In undeath the war beetle retains much of its orig- inal speed. It usually transports soldiers to a specific battle site, where they disembark and join the beetle in combat.
Soldiers in the beetle have 75% hard cover (-7 penalty to hit). Missile fire from the moving war bee- tle suffers a -5 penalty. When the beetle is not moving, missile fire still suffers a -2 penalty.
As an animated creature, the beetle can still at- t a c k w i t h i t s m a n d i b l e s , T H A C 0 1 1 , c a u s i n g 1d12 +6 points of damage. It has AC 3 and can take 50 points of damage.
BATTLESYSTEM
Game TacticsAn undead war beetle model has a base 30 mm wide and 60 mm deep. The model represents one beetle. Riding inside each beetle figure is a small
unit of archers or javelineers. When inside the vehi- cle, the figures for these are kept off the board. However, the soldiers can disembark from the beetle in a single turn, provided the beetle makes no other movement, and they operate as an independent unit. Whether in the vehicle or not, the soldiers get missile or melee attacks in the appropriate phase.
The spellcaster who animated the beetle can still cast other spells while controlling it, but if he leaves the war beetle, it can no longer move or attackit will not engage units that attack it.
Undead War Beetle
A D 1 2 + 8 A R 7 H i t s 8 M L n / a M V 9
Cause horror, -3.
Undead War Beetle Archers 2 stands per beetle A D 6 * 6 A R 7 H i t s 1 M L 1 2 M V 1 2
Range 5 / 10 / 15
Necromancer 1 per beetle
AD 4 AR 8 Hits 3 ML 13 MV 12 Level 10 priest 4 1st, 4 2nd, 3 3rd, 3 4th, 2 5th or Level 10 wizard 4 1st, 4 2nd, 3 3rd, 2 4th, 2 5th
Silt Skimmer
beyond the shore of the Great Sea can earn vast income. An intrepid captain who can maneuver a skimmer across the estuaries cuts many weeks from caravan travel times and collects hefty profits for the goods and passengers delivered. Of course, travel across the Sea of Silt is not without its perils.
C o n s t r u c t i o n
Regardless of specific design, a silt skimmer is built around its massive wheels. Each is more than 25 feet in diameter, very wide at its center, tapering to a hardened, fine point at its edge to slice through the talcumlike silt. Some wheels are built with an endless staircase in their hollow interiors; slaves or undead walk forever up the staircase, turning the wheel beneath their feet.
The main motive power is the single large sail, mounted to a large mast and secured aft. The sea winds can be relentless, and many a skimmers mate agrees that if it werent for the silt holdin us down, wed sail into the air for sure! Experienced crews can tack against the wind to progress.
A skimmer can manage fair speeds in less than five feet of silt, and can still move through depths of
10 or even 12 feet.
A fully laden skimmer can usually manage be- tween six and eight miles per day. If completely light- ened of cargo and unnecessary weight, the skimmer can add another four miles. Magic, such as en- hanced winds or levitation, can lighten the vehicle and increase its speed.
The frame of the skimmer is made of the lightest materials possiblelight woods and thin leather and clothgiving it the reputation for fragility. Heavy chitin or bone armor is out of the question, for the added weight would halt the skimmer. De- signs vary, but a typical skimmer can be 50 feet long and half as wide with an outer deck and enclosed bridge.
The bridge is packed with cargo on a voyage. Flimsy as it is, a skimmer can manage better than
two tons of cargo for a trek across the sea. On all but the calmest days, the open deck is no place for living things, so the enclosed bridge has sealable windows, canvas or leather flaps that keep out the seemingly perpetual gales of choking silt. The great helmsmans wheel is here, connected by ropes to the forward axle. The vehicle can only make the most gradual turns in the silt; its tightest turn circle is more than a mile across.
A skimmer costs 150 to 250 gold pieces.
C r e w
To keep the weight down, the skimmer travels with a captain and (usually) no more than six crewmen, who work the rigging and keep lookout. Additional crew work ships that have staircase wheels.
Spellcasters and psionicists: The many dangers of silt travel force skimmer captains to rely heavily on spellcasters and psionicists. They can probe the ar- ea, keep the skimmer on course, and note enemies at great distance. The speed of magic and psionics against silt-borne foes gives the captain precious sec- onds that separate an intact skimmer from a pile of broken sticks and cloth. It is widely known that the crew of any successful skimmer includes powerful spellcasters and psionicists. Otherwise, the ship wouldnt be so successful.
C o m b a t
Though they never stray far from the sight of land, skimmers must regularly deal with a number of air- and silt-borne opponents. Crew can use mis- sile weapons or cast spells from the deck, but not the bridge. They have, at best, 50% hard cover (-4 penalty to hit).