen 3
Teeth Attack 0, Range 1, Defense 0, Pen 4
AV 5 [6]

And then put twenty or thirty of these bases on the map board. Hope you got the VRF Gauss Gun warmed up and well-stocked.



*Image from Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki http://marvelcinematicuniverse.wikia.com/wiki/Outriders

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