Re: [SGII] Supression

At 10:43 AM 2/15/99 -0500, you wrote:
>OK, one of the nicest thing about SGII is a viable supression
mechanism,
>which represents what most rounds sent downrange in combat do.  

Ironically, I just spent last night converting this rule (and a handful
of
others) to ShockForce: http://www.voicenet.com/~johncrim/Starforce.html
,
if anyone's curious.

>One of the points constantly harped upon by it's detractors is the lack
>of aliens in the Warhammer motif.
>
>It is theorized by many people that a fear of death is a human
>characteristic (which fails to explain why a species would survive long
>enough to get to the stars if there isn't a survival urge) and hence
>certain aliens should not be affected by supression.  Or maybe they
just
>don't like spending all that time pulling supression markers.	
>
>Hence a number of conversions of SGII to various alien species.  And in
>a number of these conversions, the notation is made that this or that
>group is 'immune to supression'.
>
>Let me propose that supression is a survival reflex in a combat
>zone--getting small and inconspicuous behind something solid sounds
like
>sane thing to do, at least in the short term.	Hence those who aren't
>supressed--the uber-macho[1] who ignore those bullet whizzing around
and
>leap manfully into the fray--are going to be a LOT easier to hit.

No, no, no!  You are making the classic mistake of ascribing human
characteristics to alien thought patterns.  Among human beings, it is a
safe assumption that anyone who is unafraid of enemy fire is either
stupid
or somehow crazed.  Among aliens...this isn't necessarily the case. 
Sure,
it could work that way--but it doesn't have to.  Consider: there is a
great
deal of difference between being *afraid* of death and simply being
*aware*
of it.

Take a look at Xaarg, cheerfully trotting his way across the
battlefield.
Bullets are continually whipping their way past him, making (he thinks
to
himself) a rather pleasing sound as they do.  Does he let the bullets
slow
him down though?  No!  After all, if he gets shot he'll probably
die...and
if he doesn't get shot, he'll *certainly* die, eventually.  Why worry
about
it?  Of course, being  a sensible fellow, Xaarg is being cautious--he
keeps
low, and uses the available cover as he moves--because, when you think
about it, he'll have an eternity to enjoy death, while life is a
strictly
temporary affair.  When it gets right down to it, though, he's not going
to
let himself be pinned down by enemy fire, because his desire to achieve
his
goal (defeat the foe) outweighs his desire to keep on living. 

>So my suggestion is thus:  For every thing there is a tradeoff, also
>known as There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. 

Why not?  Where is it written that all Aliens must be equivalent to
human
beings?  Sure, some of them may be.  Some of them will be inferior. 
Others
will be superior.  Some will be VERY superior.	Deal with it.  That's
what
I like about the Kra'vak; on a one to one basis, humans are going to
lose
every single time.  As a result the terrans are forced to use their
brains,
rather than just their guns.  Works for me. 

I've found that the best way to represent the alien psyche is not
through
mechanics, but through simple roleplaying.  When I am running an
Imperial
force (GW Marines), I make an effort to push them into melee...and most
of
them die, as a result.	Does it make sense for them to behave like this?
No.  Then why do they do it?  Because that's how they think.  And
because
it makes for a fun and different game.

When I am playing the Old Ones (GW Eldar, kinda), I will keep all melees
on
a man-to-man basis--any extra soliders will stand aside until they have
an
opponent.  Why?  Because otherwise it wouldn't be fair.  And it combat
is
not fair, it is not honorable.	And if it is not honorable, what's the
point?	The Old Ones fight strictly as a form of worship--they have
nothing
more to gain at this point--and thus they will do it only on their
terms.

Admittedly, the suppression mechanism tends to be somewhat overused for
aliens.  It is, however, the most obvious mechanical way to make them
behave in an...alien fashion.  You can make your xenos faster, stronger,
tougher, etc., but there are not that many ways to force them to
*behave*
differently.  Stick to roleplaying 'em for that, sez I.

John X Crimmins
johncrim@voicenet.com
  "...is one of the secret masters of the world: a librarian.
They control information.  Don't ever piss one off."
  --Spider Robinson, The Callahan Touch.