Alien Invasion

[map_fl]

Hi all. I am looking for adventure ideas for an alien invasion. I have read Villainy Amok and the old Invaders from Beyond adventure books.

 

I want to run a full blown Invasion scenario. I have already starting seeding the idea that aliens are coming. I ran a variation of the “Probe Encounter” from Villainy Amok, and played out other plot seeds.

 

I now want this all to come to a head. I am looking for:

 

• Massively large battle with a big feel to it
  
• Other villains, and heroes involved
  
• Opportunity for role playing not just a combat exercise
  
• Although the battle is massive, I want the players to some how cause the battle to turn in Earth’s favor
  

 

Have any of you created or ran anything like this? I have my own ideas but thought I would also look here for your thoughts.

 

Thanks!

 

Matt

[Metaphysician]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

I started my Vanguard game with an alien invasion. It was the impetus for the team to gather, ala "Secret Origins" for JL:TAS. In this case, the way the team became a 'turning point' was by virtue of them, for various reasons, not being taken down by the initial surprise attack. And thus, they assembled, formed the JLA, and proceeded to kick alien ass up to the mothership, etc.

 

OTOH, that only works if your going for a JLA/Avengers level game.

 

Other general tips. . . try and keep in mind reasons for the aliens to *not* engage in ruthless orbital bombardment. 'Arrogant pride' is a legitimate reason, note, if not overdone.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

Pick up Alien Wars and mine it for ideas, it's gotta have some stuff you can use.

[Pariah]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

I'm actually running an Invasion campaign for my group right now. It's extradimensional, not alien, but I'm sure some of the ideas will translate. We've had a lot of fun with it, though as a GM, it has been a lot of work, too. But it's been well worth it.

 

If you're interested, our group has a Wiki site that we keep campaign notes and such on. Feel free to take a look at the page for my Invasion campaign: The Invasion Campaign Home Page

 

There are links to the characters involved, as well as a lot of background information. Feel free to use anything you might find helpful.

[Metaphysician]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

Ah, here you go.

 

http://besmvanguard.pbwiki.com/Game+Logs

 

The first half dozen or so transcripts are the invasion arc.

[clsage]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

Hi all. I am looking for adventure ideas for an alien invasion. I have read Villainy Amok and the old Invaders from Beyond adventure books.

 

IF you can get access to it, there is some stuff in the old 'Alien

Enemies' book, especially in the sections on the Tyrixx and the

Tyak/Ecrotian war.

 

Otherwise, as GA has already mentioned, 'Alien Wars' is a potentially

good source. And I seem to recall some stuff in 'Galactic Heroes' too.

Not certain on that tho'.......

 

-Carl-

[Cardinal]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

Ah, here you go.

 

http://besmvanguard.pbwiki.com/Game+Logs

 

The first half dozen or so transcripts are the invasion arc.

 

Meta -

 

I took a look at your wiki. What system are you using? I did not recognize it (though that is not a surprise since I am pretty much only play hero with the occasional foray into MNM). Any particular you are using a system other than hero?

 

Also, what setting are you using? As I glanced through it looks like some references to MC.

[Sketchpad]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

There's also an issue of DH that has an article talking discussing Victorian-era heroes battling the Martians from HG Wells. Written by our own Proditor and drawn by some schmuck Might provide some inspiration ...

[Metaphysician]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

Meta -

 

I took a look at your wiki. What system are you using? I did not recognize it (though that is not a surprise since I am pretty much only play hero with the occasional foray into MNM). Any particular you are using a system other than hero?

 

Also, what setting are you using? As I glanced through it looks like some references to MC.

 

I'm using BESM 3e as the system, partly because it covers high end stuff better than Hero, IMO, and partly just because I was a fan of the old SAS system, and BESM 3e is just nice in general.

 

As for setting, I'm doing homebrew/synthesis, with stuff stolen from everywhere, including Champions, Freedom City, Silver Age Sentinels, Algernon Files, and even one or two things from the World of Darkness.

 

Feel free to read the character writeups, their backstories are neat.

[Spence]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

I'm using BESM 3e as the system' date=' [/quote']

 

Is that the last/new edition? I bought a copy and really haven't had time to more than browse though it.

[Metaphysician]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

Yup. Its fun. Takes a bit of getting used to, as the point scale is way different than BESM 2e or SAS, and it has a few editting issues, but overall, its quite nice. I especially like the fact that you can burn EP for extra effort on skill checks *after* making the roll.

[Narratio]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

As said. For an alien invasion you have to have reasons for there to not be bombarbment from space ships - including throwing large lumps of rock or lasing solar output into continent melting heat rays . Nor must there be any form of viral or biological attack, no mass poisoning with any agent.

 

Once you've limited yourself like this to an 1800's mind set of what constitutes an invasion, then you've got to figure out what the objective of the invaders really is. What do they want? Not raw materials, there's more easily accessable resources in space. Technology? It's possible I suppose, but doubtful. Nope, they're probably not aiming at the humans unless they need the planet to live on, in which case biological attack is easier and cheaper. I think they're after the true rulers of the planet. Those "ancient ones' who survived the last planetary cleansing which destroyed Atlantis say. Or the renegades of thier own species who are hiding in the hollow earth. Or the ants. They're probably waging war upon the ants and don't even notice us.

Nothing is worse than seeing a multimegaton starship disgorging troops, mecha, fighters etc and all these beings going around blowing up ant colonies, while ignoring your armed forces and all that they try to do...

 

Or they need earth as a jumping off point for a real battle yet to take place. This was the way I handled an invasion in a campaign I ran many years back. After several fights, which the heroes drew at best, they figured out that they were fighting the equivalent of a plattoon of aliens and the bigger forces were elsewhere. This was just a small skirmish that nobody off planet would ever note.

[Metaphysician]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

Or they want Earth for resources, but not in the raw materials sense, so much as the production sense. Which is to say, they want to conquer the populace, and then put them to work as subjects/slaves.

 

Which requires not killing the entire populace, and preferably not blowing up everything.

[map_fl]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

Ok. Thank you all for your ideas. I thought I would post a follow up to see your thoughts about what I developed so far.

 

Part 1 – prelude to invasion (abridged format). The Aliens take the form of slug like creatures that connect to the spinal cord of a host. They search the galaxy for humanoid creatures that would be suitable hosts. Earthlings make a great match, and those with superpowers are even better. The scout force is sent to earth and infects a small group of heroes/villains. The infected mutants (heroes and villains) knock out long range earth space telescopes and sensors. This allows the mother ship to approach unnoticed.

 

Interlude with other adventures

 

Part 2 – the mother ship enters orbit, on the far side of the moon. It then sends out several waves of ships to attempt to abduct more mutants. The aliens figure taking out the mutants quietly will be the easiest way to ultimately enslave all of humanity.

 

Encounter 1 – PCs realize the aliens are back (from Part 1)

 

Encounter 2 – PCs investigate and end up fighting a group of “controlled” mutants – maybe a friend on the team!

 

Encounter 3 – PCs investigate (need more ideas)

 

Encounter 4 – PCs take the fight to the mother ship (needs more here)

[map_fl]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

I just happen to read the section in Villainy Amok about running a massive battle (in the wedding adventure section). I enjoyed the ideas there. Definitely a help for running a massive Alien Invasion type battle.

[McCoy]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

Check out the WWYCD? threads, I think there have been several good alien invasion ideas there.

[Narratio]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

One thing about the massive fight. Consider making it a mixed crew of goodies and baddies. People who spend their lives facing off against each other have to combine their abilities. It's been used many time in movies and films, but the odds are that your PC's have never had to. The levels of trust, the deeper insight into their normal foes characters, this leads to some good RP's.

 

It also allows you to do a Sandman. Turn a villain into a hero. And that is always fun to play!

[Spence]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

Have you thought of using Von Neumann machines?

[Metaphysician]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

I'd avoid bringing those buggers in; it becomes much harder to explain how the invaders don't steamroll the world, if they've got self-replicating equipment.

[Spence]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

I'd avoid bringing those buggers in; it becomes much harder to explain how the invaders don't steamroll the world' date=' if they've got self-replicating equipment.[/quote']

 

Not really. It would all depend on the underlying directives and reasons for the von Neumann machines being there.

 

Let's imagine that we are an alien civilization that is going to explore. But we don't want to send our people so we send out machines. But the problem with probes is that eventually they get old and they fall apart. Plus there's only one or a hundred, depending on how many of them we send out.

 

So we build a von Neumann machine capability. The first objective is for them to land, build support facilities for scientific research, and send out local planetary probes to retrieve life forms, analyze them, compile the information, and send it back to home base via a data transmission or a drone. In addition, once facilities-based reaches a certain point they construct new probes the fire out the next wave of probes.

 

So here we have the von Neumann devices landing on Earth. Upon landing thry begin constructing a facility which can with unknown alien interior mechanisms and laboratories carry out the mission. Since the devices are supposed to defend themselves when they are attacked, they fight back. Building defense bots, etc. As soon as the central systems come on line, they began capturing humans to analyze, and then Lions and tigers and bears “oh my”. In addition, they begin pre-building other facilities of unknown type and purpose. When the heroes look closely, it is obviously that these other facilities are building other machines, which could only be to expand the machine empire on Earth, because obviously that's what they're there for, right?

 

These new facilities are in fact, the areas to build new von Neumann probes and launch them. Now if they were left alone, they would conclude their study of samples, send the information and then essentially shut down the central facility which no longer serves a purpose. Once the magic number probes were launched the other systems would shut down. Effectively ignoring humanity and maybe leaving alien superscience in place for study. Or maybe they would disassemble themselves?

 

But of course the heroes and Earth people don't know this. So they attack! Of course, the von Neumann devices are programmed to defend themselves, which leads of course to rockem sockem superheroic battle.

Yes, they are a threat. Yes, the heroes must stop them. But in the end. It's not a world destroying threat.

 

Not everything has to be the borg or world destroying nanotechnology, and so on

[Metaphysician]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

Good point. OTOH, to be fair, this is not exactly an 'alien invasion' plot, from the GMs perspective. This is more a "make the players think an alien invasion is happening" plot.

 

Kudos for some cleverness, though.

[Spence]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

Good point. OTOH, to be fair, this is not exactly an 'alien invasion' plot, from the GMs perspective. This is more a "make the players think an alien invasion is happening" plot.

 

Kudos for some cleverness, though.

 

Thanks

 

And true about the "make players think" angle vice conventional "alien invasion". But then again it is still an invasion. An invasion is simply a forceful entry as an enemy by a large group or army. Nothing says they have to stay or that you even know why.

 

To cover map_fl's points.

 

Part 1 could be a small probe that is more of a prospector verses an actual Von Neumann device. It's purpose is to find planetary bodies with the "proper" resources. The initial probe "infects" cyber based Hero/Villains to assist signaling the dinner bell and helping protect it's arrival.

 

Part 2 would be the actual arrival. And the great thing is if the Hero's goon it up, the world survives

[Narratio]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

"make the players think an alien invasion is happening" plot.

 

Hmmm, throw a couple of villains & heroes in there, defending the aliens, as they've figured out that it's not really an invasion. Just a group of intersteller gypsies passing through...

[Spence]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

"make the players think an alien invasion is happening" plot.

 

Hmmm, throw a couple of villains & heroes in there, defending the aliens, as they've figured out that it's not really an invasion. Just a group of intersteller gypsies passing through...

 

oohhh....

 

Even more devious....

 

I like it

[The Monster]

Re: Alien Invasion

 

((((((spoiler alert for those in my campaign - Cancer, Jaxom, etc. - though there's not much here you haven't already learned or can easily deduce))))))

 

 

In the campaign I'm co-running, there's a pending alien invasion by a huge galactic empire, the existence of which the Earth has only begun to learn about (primarily via PC encounters). The empire is ruled by a tiny cast of supers, who have the powers of typical supers (a notch or two higher than player campaign limits, of course) and the mentality of Goa'uld (rampant paranoia, narcissism and megalomania, etc. - yes, some hints of the WW supers game as well). But they do have access to legions of stormtroopers and so forth. As time goes on, the players will learn more about this empire and it's strengths and limitations, and evantually there will be some sort of huge battle, or a series of them.

 

The first solid evidence the PCs have of this empire is the awakening (from cold sleep) of a few hundred mechwarrior-type refugees who have been hidden underground for thousands of years, hoping to avoid the impies. They awoke due to nearby construction blasting, had a brief fight with the PCs, and stopped when the two sides realized they weren't really fighting for their very existence like they expected. (A good use for those mech clix!)

As things go on, there will be more encounters with supers and others who are either imperial scouts/agents, refugees, or rebels looking for help. Some fun should be had sorting things out and dropping expanding hints, miscues, and raw data into the players' laps.

 

As stated, the empire is ruled by a caste of supervillains, so there is every likelihood that they will be able to be turned against each other wth careful planning and diplomacy, fought outright on individual or mass-army level, or encountered as occasional allies or refugees themselves, as power shifts within the empire. And there are various oppressed minorites and masses as well, who may well respond favorably to the example of Earth as it defies aggression and dominance. The concept of super-hero is almost inconceivable to those in the empire, since pretty much all supers are villainous overlords (which explains why the awakened mechwarriors started shooting at the PCs as soon as they got close; they just assumed they were bad guys). One thing that favors the earthlings (besides the sheer moral force of freedom and virtue!) is the fact that Earth has so many supers - several hundred and the number is growing; a single major planet in the empire might have as many as a dozen super-overlords...

 

Anyway, that's what we're doing with our campaign. There's room for all kinds of adventures in it, from basic bashfests to diplomacy to deep-cover infiltration (all the while mixed in with more standard superhero fare of facing down local villains and their nefarious plots!). The campaign's still in it's early stages, but it seems a promising background.