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Tunneler Roaches |
By: PhyreCop1@aol.com
The Bugs from Starship Troopers
They come from a planet that is mostly high desert and craggy, boulder-strewn mountains. Though they prefer an arid environment, they have also been found on nearly ever other type of planet, mostly those with forest, jungle and grassy plains.
The various bug species seem to live in a multilateral hive community with a very structured caste system. The leaders of the hive are the Brain Bugs , a highly intelligent psionic creature with amazing abilities. They are assisted by the Tunneler Roaches. These also serve as the builder/maintenance personnel for the hive. The Warrior Bugs act as both heavy workers and infantry. The Tanker Bugs with their flaming acid are like huge tanks, moving across the terrain sweeping the way clear of enemies. The Hopper Bugs are like a short-range air force as well as a decent form of reconnaissance for the hive. The Plasma Bugs act as a planetary defense by filling the sky and orbital space with massive balls of organic plasma capable of destroying a medium-sized spaceship.
Though similarities exist between the various bugs, it is believed that they are separate life forms and each caste species lays it's own eggs within the various chambers of the hive. The hive itself is a monumental construct in itself. A typical sized hive might cover 20-30 square miles of a planet, and descend as much as a mile below the surface. Some hives are rumored to be 10-20 times this size, though no one as yet has been able to document this.
Tunneler Roaches
These are the most prolific of the hive's population. Small hives will have between 4000 and 10,000 Tunnelers. Larger hives can have 50,000 to over 1 million! Their plate armor will be generally black with large washes of either red, brown, dark mustard-yellow, green or even blue. The reason for the color differences is not known. They do not display any behavior that would lead one to believe they have any pecking order or chain of command.
They act as diggers, gatherers, soldiers, pack-animals and maintenance workers both inside and outside the hive. They escort the Brain Bugs whenever one feels the need to leave its chamber; and the Plasma Bugs whenever they are outside providing planetary defense.
They are so numerous on some worlds and in some other dimensions that they are used as science experiments and biology dissection subjects by school children.
NPC Villains --------- Not available as player
characters.
Alignment: Considered evil.
Attributes: I.Q.: 1D6, M.E.:
1D6, M.A.: 1D6, P.S.: 2D6 + 8,
P.P.: 1D6 + 10, P.E.: 2D6 + 12,
P.B.: 1D4, Spd: 2D6 x 5. Considered
to have superhuman endurance.
M.D.C.: 60 M.D.C.
Horror Factor: 12
Magic Abilities: None.
P.P.E.: 1D6
Psionic Abilities: Telepathy between hive members.
I.S.P.: 2D6 x 10 plus 10 per level.
Natural Abilities: Multi-spectrum vision equivalent to
cybernetic multi-optics eye and radar (range 200 feet/61 m).
Regenerates lost M.D.C. at the rate of 4D6 M.D.C. per 8 hour rest
period. Able to psionically recognize and communicate with members of
their own species, and other allied insectoids.
Experience Level: Average 1D6+2
Vulnerabilities/Penalties: Takes double damage from psionic
attacks.
Combat (Natural abilities): 3 hand-to-hand attacks at level
three; add +1 attack at levels five and seven.
Damage: Bite 3D6 M.D.
Bonuses: +6 on initiative, +6 to strike, +7 to dodge, +8 to
roll with punch/fall, +12 to save vs. horror factor. All in addition
to attribute bonuses. Add +1 to strike at level five, and +1 to dodge
at levels five and seven.
R.C.C. Skills: Skills limited to track by vibration 80% + 3%
per level, climbing 60% + 5% per level, digging/tunneling 60% + 5%
per level and track by smell 30% + 5% per level.
Average Life Span: 10 Years
Size: 1-3 feet (0.3-0.9 m) tall and 4-9 feet (1.2-2.7 m)
long.
Weight: 23 kg (55+lbs)
Enemies: Anyone and anything that is not of their hive or
sister hives.