I promised an example of Super Squadron (the Australian written RPG from the early 80’s focussed on super heroes) a few months ago and so I have some spare time at the moment and rolled up two new characters. These characters are new to the game, and what that means is the public are unaware of their presence. The first is a mutant (born this way) called Thogster (nod to +Dave Morris) with several abilities and he is our “hero”. The second is new to the planet, an alien villain named Coil. If you would like to look at the character sheets you can download Thogster here or Coil here.
Thogster slumped into the couch in the apartment. The springs were gone and the former linebacker sunk deep into the seat breathing a long concerned sigh. He had told his mother on her deathbed that he would always keep an eye on his younger brother Skip for her and keep her out of trouble. he had always done this and held the family together for eight years since she passed. It was not pretty working any job he could find as the injury payments from the Bronco’s didn’t really cover what he needed after he got destroyed on the field.
Tonight he had failed his mother for the first time. He had just come from the hospital. Skip was connected to a ventilator and some other equipment he did not understand past the cost of it all. Apparently he had taken some of the new rage drug that hit the street over the past few weeks. Lynaline, or Liner as the kids were calling it was bad news. It seemed to only be in his neighbourhood though and so far it had been pretty inoffensive but Skip had an allergic reaction and without a hell of a lot of money the Doctors were talking about taking him off the ventilator. The only thing that Thogster knew would give him the chance at a regular life again.
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| Super Squadron fun! |
Thogster had always managed to hide his abilities. He hated them in reality because it made him so different from everyone else. His mother had been the only one that knew of his abilities. He could fly pretty darn quick if he wanted to and he had always instinctively known how to fight, almost like a preternatural sense that told him what to do. Then of course there was the fact that he could also split himself into four identical versions of himself. He could see no other option for it now as he started putting on his football gear. He would have to use these abilities now. He would find the scumbag who was pushing this stuff, steal his take and shut him down for good. Thogster had always tried to lay low but tonight he was going to have to take matters into his own hands.
Later that night Thogster flew from shadow to shadow amongst the tenements of his neighbourhood. He was following Skip’s mates. Apparently they were the ones that had dropped Skip on the steps of the hospital. From what Thogster could see from here though they were totally different. Teenage boys should be running, posturing, at least shouting but they were moving in an ordered fashion through the neighbourhood. They even stopped to pick up rubbish and put it away in the trash can. Something was seriously wrong with these three. Sam, Cal and Vance were always there as Skip’s partners in crime. They normally were so full of themselves though and the change in their demeanour was causing Thogster a great deal of concern. Sure, their parents would be proud but this was just wrong!
He came to the end of the street and knew he could not fly out further. The sewage plant was a one storey building and surrounded by the sewage treatment pools that would have him stand out too much. The boys slipped through a break in the wire fencing. Rather than skirting around the edge of the pools like most the kids do when on their way into the city they headed straight for the building at the centre of the plant. Thogster stayed still and watched them as they made it to the central building. Knocking they were let in by another local, in fact the guy that calls himself the Mayor of the neighbourhood and the leader of the neighbourhood watch! He had an Uzi hanging from his neck from a strap though! This was insane.
Wishing he had played offence Thogster flew at speed toward the building. As he flew he split into three identical heroes, one moving to each exit from the building. Surely this was somehow connected to the drugs and he was going to have to moive in quickly and silently to find out who else was involved. <Mechanically speaking, splitting into the four identical beings costs 45 Action Potential (AP). Thogster has nothing else that uses AP so this pretty well uses it all up. Each separation (3) reduces the heroes by 10% hit points (HT) so each form of him now has 14 HT rather than 20>
Thogster knocks perfectly in unison on each of the doors and prepares to punch out anyone that opens the door (after all, he does not want to kill his neighbours). The doors all open and with surprise he strikes out at each of the four locals that are armed with Uzi’s. <Base chance to hit is 30% then checking the range we find it is point blank giving a +20% to this. As they are surprised it is a further 25% and then adding luck +10% and experience +0 and Thogster’s hit probability (HP) +22% gives a total chance of 107%! No chance of failure so all that is left is to deal damage of 1d4 (fist attack) plus Thogster’s direct damage (DD) of 4. Each of the guards have a 5 HT rating>. Each of the sentries drop silently and are all unaware of the identity of the attacker. Thogster satisfied moves stealthfully in his four forms further into the building.
Coil was satisfied. He had arrived at these sewage works as the containment chambers of methane were much more to his preference than the oxygen rich normal atmosphere of the planet. He had been beamed to the planet along with hundreds of other operatives across the world to begin to entrance the locals with their excellent natures and unbeatable charisma. He had the sewage plant workers under his control within minutes and the first batch of the mind altering drug ensured that soon the neighbourhood would be his and he would be able to lead a small army further into the city, taking control of things. It was a longer term plan but he was happy with it. The cities were the place to take control of this planet. With their exceptional strength, charisma and ability to shun most damage (except for the crystalline weapons of their own people) they would be able to take over easily. But here they also relied on electricity, an energy that his race could easily manipulate and use against those that sought to stop them.
The three new recruits had just arrived and Coil motioned them forward. “Well done! You have swiftly dispersed the medicine. I like you boys and you will be at my side as we teach the rest of the city the benefits of the medicine.” Each of them took the new pack of drugs and slung them over their shoulders. The two Thogsters at either end of the rooms peered through the exits that were slightly cracked open. The boys were in a major trance, but Thogster could see why. This scaled 8 foot alien with grey skin had the voice of a honeyed entertainer. He was having trouble himself not believing that the medicine was the best thing for humanity even though he knew the real cost.
As the boys leave the two Thogster’s at the entrance hide allowing them out. All of the guards were well stashed away in other rooms and Thogster was now pretty well sure that the remaining individuals in the complex were benign and returning to the door he allowed one of his selves to enter the room.
Coil turned to the new being, all dressed in plastic armour and colourful clothes. He seemed tentative and he knew from that meant that he had not succumbed to a dose of the drug. Coil smiles and puts on his best approach for the new comer. He knew that there were powerful beings on this planet and did not wish to betray his presence to them at this early stage.
“Welcome stranger, there is no need for nervousness here.” Coil smiles broadly at the being “I am here to help your kind!”. <To illustrate reactions I had Coil make a reaction roll here to see what effect he had on Thogster as he tried to appease him. You roll a d% and add the modifier to superheroes (+35%). Coil rolled 100 so got 135%. Thogster is irate with the creature, his anger boils up at the creatures attempt to sway him>.
“Damn you beast!” The three others of Thogster step in. The pent up emotion at seeing Skip in his hospital bed finally coming to the surface. Coil looks to the left and right and realises that the four individuals are exactly alike. His reading of the situation had been correct and he prepared himself for a battle with this creature <He puts one AP into Invulnerability>.
<They roll for initiative for the round (1d20+Luck+Agility), Coil gets 21 and Thogster gets 39>
<Thogster’s 4 (HT: 14, 14, 14, 14, and AP: 10) incarnations fly in and rely on their brute strength to take the creature out. The base chance for each of them is the same as it was before less the surprise modifier being an 82% chance. Four attacks come through 95, 90, 52 and 43. Two miss but the other two find purchase doing 1d4+4 damage of 6 and 8. Invulnerability allows the creature to take only 25% of the damage and if that means the damage is less than two it takes no damage. There fore the 6 damage actually does nothing but the 8 gets 2 HT of damage through.>
Thogster’s bodies fly at the creature but in their blind rage only two connect with the creature. The impact is like striking granite though and the creature only flinches from one of the blows, Thogster becomes worried as he knows that it was the hardest that he can possibly hit and it barely harmed the alien.
<Coil (HT: 13 AP: 47)puts another AP into his invulnerability and then draws electricity into his body (3 AP) as he flings his fist at the one that hurt him. His hit chance is base 30 + 20 for being point blank range +10 for his own HP bonus giving him a 60% chance. He rolls a 01 causing a critical hit and immediately drops the figure to 0 HT. I roll the damage anyway as it is 1d4 for the punch + 1d8 for the electricity and 7 for his direct damage bonus which actually has the possibility of doing more than the critical hit. He rolls 13 so I stick with the critical damage that does 14 points.>
Coil roars in frustration and Thogster watches as electricity flows from the panels around him and coalesces in his fists. The creature turns and strikes one of his copies fully in the temple. He feels the blow and for the first time ever one of his copies falls to the ground unconscious. Thogster began to wonder if he was in over his head.
<Next round initiative is rolled. Coil gets 22 and Thogster gets 29>
<Thogster’s 4 (HT: 0, 14, 14, 14 AP: 10) decides to have one of his multiplexes absorb the fallen form while the other two attempt to fight and draw attention from the alien. Joining together you average the HT of the two (14/2 = 7) and then add 20% on top for the final body (add 1 for a total HT of 8). The other two have 82% chance to hit and they get 38 and 13, both hitting. Neither blow does 8 damage and therefore they both do less than 2 damage to the invulnerability so the alien takes no damage again>
Thogster uses one of his bodies to grab out his slumped, unconscious form and the pair meld into one allowing only three of them left, but at least they are all conscious. The other two duck left and right and attempt to punch the creature but its rock like hide protects it from any damage.
<Coil (HT: 13 AP: 43) realises that he has the figure worried and so ups his attack. He continues his invulnerability by putting an AP into it and then draws in more energy to strike another one down. He uses 6 AP to draw in 2d8 damage points of electricity into him and attempts to throttle another one of his opponents with a 60% chance of hitting. He rolls a 16 and grasps one of the figures doing a whopping 25 points of damage!>
Coil lashes out and several of the panels around him pop as he draws out a large amount of power from the grid. He lashes out with speed and clamps his hand around the throat of the closest attacker. Thogster’s mutiplexed figure loses consciousness quickly and is brought dangerously close to death as the electricity channels into his form.
<Initiative rolled again with Coil getting 17 and Thogster getting 48>
<Thogster (HT: 8, -11 (you die at – your HT), 14 AP: 10) realises that all is lost and this creature will kill him if he stays and fights. Not sure what will happen to his third multiplex if he leaves he makes the decision to flee anyway. he needs to make a withdraw roll needing a 40% or less on a d% roll for his ego to allow him to leave. His roll is 52 so his ego fights him this round and he stays to fight. The alive pair strike out with an 82% chance to hit rolling 76 and 52. Both strikes again fall far below the required 8 damage and Thogster is facing another bad round>
Thogster looks to the door but realises that he is better than this creature and he will never leave any of himself behind. The two multiplexes lance in striking quickly but not strongly enough.
<Coil (HT: 13 AP: 36) realises his chance to destroy this being is nigh and he draws more energy to him (6 AP) and also puts one more point into the Invulnerability. he lashes out at the wounded one with a 60% chance to hit rolling 00 missing badly (but there are no critical fumble rules here)>
Coil draws in more energy and looks to end this easily lashing out foolishly at the weakened Thogster. Thogster is far too quick though and dodges to the side watching the electricity arc into a computer panel.
<Initiative again giving Coil 17 and Thogster 40>
<Thogster (HT: 8, -11 (you die at – your HT), 14 AP: 10) realises he is going to have to hit overdrive and so attempts to take two actions this round (double the punches) so he rolls 3d10 and tries to get under his agility + his luck (28) for each multiplex. He rolls 21 and 11 meaning both figures get double attacks with a target number of 82% The first rolls 19 and 94, hitting once. The second one rolls 35 and 12 so there are three hits and two of those are full force doing 4 total points of damage to Coil>
Seeing the alien is fallible Thogster goes into over drive and two of the many punches causes Coil to react in pain.
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| Will Thogster get his revenge? |
<Coil (HT: 9 AP: 29) sees that there is more to this creature than he thought. He leaps across the room still trying to bring down the wounded figure that seems to be darting around faster than before. He draws in only a single charge of the electricity (3 AP) as it seems this combat may go a little longer than he anticipated and puts another AP into Invulnerability. Trying to hit with a 60% chance he rolls a 24 and does 12 points of damage bringing down the wounded figure.>
Coil swings and lunges, only a modicum of electricity trailing from him as Thogster sees he is more cautious now. But he strikes true and Thogster now sees that he is the only figure of himself still standing. Not wanting to leave himself behind his sense of self drops completely from him. He can not bring this thing down if he is dead.
<Initiative rolls are 14 for Coil and 29 for Thogster>.
<Thogster (HT: -4, -8, 14 AP: 10) gives up in essence and wants to flee. He drops his ego to 3 and thus has an 80% chance to be able to willingly flee. He rolls 71 and manages to escape>.
Without a single look backward Thogster lowers his head and runs leaving his two multiplexes behind. It will take him some time but he will be able to regenerate and come back another day to bring this creature low. If it is the last thing he does he will destroy this alien once and for all…
So, there you have it people! An actual play example where the super hero gets his butt handed to him and the supply of mind altering drugs begins to enslave the populace… I hope you enjoyed it! I certainly did making it. keep rolling!