Alien Invasion Campaign

These notes are from a campaign that I ran years ago. The idea was a sort "V" game where humans resist an alien invasion. I wanted a game that was more realistic than the usual way these stories run. And the problem is, the more I think about it the more it seems like this would be very hard to make work realistically - with sufficient technology to travel here it seems likely that resistance would generally be suicidal. Besides the fact that it's hard to come up with a rational reason why they'd even come here - it's also hard to come up with a good reason why they'd bother to land.

Much easier to make demands, and blast us poor savages from orbit if we don't comply...

So, I decided to make the aliens land - the heck with needing a good reason. And to give my poor PCs a fighting chance, I gave them quite a bit of leeway on thecharacters.

Incidentally, I prefer to run my RPGs as something more like overly in-depth wargames with character development. I use painted miniatures, terrain, the whole nine yards when I have the option. So you miniatures people out there should have fun finding/making stuff for the aliens!

OVERVIEW

2 years ago the aliens announced their arrival with a transmission over every frequency of every broadcast medium used on earth. With a deep baritone voice the following message was broadcast repeatedly for two days, in every dialect of every language on earth.

"People of earth. We are the Kzann clan of the might R'Gathynn empire. We invite you to join our empire as a tributary system. With time and good service even you can rise to the level of a principal system. We make this offer peacefully and hope for a similarly pacific response. But we see that you are a violent and militaristic race and we are prepared to enforce our will if need be. Beware, we have greater power than any 'nation' that has ever arisen on your planet.

We require emissaries from every nation to prepare their response. We will visit your emissaries in your capital cities in two days time."

Pandemonium ensued for the next two days as all the nations of the world tried to decide what to do. At the appointed time, flat black tear-drop shaped craft descended from the skies towards the capital cities of the nations of earth. They were met with a wide range of repsonses. Some were met with serenading choirs and flowers, other were met with military force. Most nations opted to greet the aliens the same way they would the head of a powerful nation. Most nations attemped to bargain with the aliens, to reach some sort of compromise, but the aliens insisted on these conditions: the goverments of the nations would remain in place, but would be subordinate to the will of the alien delegate appointed to them. There would be no feedback from the humans to the rulers - democratic assemblies such as the US Congress would simply be disbanded. The nations would place all their miltary forces under the control of the aliens.

The aliens allowed two more days for the nations of the world to comply. As the most powerful nation, most other nations looked to the US to see how it would react. After the requisite two days another craft landed in Washington DC to meet with the president. The president once more attempted to work out some compromise with the alien delegates, without result. When it became clear that no amount of diplomacy would change the demands of the visitors, the president told the alien delegate that their could be no acceptance from the US with such demands. The alien returned to his craft and headed back to the fleet orbiting the planet, while the US scrambled it's military forces.

Over the next two days all organized resistance within the US was obliterated by the superior technology of the alien's miltary forces. The nation was littered with dead bodies and burning vehicles as the aliens fired upon any moving vehicle. Most people took refuge in their basements or other hiding places. In most cases the aliens were content to merely destroy any resistance that could be found without actually occupying territory. They did land troops and occupy Washington DC and the capitals of all the states.

Most other nations of the world suffered the same fate as the US, with the exception of some nations which gave in to the alien's demands (France).

Over the next two years the US and most of the rest of the world was transformed into a prison camp. Most humans worked long hours at various tasks in return for rations of food, water, heat and living space. Most work involves gathering and processing various resources which are loaded unto transports and sent into orbit to destinations unknown. Most people think that the aliens are basically looting the earth of useful resources.

Some people live much better lives - those who choose to join the aliens can work their way up in the human goverment through demonstrated loyalty. The people form the majority of the alien occupation forces. Most people rarely if ever see an alien, but deal almost exclusively with their human allies. Those who work for the aliens wear white uniforms with colored trim based upon their role in the heriarchy - most wear red for administration or black for security.

Most who resist are simply arrested and executed, and their bodies used as fertilizer or food. There are however many areas around the planet where resistance continues. In most cases the activities of these resisters are so weak that the aliens do not feel it is worth the cost and trouble of sending their troops and opt instead to use human security forces to pacify these regions. These regions are called 'combat zones' or 'free-fire zones' by humans in the pacified regions. The US has a proportionately larger share of these areas, because of its rebellious and well-armed populace before the invasion. In both the pacified area and the combat zones, the economy is mostly a barter economy. The closest thing to money are the various ration cards that are issued to the citizens. Transportation is entirely controlled by the aliens, so anyone who wants to go somewhere has to walk. All gasoline and other fuels are used by the aliens.

THE ALIENS

The aliens appear to be seperated into discrete breeds - it is unknown whether these are different breeds or distinct species. The most common is the worker breed - these aliens stand between four and five feet tall, and average around 80 pounds. They are significantly weaker than the average human, and are mostly employed in supervisory roles. They are basically humanoid in form, with hands and feet that are relatively large for their size. Their facial features are similar to the "Admiral Ackbar" character from star wars, with a great resemlance to a fish. Their skin is light green in color and very rough (like a cat's tongue). They have three fingers on each hand, and generally wear plain buff-colored jumpsuits. They usually carry only light sidearms, if anything.

The ruling caste of aliens are taller (between five and six feet tall) with large eyes, pronounced ear-cups, and large dexterous hands. They have a flatter, more human-looking face than the worker breed. Their skin is almost completely white, with various markings in pastel hues. Some people think that these marking represent different ranks or family groups with the alien society. They are never armed.

The combat caste of aliens are by far the most feared by the humans. These stand between six and seven feet tall and usually weigh in excess of 300 pounds. They are enormously strong and dexterous. Their skin is flat black and totally devoid of markings. They usually wear light armor and carry strange rocket carbine weapons. It is known that they also have access to hard armor and powered battlesuits. They often wear "chameleon" camouflage - which can actively change pattern and color to match their background.

For transportation the aliens rely almost entirely on aircraft. The standard ship (the shuttle) is faily small and boxy, and can transport about ten aliens. They are quite loud, have no wings, and take off/land vertically. They are generally unarmed, some versions have automatic weapons and missiles. Very little is known about the alien's military vehicles. Rumor has it that they have a wide variety of vehicles, from large slow gunships that are reputed to be hovering high over all population centers to extremely fast, stealthy fighters that made short work of all human fighters.

THE CHARACTERS

You will start out in the free-fire zone 'town' of Murphy's Hole, in what was once Indiana and is now known as Administrative District #05042. You belong to a resistance group run by Jack Murphy, a former special operations who retired to start a hardware store in his hometown several months before the aliens arrived. This was once the town of Muncie, a fair-sized surrounded by farmland before the aliens came. Now the town is mostly abandoned and Murphy's group live as best they can and launch occasional attacks on the occupation forces.

There are rumors of a provisional US government in hiding, but Murphy has no contact with them.

Your characters will be active in the human resistance movement. They will be 200 point characters. There aren't many restrictions on your character except that he/she must be human, a part of the resistance movement, and not familiar with the aliens in any way (i.e. you won't know much about them besides general knowledge). Magic does not exist. Psionic powers *may* be available with the right character bacground, same with cybernetic equipment. Let me know what kind of character you're considering and I'll let you know if it's possible, and if so what limitations may be on him/her.

For the GM or DM

From here on the info is all only for whover's running the game. So read on at your own risk - spoilers ahead!

ALIENS
The aliens make extensive use of bioweapons and specialized reeding. They are split into a number of specialized sub-breeds, genetically modified and bred for various roles.

Malag-Oorth - most aliens belong to this "utility" sub-group - bred for low-maintenance and ability to perform most tasks. They stand between four and five feet tall, and average around 80 pounds. They are significantly weaker than the average human, but require relatively less food, water, air, etc.
[ ST 7, DX 10, IQ 10, HT 7 ]

Malag-Huk - the "ruler" sub-group - bred for intelligence and social abilities. They stand between five and six feet tall, and are the most-recognizable of the sub-species, because they were prominently featured in the media coverage of the initial meetings between the humans and the aliens. They are are relatively light and thin compared to humans of the same size and relatively weaker, with large eyes, pronounced ear-cups, and large dexterous hands.
[ ST 8, DX 10, IQ 13, HT 8 ]

Malag-Ganth - the "combat" sub-group - bred for moderate intelligence, and extreme strength and durability. These stand between six and seven feet tall and usually weigh in excess of 300 pounds. Their skin is flat black and totally devoid of markings.
[ ST 16, DX 12, IQ 10, HT 16/20]

ALIEN EQUIPMENT
The aliens generally use TL8/9 equipment. I'd advise the prospective GM to try to avoid letting the PCs get their hands on alien equipment, or if they do making it easy for them to figure out how to use them...

Weapons
Needlers are the preferred side-arm of aliens in non-combat roles. Combat troops often carry a gyroc carbine and needler sidearms. They may carry different weapons depending on the mission. All alien weaponss will only fire if the handle is within six inches of a special implant in the hands of the aliens.

Armor
Non-combat aliens generally wear suits of light or medium monocrys (2/8 or 2/16). Combat aliens wear heavy monocys (2/24) or full combat armor (4/40 chest, 2/12 hand/arms/legs, 3/15 boots, 4/18 visored helmet. Occasionally they will makes use of battlesuits for high-risk operations (see nemesis battle suit).

Vehicles
Aliens travel in their standard transport (VERTOL vehicle p. 62). The standard version is unarmed and carries up to 10 aliens (8 humans) with the performance listed. The armed variant typically uses a 10mm caseless machine gun mounted in a belly turret, plus guided missiles for hardened targets.

Alien Reference

Human Thugs - Reference - I use the generic "baddies" in most of my TL7 games. The aliens make use of plenty of humans to do their dirty work and help them keep control, so the PCs are sure to end up beating on them some...

FUTURE TIMELINE

This is a listing of events that will occur, brief adventure session ideas, etc.

June, 2001 - the aliens invade
March, 2003 - campaign starts, characters based with the US Govt in hiding, holed up in IN

* Mission to rob and kidnap William L. Randolph, a leading human collaborator in Milwaukee

• if he's successfully kidnapped, a hit squad of fighter aliens will eliminate him
• information about huge new base being built near Green Bay
• posters and other literature about new IPP military arm recruitment.

* Recon of new alien base, firefight, Recovery of parts of downed alien shuttle

• Base is being built as a power transmission station, where power can be beamed up to the fleet overhead
• Also planned to build a space elevator

* Capture of Dr. John Weyland, high-level collaborator working on feeder project. Notes from partially destroyed computer indicate location of Alpha Romeo test site.

• Also reveal that aliens are using earth resources to build/upgrade fleet in earth orbit.
• Reveal that reinforcements from homeworld expected w/in the next 6 months, and that at that time they should be able to end resistance more easily. Later the PCs will find out that there's at least a possibility of some sort of political/clan rivalry between the two fleets.

• investigation of Alpha Romeo site leads to acceleration of battlesuit development program
  
  first dream (PC has dream of enormous, floating brain on a background of stars, followed by what seems to be an infinite plane of scrolling gibberish text).
  
  need for advanced composite armor and other materials leads to raid on old government military base
  
  * alien attack on HQ, first use of feeders, forced relocation/scattering of personnel (the "feeders" are a sort of biological bomb - the aliens drop it and the feeders spread and basically consume anything organic within a set diameter, at which point they die and rapidly decompose to a gray slime.