BIOTECH "LANDMINES"
Less traditional landmines and more bioengineered organisms in "portable" form, these creatures resemble large (about 3' diameter), flat plates of glistening muscle and tubes with a serrated series of sharp, folded teeth like a lamprey mouth and short, underdeveloped anchoring tentacles on the underside when undeployed; the general colouration of each mine indicates function it performs. Splicer teams set the organisms in place by simply pressing them into the ground, and inserting a special "arming device" in the form of an enzyme sliver.
Once inserted, the organisms draw nutrients from inbuilt biopacks which are rapidly consumed, and from their surrounding terrain. They grow extremely rapidly, the underside tentacles and mouth chewing rapidly through even M.D.C. concrete as the orgamism expands and burrows into the ground, making them useful for deployment even in the dark, ruined wrecks of the ancient cities. Though they could theoretically be used as particularly gruesome weapons by slamming them against the chest of an opponent and inserting the arming sliver (the teeth and tentacles inflict 3D10 M.D. per melee round; the organism is assumed to have a single attack), the 2D4 second delay before the landmine begins to grow and expand make it a fairly pointless and impractical idea, as the organism won't even be strong enough to hold itself in place for 30 seconds.
1. General Purpose Landmine (A.K.A. "Sacs", "Digesters", "Gloop Tubes")
This is by far the most commonly-employed form of bio-organic landmine, useful against human-sized or smaller Machine drones and anything metallic which can fit through its mouth aperture. Appearing as a nondescript "nub" about the size of a manhole cover on the ground, coloured and camouflaged to the surrounding terrian (ALL mines resemble this, and possess an effective passive Camouflage skill of 65%); the organism beneath resembles a gruesome, muscular sac covered with veins and sinews, about 7' deep. Whenever the sensory organs within the "nub" detect the presence of inorganic pressure upon it (literally by "tasting" the offending object), 4 thick, writhing tentacles erupt from the nub and lash to hold the target in place; a split second later, muscular action from the creature's mouth sucks the victim into the sac beneath the ground.
The digestive tract of the landmine is filled with a thick, potent acid that inflicts 1D8x10 M.D. per melee round to any inorganic object trapped inside. On the rare occasion the landmine swallows an organic victim (Human, animal, whatever; possibly due to muscular spasm or unusual circumstances), they suffer 1D4 S.D.C. damage per melee round from the acid (the same type as used in Splicer blood and armour; the organism feeds in part on insoluble minerals and metals). However, 1D6 seconds after swallowing the person, the landmine contracts violently and the mouth aperture relaxes, expelling the victim back out or at least allowing them to climb out easily. Though icky, deeply disturbing and mildly traumatic, the experience is hardly a dangerous one for a Human (even a child as young as 6 or 7) unlucky enough to trigger one of these potent but virtually harmless organisms.
Type: Ground Control & Denial
M.D.C.: 1D4x10+10 (Main Body), 20+2D6 (each tentacle, of which there are 4)
Applicable Attributes: Splicer P.S. 32 (victims held cannot move or fight within the sac unless they too possess a Splicer P.S. of 32 or higher; 26 for Supernatural Strength). N/A for all others.
Bonuses: +4 to Strike
Damage/Attacks: 1D8x10 M.D. per melee round (swallowed; inorganics only)
Lifespan: 1D6 Months after deployment. The creature hibernates between "feedings" to converse energy stores.
Colouration: Red/Fleshy. As a partially lithovoric organism, the mine has a glossy sheen to its appearance.
2. Inhibitor Landmine (A.K.A. "Graspers", "Burrowers", "Tineaters")
Similar in undeployed appearance to the General Purpose landmine, this breed of biotech mine lacks the digestive sac, instead resembling a burrowed, inverted cone of spiney, muscular tentacles. When an inorganic object passes over the mine, the tendrils explode from the ground and burrow deeply into the target in a manner similar to the Tendril Injector attack (See the Splicer's main rule book). The tentacles tear through metal and plastics, wrapping around vital components and sprouting other winding protuberances as the mine rapidly metabolises its energy stores.
Intended for capture and immobilisation of large Machine assets for examination/destruction/whatever, even a large vehicle like a Battle Track can find itself in trouble if it rolls over a specially-planted cluster of these creatures; human-sized battle droids are often ripped to pieces.
Type: Capture, Ground Denial and Inhibition
M.D.C.:1D4 x 10 (Main Body), 20 + 2D10 (each Tentacle, of which there are 3D4)
Applicable Attributes: Splicer P.S. 35 (the strength or higher needed to break free from the tendrils once caught); this *increases* by 1 per round for 2D4 rounds once the tendrils have burrowed into a target, as they grasp and entangle internal systems. N/A for all others.
Damage/Attacks: 3D8 per attack; the mine has the equivalent of 3 attacks per round, plus 1 for every 2 tentacles over 8, round down. On a successful attack, there is a chances the larget is entangled by a burrowing tentacle cluster: 80% for man-sized machines, 65% for truck-sized, 30% for Battle-Track or Assault-Slayer scale, and a mere 10% for any target larger than that. An entangled target automatically takes 1D6 x 10 M.D. per melee round to its legs/locomotion systems as its internals are torn to shreds, and the mine ceases its reguar attacks to grasp its "prey" firmly in place. Held targets are helpless (+6 to Strike rolls made against them), and cannot effectively engage in Hand to Hand combat unless their limbs are free. Common sense should dictate any other effects; each attack, the machine may make an opposed Strength test (1D20+ P.S. equivalent bonus) vs. the mine to break free, an act which inflicts 4D6 M.D. to the machine for each mine it is affected by. A maximum of 4 mines can affect one single target at once; the rest are cinematically "held", miss, or have graphic but ultimately visual-only effects.
Bonuses: +3 to Strike. Due to the nature of the attack, large targets have a very difficult time parrying or dodging these attacks (effective blind effort; -10)
Lifespan: 3D6 Melee Rounds after triggering. Whilst the live, the tendrils of a Grasper have a bright, pulsating, writhing aspect to them. When the organism dies, the tentacles contract and resemble vegetable matter with a leathery look, the colour dulling towards brown. Due to their limited lifespan and "one shot" use, these mines are usually deployed for specific purposes and are rarely used for "general" ground control.
Colouration: Yellowish-Brown.
3. Area-Effect Mine ("A.K.A. "Spikers", "Puffballs", "Death Blossoms")
A very simple mine design, this organism reacts to the presence of any pressure above a certain weight (approx. 20 kg+) upon it (unlike the GP or Inhibitor mines). Upon contact, the roughly medicine-ball sized organisms (which resemble a leathery, glossy puffball) explodes violently, its internal core releasing a large charge of bio-energy and internally-grown razor- sharp ceramic slivers. Ironically, due to their indiscriminatory nature, they are less commonly deployed than "Gloop Tubes."
Type: Destruction of Enemy Assets & Tactical Ground Denial
M.D.C.: 20 + 2D6 (Main Body; no extremities of any kind)
Damage/Attacks: 2D4 x 10 M.D. to a 20-foot blast radius. The cloud of slivers rips into targets beyond that, inflicting 5D6 M.D. to targets further than 20 feet but within 40 feet of the epicenter.
Bonuses: +2 to Strike. Targets cannot parry this attack, but may attempt to dodge/drop flat at a -8 penalty (there is a split-second delay which allows the perceptive to react; PC's should be given a chance. Machine targets are usually caught before they can react; whichever benefits your story the most, use it!). The explosion is explicitely permitted as being able to roll with, even in the sliver cloud, but rolling targets still take 3D6 M.D. from impact/lacerations, even if they succeed.
Colouration: Greenish/Grey
Addendum: Due to the nature of the energy field, Force Fields will *not* trigger an organic landmine. However, since the forcefield by nature cannot interpose itself between a machine and the ground it stands/rolls on, this will rarely be a problem, though force fields WILL protect against the digestive effect of the GP landmine if a robot small enough and possessing one (very rare) is swallowed.
Oi...that's enough typing for now. These rules are pulled straight from my mind and thus, have little proofreading or similar behind them, so *please* do not take the above rules as inviolable; input will be appreciated. Later, I will add my thoughts on other fixed defences. Until then, please feel free to use/expand these deranged ramblings from a diseased mind overdosed on fruit juice.
-Juicer-
)
Again, the purpose of these ideas is to get the creative juices flowing for those that like the ideas, nothing more.
