second wave

[dakota]

Since there was never any actual leadership for the bugs and it was to the GM's discretion, I decided that the "Queen Bee" would not be with the initial force and would follow with reinforcements in an idea I had for a SF game not long ago, where Norad and the bug hunters were starting to get the upper hand. But when I started work on the Tier 4 Queen, I came up with some other ideas to unleash on the bughunters and came up with a bunch of others.

Since the game never came to be because my group wanted to go in other directions, I figure I might as well share a couple...

(apologies for the stats layout, I use a spreadsheet for all my bugs to make it easier)

Grosshopper (Tier 0)

The Grosshoppers are thought to be more of an obedient pet to the bugs than a member of their hierarchy. Looking like a genetic mix of a grasshopper and a Rottweiler, the beasts respond even to the instructions of Army Ants and Razor Moths, although because of their low intelligence, they are difficult to control. Like the Killapede, the Grosshopper is not an energy based creature like the other bugs, instead it is a carnivore. By nature a pack hunter, Grosshoppers have a natural secretion that they spit on their prey before they kill it which other Grosshoppers can smell for up to a thousand feet. This spit is thick and difficult to clean off, not to mention smells horrible.

A new favorite tactic of the bugs is to unleash a pack of Grosshoppers against suspected human defensive positions, to soften them up and pinpoint locations. The scent, when mixed with blood is also known to throw them into a feeding frenzy, where they will lash out at any non-bugs within reach (silkworms zombies are fair game). The hoppers are more than willing to oblige providing their bug masters let them feed, making an unnerving chattering sound as they hunt. Their massive hind legs give them the ability to leap upwards of thirty feet


Appearance: Four feet at the shoulder, Grosshoppers look like a muscular monstrous grasshopper. Their head is similar to that of the “true” bugs, except they have a gaping maw of razor sharp teeth similar to those of a shark.


Stats:

HP 25
SDC 70
AR 8
Horror Factor 12
PPE 2d6+8
ISP 20

Attacks Bite 3d6, trample 2d6, kick 2d6
initiative +2
attacks+4
strike /parry/ dodge bonus +1/+1/+2

size 4ft long, 2-3ft tall

notes: Jump up to 30 ft, spit noxous goo that others can hone in on (+25 to track)



Razor Moth (Tier 1)

Another new subspecies of the bugs to appear, the Razor Moth is a lower caste that provides its Army Ant cousins with air support on the front lines of any conflict. Smaller than the ants, the Razor Moth is easily identified by the massive spines that sprout from their upper set of arms from wrist to elbow. The spines are incredibly sharp, and used by the Moths in flight to slash humans by flying close to them at a high rate of speed (faster than Killer Bees). Though they look similar to their Army Ant cousins, they were dubbed Moths because they have a tendency to be drawn to be drawn by open fires.

Razor Moths suffer from the same issue as Army Ants, as they require the direction of another bug or they become distracted and disoriented. They will obediently follow the orders of any higher tiered bug with one exception, the Killer Bee. Observers have seen if in the same assault group, Killer Bees that slip into their mindless aggression mindset tend to go after Razor Moths if they are present, while if a Killer Bee is leading a flight of Moths, the Moths are somewhat defiant, to the point that some Exterminator squads have learned to exploit this by targeting Bees to encourage the bug infighting. On the other hand, if a flight of Moths are led by a Fire Fly, it’s best to take cover or get clear as quick as you can. They are also a favorite of Assassin Bugs.

Though they can and do when the other bugs direct them to, Razor Moths seem to avoid travelling in their energy form. Instead they prefer to fly where they have to go. Because of this they are rarely found far from the Bugtowns unless part of a battle group.

Appearance: Razor Moths look very similar to Army Ants, with a few distinctive characteristics. They are shorter, the tallest being only six feet. They have fairly large wings (seven foot wingspan) that only partially fold up if the Moth needs to. Unlike Killer Bees, a Razor Moth that loses the ability to fly due to a damaged wing no longer thinks clearly and more often than not will attempt a suicidal attack on those responsible (80% chance). They also have six overlapping spines on their upper set of arms that go from their wrist and extend passed the elbow at form a saw like blade that can slash through NORAD body armor with a flight past. Razor Moths are reddish brown in color, with brown wings.

Stats:

HP 35
SDC 110
AR 12
Horror Factor 10
PPE 4d6+25
ISP 65

Attacks bio blaster 4d6/8d6, Claws 2d6+8, punch 2d4+5, bite 1d6, wing slap 4d6+10

initiative +2
attacks+3 (5flying)
strike /parry/ dodge bonus +4/+4(7)/+7(7)

size 5-6ft

[abtex]

Nice!
Do you want to share any of the others?
Please!!!!

[dakota]

Sure, I can post a few more

Scarab Tank Beetle (Tier 3)

The Eggheads thought the Bombardier Beetle was a fearsome foe and the heavy assault unit of the bug army. Then word began to spread about another, larger and much more dangerous beetle. It was believed to be folklore at first, until the first confirmed encounter by the Wyoming Free Irregulars near Boise. Using a Bug Hotel for one of their hit and run assaults, the squad chuckled as a bug hit the bug mine from the power outlet hard enough that it shifted. But the elation faded quickly as the bug trap exploded and left in its wake a twenty foot monstrosity Worse, it was leading a trio of Bombardier Beetles that followed closely behind as they tore into and massacred thirty irregulars before the four beetles leapt back into the power grid, leaving only 2 survivors. The entire exchange was over in less than five minutes.

The Scarab Tank Beetle is a monster, walking on all fours and still reaching the height of an Army Ant while it reaches twenty feet long, with the four feet of that being its tusk-like twin bio-energy cannons. Highly intelligent, Eggheads believe that Scarabs are actually the tier three evolution of the Bombardier, which would explain why the recently discovered bugs tend to lead battle groups with the small beetles, or using Bombardiers for field lieutenants. Like the Lightning Bug, Scarab Tank Beetles have no problem entering combat directly, preferring to take on free thinker’s tanks on the battlefield or hardened positions. Fortunately, the Scarab Tank does not possess the energy dissipation ability, instead relying on brute force to bludgeon their opponents or blast their way through. They also have a difficult time hitting smaller targets, so they leave taking on individual free thinkers, a small weakness in the largest of the bugs.

So far, Scarab Tank Beetles seem to be the most tolerant of humans amongst the bugs, and will generally ignore one or even a small group of humans that do not show any signs of posing a threat. Make no mistake, this merely that they seem to see a couple lowly humans as beneath their time or efforts to deal with and leave them to the lower tier bugs. However, should the freethinkers become aggressive, the Scarab can and will defend itself.

Appearance:
The Scarab Tank Beetle is twenty feet in length, and up to eight feet tall walking on all fours (Beetles have only four limbs, unlike other bugs). Their four foot tusks are actually Bio-energy cannons, firing artillery-like blasts of energy at their opponents. Nestled behind the tusks are the bug’s head, which is strikingly similar to the Bombardiers. These massive bugs normally have a dark green carapace and limbs with a red underbelly.



HP 100
SDC 400
AR 16
Horror Factor 15
PPE 4d6+30
ISP 61

Attacks Bite 2d6, trample or ram 6d6
Bio Energy Cannons 1d6x10/ 2d6x10 dual blast

initiative +3
attacks 4
strike +2/+6 if 10 or larger
parry +4
dodge +2

size 16-20ft long, 7-8ft tall

notes: though slow to dodge, it can turn on a dime, eliminating attempts to flank Scarabs. They can also pivot their head up much easier than down, allowing them to fire on free thinker aircraft. So far, Scarabs are the only bug that seems capable of survivning a bug trap detonation.

[dakota]

Fire Fly (Tier 2)

The smallest of the “true” bugs (not counting Silkworms or Grosshoppers), the Fire Fly is a true bane to humans everywhere. As sadistic as Killer Bees, the Fire Fly has the greatest psychological weapon of all of the bugs. With its faintly glowing abdomen like that of native fireflies, the Fire Fly will hover over it’s target then take a deep breath that makes the glow brighter. Then with a cough it disgorges a tongue of bio-energy much like a flamethrower that it can sustain for several seconds ( 1 full melee turn) if it chooses. The Fire Flies have learned of human’s natural instinct to fear fire, and use it to their advantage at every opportunity. The Fire Fly also uses this when leading Razor Moths to direct the attack, using the lesser bug’s attraction to fire to its advantage

Preferring to work in pairs, the Fire Fly is the Bugs that seem to have been tasked with searching the ruins around the Bugtowns for humans. When they do locate prey, there is no consideration for capturing free thinkers for silkworm assimilation, these bugs work purely on a seek and destroy doctrine unless part of a group under the leadership of a Lightning Bug or Scarab Tank Beetle. They usually work with a squad of up to twenty Army Ants or Razor Moths, and their favorite ploy is for one Fire Fly and the lesser bugs to flush out humans, herding them towards the waiting flamethrower of the other Fire Fly. Fire Flies tend to have little to do with Silkworms and their zombies, seeming to take great pride in making the silkworm’s existence miserable and even feeding them to Killapede pits or setting them on fire just to watch them burn. If a Fire Fly wants to make an example to human slave stock, it will always use a silkworm zombie for its victim, not that it makes much difference to the slave populace as they watch the victim burned alive. One curious fact about Fire Flies though is if enough damage can be done to their abdomen, the glowing source of fuel for their bio-flamethrower is extremely flammable and will engulf the bug. When this happens, they tend to panic, and have a high probability (60%) of detonating their suicide attack. This also causes them to explode in a spectacular fashion if hit with projectile explosives. It also means they have a peculiar effect on bug traps, causing them to explode much more violently than they should, and sometimes injure the bug hunters in the process.

Appearance: Fire Flies look similar to Army Ants, except they are much smaller (up to five feet tall) and their abdomens have a faint reddish glow when encountered at night or in a darkened area. They have wings much like a Killer bee, and their exoskeletons are orange.

HP 45
SDC 120
AR 13
Horror Factor 15
PPE 4d6+23
ISP 73

Attacks Bite 2d4, punch 2d4+10, claws 3d6+13
Bio Energy Flamethrower 1d6x10 to 6ft radius

initiative 4
attacks 4 (6 flying)/ 2 (energy form)
strike +1 (+5 flying)
parry +5 (+5 flying)
dodge +2 (+8 flying)

size 54-5 ft tall

notes: abdomen glows dark red

[dakota]

Killapede (Tier 1)

An offspring of the Stink Bug, the lowly Killapede is thought to be a mutation of the Silk Worm. Unlike its smaller kin, the Killapede does not need a host to survive, instead surviving on its own. They keep their grub like appearance, but grow to a horrific six feet in length and sprout extra legs to support their growth, giving them a grotesque appearance of a cross between a millipede and maggot. Killapedes are known to be obedient to all other bugs, even taking orders from Silkworm zombies and Army Ants without hesitation, another reason Eggheads have reasoned that they are some sort of genetic aberration. Fortunately, they are uncommon, with Stink Bugs only hatching one in every ten litters.

Killapedes have another trait that sets them aside as a mutant subspecies of the bugs, they do not feed on energy. Instead, they have developed a taste for living flesh. They will not touch a corpse, even a fairly fresh one, unless it is less than an hour or two old. The saliva of the Killapede is also acidic, which the bug will spit at an opponent if a chosen meal decides to fight back, which sticks to its victim and burns until cleaned away. The bug also tends to use this as a means to escape if the bug thinks it is in danger.

Unable to assume an energy form, Killapedes are commonly found near the Bugtowns, usually crawling through ruins of the original cities hunting free thinkers. They generally hunt alone or pairs, but they have been known to be sent in packs of up to ten in areas known to be infested with humans. Because they are readily commanded, other bugs tend to use them to soften up hardened human defenses before the other bugs attack. The Killapedes don’t mind, it means they get first pick at the buffet. Lightning Bugs have also discovered that it is extremely demoralizing to enslaved humans to throw troublemakers into a pit with several Killapedes for the rest of the population to watch, even broadcasting the morbid results in hopes free thinkers may also be watching.

Appearance: Up to six feet in length and a foot tall, the Killipede looks much like an oversized silkworm with countless legs working in union to make the Killapede fairly quick and very quiet. It has a gaping three jawed maw with no visible teeth, though closer inspect reveals they have an inner set that feeds on the remains dislodged by the mandibles latching onto a victim. Generally white or pale grey in color, they tend to be covered in grime if hunting from crawling through the city wreckage, which works like natural camoflague.


Stats:

HP 25
SDC 100
AR 13
Horror Factor 12
PPE 2d6+15
ISP 53

Attacks Bite 4d6, acid spit 1d6x10 for 1d4+1 rounds
initiative +2
attacks 3
strike /parry/ dodge bonus +2(+4spit)/+3/+3

size 6ft long, 2 ft tall

[dakota]

Cable Spider (Tier 2)

With the invasion of any army comes one simple problem, how to get them to the battlefront. The bugs solve this easily with one of their own, a rare sub species called the Cable Spider. They are easily distinguishible by the fact that it walks on eight legs. This, along with adhesive pads on on their feet make them capable of walking on nearly any surface, and use this ability to avoid being noticed by humans as much as possible. When they are spotted, they tend to use human's natural fear of spiders to try to spook off humans long enough to escape.

Working alone or sometimes in pairs, Cable Spiders have the unique ability of instead of spinning web of silk, it is a natural communication line that is very similar to fibre optic cable. Normally a non combatant, the Spider's job is very simple. Once a human enclave is located, spin a cable as close as it can, even into the settlement without detection, then transform into energy form and follow it back to a waiting bug strike force. Many camps have been overrun from the inside without knowing how the bugs got in. If cornered, the Cable Spider will fight, but their bio energy blasts are weak and have a short range. It is interesting to note that bug hotels work extremely well on spider cables.

Appearance: About the size of a St. Bernard, Cable Spiders stand roughly four feet tall and their body is nearly three feet in length. They are instantly recognizable as the only bug with eight legs, though the front pair are dextrous enough they can manipulate simple tools if they need to. Grey in colour with a yellow underbelly, they look like a cross between a tarantula and an Army Ant.

HP 35
SDC 80
AR 14
Horror Factor: 14
PPE 4d6+10
ISP 80

Attacks kick/punch 2d6, bite 3d6, bio blast 5d6 (15ft range)

Initiative +2
Attacks +2
strike/parry/dodge bonus +2/+4/+6

Note: Can jump 40 ft

[abtex]

They are so cute! If you find any more please post them.
System Failure alway needs more love!!