Animals in the 007 RPG
Introduction
Although encounters with animals have always been a large part of the James Bond mythos and are detailed in game terms in many modules in the 007 RPG, there has been no systematic approach to animal abilities and statistics in the game. I present a group of rules that detail animals in game terms, and then present statistics for various animal groups that may be encountered in the James Bond world. I have also invented a sub-section of Q-branch which deals with countering animal threats and promoting animal conservation in the field headed by a veterinarian named Dr. Martha Englewood.


Animal Characteristics
Animals have characteristic values just the same as characters, however these values represent different aspects then the capabilities of characters. For example just because a bear has a dexterity score, it does not mean that the bear can pick locks. Instead it represents the animal's capabilities to climb, swim, or evade pursuit. However, in order to represent the niche of  physical capabilities of a particular animal these characteristic values may seem on average much higher than what a typical character would have. Tables are given to detail characteristic values that are beyond the normal 15 maximum.
Strength: Represents the physical power of the animal to inflict damage, pull loads, generate speed, trample, climb, or swim.  The strength value gives the base damage class for the animals natural weaponry, just like the Hand-to-Hand Combat Damage Class Chart on p24 of the basic rules. This base value will be modified by the particular natural weaponry of the animal. i.e. A shark with 24 STR will have a base damage class of E, but the sharks bite has a +3 DC, so the actual bite does a DC of  H. Additionally, higher strength values indicate that the animal can shake off more wound levels of blunt strikes. (Thus making it impossible to punch out an elephant). Shake off rules are detailed on p. 48 of the basic rules. The weight carry range is given as a guide line, for how much a particular pack animal can carry on their backs or pull behind them.
 
Expanded Strength Table
Animal's Strength
Hand to Hand
Damage Class
Shake off, EF=5 results
Weight Carry Range(in lbs)
16-17 2 wound levels 351-430
18-23
D
2 wound levels
431-680
24-29
E
3 wound levels
681-930
30-35
F
3 wound levels
931-1180
36-41
G
4 wound levels
1181-1430
42+
H
4 wound levels
1431+

Dexterity: Represents the animals agility for determining evasion, reaction time,  running speeds, leaping, traversing rough terrain,  and maintaining balance. Unlike the characters in the game, this value implies nothing about manual dexterity.
Perception: Represents the animal's senses to detect disturbances or intruders into their environment. Many of the animals have a sixthsense ability based on their acute senses of sight, hearing, smell or vibration.
Speed: This is a derived characteristic from the sum of the perception and dexterity. Animals have a speed characteristic just like any other character (see p23 basic rule book), however this value is mostly used to determine the draw at the beginning of the round and not the number of attacks the animal receives. Each natural weapon entry for the animal notes the maximum number of attacks which can be performed in a given action round. Lastly, almost all animals will have a speed that ranges from 0 to 3, however a few rare creatures may have a PER+DEX sum above 30, and thus have a 4 speed.
 

Expanded Speed Table
TOTAL of PER+DEX
Speed
32-39
4

Willpower: Measures the animals endurance to withstand pain and physical damage, but also measures its ability to intimidate, exercise stalking discipline during hunting, or how long it it can run with it out tiring. The secondary parameters of Stamina and Running/swimming are determined by the WIL characteristic as described in the basic rules, but a new parameter is added for animals termed the Fight/flight response . Animals with high willpower are able to continue fighting or evading after they have been dealt an incapacitating wound or kill result.   This fight/flight parameter is measured in the number of action rounds after the animal receives a IN or KL result, that the wounded animal can stay conscious before collapsing, or expiring respectively.
 

Expanded Willpower Table
Animal's WIL 
Stamina
(in hours)
Run/Swim
(in minutes)
Fight/Flight
(action rounds)
16-17
44
65
1
18-19
52
75
D3
20
60
85
D6
21
68
95
D6+2
22
76
105
D6+4

Size: This is a new characteristic added to represent how the mass of animals in the game influence the game mechanics. Mass effects the rules in two ways, first how much more physical damage a animal can take due to size and second the force rating of the animal (compared to all animals). A massive creature can take much more physical damage to wound it. The size parameter is actually measured in how many wound levels an individual creature can withstand before dying. All humans in the game have 5 wound levels (LW to KL)  they can withstand before death, and therefore they always have 5 SIZ. Thus creatures with a higher SIZ than 5 will not die from a kill result (5 wound levels), since they still have one or more wound levels left. Thus all the wounds scored on animals with greater than 5 SIZ must be converted to wound points that are subtracted from the SIZ of the creature to determine its current wound status (see table below).
 

Damage Result : Wound Points conversion 
Damage Result 
LW
MW
HW
IN
KL
Wound Points
1
2
3
4
5

This conversion makes the actual wound status of the creature difficult to interpret, since the designations of the wound level no longer apply to massive creatures. Therefore the SIZ number must be allocated to each of the 5 possible wound categories of the creature, by first dividing them equally among the five levels and than adding the remainder one by one to each of the lesser wound categories. The nomenclature of this rule is dividing the points for each wound category by a backslash ( LW/MW/HW/IN/KL ).  Examples are given below....

Animal                          LW/MW/HW/IN/KL
Human with 5 SIZ                  1/1/1/1/1
Bear with 9 SIZ                     2/2/2/2/1
Shark with 11 SIZ                 3/2/2/2/2
Elephant with 16 SIZ             4/3/3/3/3

Thus before the elephant above could take a LW,  4 wound points would have to be inflicted, the equivalent of an incapacitation result for a human. The same elephant would have to take another 3 wound points to suffer a MW, and another 3 to suffer a HW. At this point a human would have been killed twice over. This makes massive creatures very difficult to kill without considerable fire power, which is likely why poachers of Elephants and Rhinos use automatic rifles.  Note that a character can still make a specific shot, which increases the wound points inflicted by 2.

    Force Ratings of creatures can easily be determined by size(see size chart below). These force ratings are relative to other animals or characters. Note that if these force ratings are used against vehicles subtract 2.
 

Size Chart
Animal's SIZ Force Rating
1 to 4 0
5 or 6 1
7 2
8 3
9 4
10-11 5
12-13 6
14-15 7
16+ 8

Animal Skills
Animals don't have skills in the traditional sense, however they many have skill like abilities which are determined the same way. Each animal description has a group of skills which describe the abilities of the animal and give the characteristic formulae to calculate the primary chance. Note that each skill may be determined by a different method, depending on the animal. Some may have different names than traditional skills in the game, but it is easy to tell what skills they represent.

Animal Abilities
Certain members of animal groups may have unique abilities which are mentioned in their primary description. These abilities are described under the list of skills and represent adaptive specialization's of a particular species

Animal Armour
Some animals have particularly thick hide which protects them from physical damage. Under the armour heading will be a numerical point value which represents how many DC levels a particular attack is lowered before damage is determined.  Additionally some animals will have a separate wound level entry below armour which represents how many wound levels are subtracted from any type of wound result to the animal. Note that any damage class from a firearm of I or greater ignore this wound level subtraction (this is determined for the weapon before damage class is lowered by armour points).  i.e. Thus an elephant attacked with an automatic rifle DC=L, wound subtract 6 DC levels from the rifle to DC=F. However, since the firearm is above DC=I the wound level is not reduced.

Animal Natural Weapons
All the natural attacks of a particular animal are listed with the primary chance of attacking (HTH PC), DC of the attack ( HTH DC ) and speed of the attack. Each of these PCs have a characteristic formula which is unique to the natural weapon type. The damage class is determined as previously described under strength, and speed is determined as per the basic rules.
 



Animal Descriptions
 
 


Alligator/crocodile

These evolutionary remnants from the days of dinosaurs are deadly predators to animals and man.  Most often in the game they will be present as groups in tropical marshes or rivers, but may be encountered in captivity or even in sewers. They make a good barrier to prevent unwanted visitors from entering an area.
Q-Evaluation: Crocodiles have been encountered infrequently by agents in the field, and have proved to be a formidable threat. Surprisingly the Crocodile submersible is the most effective way of preventing an attack when traveling through water infested with these animals. This tactic of avoidance, rather than confrontation or neutralization is the best way to deal with animal threats in the field, and forms the basis of any teaching I do at MI6. -Dr. Martha Englewood.
Game Information:



           Generic Gator/Croc
STR:                      10 + SIZ
DEX:                         D3
WIL:                      D6+SIZ
PER:                         D6
SIZ:                          5 - 8
Abilities:                Roll
Armour:               5 points
    Wound level:       -2


Movement: Swim PC (DEX+STR+D6), Evasion[ (STR+DEX)/2]
Skills: Stealth PC (WIL+DEX+D6)
Roll: A crocodile can use its mass and agility in the water to roll over top prey, forcing the victim to drown. This is handled as a restrain action with a -2 EF to hit (based on the swim PC) , and until the victim makes a release (additional -2 EF in the water) based on their diving skill they may begin to drown.  If this character is wearing scuba gear there is no chance of drowning, however if a crocodile rolls with a  QR=1 or 2 there is a chance that the respirator or mask is knocked off due to the rigorous agitation of the water during a roll (the character must roll on DEX EF=3 or lose their respirator).  If the crocodile surprised a character with out scuba gear than they will begin to drown in 4 action rounds, however if a character anticipated the roll and were able to take a breath, they have 4+Diving skill level rounds before they start to drown. However in any round a character makes release attempt the character uses 2 action rounds of air instead of one due to exertion . Note that the crocodile must maintain the roll and can perform no other action until a successful release or the victim has drown. A character with a knife or other weapon may attempt to attack the crocodile instead of attempting a release in hopes that the crocodile will fail a will resistance and stop the roll, unlike release this only uses one round of air each round  but is subject to underwater combat rules ("For Your Information" supplement p22-23).


Weapon                        HTH PC                        HTH DC                        Speed
Bite                                STR+D6                        STR rating + 4               DEX/PER rating (1 attack only)

Statistics for alligators and crocodiles have been adapted  from the "Live and Let Die" and "Octopussy" modules respectively.

Arachnids

Many poisonous arachnids exist, which the opposition can use to terrorize agents infiltrating a fortress, staying in their room, or being tortured. It is best to be inventive in how the creatures are used or sprung on a character, to keep them guessing.
Q-Evaluation: Although they are not that deadly, spider poison which is able to distract agents from their mission in order to seek medical aid. Also, the constant irritation of a painful bite decreases overall performance in the field. Antivenin works to stop fatality but not the the distraction. Thus our main counter-measure is a solvent (disguised as hairspray) which can be sprayed on such creatures to quickly dehydrate their exoskeleton, and kill them. Q-branch has affectionately called this invention bug-spray.-Dr. Martha Englewood.
Game Information: These creatures are not given typical statistics since they would be meaningless for such small animals. Also any blow of LW or greater will dispatch these animals.



                                Black Widow             Tarantula              Scorpion
SIZ:                                  1                                1                           1
Armour:                                                                                         1
Poisonous bite
Poison Resistance:        None                   STR EF=5           STR EF=5
             QR=1                                       pain for 2days        Death within 3 weeks
             QR=2                                       pain for 4days        Death in 1 week
             QR=3                                       pain for 6days        Death in 24 hrs
             QR=4                                       pain for 8days        Death in 1 hr
               F                                             pain for 10days      Death instantaneously
Wound:                       1-3 hrs LW                LW &                    HW
                                   3-24hrs HW      -2 EF Pain resistance
                                   25-48 hrs MW
                                   49-72 hrs LW


Movement : Stealth PC (24 +D6)
Skills: Hide PC (24 +D6)
Poisonous bite: All of the bites described above are poisonous, and cause the indicated wound for as long as the poison remains in someone's system. To determine how long the poison is effective, roll an EF=5 STR for the bitten character and compare the QR with the effects listed. All these bites have Antivenin available, but take time to work, about 6 hrs/wound level. However antivenin will always save a character from death as long as it is administered before the time limit.


Weapon                       HTH PC*              HTH DC                Speed
Bite(spiders only)         14 +D6                 poison                    2 (1 attack/rnd only)
Sting (scorpion only)   24 +D6                 poison                    3 (1 attack/rnd only)
* This PC is only used if the GM determines that a arachnid will be agitated enough to sting or bite a character. If the creature is crawling on or in contact with a character this HTH PC is used to determine a hit, but if the arachnid  is only nearby they must make the attack at -2 EF since they must close to be in direct contact. Detailed descriptions of how to handle encounters with spiders are given in the 'Doctor No' module, while the scorpion encounter is given in "Thrilling Locations"

All the arachnids above have been reproduced from the "Dr No" module or the "Thrilling Locations" supplement, and are here for convenience and completeness.

Bears

These noble creatures have been idolized for their strength , endurance and ability to survive throughout many ecosystems. The habitat of the bear is often threatened by the approach of man, and many settlements close to the wilderness may have regular visits from the animals at garbage dumps or just wandering through. Generally this close proximity of Bears is not a threat, and only occasionally do these animals consider man prey. The one exception is when people are in between a mother and its cub, which will often produce a violent response, since bears have few offspring during their lives. Many nations with a large bear population try to actively protect them, since the gal bladder is prized on the black market and many bears are killed by poachers solely for this purpose. In some areas of the world the collection of this product is carried to extremes, since the bear is kept sedated in captivity with a catheter inserted in the gal bladder in order to harvest the bile. Such animals do not live long due to the extreme stress of the harvesting.
Q Evaluation: Import of Bear products is actively monitored in England, and any suspected smuggling rings are investigated at their origin by MI6. One of the most disturbing reports is that TAROT keeps a bear farm for bile harvesting somewhere in Asia, which helps finance many of their schemes. I have developed a surgical protocol in order to safely release these animals from this intrusion, but the stress the animal is put under during their captivity often leaves the animals so disturbed that they have to be destroyed . If the TAROT instillation is ever located I will likely start a bear recovery program, but resources for such activities are scarce. -Dr. Martha Englewood.
Game Information:



                                            Black/Brown                     Polar                             Grizzly

STR:                                     14 +2D6                         15 +2D6                          17 +2D6
DEX:                                       3 +2D6                            8 +D6                             2 +2D6
WIL:                                     10 +D6                           12 +D6                             13 +D6
PER:                                       2D6                              1+2D6                                 2D6
SIZ:                                          6-7                                    7-8                                  8-10
Abilities:                             Climb                                 Swim                            Evasion
                                                                                    Camouflage
Armour:                             3 points                            3 points                         4 points



Movement: Evasion PC: ((STR+DEX)/2 ), Swim PC: ((STR+DEX)/2), Stealth PC: (DEX)
Skills: All species: Sixth sense PC (PER) , Foraging PC (PER+DEX)
Climb: Ability to climb trees: Climb PC: (STR+WIL)
Swim: Add 2D6 to swim PC for Polar bears
Camouflage: Do to white colour, Hide PC (WIL+DEX) in polar environment
Evasion: Add D6 to evasion PC, represents the power of the Grizzly.


Weapons:                        HTH PC                HTH DC            Speed*
Claw                                      STR+D6                   STR rating             As DEX/PER rating
Bite                                        STR+D3                   STR rating+1         As DEX/PER rating
Hug                                          STR                        STR rating+2          Special

* The maximum attacks in a round for a bear is 2 regardless of speed. A claw or bite is determined by a 50% chance determined before each attack is made.  A Hug is achieved when 2 claw attacks succeed with a QR values which total 4 or less, i.e.. 3 and 1, or 2 and 2. The attack is free and is made with no regard to attacker's speed.

Canines

There are many more species of dogs that cannot be accounted for here, so the GM is encouraged to make their own species, such as Blood hounds or Pit bulls. For the most part agents will encounter dogs as part of the defenses of the opposition, or in the wilderness. Dogs are known as generalists and can survive in all types of terrain, and can eat practically anything, but are also well adapted to co-exist with man.
Q Evaluation: Perhaps the most common animal threat in the field, many agents have been wounded by guard dogs, and in some situations tracked down and captured. We have developed many counter measures at Q-branch to overcome canine threats. To prevent immediate attack a key chain fitted a device capable of giving a high pitched subsonic burst, is able to temporarily disable all dogs in the radius, allowing an escape. However it is more useful to avoid to detection by these animals, so many other countermeasures have been developed. –Dr Martha Englewood
Game information:



          Generic                         Dingo                         German                             Wolf                             Doberman
                    Dog                                                                 Shepherd                                                                   Pincher

STR:         D6+SIZ                         D3+7                                D3+7                            D6+7                                D3+11
DEX:         2D6+3                           D3+12                             D3+12                            D6+9                                 D6+7
WIL:         2D6                                D3+7                               D3+9                              D6+7                                D3+10
PER:         2D6+3                             D3+8                              D3+10                            D6+8                                 D3+6
SIZ:            D6                                  D2+2                              D2+3                              D2+3                                 D2+3
Abilities:                                       Jumping                     Sharp Senses                   Tracking                             +1DC
                                                        up to 4’                          +1 DC                              +1 DC                                Attack
Armour:                                                                                                                        1 point



Movement: Evasion PC ( STR+DEX+D6), Stealth PC (WIL), Swimming PC ( (STR+DEX)/2 )
Skills: All species; Sixth Sense PC ( PER+D6 ), Tracking PC ( PER)
Sharp Senses : additional D6 on Sixth Sense, can detect intruders with stealth QR 3 or 4
Tracking: Tracking PC ( PER +2D6)
Attack: Trained to disable intruders, receives additional D6 on Hand to Hand PC


Weapons:       HTH  PC                   HTH  DC               Speed
Bite                      DEX+D6                     STR rating +1             PER/DEX rating (but only 1 attack/rnd)

Statistics for the Dingo and German shepherd are reproduced/ adapted from the "Back of Beyond" and "Dr. No" modules respectively.
 


Elephant

Physically the elephant is impressive to behold, towering above and weighting more then any other terrestrial mammal. In the wild elephants travel in herds, which have complex social structures and hierarchies. However in some countries such as India the animals have been domesticated and make powerful mounts or pack animals. These animals are endangered species, mainly due to hunting by poachers, since their ivory tusks are worth a lot on the black market. Several African countries maintain protected parks for herds of these animals, which must be vigilantly patrolled by wardens. Both poachers and wardens are usually well armed with automatic rifles and body armour, giving the protection of the parks the same appearance as a battlefield.
Q Evaluation: I teach advanced animal handling and elephant riding at the Oberai Shikarbadi reserve to agents who wish to learn. When the reserve was confiscated some years ago, several glorious elephants were left in my care and I have fallen in love with their gentle nature. Although trained for hunting expeditions, they were well taken care of by Kamal's people and I find that many MI6 personnel treat them like family.  In particular 004 has taken a keen interest in the protection of elephants. I believe that his disgust at watching TAROT poaching such creatures has made him an avid activist. In fact 004 has received royal approval for missions in Africa which are top secret even to MI6, but involve elephant preservation. -Dr. Martha Englewood
Game Information:



                            Generic
STR:                    25 +SIZ
DEX:                      2D6
WIL:                   10+2D6
PER:                      2+2D6
SIZ:                      10+D6
Abilities:           Grapple, Charge
Armour:            6 points
    Wound level:    -2


Movement: Evasion PC[ (STR+DEX)/2]
Skills: Sixth sense PC (PER+D6)
Grapple: An elephant can grapple with its trunk exactly like a restrain action -2 EF to hit on the same PC as tusks (DEX +2D6). After this grapple the elephant can attack with one of its attacks with a +2 EF to hit, but breaks the hold. A release at an additional -1 EF will allow a character to break free.
Charge: A rushing elephant can make both a tusk and trample attack in the same round, both at a +2 EF to hit. Such a sight should be quite horrifying, and can be avoided if the character beats an Evasion roll QR with the elephant in a chase/bid situation, using its force rating . Note that an elephant charge can also be against a vehicle.  A charge can be made only every 3rd round, and requires running space.


Weapon                    HTH PC                    HTH DC                        Speed
Rear & Plunge          STR                           STR rating                DEX/PER rating ( 1 attack only )
Tusks                        DEX+2D6                  STR rating +2          DEX/PER rating  ( 1 attack only )
Trample                     DEX+SIZ                  STR rating +4           DEX/PER rating (1/2 attack only)

Felines

Unlike dogs, the great cats tend to be specialists in a given environment, and have adapted to the hunting of specific prey. Thus their likelihood of attacking man in the wild is low, but it is well documented that it does occur. Agents will more likely encounter such beasts in captivity, being used for malign purposes.
Q-Evaluation: Our only record of agents encountering these cats in the field is by 007, who reported he a had a run in with a Bengal tiger on Kamal Khan’s hunting reserve, the Oberai Shikarbadi in Udaipur India. Fortunately this endangered species which was used to stock the reserve is now safe, since the Indian government confiscated the reserve and it is now protected. I, have the fortune duty of acting as liaison and advisor to the Indian authorities with regard to this preserve, and it makes for an excellent holiday for a week each year . I ‘m proud to say that a community of these cats is now able to enjoy the jungle in the area, and it acts as an excellent training ground for advanced jungle survival courses which I co-ordinate every year for MI6 agents. I teach how to avoid confrontations with the tigers as a model for avoiding dangerous wildlife in other environs. –Dr. Martha Englewood
Game Information:



                                      Lion                                 Mountain                                 Tiger
                                                                                          Lion
STR:                                 2D6+9                                   2D6+6                                    2D6+12
DEX:                                 2D6+9                                   2D6+9                                    2D6+9
WIL:                                   D6+9                                   2D6+3                                    2D6+3
PER:                                   2D6                                        D6+8                                      D6+9
SIZ:                                    D2+5                                         5                                           D2+5
Abilities:                                                                         Climb                                    Track
                                                                                           Hide                                      Hide
                                                                                          Jump
Armour:                         2 points                                1 point                                    2 points


Movement: Evasion PC ( (STR+DEX)/2 +D6), Stealth PC (WIL +D6), Climb PC ( (STR+WIL)/2 )
Skills: All species; Sixth Sense PC (PER +D3)
Climb: Receives an additional +2D6 on climb PC
Hide: Is able to hide in surroundings with a PC equal to (WIL+PER)/2 +D6
Jump: Able to make leaping attacks from heights with a bonus of 5-(QR of jump) to the EF of the attack. The jump PC is equal to Evasion PC+D6. Note when combine with surprise, such an attack could be devastating, with a total possible +7 EF.
Track: Tracking PC (PER+2D6)


Weapons:                   HTH PC                   HTH DC               Speed*
Bite                                 STR +D6                        STR rating +2         DEX/PER rating
Claw                                STR +D6                        STR rating              DEX/PER rating
Rake                                STR +D6                        2xclaw                      special
*Claw and bite attacks are divided up equally among speed, so that it is possible to have 2 claw, and 1 bite attacks in an action round. If 2 claw attacks hit in a given round the cat will automatically try to rake. The cat will remain hanging on to the victim in this case every round there after with an attack from both Rake and bite without the benefit of speed modifying the cats chances to hit. The maneuver is considered a restrain for purposes of release, with the best QR of the initial attacks being the value to beat.

Horses

There are many breeds of horses, each breed for centuries for certain niches of human use, such as draft horses, others for riding, and some for war. However, horse use in the modern era is most often reduced to leisure or sport riding. There still is a diverse array of horse breeds which are used for various aspects of show jumping, racing and other equestrian sports. Horses used in military roles still exist in some bands of guerilla soldiers in remote locales such as the Middle east and Mexico, while some police forces still maintain a mounted force for inter-city use such as New York or Toronto.
Q Evaluation: One of the covers of the British secret service is at equestrian events through out the world, the shipping of massive tonnage of horses and tack, is an easy way of smuggling Q-branch equipment into sensitive areas. This cover has proved to be very effective again and again., especially since the legit members of the team are also present, and Cpt. Michael Roberts is a well known secondary rider on the English team.. Therefore I maintain a score of high quality horses for MI6, that are used for a variety of events, and the area which they are stabled acts as a training ground for agents which want to learn to ride. Horses have also been used in the field extensively, often in remote areas, such as Afghanistan, India, the Middle east, North America, Australia and parts of South America. –Dr. Martha Englewood.

Game Information:


                  Generic
STR:                2D6+10+SIZ
DEX:                2D6+3
WIL:                2D6+6
PER:                 2D6
SIZ:                   D3+5
Armour:       1 point


Abilities: Breeds adapted for military use are immune to being spooked by gun fire, and receive +1EF to perform attacks. Normally gun fire spooks a horse causing it to rear and bolt if a WIL resist of EF=5 is not rolled, a rider must make a safety check at EF=3 or be thrown, and a EF=4 to bring the horse under control. The same procedure must be performed for all horses that are actually injured by gunfire.
Movement: as the rider's PC in Riding skill, with Pas based on the horse Statistics

PM         Racing: (DEX+WIL)/2                     Show/Trick (PER+DEX)/2                     Jumping (STR+DEX)/2
+3                         16+                                                           13+                                                            21+
+2                       14-15                                                        11-12                                                         18-20
+1                       11-13                                                         9-10                                                         15-17
0                           8-10                                                          6-8                                                           12-14
-1                           7-                                                              5-                                                               11-

Skills: Various aspects of horse movement and capabilities are based on a character's riding skill, and are modified by Pas according to various tasks.



Weapons:                      HTH PC                           HTH DC                   Speed*
Kick*                                    DEX                                 STR rating                 DEX/PER rating
Rear/Plunge*                       STR                                 STR rating +1            DEX/PER rating (1 attack/rnd only)
Trample                          DEX+D3                           STR rating +2             DEX/PER rating (1/2 attack/rnd only)
Charge·                         Rider’s HTH +2                    by weapon                 Rider’s
Mounted Att.·             Rider’s HTH +1                    by weapon                 Rider’s

*These attack forms are included only for completeness, and a horse will only use these when agitated or in danger . In some circumstances involuntary attacks may be a natural response, in which case the PC is halved. A rider may use their horse to attack with a rear (EF=4), followed by a plunge on opponents (EF=3-spd of target), both based on riding skill. The rear must receive a QR=3 to continue, while the plunge QR determines a hit with the horses DC rating.
# This attack form is always involuntary, and becomes more dangerous as the number of horses increases. A stampede's PC starts at half the PC of the lead horse and increases by 1 for each additional horse (Maximum of 30). The DC increases by 1 for each 2 additional horses in the stampede (Maximum of L). Evasion of a stampede is the same as a chase, except the bid is predetermined by the number of horses, it starts at 7 and is reduced by 1 for every 3 additional horses.
    A rider may trample an opponent by making the equivalent of a force maneuver with an EF determined by the bid, and people on foot are considered to have a 1 force rating while a horse has a 2 or 3 (see size above). The resolution of damage is determined by the horse's PC in trample.
· These attacks are included to emphasize the advantage of a mounted attacker. They represent different speeds of the mount and the resulting effects on a attack's damage. To achieve these these bonuses a EF=3 riding role must be achieved for a charge, and a EF=4 for a mounted attack, after which attacks with the indicated damage bonus may be conducted for the round.



Equestrian Events
Specific sporting events with horses can be part of a normal campaign, a challenge by a major villain, or may be presented as a mission specific cover. Resolution of the sporting events could be developed by a GM, for example a jumping event could be set up with each jump having a specific EF associated with it and failure or QR=4 (with a failed safety check) may indicate the accumulation of faults by knocking down of bars. Polo or other events may be harder to design, but a system similar to the gambling tables could be developed. Various fields of experience could also modify chances of success.

Rhinoceros

This powerful and aggressive animal is now found primarily in animal preserves in Africa, as well as zoos around the world. It has been hunted to near extinction due to the value of its ivory horns.
Q Evaluation: I did part of my graduate work organizing an African Black Rhino breeding program by both natural and in-vitro fertilization programs. Unfortunately the birthrate in captivity is small, and those few Rhinos born have a poor survival rate. Thus, being close to the plight of the nearly extinct Black Rhino, I was horrified by a field report by 004 who witnessed the poaching of a Rhino by Major Nicholas Burke's commando team as part of financing operation for TAROT. 004 was amazed how much punishment by automatic weapons it was given to the animal before it expired, and was sickened by the pillaging of only its horns after. Thankfully 004 was able organize the downfall of Burke's mercenary efforts in Africa, and the section head has since fallen out of favour with his own organization.-Dr. Martha Englewood.
Game Information:



                                Generic
STR:                 17 + SIZ +D6
DEX:                        3+D6
WIL:                       14+D6
PER:                          2D6
SIZ:                          9+D3
Special:                    Charge
Armour:                   8 points
    Wound level:             -2


Movement: Evasion PC ((STR+DEX)/2)
Skills: Sixthsense PC (PER)
Charge: gives a +4 DC to the horn attack below, and is at a -1 to hit. Anyone hit by a charging Rhino is likely going to die. Attack PC is based on Evasion, and is resolved like a force maneuver to avoid the rhino from connecting the attack. A charging Rhino cannot avoid attacks, and it should be noted that the mass of the Rhino will effect vehicles (see force rating above).  A character who manages to avoid the rhino by receiving a QR that is equal to the charge QR, will still be trampled. If the character beats the QR they avoid horns and trampling. If a character or vehicle is hit by the full force of the horns than in addition they are knocked back a foot per STR point of the Rhino (half this for vehicles, & make a safety check).  A charge requires space and can made only every 3rd action round.


Weapon                        HTH PC                        HTH DC                            Speed
Bite                                  STR                               STR rating                        Speed rating (1 attack only)
Horn                     STR or Evasion                     STR rating +2                   Speed rating (1 attack only)
Trample               STR+SIZ or Evasion              STR rating +3                   Speed rating (1/2 attack only)

Sharks

These killers from the oceans of the world are perhaps the most encountered animal threat in the James Bond mythos.  These are almost always encountered as the pets of the Major Villain and used to dispose of agents or others who attempt to mettle in their schemes. The specific species is of little importance for game purposes, it is the shear terror of being mauled by such a mindless killing machine which is most emphasized. It is generally suggested that the size of the shark be chosen based on the agent's rank for game purposes, thus 3 Shark sizes are given which could be various species or smaller versions of the same species.
Q Evaluation: No agent has encountered more sharks in the field than myself. I think the best trick to deal with these killers is to avoid a direct confrontation all together, especially in open water or in a enclosed pen.  Unfortunately, many of the sociopaths which I encounter in my work feel the pure animal savagery of the shark best reflects their hate. If  I'm expecting such a beast, I'll take a good harpoon gun, a Glock modified for under water use and shark repellent. Of course most times I have encountered sharks I only had my wits and gifts from Q-branch. Considering I still have all my limbs is a testament to innovative gagetry.-007.
Game Information:



                       Small                        Medium                Large
STR:                       11+D3                       12+D6                    20+D6
DEX:                        9+D3                         7+D3                       5+D3
WIL:                        9+D6                          9+D6                      9+D6
PER:                         4+D6                         4+D6                      4+D6
SIZ:                           4-5                             6-8                         9-12
Abilities:                                                                                  Swallow
Armour:                  1 point                   2 points                   3 points
    Wound levels:      - 1                               -2                            -2


Movement: Swim PC (STR+DEX)
Skills: All species: Sixth Sense(PER), Track-blood (PER+D6), Stealth (WIL+DEX)
Swallow: a QR=1 on an attack indicates the target has been swallowed whole, taking the normal damage, but is stunned from shock for D6 rounds (no resistance roll). Any diving equipment will take the same amount of damage as the character. Considering this result would likely be a kill or incapacitation on a unarmoured character survival would be unlikely. If the character is armoured in a JIM suit for example the swallowing would likely kill the shark, and if the character is still able to breath may be able to escape by cutting out (base time 2 hours on hand to hand combat).
Special Attacks: When blood is smelt in the water the shark will go into a feeding frenzy, and attack anything that moves.  A character can attempt to not be noticed on a stealth roll at -2 EF. The shark gets a perception roll on a QR=4 as usual.


Weapon                                HTH PC                        HTH DC                Speed
Bite                                         STR+D6                        STR rating +3      DEX/PER rating (but only 1 attack/round)

All shark sizes are reproduced/adapted from statistics presented in the "For Your Eyes" , "Villains", and "Live and Let Die" modules respectively.
 
 

Snakes

Poisonous snakes are usually rarely encountered, however the major villains in the game will often have the resources to acquire them.
Q-Evaluation: see Q-manual p118-119.
Game Information:



                                       Black mamba                       Taipan                       Death Adder
SIZ:                                           2                                       2                                    2
Poisonous bite
Poison Resistance:        STR EF=5                           STR EF=5                     STR EF=5
             QR=1              Recovery in 72hrs           Recovery in 96 hrs       Recovery in 72 hrs
             QR=2            Recovery in 1 week          Recovery in 10 days     Recovery in 1 week
             QR=3                Death in 2 hrs                    Death in 18 hrs             Death in 24 hrs
             QR=4                Death in 1 hr                      Death in 8 hrs               Death in 12 hrs
               F                      Death in 30 min                 Death in 4 hrs               Death in 6 hrs
Wound:                                   LW                                    LW                                 LW


Movement: Stealth PC (24+D6)
Skills: Sixthsense PC (15+D6), Hide PC (24+D6)
Pisonous Bite: This is the main attack form of the snake, which does the indicated wound until recovery, Death or antivenin is supplied. Antivenin allows recovery in 1 week.


Weapon                            HTH PC*                      HTH DC                    Speed
Bite                                     17 +D6                           Poison                       2 (1 attack/rnd only)
* This PC is only used if the GM determines that a snake will be agitated enough to bite a character. Rules for such an encounter are given in the "Back of Beyond" module or "thrilling locations" supplement.
 

The Black mamba is reproduced from the "Live and Let Die" module & "Thrilling locations" supplement, while the Tiapan and Death adder are from the  "Back of Beyond" module.



Q Branch personnel

Dr. Martha Englewood

BIRTH DATE: 10 November 1959
BIRTHPLACE: Lock Nes, Scotland
STR: 6   DEX: 11  WIL: PER: 12   INT: 13
SKILLS
Charisma (7/15), Diagnosis (11/23)*, Diving (3/11), Driving (2/13), Fire Combat (3/14), Local Customs (6/18), Mountaineering (5/13), Riding (12/22), Science (12/25), Stealth (7/15), Survival (13/24)*, Tracking (3/15)*
ABILITIES: Connoisseur, First Aid, Photography


HEIGHT: 5' 8" SPEED: 2
WEIGHT: 140lbs HAND-TO-HAND DAMAGE CLASS: A
AGE: 40 STAMINA: 28 hours
APPEARANCE: Good Looking RUNNING/SWIMMING: 25 minutes
FAME POINTS: 60 CARRYING: 101-150 pounds
HERO POINTS: 3 WEAPON: Hunting Rifle, with tranquilizer darts (use number 4 rifle with sight)


FIELDS OF EXPERIENCE: Animal Handling* : [Elephant], Equestrian Arts : [Show Jumping], Toxicology
Medicine/Physiology : [Veterinary Medicine]    : [Animal Surgery]
                                : [Pharmacology]         : [Disease/ Afflictions]
Zoology* : [Animal behavior] : [Animal Counter-measures]
               : [Conservation]

* These new skills and fields of experience appear on this web site.

BACKGROUND:
Although born in Scotland, Martha's family moved to Canada when she was a child, so that her father could find work as a Vet in rural Ontario. Martha was an avid outdoors enthusiast and went on many backpacking and canoeing trips into the bush of the Canadian shield. She also acted as a guide in this area as a summer job, while she was doing her undergraduate degree at Guelph university in Toxicology. Upon graduating she followed in her father's foot steps and continued her education as a veterinarian at Guelph. Considering how much she learned by working with her father she was terribly bored at school. Instead she spent more time at her passion of horse jumping and won several region competitions. After she graduated from Vet. collage she felt unchallenged and so started studies for a Ph.D. in Zoology.  As part of her training she spent time at the London Zoo where she became known to MI6 as a consultant on conservation and animal related pharmacology.  This led her to be asked as a consultant to an investigation in Ireland, where a wealthy industrialist was suspected of doping or using drugs to enhance his horse's performance. She was acting as a contact for a Rookie investigator, who on her advice entered the stable to find hard evidence. Unfortunately the agent was captured by thugs during the investigation, and Martha fearing for his life snuck up with a tranquilizer gun and cattle prod ( found in the stables ) and neutralized the thugs. This act of bravery was noted by MI6.
    Soon after this event Martha wrapped up her studies and started a dreary Vet. practice looking after rich people's geriatric pets in Toronto. Q-branch soon missed the advice of Martha and had other problems such as the responsibility of a wildlife preserve in India thrust upon it. Additionally, after several deaths in the field caused by animal threats, Q was determined to devote a wing of Q-branch to deal with animal counter-measures. He visited Martha, and over a cup tea, the animal counter-measures and conservation division of MI6 was born. Since than Martha has acted as a Vet. for the English equestrian team, custodian for the Oberai Shikarbadi in Udaipur India, and act as an instructor for survival and conservation . Additionally, Martha advises a group of agents devoted to investigating conservation, poaching, and smuggling. Martha doesn't spend a lot of time in the Q-branch working area, but gets along with all its members especially Q, who she drags fishing every once in a while. Q is happy for the distraction and regards Martha as an adopted daughter.



Scenario Ideas:

1) Conservation Campaign: A campaign based on the characters specializing in the investigation of the trafficking in animal parts and other issues may suit the flavor of some games. I would suggest that all the characters chosen for this style of game be of Rookie or Agent Rank, and once they advance to the next rank they move on to another type of assignment. The major villains would have a wide variety of different motivations why they are trafficking, the money could be backing almost any agenda.  Some of the operations may be a way for organizations such as TAROT to make illegal profits. Many of these scenarios would involve poaching, smuggling, or infiltration of facilities with captive animals.

2) Oberai Shikarbadi: The hunting preserve in India could be the location for a teaser or training style mission for the characters. Dr. Englewood may wish to check the health of the great cats on the preserve, and so enlist characters to attempt and stalk and tranquilize several tigers.

3) Equestrian Event: The characters may be required to use such an event as cover for an operation in a foreign country with tight restrictions on what can be imported across the border. It would be made interesting if the character was also a good rider for a particular event, which they could compete in during the coarse of play (i.e. for Hero points and maintaining a cover). Such an event could be made more complicated by adding in a major villain such as Max Zorin, who gives his horses performance enhancing drugs to cheat.

4) Free wild animal: A dangerous wild animal is free in a city or town which the PCs must hunt and tranquilize. Such a creature could have been released by a major villain as a distraction, or could just be a random event when the characters are in the local area.
 

Peterson, the commissionaire.