Insecta

Insecta Rulebook

Table of Contents

Introduction

(1.0) Components

A complete copy of Insecta includes this rulebook, 8 mutant displays, two sheets of design cards and markers, 13 sheets of Hive bug cards and markers, a mapsheet, a sheet of player-aid cards, a sheet of counters, 12 polymer arthropod miniatures, some paper clips, and two handy ziplock bags. You will also need a large handful of six-sided dice scavenged from another game.

Rulebook. The rules are divided into three general sections. The Arena Game covers mutant design and combat in a single chamber. The Hive Game adds rules for moving through the Hive, bug growth, and many special rules. The Bug Guide contains a bunch of sample mutant designs and a glossary/index. Terms included in the glossary are underlined the first time they are used in the Arena or Hive rules.

Mutant displays. Cut these in half prior to play; they serve as templates for mutant design and to record various bits of information about the mutants during the game.

Design cards. Cut these out prior to play. Each design card represents a specific bug part, from which mutants are built. Listed on the card are combat or movement statistics for that part.

Hive bug cards. Each card lists the vital statistics for an individual Hive bug, in a similar format to the information on the mutant displays.

Mapsheet. The map represents one trophic level of the Hive. Five of them stacked in layers make up the entire Hive; the mutants start the game on the lowest level and fight their way to the top. The map is divided into four chambers connected by black transfer areas. In the Hive Game, each chamber in the Hive is filled with 1-8 Hive bugs. The map is overlaid with a pattern of hexagons ("hexes" for short) which regulate movement and combat.

Counters and markers. These must be cut out prior to play. Counters are pieces that represent Hive bugs on the map, while markers are indicators for special conditions, like venom or entanglement.

Polymer arthropod miniatures. These are used to represent mutants on the map.

Arena Game

(2.0) Setup and Overview of Play

The Arena Game can be played on its own as a short introductory-level combat game for several players, or used as the combat module for the Hive Game. Players design one or more mutant bugs and then fight it out. The game is played in rounds; each round, bugs move and attack in a certain order (see 2.2).

(2.1) Setup. The scenario being played (see 8.0) will have specific instructions for starting the game. In general, the players design one or more mutants and place them in a single chamber on the map. Once setup is complete, start the first round with the movement stage.

(2.2) Combat round sequence. Each round, follow this sequence of stages, in order.

A. Movement Stage (see 4.0) – all bugs may move.

B. Projector Stage (see 5.3) – all projector-armed bugs may fire.

C. Close Combat Stage (see 5.4) – all bugs that did not fire a projector may attack nearby bugs.

D. Automatic Effects Stage (see 6.8) – resolve venom, entanglement, and other effects.

Repeat these rounds until either only one side has active bugs left in the chamber, or three rounds have gone by without any attacks, at which point the game is over. Check the victory conditions for the scenario (see 8.0) to see who won.

(3.0) Mutant Design

To design a bug, select a head card, three appendage cards, and an abdomen card, and place them on the mutant display in the indicated areas. Then set instinct, dexterity, and (if applicable) venom location. The bug is then ready to fight.

(3.1) Mutant displays. There are three types of mutant in the game: spinose, venomous, and armored. Each type has four sizes, or instars. (Instar is used as a measure of relative size.) This allows up to two mutants of each type to be in play at one time. Only the instar 1 sheets are used in the Arena Game; the remaining ones are used in the Hive Game when mutants eat food and metamorphose into bigger, uglier bugs. (A visual reference for the displays can be found in the Bug Guide.)

(3.2) Design cards. When selecting cards, be sure to include at least one movement card, or the bug won't be able to move. The rest may be weapons, but be aware of the attack procedure (5.0) when choosing them, or you may get stuck with a bug that is unable to hit anything. Also bear in mind that only one weapon can be used per turn. It is a good idea to put the least important appendages on top, as these are the ones that are torn off first. (Sample design cards are reproduced on the opposite page.)

(3.3) Instinct and dexterity. Initial instinct and dexterity values must add to 12, and neither can be lower than 2. These values will change as the bug gets injured; the restrictions above apply only to the starting values. Dexterity is used to hit enemy bugs in combat, while instinct is for being intelligent (see below). Higher is better for both values. To record the values chosen, clip paper clips on the two tracks at the edges of the card.

Card Symbol Key

Venomous (see 3.51)
Entangling (see 6.7)
Expendable (see 7.2)
Grapple-only (see 5.4)
NAfD: No armor for defense (see 7.3, 7.4)

Projectors (see 5.3)

Front-firing (see 5.31)
Rear-firing (see 5.31)
360° firing (see 5.31)

(3.4) Instinct rolls. Bugs trying to do intelligent things, such as moving out of hexes with other bugs (4.2) or choosing the right target in combat (5.2), must first make an instinct roll. Roll a number of dice equal to the bug's instar, and if the total is equal to or less than the bug's instinct it succeeds.

Example: Byron (see Bug Guide) has decided to envenom his head, so his chelicerate fangs are poisoned. This means his setae are not, even though they have the venom symbol.

(3.5) Special abilities. Mutants can be venomous, spinose, or armored. Venomous mutants can have poisoned weapons, which do extra damage to their opponents. Spinose mutants are harder to hit in combat (see 5.41). Armored mutants are harder to damage in combat (see 6.3) but are slower in the air.

(3.51) Venom. Venomous mutants must choose one area to be poisoned – head, abdomen, or appendages. Indicate which area with a clip in the appropriate spot at the bottom of the sheet. Only weapons with the venom symbol can be envenomed. The venom symbol indicates that a weapon is capable of being poisoned, not that it comes with any. To be envenomed, a weapon must have the venom symbol, be used by a venomous bug, and be in the specified body part (head, limbs, or abdomen).

(3.6) Sample designs. Many sample designs are given in the Bug Guide.

Example: Byron, Regis, Aussie and Gyan have set up for an Arena Game as shown at right. Aussie and Regis are on one side, Byron and Gyan on the other.

Card anatomy (from the diagrams on page 3). A close combat weapon card shows the accuracy value (lower is better) at upper left, the damage value (higher is better) at upper right, and a venom symbol if the weapon can be poisoned when used by a venomous bug. A movement card shows the bug's maximum jumping speed as a reminder, the name of the part, and the real bug the part comes from. A projector weapon card shows an arrow for accuracy at upper left, indicating it is a projector and the direction in which the weapon fires; the damage value appears at upper right, just as for close combat weapons.

Movement

(4.0) Movement

During the movement stage, bugs move around to get better tactical positioning against their enemies. This stage lasts until all active bugs have gotten an opportunity to move, at which point combat starts with projector fire (see 5.3).

(4.1) Order of action. All bugs decide what movement type they will use this round (crawling, jumping, or flying). Movement types may not be combined in the same round. Bugs move in order of speed (maximum number of hexes that the bug can move this round) with the fastest moving first. In case of ties, the higher instinct moves first. If the tie still can't be resolved, each bug rolls a die and the high roller wins.

(4.11) Movement speeds. Crawling bugs move one hex per round per limb card. Flying bugs move 4 hexes per round per limb card, up to a maximum of 8 hexes per round. Jumping bugs move 5 hexes per round per limb card, up to a maximum of 5. If a bug is armored, its flight and jump speeds are reduced by two.

Example: Gyan has two wing pairs, for a flight speed of 8 hexes per round. Byron has one jumper, for a jump speed of 5, while Regis' jumper only gives her 3 because of the armor. If she had another jumper, her speed would be 5, even though it seems like that should give her 8, because 5 is the maximum jumper speed. Regis can also use her one leg pair to crawl at 1 hex per round. Aussie's three leg pairs give him a crawl speed of 3; crawling is not slowed by armor.

(4.12) Hesitating. Bugs may choose to hesitate instead of moving, in which case they may move later on, after other (slower) bugs have moved. A hesitating bug may take its move at any time after its turn, but must wait until the currently-moving bug has finished its entire move. If two hesitating bugs want to move at the same time, the faster one moves first. Likewise, if two bugs both want to move last in the round, the faster one moves last.

(4.2) Starting in hexes with other bugs. A bug starting its move in the same hex as another active bug, whether friend or foe, must succeed in an instinct roll in order to leave. If the roll fails, the moving bug is allowed to rotate its facing to any hexside but cannot otherwise move or hover.

(4.3) Moving into hexes with other bugs. A bug must stop moving upon entering a hex containing another active bug (friendly or enemy). Flying or jumping bugs ignore non-hovering bugs (also known as benthic bugs) for this purpose.

(4.4) Facing. After a bug has finished moving, it must be facing one of the sides – not a corner – of the hex it is in. Facing has no effect on movement, only combat.

[Diagram: YES – a bug facing a hexside; NO – a bug facing a corner.]

(4.5) Hovering. A flying bug may hover at the end of its move. Designate this by flipping its counter/miniature over. Hovering bugs can only attack with and be attacked by projectors. If a flying or jumping bug starts in a hex occupied by a hovering bug (friend or foe), or enters such a hex, both bugs tumble down to benthic (ground) level immediately. The moving bug must then stop for the round. Flying bugs that don't hover land in their last hex of movement and can attack/be attacked by other ground-level bugs.

(4.6) Tunnels. These hexes are narrow passageways. Flight and jumping cannot be used to enter tunnel hexes; only creatures using crawling movement can enter. Bugs with more than one pair of wings may not enter tunnels at all. No more than two bugs can occupy a tunnel hex. Projectors firing into or out of tunnel hexes have a range of 1.

(4.7) Root hexes. These are hexes filled with dense roots. Bugs with more than one wing pair cannot enter root hexes and hovering is impossible. Each root hex entered counts as two hexes for both jumping and flying bugs. Projectors firing into or out of root hexes have a range of 1.

(4.8) Escape. Bugs that are adjacent to a transfer area and have at least one hex of movement left can escape into it with a successful instinct roll (see 3.4). If they fail, they stop moving for the turn, though they can change facing one last time. If they succeed, they leave the chamber and cannot return. (In the Hive game they can join their companions later; see 10.23.)

Example (see right): Regis announces she's jumping; the other bugs have only one movement type and get no choice. Gyan (speed 8) moves first and hesitates. Byron (speed 5) jumps forward to attack Regis. Aussie and Regis are both speed 3, but Aussie has a higher instinct and goes first; he hesitates. Regis jumps behind Byron, then Gyan interrupts before Aussie can move and flies forward to get better range on Regis. Aussie then moves to attack Gyan, staying in front to avoid that bazooka she's carrying.

Gyan could have hovered at the end of her move, which would have kept Aussie from chomping on her later. Gyan could also have moved onto Regis' hex right after Byron's move. Then Regis would have had to make an instinct roll to leave the hex, and if she had failed she would have been in big trouble.

Attacks

(5.0) Attacks

After all movement is complete, each bug may make one attack using one weapon card (head, appendage, or abdomen). All attacks are resolved the same way:

The attacking bug rolls its accuracy dice. If the total is equal to or less than its dexterity, it has hit the target bug (see 5.33 and 5.41). Zero or fewer accuracy dice always hit. In general, the larger the bug, the clumsier, and the higher the dexterity it needs to be effective.
If the attack hits, determine the effects of the hit on the target (see 6.0).

There are two types of attacks: projector fire and close combat. A bug may not use both in the same turn.

(5.1) Order of action. Bugs attack in order of dexterity, highest first. Bugs with the same dexterity attack simultaneously, i.e. damage effects are not resolved until the tied bugs have all completed their attacks. All projector attacks are resolved before close combat starts, and all projectors fire simultaneously. If for some reason simultaneously attacking bugs care who announces their attack first, determine the order randomly.

(5.2) Battle frenzy. If a bug decides to attack and there are other bugs equally close or closer to it than the target bug, it might attack the wrong bug by mistake. Make an instinct roll for the bug (see 3.4).

If it passes, resolve the attack normally.

If it fails, it must attack the closest active target, friend or foe. If more than one bug is equally close, randomly choose between them. The attacking bug must use the original weapon to attack the new target, if possible; if not (e.g. if attempting to fire a projector and then being forced to grapple) then it must use any weapon that has a chance to hit.

This rule applies to both close combat and projector fire. The bug can initially decide to attack anyone it wants; the instinct roll determines whether or not that target is the one it actually goes after.

Example: Gyan wants to blow Regis away with her bombardier projector, but Aussie is closer, so Gyan has to make an instinct roll to choose the right target. She rolls one die and gets a 2, which is lower than her instinct of 3, so she can go ahead and shoot at Regis. If she had failed, she would have had to attack Aussie.

If Aussie hadn't been there, Gyan would still have had to make an instinct roll, since Byron is the same distance away as Regis. To avoid rolling entirely, Gyan should have moved to the hex southwest of her current one. From there, Regis is the closest bug.

(5.3) Projector fire. Projectors attack a single hex in their field of fire, aiming either at the air (hovering bugs) or at the ground (everyone else). A projector attack has a chance to hit every bug, friend or foe, at the targeted height in the hex. Make a separate accuracy roll against each.

(5.31) Projector fields of fire. There are three fields of fire for projectors. Front- or rear-firing weapons can hit any bug in a 120° arc to their front or rear, as shown in the diagram. Bugs with 360° fields of fire can hit targets in any direction. Projectors can never hit their own hex, regardless of the field of fire. They can be used while grappled (see 5.4), just not against the grappling bug.

(5.32) Projector line of sight. Projectors fire in a straight line, and cannot fire through any part of a hex containing a bug other than the target or containing a solid object like a wall. Shots for which the line of sight goes exactly along a hexside are clear if the hexside doesn't connect two blocking hexes. Projector shots are not blocked by ground bugs if both the firer and the target are hovering, and hovering bugs do not block ground bugs shooting at other ground bugs.

(5.33) Projector accuracy dice. For all projectors, the number of accuracy dice equals range in hexes to the target plus the attacker's instar minus the defender's instar (since larger targets are easier to hit). Hovering bugs firing to the ground and vice versa add one to their range.

Figure the range to the target by counting the hexes from the firer to the target in the straightest line you can, including the target's hex but not the firer's.

(5.34) Projector ammunition supply. To reflect limited ammunition, roll two dice after every projector shot, adding the firer's instar to the roll (not the number of dice). If the result is a '7' or less, then the projector is out of ammunition. Place a "projector empty" marker on the bug. (In the Hive Game, mutants can resupply their projectors after any molt.)

Example: Gyan's field of fire with her projector is shown at right. If she had ended up attacking Aussie, she'd have had to use her fangs or claws instead. But she's attacking Regis, who is two hexes away and instar 1. Gyan rolls two dice for accuracy (one for her instar, plus two for the range, minus one for Regis' instar) and gets a 6. That's lower than her dexterity of 9, and Regis is enveloped in boiling chemicals. (We'll see what that does to her in section 6.0; it isn't fatal, but it hurts a lot.) Checking her ammo supply, Gyan rolls two dice and gets a 7. Adding one for her instar makes 8, which is higher than 7, and she's still loaded.

If Gyan had hovered, she would have rolled an extra die to hit because hovering bugs attacking bugs on the ground add a die.

Aussie sees Gyan shoot at his teammate, but can't do anything about it, since his web bola would hit Gyan at the same time as her bomb hit Regis. He'd rather attack her in the next phase.

(5.4) Close combat. After all projector fire has been resolved, bugs that have not fired projectors this round may attack each other in close combat. The target of a close combat attack must be in either the same hex as the attacker or one of its three adjacent front hexes (see diagram). Bugs in the same hex as their target are grappling; those weapons marked with the grapple symbol G can only be used against a grappled bug. Bugs attacking an enemy in a front hex are engaging. Hovering bugs cannot be engaged. Bugs engaging from one of the target's rear hexes are rear attacking, which makes the target easier to hit.

[Diagram: a bug at center with three hexes marked Front on its front side and three hexes marked Rear on its rear side.]

(5.41) Close combat accuracy dice. The number of accuracy dice for close combat is equal to the accuracy value of the weapon plus the instar of the attacking bug. Rear attacking bugs subtract one accuracy die. Bugs attacking a spinose target add its spinose value to their number of accuracy dice.

Example: Gyan and the injured Regis are both dexterity 9 and normally would attack simultaneously in close combat, but Gyan's bomb blast was her attack for the round. Regis swipes at Byron with her sickle mandibles. (Her stinger would have been better but it only works in grapple.) Battle frenzy doesn't affect her because Byron is the closest bug. She rolls two dice (one for her instar, two for the mandible accuracy, minus one for the rear attack) for a 10 and misses.

Aussie's next with dexterity 8, so he uses his small mandible set on Gyan. He would normally roll two dice (instar 1, mandible A1) but Gyan is spinose so he rolls three. He gets an 8 – a hit!

Byron's dexterity of 6 would make him last but no one is in his front hexes, so he does nothing.

Damage Resolution and Automatic Effects

(6.0) Damage Resolution and Automatic Effects

When a hit is scored, whether by projectile fire or close combat, the attacker must determine the area on the target that was hit, the damage done by the attack, the amount of damage absorbed by the target's defenses, and the effect on the target of any damage that gets through.

(6.1) Hit location. Hits may be against a victim's head, appendages, or abdomen depending upon the type of attack:

If engaging from one of the prey's three front hexes: All hits are on the prey's head or appendages, prey's choice. It must choose where before damage is rolled. Damage cannot go to the appendages if there are no unentangled ones left.
If rear attacking from one of the prey's three rear hexes: All hits are on the prey's abdomen.
If grappling or for a projector attack, roll a die:
- Roll of 1 or 2 = All hits are on the prey's head.
- Roll of 3 or 4 = All hits are on the prey's appendages.
- Roll of 5 or 6 = All hits are on the prey's abdomen.

When all the appendages are gone, further hits on them are abdomen hits instead.

(6.2) Damage dice. Each weapon has as many damage dice as its damage value plus the attacker's instar. After the location of the hit is known, the attacking bug rolls the damage dice for the weapon it used; the total rolled is the number of damage points done to the target location.

(6.3) Defense dice. The target bug gets a number of defense dice equal to its instar. Armored bugs add their armor value to the number of defense dice. For each incoming attack, the target rolls its defense dice and subtracts the total from the damage points done by that attack.

(6.4) Damage effects. After subtracting the defense total from the damage done, any remaining points injure the target bug.

Each damage point to the head subtracts one from the bug's instinct. If the instinct reaches zero, the victim is decapitated and dies. (This applies no matter how many head cards it has – the extra head weapons some bugs have are not spare heads, but rather multiple weapons in the same head.)
Each damage point to the abdomen lowers the dexterity by one. If the dexterity reaches zero, the victim is incapacitated. Further damage to the abdomen reduces instinct.
Every two points of damage to appendages tears off ("autotomizes") an appendage pair, starting with the top pair and going down. For hive bugs, place a "torn off" marker on the appendage pair. For mutants, remove the appendage card. Receiving just one appendage hit has no effect. In the Hive Game, mutants can save autotomized appendages for regrowth during molting. Entangled limbs (see 6.7) cannot be torn off, and damage to them goes to the next limb down. If there are no more limbs, remaining damage points hit the abdomen instead.

Example: Since Gyan was engaged from the front, she can choose to take the damage on either her head or her appendages. She's feeling lucky, and decides to take the hit on her head. Aussie's mandibles do 2 dice damage (one for the mandible damage, one for his instar) and he rolls a 6. Gyan gets one die (her instar) in defense, rolls a 4, and takes 2 points, lowering her instinct to 1.

Note that if Gyan had used her claws on Aussie instead of bombing Regis, she would have attacked first due to her higher dexterity. If she had managed to kill him, he would never have gotten to retaliate.

But what happened to Regis? When Gyan's bomb hit, she rolled one die for hit location and got a 3 – appendages. The boiling mass did 4 damage dice (D3, instar 1) and Regis got 2 defense dice (instar 1, plus her armor). Gyan rolled a 14, Regis a 9, so 5 points hit her limbs. That was enough to tear off her setae and jumper (2 points each) but the leftover point wasn't enough to get her legs. Since bugs don't feel pain, the loss of her limbs didn't affect Regis' attack on Byron.

(6.5) Incapacitation. Bugs with zero dexterity or with no useable movement cards are incapacitated. They cannot move, interfere with movement, or attack normally; the only weapons they can use are ones that roll zero or fewer accuracy dice (such as the crinotoxic labium, or rear attacks with very accurate weapons, or projector shots at point-blank range). All close combat attacks on incapacitated bugs subtract one accuracy die. They do not count as valid targets for purposes of instinct rolls. In the Hive Game, incapacitated mutants surviving combat rounds can hope to be fed and molt and regain enough dexterity to recover, assuming of course that their companions do not decide to add them to the food pile too.

Example: If Gyan had done one more damage point with that bomb, Regis would have lost her last appendage pair and been incapacitated. If so, she wouldn't have been able to attack Byron, since that took 2 accuracy dice.

(6.6) Venom. If a venomous bug scores a hit with an envenomed weapon and the damage is equal to or greater than the target's defense roll total, venom is injected into the target. Place one "poison" marker on the affected body part for each venom level of the attacking mutant. This venom will take effect at the end of the turn, after all bugs have finished their attacks (see 6.8). Venom damage is in addition to normal damage.

(6.7) Entanglement. Certain weapons do temporary damage, entangling the target in glue or webbing. Every two damage points done by an entangling weapon (regardless of hit location) entangles one appendage pair. Appendages are entangled from top to bottom, just like being autotomized. Place an "entangle" marker on the appendage pair – it cannot be used for any purpose until disentangled (see 6.8). After all the limbs are entangled, an additional two hits entangle the abdomen, two more entangle it again, and further hits are ignored. One point of entangling damage is insufficient to entangle anything and is harmlessly absorbed. Entangle hits have no other effect; they do not also do normal damage. Entangled limbs cannot be torn off, as they are stuck in place.

Example: Next round, Byron has tackled Regis so that the situation looks like this:

[Diagram of the chamber with Byron, Regis and Aussie positioned in adjacent hexes.]

Aussie, seeing what's coming, fires a web bola into the hex. He needs no instinct roll since they're both in the same hex, and rolls 2 dice to hit for each. His dexterity is 8, and he rolls a 7 for Byron and a 9 for Regis. This splatters webbing on Byron but misses Regis. Aussie rolls 4 dice of damage for a 9 and Byron rolls his usual one defense die for a 5. Byron's two setae are entangled.

Byron wasn't going to use them anyway, and fangs Regis. She's the closest bug, so he isn't frenzied. He rolls one accuracy die and can't miss. His one damage die comes up a 4, and so does Regis' two defense dice. She doesn't take any normal damage from this, but the damage roll is equal to the defense roll, so she's poisoned. He rolls for hit location, gets a 2, and slaps a poison marker on her head.

(6.8) Automatic effects. After all bugs capable of attacking this round have completed their attacks, any automatic effects occur.

Any bugs (including incapacitated ones) with entangled body parts may remove one entangle marker. Markers on the abdomen are removed first, then ones on the appendages, starting with the bottom pair and working up to the top.
Bugs that have been affected by venom must roll one die for each poison marker on their bodies; the total is subtracted directly from their instinct (if hit to the head) or their dexterity (if hit to the abdomen or appendages). There is no defense roll for this damage. After damage is determined, discard the poison markers.

Example: At the end of the round, Byron disentangles his rear setae. Then Regis rolls for the poison marker on her head, gets a 4, and sinks to the ground, dead.

Special Rules

(7.0) Special Rules

(7.1) Calcareous shell. Bugs with calcareous shells have near-invulnerable abdomens and can "button-up," withdrawing their whole body into the shell, but fly and jump slowly.

Combat: Normal damage to an abdomen of this type is harmlessly absorbed. Damage that "spills over" from the limbs hits the abdomen and is absorbed. Buttoned-up bugs are immune to all normal damage regardless of hit location. However, entangles and pheromones have their normal effects, buttoned-up or not. Shelled bugs with entangle markers cannot remove them unless they are unbuttoned during the automatic effects stage, and cannot button up.

Buttoning-up: Buttoning and unbuttoning must be announced at the end of the movement stage, after all bugs have moved but before attacks are begun. Invert a buttoned-up bug's counter/miniature.

Movement: Shelled bugs cannot fly and their jump speed is reduced by two. Buttoned-up bugs are treated as if incapacitated for movement purposes.

(7.2) Urticating setae. These expendable spines are good for one successful attack only. If an attack with the setae succeeds in its accuracy roll, remove the card. The card is lost regardless of how much, if any, damage is inflicted on the target bug. (In the Hive Game, setae can be regenerated by molting.)

(7.3) Spinneret. This web-spinning abdomen type can be used for both close combat and projector fire. To use it as a projector, the wielder must have three or more unentangled leg pairs. Spinnerets that are out of ammunition can still be used in grapple. The target's armor cannot be used to defend against the spinneret, in either attack mode.

(7.4) Nasutus projector. This weapon normally does entangling damage only, by spraying a sticky glue on the victim. It can also be envenomed, in which case there is a venom effect in addition to the entanglement if the damage roll is equal to or greater than the target's defense roll. The maximum venom damage that this weapon can do is one die. Venom from this weapon always affects the victim's abdomen (dexterity) and does affect bugs with calcareous shells. The target's armor cannot be used to defend against this weapon.

(7.5) Stinger. The target cannot use its instar to defend against this penetrating weapon, only its armor value, if any. The stinger does only one die of damage at all times.

Example: Before dying, Regis used her stinger on Byron, who gets no defense roll for it at all. She can't miss with her one accuracy die, rolls a 5 hit location, and does one die of damage for 6 points, reducing Byron's dexterity to zero and incapacitating him.

Arena Game Scenarios

(8.0) Arena Game Scenarios

Before starting a scenario, distribute the mutant displays randomly among the players. Roll for start order, from high to low. In this order, each player picks one design card until all mutant designs are complete. Pheromone projector and crinotoxic labium cards cannot be used in the Arena Game, but all other cards are legal. When the designs are done the players, in start order, set their dexterity and instinct values and then place polymer miniatures to represent their bugs on the map.

In large scenarios it is easy to lose track of the order of movement and combat. Markers are provided for this purpose.

Scenarios 8.1 and 8.4 both use Hive bugs instead of mutants. They use some different codes on their cards (see 9.1) and can be thought of as pre-designed mutants with abbreviated displays.

(8.1) Ant Wars (2-4 players; no mutant design). Split the players into two teams. Each player takes one harvester ant from Hive deck V and places it on an ant hex in the Parlor. The last team with active bugs on the map wins.

(8.2) Mutant Death Match (2-3 players). Two mutants per player. Mutants start on the ant hexes in the Dungeon. Every bug for itself – the last bug standing (or hovering, or whatever) wins.

(8.3) Mutant Free-for-all (2-6 players). One mutant per player. No projectors or setae allowed. Mutants start on the ant hexes in the Root Cellar; the last active bug wins.

(8.4) Contest of the Myrmidons (2-16 players; no mutant design). Split the players into the ant team and the termite team (ants and termites are natural enemies). Each ant player takes one ant (any species) and each termite player takes one termite (any species). The ants start on the ant hexes in the Root Cellar, and the termites start on the bee hexes. The last team with active bugs on the map wins. Hive Game rules 12.1 and 12.2 are required to play this game.

Hive Game

(9.0) Setup and Overview of Play

The Hive Game is the complete Insecta experience, adding rules to the Arena Game to cover the journey of a mutant band as they try to escape the Hive. The game begins right after the players' mutant insects have hatched. The mutants travel through the Hive, battling the inhabitants and dividing the spoils, if any. They can take breaks to eat, molt, heal and metamorphose into new life stages. The quest continues until all the mutants are dead or they have escaped the Hive.

(9.1) Hive decks. For the Hive Game, the Hive cards are sorted into six decks. (See card samples below and on the next page.) Five of these correspond to trophic levels in the Hive, and the sixth is the Ambuscade deck (see 9.2). All the bugs on a given level are related taxonomically, and there is some classification information on the back of each card that may aid players in determining where to go.

The one card/one bug rule: Each card is a single inhabitant of the Hive, so when a bug is killed or escapes its card is out of play. Because of this, it is possible for the mutant band to squash every bug in the Hive (see 13.0).

(9.2) Ambuscade deck (Foyer encounters). This deck supplies bugs for every Foyer in the whole Hive instead of a single level, and is an exception to the one card/one bug rule. While ambuscade bugs are still one to a card, the cards are not discarded when the bug is killed or escapes. Instead, place them in a discard pile, and reshuffle the deck when it is completely used up. This rule simulates the idea that the Hive can't ever be completely cleared out; while all the permanent residents can be killed, the ambuscade bugs will constantly wander in from the general ecosystem.

Sample Hive Bug Card – Back (diagram callouts, verbatim):

Some taxonomic information goes here to help the mutants figure out what they're up against.
This indicates which deck the card belongs to. (Trophic level 1, in this case.)
This is a reference for how many cards go into each chamber of the trophic level.

(9.3) Setup. Select one player to be the Hivemaster, who controls all the non-mutant inhabitants of the Hive. One to six other players control the mutants; each designs a mutant bug using the same procedure as for the Arena Game, except that:

each only gets one mutant
players may select the type of mutant they wish to use instead of randomly choosing
all mutant players are on the same side, symbiotically, and should cooperate in selecting cards
all cards may be used, including the pheromone projector and crinotoxic labium cards.

While the mutants are engaged in designing nasty bugs, the Hivemaster should set up the first level. Separate the Hive decks, place the Ambuscade deck by the map, and deal out deck I (see 10.13). The mutants may start in either the Dungeon or the Foyer, representing the place where the hatchlings have dug themselves out of the ground. All the mutants must start the game in the same chamber. If the mutants start in the Dungeon, they enter through transfer area 3; if they start in the Foyer, they enter through either transfer area 1 or 2 (but not both). The mutants may look at the backs of the Hive cards when deciding where to start, but not the fronts. Mutants with more than one wing pair or no legs may not start in the Dungeon.

Once the mutants have decided where to begin, they encounter the inhabitants of the chamber (see 10.2). Start the game with the combat phase.

Example: Aussie, Woody and Regis start a game together. The Hivemaster shuffles the exopterygote insects deck (trophic level I) and deals two cards into the Dungeon, three into the Parlor, and three into the Root Cellar. After looking through the card backs, the band decides to start in the Dungeon. If Merlin were along, the band would have to start in the Foyer, since she has two wing pairs. The Hivemaster then flips the cards, revealing a praying mantis and an assassin bug – a nasty pair. Next time, maybe the mutants will know enough taxonomy to avoid them.

(9.4) Turn sequence. Each turn, the following phases occur, in order:

Hive Movement Phase – Mutants move to a new chamber (see 10.1).
Combat Phase – Mutants and Hive bugs battle it out using the Arena Game rules (see 10.2).
Ecdysis Phase – When the Arena Game is over, mutants "munch, molt, metamorphose, and multiply" (see 11.0).

After the ecdysis phase is over, start a new turn with phase 1.

(9.5) Solitaire game. The Insecta Hive Game can be played alone by using the "no hivemaster" rules. See 16.0. Lone mutants have low survival rates, so solo players may start with two bugs.

(9.6) Counters. Hive bugs are represented on the map by counters instead of polymer miniatures. Each Hive card has a letter that matches one specific counter. (The image on the counter may not exactly match the Hive bug in play.)

Sample Hive Bug Card – Front (diagram callouts, verbatim):

The name of the bug and some taxonomic information go here.
This is what the bug looks like in real life.
This is the body plan display for the bug, which has miniature versions of the design cards the mutants use.
Movement speed by type is summarized here for ease of reference.
Use counter "D" to represent this bug on the map.
This bug has level 1 venom, and the small venom symbol on the fangs indicates that they are envenomed. Unlike mutants, some Hive bugs have more than one venomous weapon.
Some information about the bug goes here. If there are any special rules about the bug, they will be listed here as well.
The dexterity and instinct tracks work the same way as for mutants, and serve the same function.

Hive Movement

(10.0) Hive Movement

The Hive is made of five trophic levels, each with identical floor plans. Each level has four chambers: Parlor, Dungeon, Root Cellar, and Foyer. Chambers are connected by two types of transfer areas: corridors and tunnels. Each level connects to the next higher level; the Root Cellar and Parlor on a level both connect to the Foyer on the next, while the Dungeon connects to the next-higher Dungeon.

(10.1) Moving between chambers. During the hive movement phase, the mutant band may move through interconnected chambers and transfer areas. The band must stop and fight it out upon entering a chamber with Hive bugs (see 10.21) or the Foyer (see 10.22). The mutants may examine the backs of the Hive cards in their possible destinations but may not turn them over until they actually enter the chamber. All mutants must travel together; if there is a disagreement as to where to go, start combat rounds and fight it out.

(10.11) Transfer area types. Like the tunnels in chambers, bugs that have more than one wing pair or which have no crawling movement cannot enter tunnel transfer areas. Corridor transfer areas are accessible to all bugs.

(10.12) Leaving a level. When the mutants leave a trophic level, gather up all the surviving face-up and face-down Hive bugs on the old level and shuffle them together. (The bugs regenerate, so remove any clips and markers.) Put the deck aside for later use in case the mutants come back. Surviving ambuscade bugs go to the ambuscade discard pile.

(10.13) Entering a new level. Deal the Hive card deck for the new trophic level into three face-down piles on the mapsheet, one pile in each chamber except the Foyer. The number of cards for each pile is shown on the back of the deck.

(10.14) Returning to an old level. Use the reduced deck that was put aside earlier for that level and deal an even amount of bugs into each chamber except the Foyer (ignore the chamber numbers on the card backs). If the cards won't evenly divide by three, randomly determine where to put the extra card(s).

(10.2) Encounters. When the mutant band enters an occupied area, they must fight the inhabitants. Play out an Arena Game with the mutants on one side and the Hive bugs on the other, using the setup rules in the next two sections. When the Arena Game is over, the Ecdysis Phase begins (see 11.0).

(10.21) Dungeon, Parlor or Root Cellar encounters. The Hivemaster sets up first, by revealing the Hive bug cards, putting clips at the top of their instinct and dexterity tracks, and placing the appropriate counters in the bee hexes in the center of the chamber. The mutants then place their miniatures on the ant hexes closest to the transfer area they used to enter the chamber. Bugs that can't use tunnel movement may not start on tunnel hexes; those that cannot move into the root thicket cannot start on thicket hexes. Any number of bugs can start in the same hex (this is an exception to rule 4.6).

(10.22) Foyer (Ambuscade) encounters. The mutants set up first, placing their miniatures on the ant hexes closest to the transfer area they used to enter the chamber. They may stack. Then the Hivemaster draws the top card from the Ambuscade deck and places the appropriate counter in the hex with the matching silhouette. If it is a predator, one of the mutants will probably get caught in its trap (see 12.5 and 12.6). The pit does not exist if the ant lion larva is not present, and the web does not exist if the black widow isn't around.

(10.23) Escape. Hive bugs that escape during combat leave the Hive completely; remove them from play. Mutants that escape must wait in the transfer area until the end of the turn, when they rejoin the band. After one mutant has escaped a particular combat, other mutants wishing to escape must follow the first; the other exits are closed to them, though open to fleeing Hive bugs. If the entire band escapes a chamber, leave any Hive bugs that remain face up in the chamber, awaiting the mutants' return.

Example: The band manages to get away from the predatory Dungeon bugs by escaping to the Parlor. The mantis and assassin bug stay in the Dungeon, clips in place. After defeating the three bugs that were in the Parlor, the band gets brave and goes back to the Dungeon. They manage to kill the assassin, but still can't deal with the mantis, so they escape to the Parlor again.

The band then decides to go to the next level. The Hivemaster shuffles the mantis in with the three remaining level I bugs and deals the level II deck out. Since the band is in the Foyer, the Hivemaster draws the top card from deck A: an ant lion larva. Regis escapes, but Aussie gets his legs torn off. Fortunately, Woody incapacitates the lion and combat ends.

Ecdysis

(11.0) Ecdysis

During this phase, the mutants divide up the available food supply, and decide if they want to molt or metamorphose. If there is any disagreement between mutants as to what to eat or how to divide it, ecdysis stops and combat immediately begins so the mutants can fight it out. Combat continues until all the live bugs are in agreement, at which point ecdysis begins again, adding any newly dead to the existing food pool.

(11.1) Bring out your dead. Add together the instars of all the slain (friend and foe) and place that many "food" markers on the map. Discard the dead Hive bugs. Incapacitated and propaganda-enslaved Hive bugs can be added to the food pile, and mutants may voluntarily commit suicide to feed their comrades. Mutants can also be added involuntarily by being killed in combat over a disagreement. Once the food pile is established, mutants in the chamber can eat it, transferring the food markers to their crops.

Example: The lion was instar 1, which makes only one food, and Woody is feeling hungry. Since Aussie is incapacitated, Woody could kill and eat him too, but instead takes pity and lets him have the food. Regis can't get involved since she's out in the corridor.

(11.2) Molting. A mutant may molt by expending food markers from its crop equal to its instar. If it has enough food remaining, it may molt again. A molting bug receives three points to add to either instinct or dexterity or to divide between both. The instinct and dexterity values can never be increased beyond the limits shown on the mutant display (e.g., 10 each for instar 1); excess points are lost. Molting also regenerates any lost limbs and refills empty projectors (see 5.34).

Example: Aussie now has one food, which he uses to molt. He decides to add two to his dexterity and one to his instinct, for a dexterity of 10 and an instinct of 5. He then grows all his legs back.

If Woody had eaten Aussie and the lion, he'd have two food markers. If he molted once, raising his dexterity by 3 (his instinct can't go higher without metamorphosis), he could save the second food marker for later use.

(11.3) Metamorphosis. If a mutant molts, it may also metamorphose into the next instar. This occurs after the molt is complete, and costs no food. Metamorphosis is always optional unless a mutant has the maximum allowable instinct and dexterity for its current instar. If so, it must metamorphose.

Warning: Metamorphosis is inadvisable for bugs with low instinct or dexterity. It increases the damage a mutant can deal out and receive, but makes it clumsier and stupider.

To metamorphose, swap the current mutant display for one of the same type with an instar one higher. Transfer the head, appendage, and abdomen cards, the values for instinct and dexterity, and the accumulated food markers to the new mutant display. As shown on the mutant display, metamorphosis can also increase the venom, spinose, or armor values and add new head or appendage cards. Mutant type may not change; a spinose mutant must remain a spinose mutant, it cannot metamorphose into a venomous or armored mutant. Venom remains in the part it started in.

Instar 5 is the adult form of a mutant, and uses a "generic" mutant display. Use a clip on the bottom to indicate whether it is poisonous, spinose, or armored.

Example: Stupidly, Aussie decides to metamorphose. He's now an instar 2 bug with 10 dexterity and 5 instinct. The good part is that he rolls another die for damage and defense. However, he also rolls another die for instinct and accuracy. He gets a new head card (see the instar 2 armored mutant display) and decides to add a nasutus projector.

(11.4) Reproduction. Instar five is the highest level accommodated in the game. During any ecdysis, instar five mutants are allowed to divide parthenogenetically into five mutants of instar one. Molting is not required, and this costs no food, though any food in the parent's crop is lost. Distribute the instinct and dexterity values of the parent among the five offspring. (E.g., if an adult had a 14 dexterity, four of its nymphs would have a 3 dexterity, plus a "runt" with 2.) Nymphs may be of a different type than the parent. The nymphs are designed the same way as starting mutants, but may not use any design cards that the parent did not.

Example: Much later on, Woody reaches instar 5, having added two leg cards and two setae in addition to a set of fangs. He decides to reproduce, and turns into two spinose, two armored, and one venomous mutant. All of them must have legs (since that was the only movement card Woody had) and a calcareous shell. They can have hook tarsus cards if they want, and either crinotoxic or fanged heads.

(11.5) Ecdysis end. After the mutants in the chamber have finished all their ecdysis actions, all bugs remove any entangle markers and mutants that have escaped into transfer areas move back into the chamber. Because this occurs after ecdysis is complete, escaped mutants cannot participate in ecdysis actions; this is a penalty for cowardice. Then start a new turn with the hive movement phase.

(11.6) Transfer area ecdysis. If the entire mutant band has escaped a chamber, they won't be able to eat any dead Hive bugs but may still molt and metamorphose with any food they have in their growth blocks. Voluntary suicide is also possible, but no combat is allowed and any disagreement over food division immediately ends the phase.

Special Rules for the Hive Game

(12.0) Special Rules for the Hive Game

(12.1) Crinotoxic labium. This close combat weapon always hits and doesn't need an accuracy roll. It does no normal damage, and so is only useful to venomous mutants. A hit by the labium automatically poisons the target (regardless of defense roll), but its venom level never exceeds one (even after metamorphosis to instar 2 or higher). The crinotoxic labium is ineffective against armored bugs, buttoned-up bugs, and the abdomen of bugs with calcareous shells.

(12.2) Pheromone projector. Each time this weapon is used, the user may choose any one of five chemicals to fire at the target hex before making the usual attack roll to see if it hits. The pheromones and their effects are:

A. The diapause pheromone causes lethargy; the victim must move first during all subsequent movement stages. This effect lasts until the next ecdysis phase. If more than one bug is affected, they all move before the unaffected ones according to the standard order (4.1).

B. The sex pheromone lobotomizes the victim's instinct (so that it automatically fails any instinct rolls). This effect lasts until the next ecdysis phase. Bugs under the effect of the sex pheromone are immune to propaganda pheromone.

C. Victims struck by the swarm pheromone lose conscious control of their actions and go into fight mode as given in the No Hivemaster section (16.2). They consider all bugs to be enemies and can use all their weapons each turn, mixing projectors and close combat weapons in any combination. This effect lasts until the next ecdysis phase.

D. If hit by the propaganda pheromone, the victim must make an instinct roll (see 3.4). If it fails, the opposing side takes control of the target bug (i.e. mutants become Hivemaster-controlled, while Hive bugs are controlled by the pheromone wielder). It remains on the other side until hit by another propaganda pheromone or ecdysis occurs. Bugs under the influence of the propaganda pheromone are immune to the sex pheromone.

E. Finally, if hit by an ecdysteroid, a victim goes up or down by one instar, in a sort of forced metamorphosis (determine randomly up or down). This can only happen to a victim once per chamber. A victim can go to instar zero but no lower; mutants at instar zero use the instar one display. Mutants hit by the ecdysteroid lose any accumulated food markers and transfer their design cards, instinct value, and dexterity value to a new mutant display as if they had just metamorphosed (see 11.3). Instinct and dexterity may be lost if going down an instar and the new maximum is lower than the current values. Hive bugs that are altered in this manner change instars but suffer no other effects, keeping all statistics the same except for the new instar. Unlike other pheromones, the effects of ecdysteroids are permanent, although metamorphosis can reverse a loss of size.

Pheromones do no damage, therefore no damage, defense, or hit location rolls are necessary. Place a pheromone effect marker on bugs affected by pheromones A, B, C, or D to record their condition.

Example: In a later game, Woody is grappling with two harvester ants when Merlin, thinking she's helping him out, fires a propaganda pheromone into his hex. She rolls separately to hit each one, and hits Woody and one of the ants. They both blow their instinct rolls, so now Merlin controls the ant but the Hivemaster controls Woody. (As an apology, Merlin lets Woody's player control the ant.) The other ant is unaffected, since she missed it.

The next turn no one leaves that hex, so Merlin fires a sex pheromone into it. The only thing it can affect is the ant she missed last turn, since the propaganda pheromone makes Woody and the controlled ant immune to sex.

(12.3) "None" body part type. This notation on some Hive bugs indicates that the bug has no weapons or movement associated with the part in question (possibly because it is entirely absent). For game purposes, a "none" body part can be hit and damaged like any other, but has no other function.

(12.4) Multi-part bugs. These bugs are two hexes long, and are made of two bug counters. Use any counter not in play to represent the back half. The left body plan is the front half, and the right one the back half.

Movement: Both halves move together. Keep track of the current speed of each half separately; the bug moves at the average of the two speeds (round up). The head moves and faces normally, then the back must be placed in the same hex or any adjacent one, facing in any direction. This allows the bug to twist into interesting shapes. The back end is unaffected by movement situations leading to instinct rolls.

Attacks: Each half is treated separately as far as engagement and rear attacks are concerned. Each half can individually attack with the weapons remaining on that half.

Damage: Each half is damaged separately. Abdomen hits to the front or head hits to the back go to appendages instead. Appendage hits to either section can only damage appendages in that section; further appendage hits go directly to instinct (front) or dexterity (back). Poison hits to the front subtract from instinct, those to the back subtract from dexterity.

(12.5) Black widow. The widow's starting instar and dexterity are variable. (Use an instar marker to record the value.) Its instar is the same as the largest living mutant, and its dexterity is equal to its instar multiplied by 3 plus 2. The first move of the fastest mutant encountering the widow must be to move into a web hex. A bug entering a web hex is immediately completely entangled (entangled markers on all limbs and two on the abdomen). Black widows will never attempt to flee or escape, no matter how badly the battle goes.

(12.6) Ant lion larva. The lion's starting instar and dexterity are variable. Its instar is the same as the largest living mutant, and its dexterity is equal to its instar multiplied by 3 plus 6. The first move of the fastest jumping or crawling mutant encountering the lion must be to fall into the pit. Any mutant crawling into or landing on a pit hex while the lion is alive immediately rolls to the center. If all mutants can fly, none need fall in the pit. The lion starts buried and remains so until it moves out of its start hex. While buried, it has a spinose value of 2 and cannot be hit by projectors. It loses these defenses when it moves.

Example: Everyone in the band was instar 1 when they met that lion, so it was too. It's starting dexterity was therefore 9.

(12.7) Crevices. The non-Foyer chambers on levels III-V are crevices, which permit flying and jumping but no hovering. This is indicated on the back of the Hive decks for those levels.

(12.8) Colonies. The colony insects (Trophic Level IV) do not mix the way bugs on other levels do. When setting up that level, separate the level IV deck into three stacks: ants (two kinds), bees (one kind), and termites (three kinds). Then randomly place these piles in the three chambers, so that each has 8 bugs in it, all from the same colony. If the mutant band is successful in clearing out a colony chamber, they gain 8 morsels of food in addition to that from dead enemies. This is due to the cache of honey or brood that the colony bugs were guarding.

Hive Game End and Victory

(13.0) Game End and Victory

If the mutant band manages to leave the fifth trophic level (via transfer areas 4, 5 or 6), they have escaped the Hive and may end the game. Otherwise, the game ends when all levels are cleared of Hive bugs or the mutants are all dead. At that point, assess the victory level the mutants have achieved:

Mutants escaping the Hive gain an eco-niche victory. Those mutants who are dissatisfied with simply escaping may re-enter the Hive in search of a higher victory level, but they cannot win the eco-niche victory unless they re-exit or clear the Hive.
Mutants reaching instar five and then reproducing achieve a sociobiological victory. This is better than the eco-niche victory, and reproducing bugs may lord it over their escaping buddies.
If all the bugs in all the Hive decks (other than ambuscade) are eliminated, surviving mutants win an evolutionary victory. Bugs who manage this may brag about it for weeks to their poor companions who only managed eco-niche and sociobiological victories, and take up permanent residence in what is now their Hive.

(13.1) Optional scoring system. Players who wish a more detailed way of keeping score may use victory points. When mutants kill Hive bugs, do not discard them. Instead, the mutants keep the Hive cards as trophies, worth one victory point per instar. Ambuscade bugs are not worth any points so they get recycled normally; other mutants aren't worth anything either. Trophies go to the mutant that delivers the killing blow, regardless of who ends up eating the corpse.

Bonus points are added for other conditions:

3 for each new level entered
6 for each level cleared out except for ambuscade bugs
10 for an eco-niche victory
50 for a sociobiological victory
25 for an evolutionary victory

The mutant with the most victory points at the end of the game wins.

Hive Game Optional Rules

(14.0) Optional Rules for an Easier Hive

(14.1) Ootheca. Cockroaches and some arachnids carry their eggs in egg sacs (ootheca). To simulate this, and to keep players in the game longer, give each mutant up to three "egg" markers. Eggs can be divided among mutants as desired, and a mutant can carry an unlimited number.

Moving eggs. All the eggs in a hex can be picked up by a mutant spending a combat round there without moving. They cannot be taken from active bugs, but can be scooped up from dead or incapacitated ones. Hive bugs cannot pick up eggs. Two eggs can be eaten for one food morsel.

Hatching eggs. When a mutant dies, it can be replaced by hatching an egg. This consumes one food marker. An egg cannot hatch until its parent is dead, and only one egg may hatch when its parent dies. Hatching occurs in the ecdysis phase, after everyone else has eaten. The egg then immediately hatches into an instar 1 clone of the original bug, with 12 points to distribute between instinct and dexterity. (For even more weirdness, allow it to hatch into a bug that is different by a card or two, the effects of lingering radiation.) This new mutant behaves normally from then on.

(14.2) First chamber encounter limit. If the mutants keep getting decimated on the first level, adjust the lethality of the first chamber (not including the Foyer) the mutants enter. Total up the instars of all the mutants, then compare it to the total instar of the Hive bugs in the chamber, randomly removing Hive bugs until their total is equal to or less than the mutants'.

(14.3) Trophallaxis. Mutants can regurgitate and share food that they have previously eaten when using this rule. During combat, a mutant can use its attack for the round to transfer one food marker from its crop to another mutant. During ecdysis, food markers can be freely moved between mutants. Trophallaxis can only occur between consenting mutants.

(14.4) Eat & run. Instead of waiting until the ecdysis phase, mutants may eat incapacitated or dead bugs while combat is still going on. The mutant must spend two complete combat rounds grappled with the prey, during which time the prey may attack if it can (see 6.5). At the end of the automatic effects stage for the second round, remove the prey bug from the map and add its food value to the eating bug's crop. Bugs still cannot molt until the ecdysis phase. (The chitinous exoskeletons take several hours to harden after molting.)

(14.5) Slaver wars. Allow propaganda pheromones to affect enslaved hive bugs indefinitely; they can be brought with the mutant band into other chambers. Hive bugs thus enslaved may molt (after eating a number of morsels equal to their instar, per 11.2) but cannot metamorphose, since they are already at their final adult instar.

(14.6) Smaller Hive. For a shorter and easier game, reduce the Hive by removing trophic levels. The difficulty of a smaller Hive can be fine-tuned by removing different trophic levels; level I is the easiest, and level V is the most dangerous.

(15.0) Optional Rules for a More Difficult Hive

(15.1) Limited intelligence. The Hivemaster and the players keep their mutant displays secret from each other. When setting up a chamber, the Hivemaster must tell the players whether the Hive bugs are bigger or smaller than the mutants, what order and family they are, and if they are armored or spinose (but not venomous). Each turn, all bugs must announce their speed and dexterity so that the determination of who moves first and who attacks first can be made, and weapons have to be identified when used. Roll all attacks, damage and defenses openly, but damage effects are only revealed if bugs lose appendages, are paralyzed, or die.

(15.2) Random hive. Separate the Hive cards into decks normally, but do not deal them out when the mutants start a new level. Instead, draw the appropriate number of cards from the bottom of the deck when the mutants enter a chamber. For an even more chaotic hive, combine all the Hive cards into one deck. The first card drawn for a level determines how many to place in each chamber.

(15.3) Ambuscade randomization. When you draw the "no encounter" ambuscade card, immediately shuffle the ambuscade deck and discards together, then draw again. This guarantees that the mutants will always encounter something in the Foyer.

(15.4) Aggressive Hive. Instead of being limited to one attack per round, the Hive bugs can use every weapon they have. They can combine projector and close combat weapon use, and attack more than one target in a round. This rule is especially useful when increasing the difficulty level of a Hivemaster-less game (see next section).

(16.0) No Hivemaster

If no one wants to be the Hivemaster or for a solitaire game, the Hivemaster role can be eliminated. Divide up the normal Hivemaster tasks among the players. (Obviously, this rule cannot be combined with 15.1.) The hive bugs' behavior is "automated" using the rules below.

(16.1) Mode selection. Hive bugs start in "fight mode," and immediately attack the mutants on the first turn. However, this may change as the battle progresses. Each time a Hive bug is killed, incapacitated, or switches sides, perform a "mode check" by adding up all the active instars on both sides. If the Hive bugs' total is equal to or greater than the mutants' total, the Hive bugs will fight. If not, they will flee. Once they are fleeing, do a mode check each time a mutant is killed, incapacitated, switches sides, or leaves the chamber. If the Hive bugs decide to fight again, go back to performing the mode checks when Hive bugs are killed. The Hive bugs' mode can flip-flop like this an unlimited number of times.

(16.2) Fight mode. Hive bugs in the fight mode decide what to do in the movement stage. They attack the nearest active enemy bug, preferring ones who have moved over ones that have not, and preferring to use projectors over close combat. If there is more than one equally viable target, the Hive bug randomly selects between them. Projector-armed bugs will not get closer to their targets than necessary, stopping when they are close enough to guarantee a hit. Bugs trying for close combat will go for grapples, rear attacks, and engagements in that order.

If the situation has changed by the time the combat stage starts and the Hive bug can't attack its original target, it will switch to the closest active enemy it can hit, preferring projectors over close combat and using the most damaging weapon it can hit with. Projector-armed bugs don't care if they hit their allies. If a bug ends up selecting a target it can attack but cannot possibly damage, it can switch to the next best target if it makes an instinct roll (3.4). If not, it attacks the original target anyway.

Fighting Hive bugs will hover if they can do so and still carry out their selected action. They will hesitate for as long as possible each movement stage. Shelled Hive bugs will button-up if they cannot attack.

(16.3) Flight mode. Fleeing Hive bugs head for the nearest transfer area, but must make the customary instinct roll to actually leave. If they don't make it out, they will turn and face the nearest enemy to avoid rear attacks. They will attack if they end up next to an enemy bug. Fleeing flying bugs always hover, those with shells button-up. Fleeing bugs never hesitate.

(16.4) Group mind. Hive bugs always attack or flee as a group, except that a completely unarmed bug (projector out of ammo and no close combat weapons left) goes into flight mode until it is killed or escapes.

(16.5) Special cases. Cave crickets and springtails always flee. Hidden bugs (such as trapdoor spiders and tiger beetle larvae) are placed on the map the first chance they get to successfully rear attack a mutant. Randomly determine which pheromone is used by pheromone projector-armed Hive bugs each time they fire.