Spodilicious
  • News
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    • Contents
  • Rage Virus
    • Part 1 - A police story
    • Part 2 - Attrition
    • Part 3 - Going nowhere
    • Part 4 - Special Weapons and Tactics
    • Part 5 - Tactical retrograde
    • Part 6 - Mission accomplished
    • Part 7 - It's pretty much all downhill from here
    • Part 8 - Hollerton Field
    • Part 9 - Out of the frying-pan
    • Part 10 - How few remain
  • Five Men in Ukraine
    • Five Men in Ukraine: 30 October 1943
    • Five Men in Ukraine: 05 November 1943
    • Five Men in Ukraine: 14 November 1943
    • Five Men in Ukraine: 29 November 1943
    • Five Men in Ukraine: 13 December 1943
  • First Bishops' War
  • DBA
    • Mongols v Georgians
    • Timurids v Georgians
    • Mongols v Il-khanids
    • Mongols v Il-khanids II
    • Pre-feudal Scots v Anglo-Danish
    • Caledonians v Scots-Irish
    • Vikings v Saxons
    • Mongol campaign
    • Ming v Mongols campaign
    • Picts v Strathclyde Britons
    • Mongols v Russians
    • Russians v Swedes
    • Danes v Prussians
    • Kaykhusraw & the Mongols
    • Köse Dağ
    • Mongols in Korea
    • Mongols in Korea II
    • Yuan v Koreans
    • The Danes in Estonia
    • Danes v Estonians
    • Norwegians v Scots 1263
  • SF
    • Sladden >
      • Sladden - chapter 0
      • Sladden - chapter 1
      • Sladden - chapter 2
      • Sladden - interlude I
      • Sladden - chapter 3
      • Sladden - chapter 4
      • Sladden - chapter 5
      • Sladden - interlude II
      • Sladden - chapter 6
    • Dunhold >
      • Dunhold I - the raid
      • Dunhold II - the Guffinsson device
      • Dunhold III - a walk in the country
      • Dunhold IV - assassin's greed
      • Dunhold V - assault on precinct XIII
      • Dunhold VI - hostage & rescue
      • Dunhold VII - the gun
      • Dunhold VIII - tank shock
      • Dunhold IX - raid on Beteneb
      • Dunhold X - firebase Ragnhild
      • Dunhold XI - hit and run
      • Dunhold XII - just-in-time logistics
      • Dunhold XIII - infiltration
      • Dunhold XIV - Applewhite & Nettles
      • Dunhold XV - 'They've got a cave troll!'
      • Dunhold XVI - The bridges at Itrook
    • Dalek Invasion >
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 1
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 2
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 3
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 4
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 5: Bob's story
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 6: Bob's story (2)
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 7: Dalek hunters
      • Dalek invasion - cast
    • Voyage of the USS Minotaur
    • Mutants & Death Ray Guns >
      • From Dust: Introduction >
        • From Dust: Prologue
        • From Dust: Chapter 1 - the Trademaster
        • From Dust: Chapter 2 - the Wretched
        • From Dust: Chapter 3 - the Device
        • From Dust: Chapter 4 - Tucamari
      • Big Dode in the wastelands >
        • 1 - The ordeal
        • 2 - The rats
        • 3 - An ally
        • 4 - Scorpion!
        • 5 - Water! Water!
        • 6 - Cornered rats
        • 7 - The river
        • 8 - R-10-T
        • 9 - The pilgrims
        • 10 Hostile contacts
        • Appendix 1 - Bestiary
      • Don Chimpanzino
      • Therianthropes are go!
      • Against the Wretched >
        • Against the Wretched - 1
        • Against the Wretched - 2
        • Against the Wretched - 3
      • Rangers of the wasteland >
        • RotW scene I
        • RotW scene II
    • Five Parsecs from Home: The Independent Scout part 1
    • Five Parsecs from Home: The Independent Scout part 2
    • Five Parsecs from Home: Squall's Legacy
    • Five Parsecs from Home: Jot the Jawa
    • Five Parsecs from Home - Arcadian Phoenix
    • Schar's World
    • Battle for the Planet of the Apes, Goats, Rats and Pigs >
      • Chapter 1
    • Marines v Aliens
    • Fallout >
      • Fallout - part 1
      • Fallout - part 2
      • Fallout - Resistance part 1
      • Fallout - Resistance part 2
    • England Invaded! >
      • Ottoman airship raiders
      • A sharp action at Fawkham
      • On the road to Canterbury
    • Gangs of New Neasden >
      • Gangs of New Neasden part 2
    • Post-Brexit Gangs of Middlesborough
    • Operation Last Train
    • Silver Thorn
    • Goblin Civil War
  • Dark Ages skirmish
    • Dark Ages skirmish: Chapter 1
    • Dark Ages skirmish: Chapter 2
    • Dark Ages skirmish: Chapter 3
  • Douglas of the 92nd.
    • Douglas of the 92nd. - the supply column
    • Douglas of the 92nd. - the heliograph station
  • The First World War
    • Mesopotamia
    • Trench raiding
    • Panzer Angst September 15th 1916
    • Freikorps
    • Biplane Barmy
    • 1914
    • 1914 - Opening Moves
    • Night falls over Jutland
    • 1919
    • Zeppelin L33 over England
    • Journey's End
  • Horse & Musket
    • Meyvaci Ali and the British invasion
    • Meyvaci Ali and the troublesome dervish
    • Meyvaci Ali and the Albanian raiders
    • Meyvaci Ali and the caravan
    • Meyvaci Ali and the tax collector
    • Meyvaci Ali and the customs-house
    • Meyvaci Ali and the revolting Martolos
    • Meyvaci Ali and the Albanian menace
    • Napoleonic Ottomans
    • Late 17th century >
      • Kirk o Shotts
      • Covenanters at Pitlochry
      • Auchtermuchty
    • Jacobites
    • O Brien's Farm
    • Turks v Russians
    • Turks v Russians 2
    • The Peninsula
    • Altdorf April 23rd 1813
    • Alcuesta
    • The Old West
  • Samurai
    • Lord Sugiyama and the ten ronin
    • Neshikocho 1618
    • Ikko-ikki
  • Arty farty
    • Aberlemno
    • Acharn
    • Aikey Brae
    • Balgorkar (Castle Fraser)
    • Barra Hill
    • Brandsbutt stone
    • Broomend of Crichie
    • Clune
    • Croft Moraig
    • Cullerlie
    • Cuween Hill
    • Dunnideer
    • Clach an Tiompain / Eagle Stone
    • Cnoc Freiceadain
    • Eassie
    • Easter Aquhorthies
    • Glassel
    • Inveravon
    • Kilmartin Glen
    • Kintore stone
    • Kirkton of Bourtie
    • Lenabo
    • Leuchar Moss
    • Loanhead of Daviot
    • Loch Kinord
    • Machrie Moor
    • Maiden Stone
    • Meigle
    • Midmar Kirk
    • Migvie
    • Mulloch
    • Sunhoney
    • Tollohill
    • Tomnaverie
    • Auchindoun
    • Fedderate castle
    • Fowlsheugh
    • Slains castle
    • Bullers o Buchan
    • Camster
    • Coire Fraoichidh / Corrichie
    • Cruden Bay
    • Gourdon
    • Kinclaven
    • Loch Eich
    • Nairn beach
    • Newburgh
    • Perwinnes Moss (Scotstown Moor)
    • St. Fillans
    • Cairn o Mounth
    • Animals
    • Interesting rocks
    • And quiet flows the Dee
    • Enchanted Forest, Pitlochry
    • Strange skies
    • Covid-19 lockdown
    • One tree, one year
    • The trees
  • Fantasy
    • Song of Blades & Heroes >
      • A cautionary tale
      • Song of Arthur & Merlin
      • Succession
      • The short-lived adventures of Yark the kobold
      • Gondor v Orcs
      • Cormyr - introduction >
        • Cormyr - the watchtower
        • Cormyr - the ambush
        • Cormyr - the outpost
      • The adventures of Zou Kov >
        • The palace of Covidius I
        • The palace of Covidius II
        • The palace of Covidius III
        • The palace of Covidius IV
        • The howling
        • The beacon
        • The castle
        • Assassination
        • Run out of town
        • A new start
        • Kobold caves
      • The Dark Company
      • Theophylact the Tendentious
      • Alquin of Barrowdale
      • The Young Kingdoms
      • Zothique
      • Hyperborea
      • Vadagh
    • Lord of the Rings >
      • Mahud & Haradrim v Gondor
      • Hobbits v goblins
      • Rohan v Dunlendings
      • Gondor v Haradrim & Mahud
      • Gondor v Dunlendings
      • Faramir at Osgiliath
    • Five Leagues from the Borderlands
  • Second World War
    • Atlantic Convoy SC41
    • Burma 1943
    • Martelange
    • Dzyatlava
    • Monopoly Blitz
    • Ten minutes on a Burmese afternoon
    • Neil Thomas
    • Manchuria
    • D-Day
    • Bolt Action >
      • Encounter at Villages Pas Vrai
      • Manhunt
      • The secret agent
      • Envelopment
  • Irish independence
  • Who thought this was a good idea?
  • Modern
    • Afghanistan 2009
    • AK47 Republic
  • Terrain
    • Terrain showcase
  • Back catalogue
    • Aberdeen Beyond 2000
    • MDRG four-way scrap
    • Published articles
  • Le salon des spods
    • Semi-random scenario generation
  • Extended universe
    • Spodlight
    • Spodcast
    • There Will Be Spods
    • Spodify
  • All Under One Banner
    • All Under One Banner 03 June 2017
    • All Under One Banner 05 May 2018
    • All Under One Banner 04 May 2019
    • All Under One Banner 17 August 2019
    • All Under One Banner 07 October 2019
    • All Under One Banner 11 January 2020
    • All Under One Banner 02 April 2022
  • China 1937
  • Scrapbook
  • Fear & Faith
Picture

Settlements along the east coast of north America clung to life or, in a few cases, grew and began to explore.  Amngst these more successful states was the Republic of the Kennebec in what had been Maine.  The republic had gradually expanded upriver and farmsteads and villages had grown up inland.  In addition to a militia to which all adults supposedly belonged, the republic maintained a small number of full-time soldiers, the rangers.

Reports began to arrive at Richmond of attacks on outlying farms by bands of the Wretched.  The Wretched - people infected with the V1L3 virus released during the Final War [see extract below from Suchet's monograph on the Wretched] - were thought to be confined to the areas beyond the Appalachian mountains.   A band of rangers was despatched upriver to investigate.  They were given their pick of the best weapons in the republic's stores, and were commanded by the experienced sergeant Bullock.


The Wretched are at once a terrifying cannibalistic menace to the remnants of human society, a reproach to the old pre-war world for its endless capacity for self-destruction, and a tragic metaphor for the state of post-war society, gradually losing its memories, skills and humanity in exchange for a single-minded, brutal, all-consuming animal-like struggle for survival.

It is thought that the disease was originally engineered as a weapon, with infected individuals being introduced into the target areas with the intention of causing panic and disruption.  As the infection progressed the symptoms appeared, the victim became aggressive, and began to attack and infect others.

Infection is by contact, passed on perhaps by breath, perhaps by touch, certainly by bite. This includes contact with dead victims. Burning of the bodies is recommended, and loot, especially food, should not be taken from the bodies of fallen Wretched.

Once infected the onset is rapid, with almost immediate stiffness, increased appetite, high fever and confusion. These symptoms may persist for several weeks until the victim passes into a coma. On emerging from the coma days later the victim is recognisable as one of the Wretched.

​Physical symptoms include a greyish complexion, thickening of the blood, bleeding from all orifices, slowing or ceasing of healing, slowed reactions and movement, reduced sensitivity of nerves, and reduction of circulation resulting in atrophy and eventual loss of extremities. Internal organs appear to continue to function, but at a reduced rate, and certainly Wretched are killed by wounds to these in the same way as anyone else. However in some cases wounds which would incapacitate a non-infected person due to blood loss and shock have lessened effect on a Wretched, presumably due to the thickened blood, reduced circulation and lessened nerve sensitivity. Ageing appears to be slowed or halted, and in immature victims growth ceases - infected children do not mature. Although ageing itself does not bring about death, the lack of healing combined with continuing atrophy leads to death through accumulated injuries or collapse of a vital organ.

The increased appetite apparent in newly-infected victims remains in fully infected Wretched, along with a new preference for human flesh although any food and water is consumed regardless of its condition. Wretched appear to be highly resistant to toxins. The flesh of other victims of the disease is rejected by an infected person, while the flesh of animals is eagerly devoured.

In addition to the physical degradation mental atrophy occurs. The recently infected retain the skills and knowledge they had before infection. This gradually fades until only the appetite for flesh and the urge to infect others remains. The growing appetite for human flesh gradually replaces all other appetites and becomes overwhelming. Determined individuals by force of will may retard, but not halt, the advance of the disease. There is a grudging admiration in some quarters for some Wretched leaders in their determined resistance to their own inevitable decline, which is seen as a symbol of man’s inner struggle against his own bestial nature.

Some of the more aware Wretched live in colonies and maintain rudimentary defences and stores of food, equipment and ammunition. In some cases they may even attempt to delay the advance of the disease, usually relying on some vestigial memory of medical treatment – often limited to wrapping decaying extremities with bandages or cloths. These less de-evolved Wretched also often maintain memories of previous behaviour, including the use of artefacts and weapons. Most horrifying to the non-infected, some even capture live prisoners and hold them for later consumption.

Others live in roaming predatory packs. Possibly as the disease progresses and individuals lose self-control they leave colonies, drawn by the desire for human flesh, or are expelled to join or form these packs. Certainly as the disease progresses the ability to use artefacts and weapons declines, along with all other human behaviour including the wearing of clothes.

Many attempts have been made by the non-infected to research the disease's progress and cure it. These attempts have been carried out on restrained individuals in all stages of the disease, newly-infected victims as well as highly dangerous captured individuals suffering from the full disease, and include a wide range of drugs, counter-viruses and other treatments. All have so far failed.






Picture
ALTOBELLI, S
Quality 2+
Combat 2
Steadfast
SMG
Grenade x 2

Picture
BULLOCK, E
Quality 3+
Combat 2
​Leader
Laser rifle

Picture
GRIGORIEV, J
Quality 3+
Combat 2
Sharpshooter
​Laser rifle
​Grenade

Picture
NANTSEN, F
Quality 3+
Combat 3
Gunsmith
Shotgun

Programmed actions for Wretched:

A. Leader. Roll for successes. If 2 or more move towards the densest packed area of your troops, leaving 1 success left over. With that 1 or if only 1 was rolled go to list below.
1. Is there a group within your 1L radius that could enter HTH with 2 successes?  If so order a group move. If not:
2. Is there a group within your 1L radius that can fire at the enemy?  If so order concentrated shot. If not:
3. Is there cover closer to the enemy?  If so issue a group move towards that.  If not:
4. Is the leader in cover?  If not move towards cover.  If in cover stay still.

B. Individuals.  Roll for successes.
1. Can you reach HTH with the successes you rolled?  If so do that. If not:
2. Can you shoot at an enemy?  If so do that. If not:
3. Is there cover closer to the enemy?  If so move towards that.  If not:
4. Are you in cover?  If not move towards cover.  If in cover stay still.

​
INDEX
Introduction www.spodilicious.com/rangers-of-the-wasteland.html
Scene I www.spodilicious.com/rotw-scene-i.html
Scene II www.spodilicious.com/rotw-scene-ii.html

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