cybervaran RPG 3rd editionIf you are a player, please do not read this section, as it may spoil some of the fun.
As gamemaster, you control the gaming environment. This means that this is your game. These rules only give some guidelines and ways to make things, but you are the ultimate ruler. All special cases cannot be simply included into rules - and should not be - but that should not stop you from handling them now and then. For example, if the player varan uses some improvised melee weapon (like fire ax), it can broke when striking something hard, for example.
In many places, rules only speak of 'GM's discretion', whatever that is. Well that is up to you. The rules do not try to rule everything, as such a system would be just too complicated to make or to play. So, use your common sense, fairness or favorite dice to rule situations like this. In fact, use those methods to rule ANY situation you like, but it may fasten things if you use the combat system described here.
any situations can be easily and quickly handled by putting player to roll one d6, and then the roleld number can be interpreted, what happened. You can also do these by yourself, but it is more suitable to put players to make these rolls. Like a varan strikes its sword to motor - make the player troll bad luck dice and if 1 shows up, the electricity in motor discharges to the varan. Or something like that.
These rules are not complete, so various problematic things arise during gameplay. This section gives some guidelines to handle many different situations in the game.
The basic use for the varan bio-scanner is to detect creatures nearby. In game mechanics, it means that in normal case, all humans, mutants and other living things should be pointed out in close vicinity. If you are using some kind of combined map and miniature battlefield (see handling combat) you can put these creatures directly into it. However, the scanners isn't completely accurate nor perfect, so the type of creatures should not be distinguishable until they are seen (and not always then) and a group of creatures can be anything from 2 to 5 (or more).
Scanners do not work in all environment and plants, moss and other things can confuse them. So if you do not want to show something, just do not. A separate distinct scanning from varans can show hidden things, however. Also note that robots are not shown in bio-scanning.
Varans may want to destroy all kind of things, from concrete walls to bulletproof windows. Your job is to determine some armor save and hit points for the target. You can use vehicle critical table if that feels right. Target value should come from target side, from 2 (wall of the barn) to 6 (button next to door). Solid things usually have some ignore armor level - you are not going to harm the thick metal wall with slicer in any case, for example.
Varan systems break, too. Weapons might
get damaged, electronics shorten and ammo boxes may explode.
And defense screen systems like varan cloaking device is especially
susceptible to the damage and disruption. So if the varan is in contact
with water, static electricity or heat, the cloaking device may shimmer,
electricity may crack on air and varan can be partially visible.
In such a case the cloaking device must be turned off to prevent
shortcut, but after a short maintenance, it can again be used.
And of course the system can get damaged and become inoperational
in weapon fire. Luckily the varans have repair kits with them, but not
all damage is repairable in field.
As long as the cybervarans stay cloaked and opposition has no very good scanners, thermographic vision or other methods, they are quite safe. Even thermographic vision has its problems, it rarely works any better than normal sight against varan without warm objects. Some weapons emit heat when turned on, even before firing. This heat however is usually so low-powered that very accurate thermographic vision is needed, in general standing next to clear wall is much more worse than having a lightly warm weapon.
So, if a varan stays mainly out of sight, in good hiding environment and does not move when someone is close, no dice should be thrown, or at least not more than once in a while to see if someone spots the almost-invisible varan.
But when the varan is firing, especially if with a high-volume automatic weapon like pulse or plasma rifle, it is not very hard to spot that where the flash is. But unless the varan itself is spotted, it is still easy to fire a a bit off-course, and thus the varan should have an armor value 6 against all targets that cannot see the varan uncloaked.
Combats are quite common in Neo-Troops - some scenarios can be nothing else than long combat. To handle them, some precautions and rulings can be made:
Not all happens in safe air-conditioned office (and even that area has its dangers!), and here are some notes of different environments:
Blood, gore and corpses: not environment itself, but after a good massacre floors might become quite slippery, and agility test is needed for everyone moving faster than 5 meter/turn, or at least to them trying to make fast turns.
Fragile walls: when varan is trying to cling, climb or use wall as support, the paint, cement or wood may give away (some varans are quite heavy, after all).
Tight corridors (and other places): although not directly hazardous, these places cause problems in melee and to handle any large weapons or long weapons like Fusion Lance or Combat Spear.
Water: varans can swim, quite well even, but the battlesuit and especially tens of kilograms of weapons easily hider them. As a rule of thumb, any varan with more than light load cannot rise in water but sinks. Also note that cloaking device is not very fond of water - it may work or maybe not, and energy packs are quite dangerous if they discharge. For underwater combat rules, wait for perhaps-never-to-appear supplement.Smoke and fog: cloaking device can have problems in smoke or fog, although it can make hiding more efficient, too.
Harmful gases: varans have respirators, are immune to most normal poisons and their helmet visor protects them from tear gas type effects. However, corrosive gases can do things to weapons and flammable gas is dangerous when shooting is performed.
Vacuum: in addition to problems with oxygen, vacuum has lots of other side-effects. For example, there are no such thing as blast waves from explosions, only sharpnels do damage.
The basic damage system was described in system section, but no exact rules were given for critical hits. This chapter is dedicated to them, including damage to various non-varan targets and exploding ammunition and weapons.
This is critical hit table for all targets. For each that hit the target and was not saved (or armor save was natural 1), roll once from this table. If the hit is a very destructive, like explosion, falling or beam attack, you may want to roll several criticals.
| d6 | cybervaran | human/mutant | robot | vehicle | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | No special effect! | |||||||||
| 3 | System damage, reroll:
|
Legs wounded* (as varan, can only happen if damage caused) |
Random system damaged (use varan system damage table if the target is close enough, like cloaked combat 'copter. Can also destroy weapons) |
|||||||
| 4 | Appendixes*, reroll:
|
Legs/tracks damaged* (as legs wounded) | Motor damaged* (half move). Second hit immobilizes. | |||||||
| 5 | Vitals, +1 damage and reroll:
|
Structure damage, +d3 damage | Crew hit | |||||||
| 6 | Reroll twice | |||||||||
Notes for the damage:
Whenever a target is hit (or falls under a heatwave), some external systems like weapons and ammunition might get broken. There is no exact rules, but if the attack is a powerful one, a d6 roll 1 might destroy some systems. If the attack is very hot and powerful (like melta, rail guns, fusion lance), 1 and 2 can break things. Hits caused to burning targets (and re-ignitions) and melta grenades at center can cause external damage as often as 1-4 on d6, perhaps always.
Armor wear: small portable armor, like the cybervaran armor, does not endure anything. So, after a dozen or so saved powerful attacks it starts to wear down and you can permanently reduce the armor save of it by 1. This damage is not usually field repairable (depends on the damage, however) and it does not make the armor any lighter or easier to move in. And after a while, the armor value can drop again.
Whenever ammunition takes an external hit, it might explode. If it does not, it is just destroyed and must be discarded. The chance for ammunition to explode depends on the type of ammunition and the attack causing the external hit - the higher the save modifier and heat signature is, the higher are changes to cause explosion.
Ammunition falls into 3 categories:
If you need rules, dangerous ammunition explodes on d6 roll 5+ when hit, while susceptible at d6 roll 6. Add extra die for Heat wave attacks, reduce one die for normal low-energy attacks
When ammunition explodes, it causes explosion, with wearer at the center. The size of explosion is from basic to 5m or even 10m, depending on ammunition amount. For electric packs, they cause extra external hits but not as big explosion. For flamer/inferno ammunition, fire-explosion and wearer is usually auto-ignited. Note that ammo explosion can cause chain-reaction.
Whenever weapon is damaged or destroyed, it might explode, depending on weapon type and ammunition on it. For ammunition, refer to previous chapter.
Weapons fall in three categories, depending on how easily they explode:
If you need rules, on d6 roll 6 the weapon explodes. Add one die if attack was very powerful (save modifier -2 or more). All weapons explode as easily, others are just more dangerous when they do.
If the weapon explodes, it usually causes one hit with save modifier from +0 to -3 to wearer, depending on how dangerous the weapon (and ammunition on it) is. High-energy weapons can cause multiple hits and extra external hits.
Opposition refers to all kind of armed and dangerous enemies the varans might meet on their mission. Anything from any space opera, pulp magazine or science fiction game should go, so feel free to use your favorite creatures, weapons and things from Warhammer 40k, Star Wars, Babylon 5, Quake or Mad Max. Technology level from 21th century to anything more fancier is okay, and no need to think complete realism of all things - force fields, portable fusion reactors and hovertanks are all okay.
Opposition in Neo-Troops is generally divided into 4 classes: humans (and other human-like humanoids), mutants (any monsters, possibly with bio-weapons), robots (mechanical bipedal constructs) and vehicles (driven by robotic brain or humanoids).
Unless noted otherwise, all have 1 hit point, no bonuses for any tests, 1 melee attack (most do not even use melee attack, but if they do, you can improvise it) and use normal sight and hearing to detect various things.
Humans are the basic enemy, target or fodder, however you ever want to call them, in Neo-Troops. Mainly because it makes players feel like (cheap) science fiction universe, as they are easier to mask. If you feel that it is sorry to kill humans, just switch them with elves, for example.
Scientist: move 15/30, target 4, armor 7+, hp 1, agility +1. Possible
blaster.
Easily scared and panicked, specialty to hide under table. Any
normal labor crew in power plants, laboratories, factories, streets
and space ships fall into this category.
Trooper: move 10/20, target 4, armor 5+, hp 1, agility +1. Assault rifle,
HE grenades.
Standard human trooper with flak armor, helmet, radio and firearms.
Easily panicked, but does his job and comes in big groups.
Specialized troopers can have more
powerful weapons like plasma gun, assault rifle with grenade launcher
or nailer, possibly with fusion lance, thermographic visor and other
grenades. Trained troopers can have accurate, perception or melee
boost-up, and more hit points.
Armored: move 10/15, target 4, armor 3+, hp 1, perception +1,
accurate +1. Nailer or plasma gun (with extra ammunition, built-in)
Power armored humans for close-quarter combat. As with troopers,
can have list of different improvements.
Assassin: move 15/30, target 5 (6), armor 3+, hp 3,
agility +2, accurate +2, perception +2, melee +2. Sniper laser,
grenades, cloaking device
These dangerous humans are armed with latest technology, having
ultra-fiber armor, cloaking device, latest electronics and powerful
weapons.
The universe is a large place, and various mutants (all non-human living creatures) can be found. These mutants can have almost any boost-ups, powers and weapons, use your twisted mind. Some ideas are: acidic spits, flammable blood, super-regeneration, radioactive breath.
Green fiend: move 15/30, target 4, armor 4+, hp 1,
attacks: 2 (sv 0), melee +1. Electricy-strike (25/-, beam, no save, must
gather power for 1 turn before this, immobilized)
This human-sized ugly creature has sharp claws, thick scales and
strange power of gathering energy and then sending it as powerful
beam.
Fatman: move 5/5, target 3, armor 6+, hp 10,
plasma gun (or other weapon), active acid-armor, any melee hit causes 1
hit with sv -1 to striker.
This immensely fat human crawls around with its small feet. Its body
is filled up with corrosive acid and any strike against it makes
some acid to splash at attacker, causing hit
The usual tougher opposition in Neo-Troops comes in metal form, as various powerful robots armed with weapons and scanners. Any robot from any science fiction novel or movie should be okay to be used, and do not forget all kind of special weapons, scanners and power fields.
Robots do not need air, and are not panicked if ignited. However, some models can be damaged with water. Destroyed robot might explode, in 5m to 15m explosion.
ED defense droid: move 10/15, target 4, armor 0+, hp 6,
attacks: 1 (sv -1), accurate +1, perception +1. 2x pulse rifle,
4x mini rockets (instead of pulse rifle)
This bipedal walker towers about 2-3 meter tall and weights about
1000 kg. Some variants include thermographic sensors, plasma rifles
instead of pulse rifles, motion detectors or even auto-repair
systems
TW hunter/killer: move 20/50, target 5, armor 2+, hp 3,
accurate +1, perception +3. Plasma rifle, 1x LAW.
This hovering robot is fitted with thermographic detectors and
other surveillance equipment.
The biggest and heaviest are usually various tanks, helicopters, hoverers and other vehicles. They come in many forms from 1980 technology to distant science fiction.
Vehicles are controlled by either pilots or some robotic system (making them practically robots, although they move differently). A varan cannot normally drive an abandoned vehicle, although the GM may permit this in some scenarios.
Vehicles treat 'move' attribute a bit differently: the first value is vehicle acceleration speed, while the second is maximum speed. Deceleration speed is usually twice the acceleration speed.
Combat 'Copter: move 40/400, target 4, armor 0+, hp 10,
accurate +2, perception +3. Mini-gun (in turret), 4x HE rockets, 2x AA
rockets (frontal only). Crew of 2.
Standard combat helicopter. More advanced version can have electric
motors for stealth mode, or even cloaks. Note that second motor hit
drops the helicopter, so they are a bit susceptible.
Tank: move 20/100, target 3, armor 0+ (front -2+), ignore -1, hp 20, perception +2. Cannon (in turret), pulse rifle (in turret), crew of 4.
Not all weapons are available for varans, and GM is encouraged to think up new weapons with all kind of nasty effects. For any marking in these tables, refer to firearms and charges sections.
You can also make modified version from standard firearms. These weapons might be usable by varans, or perhaps not, with too small grips, Person Identification System or other reason. Of course the varans might be able to crack these systems, but in any case, all new weapons are confiscated at the end of the mission and taken into the laboratory for further research, and thus are not available for the next mission.
As final note, weapon size and other categories should be handed case-by-case. For example, it does not matter for a combat robot if the weapon is medium or large if it is big enough to use it at ease.
| charge | area | sign n/v/h | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EMP | 5m | l/l/- | each hit damages delicate electronic systems (like cloaking device, scanners) on d6 roll 4+, roll for each per hit. More resistant systems are affected on d6 roll 6 |
| flash | 5m | l/H/- | generates very powerful blinding light, and everyone watching it is blinded for d3 turns and possibly stunned |
Rifle grenades: opponents can have rifle grenades, which are like normal grenades, but fired with (special) assault rifle (or other rifle), and have same range as Built-in grenade launcher, 25/100*. First turn is needed to set-up one, and it is then fired in the next turn.
These weapons are too big to be carried along, and are only available as vehicle- or robot-mounted.
| weapon | range | rof | sv | sign n/v/h | notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minigun | 100/200 | 10 | -1 | H/m/m | |
| Cannon | 200/500 | 1 | -4 | H/m/l | causes 2d3 hits, 10m explosion |
| Autocannon | 200/500 | 3 | -3 | H/m/l | causes 2d2 hits, explosion |
| Plasma Cannon | 100/200 | 5 | -2 | m/m/H | explosion |
| Rail Cannon | 200/500 | 1 | -6 | m/m/m | causes d3 hits, beam |
| HE Rocket | 200/500* | 1 | -5 | m/H/m | causes d3+d6 hits, 15m explosion |
| Anti-Armor Rocket | 500/-* | 1 | -6 | m/H/m | causes 2d6 hits, 5m explosion, guided |
A campaign is a series of missions which form together some kind of continuum. For Neo-Troops the basic idea was to ensure that game sessions can be held even when player change. So, the campaign is made by linking missions together, with possible same varans in subsequent missions. And if the varan group fails in mission, the next session could be rerun for that mission, with possibly changed opponents.
Even if you held one-shot missions to other persons than your regular gaming group you can still set these missions to same campaign.
If you want something real continuum, like varans slowly creating their identity while technology and missions around them changes, finally breaking free (so called renegade varans), feel free. However, please note that missions and opposition herein is written so that usually most varans die, and that isn't much a base for a long-time character development.
Varans do not have personalized names but identification code. This code is usually one letter representing the generation and number for birth order. Thus, for the first generation, varans are named as A1, A2 and so on, and for the second generation, B1, B2,.. The gamemaster decides when the generation is changed, but usually after about 10 varans have been grown in current one. Some letters can be skipped.
As gamemaster, your task is to give player varans their names but also to judge various situations of the game. Although you can make players roll all rolls concerning their varans (except damage), in some situations you may want to do it by yourself, like silent spotting tests. Or when someone attacks varans in close quarter, it is easier to have each varan's melee skill already at hand.
One way to keep things in hand is with gamemaster varan track sheet,
which look like this:
All fields are quite self-explanatory, with 'color' meaning the possible miniature/dice color. This sheet is also available as postscript version.
Varans are held in stasis or sleep between missions. Any damage inflicted to them is repaired, and some memory mapping and erasing performed. Varan battlesuit and weaponry can be changed for the next mission. Any items collected from previous mission are confiscated and searched. If you feel, you can bring new weapons and equipment into game this way.
Varans do die, and they should quite easily. A mission with no killed varans is a too easy mission. Each mission should be hard and unless good varanship is shown, all varans are wasted.
However, when varan is wasted, you may give extra boost-ups for the player when he creates his new varan if the old varan was a very good one and it was unselfishly used.
Some people find it enjoyable to be able to see how the things have gone. So, you might want to keep up some records of played missions, which varans survived and so on. You may even give special markings to varans like 'first kill of the mission', 'killed with a toy gun' or 'hilarious pile of weapons'. If you ever think that such a record would be nice, start to do it from the beginning.
Mission is a single adventure, scenario or whatever you want to call it which the player varans partake. Mission has a certain starting point, goal (mission objectives) and finish. See mission creation chapter for guidelines and tips for creating missions to Neo-Troops.
Varans are usually teleported to some starting point (or dropped of, or whatever). Before that they were at comatose storing state, so their life starts at this starting point. Their computer-mind is already filled with information regarding the mission, possibly including any maps, notes of possible opposition and so on.
After this drop-off the communication line to HQ is usually shut off, and usable only for things described in mission statement. Varans are now on their own, and must make their best attempt to fulfill mission objectives.
Mission objectives are usually typical infiltration tasks, like destroying certain targets, downloading data from mainframe or assassinating local leader. It can also be a rescue, escape or bodyguard assignment (oh players really hate bodyguarding), or simple stand-off.
The mission objectives can change during the mission, if new data is collected or something unexpected happens.
The main priority for the varans is to fulfill mission objectives. Nothing else is important. However, as next objective is the survival of as many varans as possible, as long as mission goal is not compromised. Varans are expensive weapons.
Leader: as gamemaster, you should determine the initial leader for the group. Usually it is the varan with lowest ID, but depending on varan's weaponry and type, you may determine otherwise.
The mission ends when all the varans are wasted or the mission goals are fulfilled (or are no longer possible to be fulfilled) and varans are transported back to headquarters. The pick-up can be with teleporters from certain place, or just moving away from mission map, or hitching a ride from spaceship, as stated in mission description.
Returned varans are put back to sleep. Any collected items are confiscated, and all wounds and damage is healed and equipment restored. Varans is now ready to next mission (but it can change its weaponry between missions, as chosen by the player)
You may also give experience to surviving varans. Such experience is usually a new boost-up for the varan. You can also award this extra boost-up to players with killed varan, so that they can create a new one with more starting boost-ups, as reward for successful mission.
Depending on the mission, the gamemaster may allow new varans to arrive when old ones are wasted. Player with wasted varan just creates a new one and rejoins the game.
Mission creation can be divided into 5 parts, of which all must be considered when doing other parts.
For convenience, it is recommended that missions are usually made so short that they can be played in one session, or you face the problem of getting exactly the same players together for the next sessions. However, in Neo-Troops, lots can be made during one session as the combat, which usually slows down most RPGs, is really fast.
The entire mission creation starts from the basic idea of the mission and the place where it takes place. It can be linked to other parts, like you want to use tanks in mission, but you have to decide where the mission is held and why it is held.
The setting can be anything from any space opera, FPS game, novel or movie, combining ideas and getting inspiration from other sources. It can be the fancy Quake level you just played, or running around in Enterprise-clone, combined with brain-eating zombie-mutants and Awful Green Things from Outer Space.
If you do your map beforehand and have any plans of keeping the mission again, it might be a good idea to photocopy it before the session. In the session you can then use the photocopy and directly mark into it any destroyed walls, smoking robot skeletons and big pools of gore and bits. Of course this means that the original map must be made so that it is usable as B/W version, or with minimal post-coloring.
Each mission have an objective, or possibly several ones. The aim for varans is to fulfill as many as possible of those, and this is their only reason to exist. Thus, if the mission is not aborted by Masters, varans must try to reach mission objectives until they are all killed. Some possible mission objectives are:
Without any opposition the mission would be quite easy and there would be no need for varans. So, numerous troopers, nasty mutants or deadly robots are against varans. The opposition can be only time, traps and security systems, but then all those nice big guns would be useless and that would not be nice for players, right?
When decision upon opposition, several things must be taken into account:
When setting up the opposition, it might be a good idea to have all following things taking into account:
In addition to opposition, the mission area can have numerous other hazards which make things a bit more complicated. Some possible hazards are:
Original version held 19.7.1999 and 20.7.1999, modified to third edition 11.2.2001
This is a simple mission with simple objective: infiltrate underground research center and kill everybody, letting no one to escape. Opposition is mainly of low-level danger, but some defense droids can cause trouble, unless dealt carefully. The most dangerous thing is the human assassin, of which there is no warning about.
Mission objective: Kill all technicians and scientists of the underground research center. Mission is counted as successful if no technician/scientist escape the place but are all killed. There is about half an hour of time before any trooper and droid reinforcements arrive.
Mission entry: Area 1, from left by the train-tracks. Same as exit. Any reinforcements, if allowed, enter from the same place. Scientists and technicians can escape from varan exit point and with area 5 elevators.
Map: The underground research laboratory is in two-levels, with upper level with more public areas and guards and lower smaller area with high-technology research laboratory. The laboratory is cement-based and walls endure all damage, unless very thin. Defense robots are marked with (D).
Opposition: Mainly technicians/scientists and guards. Some defense droids.
Technician/scientist: target 4, armor 7+, hp 1, agility +1, move 15/30. Blaster. Panics easily.
Guard: target 4, armor 6+, hp 1, agility +1, move 15/30. Assault rifle.
Defense droid: target 4, armor 1+, hp 5, accurate +1, move 10/20. Auto-loading Fusion lance, plasma rifle with unlimited ammunition. Does not fire if there is too much danger to hit humans.
Assassin: target 5 (6), armor 2+, hp 3, accurate +2,
perception +3, melee skill +3, attacks: 2, agility +3 (dodge save 5+),
move 25/50, jump 6. Powered sword (sv -1), Sniper rifle,
Melta grenades
This special fellow have very advanced systems, jet-black armor,
superior cloaking device and wall-clinging systems. The assassin
will not confront varans openly, but instead tries to
investigate the situation and then use sniper laser to pick out
separate targets or use grenades to in close combat.
Inspired by Dark City. Originally held 12.6.2000, modified to third edition 11.2.2001
Somewhere there is a weird building/construct of corridors and rooms. This construct is causing strange disruptance to places around it (like space travel, but no need to explain anything to players), and thus a group of varans are sent to investigate the situation and destroy the source of disruptance.
Mission objective: Find the source of disruptance and destroy it. Then escape construct. Mission is defined as successful one if power generator is destroyed. You may define time limit to the mission if need to, to limit regeneration.
Mission entry: From hatch in marked room (A). Any reinforcements can arrive from the same location. Outside the hatch is nothing, and exit is only possible when source of disruptance is destroyed.
Map: The construct is a strange place where space itself is warped and distorted. Thus the mapping system of the varans get easily confused. Do not provide any map to players at the start of the mission, but just draw it as varans wander around.
Opposition: The construct is created and patrolled by strange creatures who are able to distort space itself. In addition to those, some light defense bots wander around, and then there are some traps of napalm scattered.
Defense bot: target 4, armor 3+, hp 2, agility +1, melee skill +1, perception +1, move 15/25. Nailer. Resembles an human-alike robot straight from SW Episode 1.
Napalm trap: can be detected as perception test '6', and if specifically looking for, '4'. Activates by proximity, causes 2d3 fire-hits at save -1 to target, plus 5m fire-explosion. Defense bots and creatures know location of traps and do not walk into them.
Creature: target 4, armor 3+, hp 3, move 10/10. Looks like an android with big black eyes, wearing a robe. Immune to melee and shooting, as distorts space so that attacks do not hit but pass directly through. Can be damaged with explosions, however. Attacks by turning direction of gravity at desired area and by scrambling up varan mappers so that they shoot each other. Cloak does not help against these creatures.
Falling: because of the special nature of this mission, gamemaster should know falling rules very well. In addition to them, some rules for grabbing things are needed when gravity suddenly changes. As a rule of thumb, agility roll against 6 is needed to grab say corridor entry corner when falling through it, and 4+ is needed to fall on feet.
Here is a brief list of possible mission/scenario ideas for Neo-Troops. Most of them are used ideas, but I have no time to create sample missions out of them all.
A group of armed terrorists, aliens, mutants or robots have taken hostages in space ship, office building or research laboratory. Varans must enter the area and release hostages with minimal losses to hostages and varans. Some hostages can be more valuable than the other, and hostages are not automatically friendly against invisible things shooting with big guns.
Something has gone wrong in chemical plant or factory and local workers have turned into hideous mutants with all kind of strange powers. Varan team must enter the area and purge everything. The opposition can include all kind of nasty things with all kind of evil things the gamemaster can ever think out.
The aim for the team is to kill or destroy certain target. The problem is that that targets is deep in underground bunker and opposition on the way is too much for the team. So some stealth strategy is needed.
Something has gone wrong. Some space pirates have boarded the space ship of Masters and varans. Masters have escaped and left the ship to hands of pirates, who now found the containers of hibernated varans. Varans are then activated, and they mission is to kill all pirates - without armor, cloaking decide or weapons.
The team must set a specific big bomb to certain place. Like in assassination, the problem is that the target area is somewhere deep in enemy territory, and good tactics are needed to get it there. Opposition include droids with motion detectors and energy fields.
The team is out to bomb, destroy or kill something. The worst problem is that common enemy is unlimited, and it simply runs over team unless they are swift enough. Extra time can be bought by cunning actions, like welding certain doors. They just have to hope that it is not the same way out.