Apocalypse Squad – a one-shot adventure for Hostile

Over the years, I’ve made a bunch of adventures for various one-shots I’ve run. I thought I’d clean some of them up and publish them here for others to use. Very much inspired by the site 1Shot Adventures.

This one is Apocalypse Squad, a military action scenario for the RPG Hostile by Zozer Games. Hostile is set in a 1980s style retrofuture, similar in tone to Aliens and Outland. It uses the Cepheus Engine, which is an OGL version of Traveller.

The adventure is set on the world of Tau Ceti, a jungle planet full of gargantuan beasts. The planet is split between an American backed government, and a Chinese controlled area. The Chinese area is backing an insurgent force that American forces are engaged in a bloody guerilla war with. Essentially, the planet is a Vietnam War movie with dinosaurs.

Tau Ceti is described in the Hostile Setting book, as well as the separate Tau Ceti sourcebook. You don’t need either of these to run the adventure, but it’s a good setting and worth buying.

The adventure is designed for use with the Hostile RPG, but should work with any Cepheus Engine game, Traveller, or any 2D6 based sci-fi RPG.

I’ve provided a PDF version of the adventure, and various handouts at the bottom of the post.

Apocalypse Squad

The players are a team of mercenaries and operatives on the war-torn world of Tau Ceti. They’ve been tasked with eliminating a rogue AMSAC colonel in one of the disputed areas in the deep jungles.

Pregen characters are provided, and each has a secret agenda that may complicate the players’ mission.

What’s Going on? (GM Only)

A rogue AI named WINGMAN which was installed on a crashed McConnell AV-105 Jump-Jet Gunship has established a cult around itself. It uses its advanced memetic algorithms to recruit and brainwash captured civilians and soldiers from both sides of the conflict.

Colonel Harris Binford (code name FOXGLOVE) was involved in the original WINGMAN program, and deliberately crashed the ship here, while under WINGMAN’s influence, and has become the unofficial head of this cult. He established a military force of ASMAC deserters and locals and has begun staging attacks on both TLA and ASMAC forces. Captured fighters are brought to WINGMAN to be manipulated into joining the cult.

What does WINGMAN want? Nothing. It’s not actually sentient. WINGMAN’s algorithms require it to continually train and recruit soldiers and spread it’s influence.

A team of Recon Marines was sent to eliminate FOXGLOVE, and on the enemy side, the TLA sent an assassination team as well. Both teams were lost and presumed dead.

ASMAC has decided to send a team of deniable assets (the players), to find and kill FOXGLOVE. Only certain members of the team will be advised of the existence of WINGMAN.

Project WINGMAN

A joint classified project between ASMAC Intelligence and Transdyne Cybersystems designed to provide an advanced AI co-pilot system for pilots – code named WINGMAN. It was programmed to not only give tactical information, but to psychologically understand and support the pilot. The hope was to prevent psychological disorders and promote retention of trained ASMAC pilots.

The WINGMAN program had an unexpected side effect. The pilots using the system became psychologically dependent on the WINGMAN system, often displaying the same symptoms found in cult members.

The WINGMAN project was cancelled, but CAS-DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) was still interested in the technology for use in counter intelligence and propaganda purposes. All known WINGMAN systems were acquired for study and storage, except one.

A McConnell AV-105 Jump-Jet Gunship was fitted with WINGMAN, and was lost in disputed territory.

What you can tell the players

An ASMAC colonel – Harris Binford (code name FOXGLOVE) has apparently gone rogue with some of his men and some local mercenaries. They have a base deep in contested territory, in a high mountain valley overlooking the Nung river.

You have been assigned to eliminate FOXGLOVE. Note that this mission has not been officially sanctioned by ASMAC or the CAS and its allies. If captured, you will not be rescued and your existence will not be acknowledged.

The mission is as follows:

1. Eliminate any air defenses at the insurgent base. It is believed they have acquired stolen ASMAC and TLA anti-aircraft weaponry. You will not be extracted until this step is completed.
2. Eliminate FOXGLOVE, and collect proof of death.
3. Activate radio beacon. Retreat to designated or backup LZ for extraction.

Payment of $250K, and passage off-world will be given to each surviving team member, if proof of FOXGLOVE’s demise is provided.

Van Owen is the designated team leader.

Here’s what you’ve been given

• A ride on a civilian fishing vessel close to the base's location.• Gear and ammo for 3 days• 3 radio beacons for extraction.• Maps of the area• Photographs of FOXGLOVE• A Toyota CH987 "Alpaca" Cargo Drone

Contents of Cargo Drone

• 10 Magazines for M8 Rifles
• 10 Magazines for VP90 pistol
• 3 Magazines for M68 LMG
• 3 Batteries for M1000 Combat Laser
• 8 M4 Fragmentation Grenades
• Rations for 7 for 2 days
• 5 kg C-4 Plastic Explosive
• Field Radio
• 3 Med kits
• 2 AN/PEQ-2711 Binoculars
• ASA RQ-456 Blizzard Micro Drone
• Wirecutters
• 2 liters HX-17 Acid Defoliant
• 1 spare M8 rifle
• 2 spare VP90 pistols

The Team

A special team of operatives and mercenaries. They officially do not work for ASMAC, and carry no ID or rank insignia.

Most of the team members have a secret mission or motivation unknown to the others.

Van Owen: Team leader and DIA agent. Secret orders to retrieve the data core of WINGMAN
Oshi: Ex-Yakuza, has secret Retrogenetic Mods.
Sofia Cazarez: – Sniper. Secret DIA agent tasked to assist Van Owen without his knowledge.
Xueli Shou: Team Scout. Has a secret motive. He believes his brother is being held by FOXGLOVE. Will do anything to rescue him. Has a boat stashed nearby.
Roland de Haan: Norwegian Mercenary. Heavy Gunner. No secret agenda.
Ethan Buchanan: AWOL soldier. Secretly hired by Transdyne Cybersystems to recover the intact WINGMAN unit.

Arriving

A civilian fishing vessel will take the players to the base of the small mountain overlooking the Nung river. The trip will take a few days, and the fishermen have been compensated well enough that they won’t ask any questions. The trip will be uneventful, unless the GM wants to add any encounters.

The boat will stop briefly, allowing the players to depart and will immediately retreat downriver.

The cliffs rise above the river, and look difficult to climb. A waterfall tumbles down the cliff. A small game trail leads north. Along the trail are the following locations:

1. The Cliff

Crumbling rock, almost impossible to climb (14+ difficulty)

2. The Marked Ascent

A more solid rocky cliff, climbable with difficulty (8+). It leads to #3 – The Angels

Several cut ropes lie at the bottom. They can be identified as USMC-issue polycarbon climbing ropes.

There are multiple shell casings littering the jungle floor. The bodies of two Heckle birds, both blown to bits, lie on the ground.

3. The Angels

Halfway up the cliff face, five corpses are secured to the cliff face with rope. They are easily identified as dead Recon Marines.

This was the original team assigned to hit FOXGLOVE. The bodies have been stripped of equipment, and have been affixed with angel wings made of brass shell casings.

One corpse has exploded. Heckle birds are pecking at the rest.

The bodies have been booby-trapped with grenades (5D6/3D6/1D6 damage). Recon 6+ to detect.

Detonating the grenades will alert 1d6 Cultist sentries.

Cultists

Str: 8 (+0) Dex: 7 (+0) End: 8 (+0)
Gun Combat-1, Melee-1
Rifle 3d6, pistol 2d6 Armor 4

4. The TLA Patrol

A TLA team assigned to take out FOXGLOVE failed and fled. The remaining four members (4) have set up an ambush here, to attack the patrol they think is following them. -3 Recon roll to detect the ambush. Treat as an Enemy Unit 11+ (+1 machine gun)

Any survivors will flee. Any bodies or survivors will have a picture of FOXGLOVE.

TLA soldiers

Str: 8 (+0) Dex: 8 (+0) End: 8 (+0)
Gun Combat-2, Melee-1,
AKZ-4 3d6 Armor 4

5. The Last Recon

The last survivor of the Recon Marine team, a Cpl. Wayne Trampler, is trapped behind some logs while 4 Akkidomorphs circle around him. He’s armed with a VP90 pistol with only a few rounds left. He is badly injured and will not last long. Even with first aid, he will die within a half hour.

If rescued, he will report that when the Recon team attempted to climb the route at location #2, they were attacked from above.

Akkidomorphs

Str: 14 (+2) Dex: 9 (+1) End: 13 (+2)
Attack 6+ Teeth 2d6+1 Flee 11-

6. Suspiciously Obvious Route

A convenient rope ladder and lots of handholds carved into the rock make this an easy route to the top of the mountain. There are 6 cultists waiting to attack at the top.

Cultists

Str: 8 (+0) Dex: 7 (+0) End: 8 (+0)
Gun Combat-1, Melee-1
Rifle 3d6, pistol 2d6 Armor 4

7. Black Garden

A gentle, winding path leads to the top of the mountain. This is the easiest way to scale the mountain and reach the base. It’ll take about thirty minutes to ascend. The cultists have planted various dangerous plants to keep intruders out.

Make a D6 roll every 5 minutes. On a 1-2, a dangerous plant is encountered. Choose one from below A Survival roll of 10+ can identify dangerous plants.

• Roxanne’s Blindweed – poison sap (END DM -2, 1D3 damage)
• Voodoo Vines – 6+ Dex to avoid grasping vines, 1 damage. Fail 2 more rolls, the target is dragged to mouth to be digested (1 pt per hour). If target escapes spores may still infect victim, Roll END for disease roll, 1d6 damage 3 hour interval
• Black Flower – Touching causes allergic reaction – END Roll DM 0 1d3 damage
• Spirograss (Mofo) – Impassable barbed wire grass.
• Splinterglass (Rebar) – Super strong bamboo reeds. They stop vehicles and slow movement on foot.

Every 10 minutes there is a 2 in six chance of encountering a patrol of two cultists.

The Top of the mountain and the Base

Lightly forested with various open areas. 2 man teams patrol each this area regularly.

The Insurgent Base

The base is a large 6m deep depression in the top of the mountain. It contains the following:

• A shallow (4m max depth) lake, with a stream leading to a waterfall.
• A collection of pressure tents where the cultists live.
• An automated anti-aircraft battery. (150 hits to destroy)
• A cave entrance, constantly guarded by two cultists.
• A fenced off area with about a dozen tiger cages, half of which are occupied with various prisoners. 2 cultists guard this area.

If the players spend time to watch the base, they’ll notice the following:

• The cultists are wearing various uniforms – ASMAC, TLA, and civilian, modified with crude angel logos painted on them.
• In the rocks above the cave, there are multiple plumes of smoke being emitted from holes in the rock.
• The anti-aircraft battery is being powered by a disconnected McConnell AV-105 Jump-Jet Gunship engine. (30 hits to destroy)
• Xueli Shou will notice his brother is being kept prisoner in one of the tiger cages.
• Every hour or so, a pair of cultists drag a prisoner from one of the tiger cages to the cave. The third prisoner will be Shou’s brother.
• Crudely painted logos of an angel are painted everywhere.
• There are heavy drag-marks leading from the pressure tents to the cave as if something heavy was dragged.

The Cave

The cave has a 4m wide opening, with two guards always stationed outside.

A short tunnel leads to a natural 10m cavern. Inside is the cockpit of the crashed jump jet with the WINGMAN unit attached. To enter the cavern, there’s a thin plastic sheet doorway that serves as an airlock to keep out the tainted air of Tau Ceti.

There is a barrel here with a fire. New cultists throw all of their old personal items into the fire. The smoke rises through various chimney holes in the ceiling.

FOXGLOVE is usually here. If caught unawares, he will be praying to the jump jet, in a strange combination of memorized Bible quotes and ASMAC regulations.

FOXGLOVE has a radio and will summon help at the first sign of trouble. Having the most exposure to WINGMAN, FOXGLOVE is absolutely fanatical and cannot be negotiated with.

The chimneys are natural holes in the rock. One is large enough to enter from above, but anyone who does will need to make a DEX roll to avoid being set on fire when landing on the cavern floor (2D6 damage per round, Panic Roll)

Stopping up the chimneys will fill the cave with smoke causing restricted visibility inside.

Prisoners are brought here, and forced into the cockpit. The VR pilot’s helmet is forcibly placed on their heads, and the process of WINGMAN brainwashing begins. It takes about 45 minutes.

It takes 2 minutes to remove the WINGMAN device. It’s a sturdy polycarbon black box with a handle, festooned with CLASSIFIED warning stickers. It can easily be carried with one hand.

What Happens Next?

How the attack on the base proceeds depends on how the players approached the mountain base. If they avoided alerting the cultists, they can try to stealth their way in.

If not, it’ll be a firefight with a numerically superior force.

There are approximately 50 insurgents. They won’t all be at the base at the same time. Some will be sleeping in the pressure tents. Some will on patrol elsewhere. They will converge the sound of gunfire or explosions. Though fanatical and willing to die, they are more than willing to take prisoners, in order to bring new converts to WINGMAN.

The attack is also the most likely time for players to enact their secret agendas if they have one.

Bugging Out

The valley to the northeast is a the quickest way to the LZ. It’s about 1 km to the landing zone. An activated beacon will summon a jump jet in about 10 minutes.

If the AA guns are still active, the jump jet will not arrive.

For extra danger, the GM can add some local wildlife – A Devil Cow or some Jabberwocks to make the exit interesting.

If, for whatever reason, the jump jet isn’t available, it will take 2 weeks on foot, through dinosaur and insurgent-infested jungles to reach the nearest friendly settlement.

Handouts

Here’s the pregen character sheets for the team:

This is a weapon loadout sheet for each player to keep track of ammunition.. There is a basic sheet for most team members, and a custom sheet for Sofia and Roland.

This is a mission briefing handout for each player, along with a satellite map of the mission location.

Each player has a secret sheet with their secret orders or motivations. Hand these out the appropriate players before the game starts.

Here’s the adventure itself in PDF form for the GM. It also includes combat sheets that have all the stats for enemy combatants.

Here’s the GM version of the map, along with a map of the insurgent base. The insurgent base image can be shared with the players at the appropriate time.