AvP: Extinction Bestiary Pictures coming soon!

Marine Bestiary Overview Reinforcements And Upgrades The USCM orders reinforcements and field upgrades via the CommTech Marine. He do es this by calling a dropship down on whatever visited dropship beacon is neares t his current location. Naturally, there is a small amount of transit time befor e reinforcements arrive. Earning Credits Marines can earn credits in two ways: 1) they can repair Atmos with a CommTech a nd receive a continuous stream of credits while the Atmo remains operational, an d 2) they can receive a small bounty for each slain enemy. There are a limited n umber of Atmos available during each mission, each of which provides a fixed sum over its lifespan. Accordingly, Marine detachments must ensure they maintain su fficient force levels to secure subsequent Atmos and complete their mission. Healing And Repairing Marines can heal their organic forces with the Medic. They can use the CommTech to repair robotic and mechanical troops and equipment, including the Synthetic, Sentry Gun, ExoSuit, and the all-important Atmo. Healing and repairing are free, but a given Medic or CommTech can only heal or repair one target at a time, mak ing the process somewhat time-consuming. Detecting Enemies The USCM can detect cloaked Predators with the Synthetic or the Sentry Gun, both of which are equipped with cloak-defeating sensors. The Synthetic can additiona lly detect and highlight moving objects outside of its standard visual range, an d the upgraded Sentry Gun has the ability to respond to ranged enemies attacking from beyond its field of view. Robotic Support Platforms Marines have a variety of robotic and mechanical troops and equipment, including the Synthetic, Sentry Gun, ExoSuit, and the Atmo. These forces are immune to a number of side effects, including radiation, acid scarring, virulence, spores, c ysts, and bleeder spears. Strengths Marines can deliver the most concentrated firepower of any of the species. Every Marine combatant is capable of attacking at range, and many of their weapons ca n damage small groups of enemies simultaneously. Marines are not as numerous as Aliens, but they are typically far more numerous than Predators. Weaknesses Marines are the most physically frail of the species and are therefore the easie st to kill. They are under constant pressure to secure the next Atmo, in order t o preserve a continual flow of revenue. The USCM must also ensure that it has an ample number of CommTechs on the ground, since they are their detachment's crit ical link to the dropship and its ability to deliver reinforcements. CommTechs a re inexpensive and numerous, but they are also relatively easy to kill. CommTech Statistics Health: 250 Population: 1 Light Kinetic Damage Light Kinetic Armor Attack Rate: Fast Attack Range: 12

Speed: 2.5 Visual Range: 8 Upgrade Statistics Health: 250 Population: 1 Light Kinetic Damage Heavy Fire Damage Medium Kinetic Armor Attack Rate: Fast / Very Slow Attack Range: 12 / 24 Speed: 2.5 Visual Range: 8 Description The CommTech (USCM slang for Communications Officer/Technician) is the support c ore of every USCM deployment force. His responsibilities include calling in drop ships and repairing field equipment and robotic support systems - including thos e that provide alternate revenue streams for the USCM. Because he is the primary communications link with the dropship attached to the platoon, he controls its ability to order reinforcements and battlefields system upgrades. Default Weapon - MP9 The default weapon of the CommTech is the MP9 close assault machine gun. While a reasonable weapon against soft targets, it does not have the stopping power to defend the CommTech against heavier enemies. Characteristics - Dropship Uplink The CommTech performs the crucial role of calling in dropships filled with reinf orcements. He also orders field upgrades, enabling commanders to make mid-missio n decisions about weapon system updates. The CommTech has a policy of calling th e current dropship to the closest visited dropship beacon. For obvious reasons, dropship beacons never exist indoors, so a CommTech inside a building or cave mu st consider additional transit time for reinforcements. Characteristics - Field Repairs The CommTech has sufficient training and technical expertise to repair a wide ra nge of battlefield systems and colonial support equipment, including Synthetics, Sentry Guns, ExoSuits, and Atmospheric Processors. It is the ability to repair Atmospheric Processors that gives the USCM its primary source of field revenue. As a group, CommTechs tend to be fairly energetic, so they often proactively sta rt repairs on nearby damage in the absence of more pressing tasks. Upgrade - AURORA Control Veteran CommTechs often have clearance to give the "killword" to the AURORA, a s pace-based, high-energy assassination system found aboard many orbital cruisers. While the AURORA is capable of autonomously destroying enemies, current safety procedures demand that a CommTech first confirm any targets. There is only one A URORA, so multiple CommTechs must share it, effectively serializing its attacks. Strengths The CommTech performs several critical support roles. First, he is necessary to repair Atmospheric Processors and thereby secure "field funding" for the USCM. S econd, he is the only trooper capable of ordering upgrades and reinforcements. T hird, he is uniquely able to repair mechanical equipment. Fourth, the upgraded C ommTech is capable of enemy force degradation at extreme range. Given their crit icality, veteran commanders typically have at least two CommTechs in the field a t all times. Weaknesses While armed, the CommTech is ill-equipped for heavy fighting. He relies on other forces in the platoon for protection as he easily falls to most enemies. If a p latoon ever loses all of its CommTechs, it is cut off from its dropship and ther efore likely to be written off as an operational casualty. Also, it remains all too common for CommTechs to forget at critical moments that the AURORA is blocke d from firing on indoor targets. Medic

Statistics / Upgrade Statistics Health: 200 Population: 1 Light Kinetic Damage Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 12 Speed: 2.5 Visual Range: 8 Description One or more USCM Medics are typically attached to each platoon as a way of ensur ing that Colonial Marines get prompt medical attention during engagements. A giv en Medic can tend to the wounds of a single soldier at a time. Default Weapon - M4A3 Pistol The default weapon of the Medic is the M4A3 pistol. It is something of a weapon of last resort, as it is largely ineffective at stopping most Aliens and Predato rs. Characteristics - Triage The Medic is the only Marine that can heal that all-important organic component of the USCM - the soldiers themselves. He can be commanded to heal a specific so ldier directly, or he can be left to prioritize triage tasks on nearby troops hi mself. Upgrade - Counterxenology The veteran Medic receives counterxenology training, which improves his overall restorative skills and gives him the ability to counteract many of the hideous s ide effects experienced by human soldiers fighting inhuman enemies. An upgraded Medic can cure a soldier of the semi-permanent wounds caused by acid scarring, t he cystic tumors caused by Drones, the body-wrenching nausea caused by Runners, and the repeat hemorrhaging caused by the Stalker's bleeder spears. Strengths Without the Medic, the Marines have no ability to heal the wounds they sustain d uring engagements. The upgraded Medic is often particularly necessary for surviv ing combat with the Aliens, as their otherwise untreatable acid burns become a c ritical mechanism by which Aliens wear down their opponents. Against Predators, the upgraded Medic is often necessary to save Marine detachments from the severe blood loss that accompanies a Predator Stalker ambush. Weaknesses The Medic is a support soldier, not a primary combatant. As such, he requires th e protection of other troop types and cannot be counted on to engage enemies suc cessfully on his own. Also, a Medic cannot typically heal his own wounds, so it is usually wise to have at least two or more on any drop. Synthetic Statistics Health: 300 Population: 1 Motion Detector Light Kinetic Damage Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 12 Speed: 4 Visual Range: 10 / 20 Upgrade Statistics Health: 300 Population: 1 Motion Detector Medium Kinetic Damage Medium Kinetic Armor Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 10 Speed: 5

Visual Range: 12 / 22 Description A Synthetic accompanies each USCM platoon to provide combat support for its fell ow soldiers. Current combat doctrine has the Synthetic carrying the detachment's motion tracker, since it defeats cloaking fields, and Predators seem less inter ested in killing artificial life forms. The Synthetic is also equipped with indu strial muscular systems, so it can offload "heavy lifting" tasks from other Mari nes. These same systems enable the Synthetic to run faster than humans and there fore excel at battlefield recon. Default Weapon - M4A3 Pistol The default weapon of the Synthetic is the M4A3 pistol. It is something of a wea pon of last resort, as it is largely ineffective at stopping most Aliens and Pre dators. Characteristics - Augmented Detection The Synthetic carries an advanced motion detector that relays its feedback direc tly into the Synthetic's occular system. This device provides two functions: 1) it serves as an early warning system by highlighting enemy movements far beyond normal visual range and 2) it defeats the cloaking field used by Predators, enab ling Marine forces to pinpoint and target otherwise cloaked Predators. Characteristics - "Pack Mule" Bionics The Synthetic is the only Marine combatant strong enough to carry the current ge neration of redeployable Sentry Guns without severe performance degredation. Thi s ability to "do the heavy lifting" often comes in hand in a variety of operatio nal situations, as various mission frequently demand any number of difficult-tocarry objects be delivered to and from contentious areas. Upgrade - Combat Modifications Given its various better-than-human abilities, the Synthetic's combat suitabilit y is not lost on the USCM. Unfortunately, bureaucratic inertia and cultural fact ors have so far limited combat modified Synthetics to serving as hardened scouts . As such, the Combat Synthetic has enhanced locomotion subsystems, better ocula r implants, and subcutaneous armor. Moreover, its modular construction often ena bles an upgraded Synthetic to be "brought back from the dead" if repaired in tim e. Strengths The Synthetic is best utilized as a scout and an anti-stealth operative. Its clo ak detection capabilities, speed, visual range, and toughness allow it to surviv e dangerous scouting missions against non-human species. And its upgrade often e nables the Synthetic to be recovered after fatal recon missions - even if the Sy nthetic has been beheaded. Seasoned commanders also rely on its robotic construc tion, which renders it immune to many effects that would cripple of kill organic s. Weaknesses Though its upgrade gives it a combat shotgun capable of knocking back lighter en emies, the Synthetic is not capable of inflicting enough damage overall to make it a serious danger. Also, attacks that destroy their targets completely (typica lly via flame or acid), prevent a downed Combat Synthetic from being able to be restored to an operational state. Infantry Statistics Health: 200 Population: 1 Light Raw Damage Light Kinetic Armor Attack Rate: Fast / Normal Attack Range: 2 / 12 Speed: 2.5 Visual Range: 8 Upgrade Statistics Health: 200

Population: 1 Medium Raw Damage Medium Kinetic Armor Light Acid Armor Attack Rate: Fast / Normal / Very Slow Attack Range: 2 / 12 / 10 Speed: 2.5 Visual Range: 8 Description Equipped with the standard issue M41 pulse rifle and M3 personal armor, the Infa ntry Marine is the basic foot soldier of the USCM. He is typically seen in large r numbers than other Marines and often forms the backbone of most platoons. His weapon fires armor-piercing rounds which makes him a good all-around fighter, ab le to attack lighter and heavier enemies alike. Default Weapon - M41 Pulse Rifle The default weapon of the Infantry Marine is the M41 pulse rifle. This weapon fi res bursts of light armor-piercing rounds at targets, making it an excellent per former in a variety of circumstances. Characteristics - Close Assault When enemies are far away, the Infantry Marine takes aimed shots. When enemies a re close, he has the opportunity to "let loose" on full auto, effectively doubli ng his overall attack damage. This makes the Infantry Marine more effective than most other troops when enemy melee attacks are loose among the ranks. Upgrade - Heavy Assault Kit When upgraded, the Infantry Marine replaces the M41 pulse rifle with the M41A an d M3 personal armor with M4X armor. The M41A possesses an underslung grenade lau ncher capable of damaging multiple opponents simultaneously. While still undergo ing field testing, M4X armor has improved ability to stop kinetic and acid attac ks. The armor is attached to a lightweight body frame that assists the Infantry Marine in staying on his feet when struck by the powerful attacks of inhuman ene mies. Strengths Infantry are useful in almost any situation, particularly in numbers. Their armo r piercing rounds are successful against heavily armored enemies and their grena de launcher is useful for damaging multiple targets simultaneously. They have ex cellent staying power, as far as human soldiers go, and this, combined with thei r close assault ability, makes them adept at defending their compatriots when th e enemy has gotten a little too close.... Weaknesses While Infantry are useful in almost all situations, they are a victim of the old adage, "a jack of all trades and master of none". Flamethrower Marines are bett er at attacking multiple enemies, Smartgunners are better at attacking lightly a rmored targets, and Snipers and SADAR Troopers are better at attacking hard targ ets. Flamethrower Statistics Health: 300 Population: 1 Medium Fire Damage Medium Kinetic Armor Heavy Fire Armor Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 6 Speed: 2.5 Visual Range: 8 Upgrade Statistics Health: 300 Population: 1

Medium Raw Damage Medium Fire Damage Medium Kinetic Armor Heavy Fire Armor Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 6 Speed: 2.5 Visual Range: 8 Description The Flamethrower Marine is a close assault trooper that excels at attacking mult iple enemies simultaneously at short range. His unique "ape suit" provides excel lent protection against heat and acid-based attacks and partial immunity to face hugging. Default Weapon - M240B Flamethrower Offering fire control superior to that of its predecessor, the Flamethrower Mari ne's next-generation flamethrower excels at simultaneously searing multiple enem ies in its fiery blast cone. The weapon performs better against closer targets, since its flame is more concentrated at the launch nozzle. The weapon's fuel is somewhat adhesive and therefore continues to heat even non-flammable targets aft er the flamethrower itself has ceased firing. Characteristics - Ape Suit The Flamethrower Marine's hi-tech "ape suit" provides protection from extreme he at (particularly from the backdrafts of his own weapon) and from hazardous mater ials - even Alien acid. The suit's unique design includes a molded helmet Facehu ggers find almost impossible to grasp, let alone burn through, given its acid re sistance. As such, the Flamethrower Marine cannot be facehugged unless he is fir st rendered unconscious, thus giving a Facehugger time to pry off his helmet. Upgrade - Cobalt Thermogel Most Terran governments consider "dirty" weapons acceptable for use against Pred ators and Aliens - species that hunt humans for sport or exterminate them throug h parasitization do not deserve the protections of the Geneva Convention. Cobalt thermogel is a dirty, slow burn flamethrower fuel that releases incandescent fi laments of radioactive cobalt-60 into the air. These filaments severely poison n earby living things, causing substantial and continuous long-term damage. Strengths The Flamethrower Marine is excellent against melee attackers, since they must cl ose to attack, and closing means exposure to the flamethrower's area of effect. Flame is useful against Aliens, since it prevents several Alien species from exp loding on death or recovering from grievous wounds. The ape suit protects the Fl amethrower Marine from thermal attacks, making him an ideal spotter against enem ies that employ them. Finally, he excels at hive assaults, given his semi-immuni ty to Facehuggers. Weaknesses Several enemies are quite resistant to heat attacks, including Predaliens, Spear Masters, and military Predators. Accordingly, these enemies are to be avoided b y the Flamethrower Marine. The Alien Runner's tendency to explode in a hail of o rganic shrapnel when ignited makes it a particularly dangerous enemy to attack a s well. Smartgunner Statistics Health: 200 Population: 1 Heavy Kinetic Damage Attack Rate: Very Fast Attack Range: 12 Speed: 2.5 Visual Range: 10 Upgrade Statistics

Health: 200 Population: 1 Medium Raw Damage Heavy Kinetic Damage Medium Kinetic Armor Attack Rate: Very Fast Attack Range: 12 Speed: 2.5 Visual Range: 10 Description The Smartgunner sacrifices penetrating power for extraordinary fire rates and ex ceptional accuracy. His weapon is capable of inflicting more damage per unit tim e against unarmored of lightly armored opponents than most other weapons systems in the USCM arsenal. Default Weapon - M57 Smartgun The M57 is the "sequel" to the M56 Smartgun used for the better part of the last two decades. Unlike the M56, the M57's gun barrel does not autonomously track t argets; instead, the gun coordinates multiple guided projectiles. This increases fire rate significantly, reduces operator combat fatigue, and sidesteps lengthy training requirements. It also means than an M57 round can dynamically retarget mid-flight, should the firing M57 determine that the round's initial target has already been defeated. Upgrade - M57D "Dirty" Smartgun The M57D is an utterly vicious weapon that is sanctioned for extreme circumstanc es only. It fires rounds that shatter into hundreds of radioactive splinters ins ide their target, causing human survivors of this weapon to develop all manner o f debilitating long-term health problems. It can create truly astounding radiati on levels in larger targets, forcing these enemies to lose health for extended p eriods of time. Naturally, the upgraded Smartgunner wears radiation shielder arm or as a safety precaution. Strengths The Smartgunner is best used against large numbers of unarmored targets - partic ularly Facehuggers. When upgraded, the Smartgunner improves at damaging heavier targets and the radiation levels it causes can often kill enemies long after a b attle is over. Radiation also prevents the "roaming regeneration" possessed by s ome Aliens. It also prevents Predators from cloaking effectively by making them detectable with the radiation monitor included in the standard USCM battlefield safety kit. Weaknesses The Smartgunner's shots cannot penetrate tougher armors particularly well. As su ch, heavily armored opponents such as Praetorians and Vanguards tend to make sho rt work on the Smartgunner if he is not protected by troops with better penetrat ing power. Also, the Smartgunner is fairly expensive to deploy, so he is best ke pt to the rear of any combat detachment, where he can be shielded from melee att ackers. Sniper Statistics / Upgrade Statistics Health: 200 Population: 1 Heavy Raw Damage Attack Rate: Very Slow Attack Range: 20 Speed: 2.5 Visual Range: 12 Description The Sniper hits targets at extreme range with powerful armor-piercing rounds. Default Weapon - M42C Sniper Rifle The M42C sniper rifle has almost double the range of standard USCM weaponry. It also has the power to penetrate even armored vehicles; it can put a three inch h

ole in APC armor from several miles away. Unsurprisingly, there are no Predators or Aliens with armor sufficient to stop this weapon's rounds. With this power c omes a price, however - the weapon has a poor rate of fire and is almost useless in close combat situations. Upgrade - The Sledgehammer The M44 Sledgehammer represents the current pinnacle of human achievement with r espect to infantry-scale weapons technology. It is a personal rail gun that fire s hyperkinetic slugs that use a controlled fusion reaction to melt a channel thr ough obstacles. The result is a weapon that can strike enemies through walls of almost arbitrary thickness or penetrate multiple enemies one after the other. So lid materials slow the slug down, however, causing it to inflict less damage on subsequent targets. Strengths The Sniper is best used to degrade heavily armored targets from a distance. This way, her tremendous range and excellent hitting power can be used to maximum ef fect. When upgraded, the Sniper ironically becomes an excellent tunnel fighter, since the Sledgehammer enables her to strike at targets from behind walls and de ny the enemy the ability to retaliate. She is also useful for attacking targets that exploit terrain features to shield themselves from attackers at lower altit udes. Weaknesses The Sniper has a slow firing rate, since she must precisely aim each one of her shots. As such, she is almost helpless when facing nearby melee attackers. The S niper is about striking enemies from standoff range or from behind a protective screen of tougher troops, not engaging targets up close. Her complete lack of ar mor only underscores this fact. SADAR Statistics Health: 250 Population: 1 Heavy Raw Damage Light Kinetic Armor Attack Rate: Very Slow Attack Range: 14 Speed: 2.5 Visual Range: 12 Upgrade Statistics Health: 250 Population: 1 Heavy Raw Damage Heavy Fire Damage Light Kinetic Armor Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 14 Speed: 2.5 Visual Range: 12 Description The SADAR Trooper is the heavy artillery of the USCM. He fires a guided missile capable of heavily damaging whatever it hits and sending anything light nearby h urtling into the air. Given the tremendous collateral damage this weapon can cau se, the SADAR Trooper is trained to fire only at targets beyond a minimum safety distance. Default Weapon - M83 SADAR The M83 SADAR (Shoulder-launched Active-homing Disposable Anti-tank Rocket) is t he premier anti-armor weapon available to a USCM light platoon. It has a long ra nge and a reasonable firing rate, especially considering the damage the weapon c an inflict. It can lock on to most targets and seek them unerringly, making it a devastating weapon when repeatedly fired from a protected position. Upgrade - M83AM SADAR AMAG

Once is became clear that individually armored tank crews could survive a SADAR his, the USCM redesigned the weapon to ensure the destruction of both tank AND c rew. The result is the SADAR AMAG (Aerosol MAGnesium), a weapon that penetrates heavy armor and discharges multiple megathermal payloads in its interior. Natura lly, it works quite well against Predators and Aliens, since it delivers a high impact detonation that exposes numerous targets to blast furnace temperatures. Strengths The SADAR Trooper is an excellent support choice. When properly protected, he ca n cause massive damage and significant disruption among the ranks of the enemy, preventing many from even being able to counterattack. The SADAR AMAG is even mo re powerful, since it also saturates its targets with white-hot fires. This make s the SADAR Trooper the premier counter to purebreed Aliens, provided he is prot ected long enough to deliver multiple payloads. Weaknesses The SADAR Trooper has light armor and a fairly long minimum range. As a result, any enemy that closes on him has the ability to inflict severe damage without fe ar of retribution. The SADAR should be particularly wary of the Spear Master and Runner. The Spear Master shrugs off flame-based damage and is agile enough to r emain standing in the face of such firepower, while the Runner is fast enough to close before the SADAR Trooper can even fire. ExoSuit Statistics Health: 900 Population: 4 Medium Kinetic Damage Heavy Kinetic Armor Heavy Fire Armor Attack Rate: Variable Attack Range: 10 Speed: 1.5 Visual Range: 10 Upgrade Statistics Health: 900 Population: 4 Heavy Kinetic Damage Heavy Kinetic Armor Heavy Fire Armor Attack Rate: Extreme Attack Range: 10 Speed: 1.5 Visual Range: 10 Description The ExoSuit is a "micro-scale" heavy armor solution, bringing the offensive and defensive benefits of larger combat vehicles to the individual soldier. It is de signed for heavy assault in difficult enviroments by combining staggering firepo wer with a range of integrated protective systems. Default Weapon - Twin M103 Torrent Cannons By default, the ExoSuit comes equipped with an M103 torrent cannon attached to e ach arm. These weapons are linked and work together to saturate a broad firing a rc with projectiles. When a torrent cannon attacks, it initially fires at a mode rate rate and covers a small arc, but "spins up" until it absolutely blankets a large arc with its firepower. Those enemies nor amply protected often lose their full freedome of movement as they struggle to survive the onslaught. Characteristics - Compound Armor System The ExoSuit protects its operator with a suite of integrated systems. First, it has compound multi-layered armor that enables it to deflect lighter projectiles outright. Second, its integrated anti-NBC (nuclear, biological, and chemical) sy stems permanently protect its wearer from a range of Alien afflictions, includin g spores, cysts, virulence, acid scarring, and facehugging. Third, the system is

largely impervious to radiation and fire. Upgrade - Solid State Cannons The ExoSuit's upgrade replaces the mechanical torrent cannon with an electronica lly triggered projectile array known affectionately as the "bullet box" - a grid of railguns that come pre-filled with bullets. These railguns can fire simultan eously, and with sufficient frequency to launch multiple projectiles before thei r predecessors have even left the barrel. The result is a weapon that fires near ly 1,000 rounds a second (rps), a volume of ordinance sufficient to liquefy most targets within seconds. Strengths The ExoSuit's fire rate enables it to suppress and shred large numbers of enemie s, making it particularly useful against melee attackers, since they have a hard time closing inside the weapon's attack cone. While it does not fire armor-pier cing rounds, the ExoSuit's fire rate is so great that even heavily armored targe ts can succumb to it, given enough time. Finally, the suit's compound protective systems make it ideal against attackers that otherwise cause side effects on or ganic troops. Weaknesses The ExoSuit's biggest weaknesses are its limited speed and maneuverability, bypr oducts of its heavy protective systems. Also, while the ExoSuit's rate of fire m akes the issue less significant than it might be, the suit's bullet's have neith er great penetrating power nor long range. A number of enemies are specialized f or attacking heavier opponents and can exploit these weaknesses. Also, the ExoSu it's designers have yet to intergrate the ape suit's recent advances towards ful l acid resistance. Sentry Gun Statistics Health: 500 Population: 2 Motion Detector Medium Kinetic Damage Medium Kinetic Armor Medium Fire Armor Attack Rate: Very Fast Attack Range: 12 Speed: 0 Visual Range: 12 Description The Sentry Gun is the standard USCM defensive emplacement. It has ample armor an d no meaningful weak points, enabling it to last longer than its human counterpa rts. An autocannon with a high fire rate complements its toughness, making it an excellent choice for holding corridors against large numbers of enemies. Default Weapon - M30 Autocannon The Sentry Gun is equipped with a rapid-fire autocannon capable of massively dam aging large numbers of lightly armored aggressors. Characteristics - Active Cloak Detection Every Sentry Gun has an active sensor system capable of defeating Predator cloak ing. The information collected by this sensor is automatically relayed to the vi sual support sustems of nearby soldiers, enabling them to see cloaked Predators as if they were uncloaked. Upgrade - Huntbuster Revision After early field experience with the Predators, the USCM hastily upgraded the s tandard Sentry Gun so that it could protect soldiers from Predator snipers. A Hu nterbuster Sentry Gun has a built-in counterballistics system that calculates th e source of incoming fire and uses a tightbeam cloak-defeating scanner to "light it up". The Huntbuster maintains a lock on an enemy once revealed, enabling its rapid-fire sniper rifle to dissuade it from continuing to attack. Strengths The Sentry Gun excels at defending an area long enough for a commander to respon

d with reinforcements. Its toughness and ample hitting power make it an excellen t distraction for enemies that might otherwise focus on softer targets. When upg raded, the Sentry Gun becomes the combatant of choice for counteracting long ran ge Predators. Clever commanders often lure these enemies into attacking a target within range of a Huntbuster, in order to reveal them for counterattack by snip ers and the AURORA. Weaknesses The most significant drawbacks of the Sentry Gun are that it cannot move without assistance and that it is heavy enough to require a Synthetic for repositioning . This limits the weapon's effectiveness during highly mobile missions. Less obv ious, but almost as important, is the Sentry Gun's inability to penetrate the ar mor of tougher opponents. This is particularly true of its sniper rifle, which i s designed for long range and rapid fire rather than penetrating power. Predator Bestiary Overview Reinforcements And Upgrades Predators order and pay for reinforcements and upgrades at their mobile Shrine. If the Predators lose their last Shrine, they cannot reinforce or upgrade themse lves. Earning Credits Predators can earn credits in two ways: 1) by killing enemies and 2) by collecti ng the skulls of their victims. Different enemies provide different sized reward s, generally depending on their combat prowess. Collecting the skull of a victim is typically worth more than killing it, but some enemies do not have skulls. P redators that can behead their enemies are automatically considered to have coll ected their victim's skill upon decapitation. Combat Honor Predators have a strong sense of honor and value hard-earned triumphs over easy ones. This directly affects their ability to generate credits, since the oversee rs of a hunt scale their kill rewards to the overall strength of the hunt's acti ve members. In short, expensive hunting packs earn fewer credits than cheaper on es. Energy All Predators have an energy level that they can use to power their cloaking fie ld of cure damage and various crippling side effects caused by enemies. A Predat or can recharge its energy by turning its cloaking field off and waiting or by m oving near a Predator Shrine. The latter option recharges a Predator's energy mu ch more quickly. Cloaking All Predators can cloak when necessary, preventing them from being seen by many kinds of enemies. Maintaining the cloaking field requires energy, so a Predator can temporarily lose its ability to cloak if it runs out. Being Fully Detected Some enemies have sensors that give them the ability to completely defeat cloaki ng, enabling nearby enemy forces to treat the cloaked Predator as if it were see n normally. These include Synthetics, Sentry Guns, Aliens that can emit spores, and enemy Predators with the PredTech vision upgrade. Being Partially Detected Certain actions, such as attacking, pulling skulls, and healing, cause a cloaked Predator to become temporarily detectable by enemies. Enemy attacks that ignite , irradiate, or cause acid burns also have this effect, since they cause ongoing consequences that are observable outside the cloaking field. When a Predator is detected in one of these ways, it takes reduced damage from attacks relying on accuracy; enemies have only a general idea of where it is and cannot deliver aim ed hits. Healing A Predator can heal by spending energy and using its Medicomp. There is a direct correlation between energy spent and damage healed, but this is modified by wha

tever side effects a Predator might be afflicted with. The Predator Medicomp att empts to heal those afflictions for which it has sufficient energy before trying to heal damage. Healing Alien acid scarring is particularly energy consumptive, however, and only occurs after other afflictions have been eliminated. Extended Vision Modes All Predators and their robotic support platforms have the ability to detect ene mies beyond normal line of sight when upgraded with extended vision modes. Enemi es seen via these modes show up highlighted and may be interacted with as normal . There are three kinds of enhanced vision: thermal, electro, and PredTech. Ther mal vision detects humans and wildlife, electro vision detects Aliens and Marine technology, and PredTech vision detects Predators and their equipment, whether cloaked or not. Robotic Support Platforms Predators rely upon two robotic support platforms: the Shrine and the PredGun. T hese platforms cannot cloak and do not heal themselves like normal Predators. Th ey are immune to many enemy side effects, however, and automatically regenerate at high rates when not under attack. Robotic support platforms do not generate b ounties for their kills, though credits may still be acquired by collecting the skulls of the enemies they have slain. Strengths Generally speaking, Predators are the toughest and most powerful of the species. They have a balance of melee and ranged attackers, along with the best long ran ge attack options and the best ability to damage multiple targets simultaneously . Of course, they can also cloak and use their enhanced vision systems to spy on enemies, making them matchless in the act of assassination. Weaknesses Predators are fewer in number than other species and are therefore vulnerable to being overwhelmed by their more numerous opponents. It is also possible to stop a Predator hunt cold by destroying all of the Shrines supporting the operation. Predators rely on the credits gained by kills in order to continue the hunt, so if a clan cannot win its early battles, the hunt often stops immediately. Brawler Statistics Health: 500 Population: 1 Medium Raw Damage Light Kinetic Armor Light Acid Armor Attack Rate: Very Fast Attack Range: 0.75 Speed: 6 Visual Range: 10 / 18 Upgrade Statistics Health: 500 Population: 1 Medium Raw Damage Light Kinetic Armor Light Acid Armor Attack Rate: Very Fast / Very Slow Attack Range: 0.75 / 0.75 Speed: 6 Visual Range: 10 / 18 Description If a Predator has great strength, speed, and endurance, it trains to become a Br awler. The Brawler is both a tireless scout and vicious front-line fighter. It i s revered for its bravery and its ability to successfully attack any kind of foe at close range, no matter how dangerous it might be. Default Weapon - Wrist Blades As a matter of pride and honor, the Brawler relies upon one weapon only - its wr

ist blades. To many Predators, this is a humble weapon, but in truth, it is quit e formidable, possessing a sharpness and strength achieved by no species save th e Predators. Through its wrist blades, a skilled Brawler is a whirlwind of destr uction, slicing, dismembering, and gutting enemies with alarming rapidity. Characteristics - Channeled Fury Once a Brawler starts attacking an opponent, it uses its training to channel its battle rage into an unrelenting stream of ruthless, cleaving blows. Only the la rgest, most skilled, or most heavily armored opponents can withstand this attack and actually fight back. Lesser enemies can only try to survive the assault or run from it, but not counterattack. Characteristics - Lightning Reflexes The Brawler is quick enough to strike leaping Facehuggers mid-flight. This knock s the Facehugger away and often kills it in the process. While a Brawler's refle xes are quick enough to protect it from any number of uncoordinated Facehugger a ttacks, they cannot protect the Brawler from being overwhelmed by multiple Faceh uggers attacking simultaneously. Upgrade - Glory Strike The veteran Brawler develops an uncanny ability to deliver the perfect blow amid its furious onslaught. Such a strike does extreme damage and is frequently acco mpanied by the Brawler's hallmark battle cry. When a Brawler delivers a killing blow in this way, it is often spectacular - Brawlers are known to decapitate the ir enemies in a single strike as a method of demoralizing their subsequent victi ms. Strengths The Brawler is an excellent all-around combatant. Its savage assault prevents mo st smaller enemies from counterattacking or escaping and its armor-slicing claws are potent against larger, more heavily armored opponents. In numbers, Brawlers can bring down almost any enemy, though sometimes without the cost efficiency o f more specialized Predators. The Brawler's speed and durability also make it an excellent scout; it can often survive surprise encounters with even heavy resis tance. Weaknesses For all its strength and speed, the Brawler is still only a conventional melee f ighter, and one that is frequently outnumbered by its enemies. It can be overwhe lmed by multiple melee attackers engaging it simultaneously. Experienced Brawler s are particularly wary of even small groups of close assault Marines, such as t he Infantry and the Flamethrower Marine. Hunter Statistics Health: 400 Population: 1 Medium Raw Damage Light Kinetic Armor Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 16 Speed: 4 Visual Range: 10 / 18 Upgrade Statistics Health: 400 Population: 1 Heavy Raw Damage Medium Fire Damage Light Kinetic Armor Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 16 Speed: 3 Visual Range: 10 / 18 Description As its name implies, the Hunter excels at attacking its prey from range. It is d

angerous whether playing the lone assassin or providing massed fire support for front line combatants. Predator vision mode enhancements are particularly useful for the Hunter, since they allow it to take maximum advantage of its long range plasma caster and strike targets from beyond their field of view. Default Weapon - Plasma Caster The plasma caster is a long-range energy projector capable of guiding armor-pene trating plasma bolts at distant targets. Moreover, the weapon's bolts explode in a burst of plasma shrapnel that damages other enemies near the point of impact. By default, the weapon's attack range is greater than the Hunter's visual range . Predator vision modes change this relationship, however, enabling the Hunter t o act as a sniper. Upgrade - Omni Caster A bio-scanner and a multi-barreled firing mechanism enables this weapon to analy ze targets and attack them with various types of plasma munitions. There are thr ee kinds: 1) burst plasma, 2) fire plasma, and 3) dark plasma. Burst plasma is i dentical to that fired by the plasma caster. Fire plasma ignites targets. And da rk plasma causes a controlled energy reaction that correlates its damage to the mass of a target, enabling the weapon to kill any enemy with a limited number of hits. Strengths The Hunter is best used with Predator vision upgrades. With them, it can attack enemies from well outside their visual ranges - ideal for preemptive elimination of enemies that nulify the advantages of Predator cloaking. When upgraded, the Hunter's dark plasma is devastating against heavier "tank" enemies; no known opp onent can survive more than ten shots from this munition. The weapon attempts to keep its target on fire, while striking it with whatever plasma causes the most damage. Weaknesses While the Hunter is an excellent choice when used from standoff range, it is les s useful in close combat. The Hunter has neither the rate of fire nor the armor to survive long against close range melee attackers. It should be particularly w ary of Runners, since they are able to get into melee range quickly. Against Mar ines, the Hunter should strive to remain undetected as much as possible. Massed Marine fire at range can make short work of a Hunter that has been caught off gu ard. Spear Master Statistics Health: 450 Population: 1 Medium Kinetic Damage Heavy Fire Armor Light Acid Armor Attack Rate: Fast / Variable Attack Range: 2.5 / 2.5 Speed: 6 Visual Range: 8 / 16 Upgrade Statistics Health: 450 Population: 1 Light Raw Ramage Medium Kinetic Damage Heavy Fire Armor Light Acid Armor Attack Rate: Fast / Variable Attack Range: 2.5 / 2.5 Speed: 6 Visual Range: 8 / 16 Description Among Predators, the Spear Master is recognized for its superior combat agility,

mental focus, and dedication to craft. A Spear Master is one with its weapon, w ielding it with a sublime grace seemingly impossible in the imperfect world of p ractical reality. It can keep a single enemy at bay indefinitely, send a horde o f attackers hurling backwards with a single blow, or assassinate prey by surpris e with a single, perfectly placed impalement attack. Default Weapon - Spear (Combistick) The Spear Master wields a single weapon - its spear. It is exceedingly sharp and resilient, though it does not have the armor-cleaving abilities of a wrist blad e. The spear's advantage is that it can parry melee attacks, smacking aside claw and tooth as if they were hardly relevant. This only works on less skilled or s maller opponents, however - a sweeping Ravager hull blade simply cannot be stopp ed by a creature as small as a Predator no matter how skilled it might be. Characteristics - Whirlwind Battle Method When a Spear Master is surrounded by attackers, it executes its whirlwind battle method. This sweeping, spinning attack lands a blow on each enemy around the Sp ear Master - a blow of sufficient strength to parry most attacks and send smalle r targets flying. However, it requires a fair amount of room to execute without causing collateral damage, so the Spear Master refrains from performing it when too close to more than a handful of allies. Characteristics - Impalement Battle Method If the Spear Master attacks an enemy while undetected through cloaking, it is ab le to deliver a critical strike of unmatched strength. The Spear Master relies o n its extensive training to deliver a deep, impaling blow in a way that sidestep s its opponent's armor entirely. Whether through an eye slit or a soft juncture between chitinous plates, this blow often kills its opponent outright. Characteristics - Phoenix Armor As a rite of passage, every aspiring Spear Master must kill a Vy'drach (Phoenix) with only a spear. This winged beast lives in the infernal deserts of the Preda tor homeworld, surviving hear and radiation strong enough to bake most life form s. If the Predator kills the Vy'drach, its hide is fashioned into armor its neme sis wears for life. Like the Vy'drach itself, this armor is uniquely resilient t o fire, energy, and radiation. Characteristics - Conductive Recharge A special armor-working process applied to the conductive vessels in Vy'drach sc ales enables the Spear Master to recharge its energy supply when struck by fire or energy-based attacks. Characteristics - Lightning Reflexes The Spear Master is quick enough to strike leaping Facehuggers mid-flight. This knocks the Facehugger away and often kills it in the process. While a Spear Mast er's reflexes are quick enough to protect it from any number of uncoordinated Fa cehugger attacks, they cannot protect the Spear Master from being overwhelmed by multiple Facehuggers attacking simultaneously. Upgrade - Plasma Glaive Veteran Spear Masters acquire the deadly plasma glaive as a symbol of their stat us. This double-bladed weapon seethes with white hot plasma that burns through e nemy armor, giving it greater penetrating power than a standard spear. The plasm a glaive automatically increases its power output in proportion to the number of enemies it is striking. During the execution of a whirlwind battle method, this power output calibration can add significantly to the overall damage inflicted. Strengths Against Aliens, the Spear Master is the premier "crowd control" combatant. It is able to wade into a sea of lesser Aliens and leave a trail of dead in its wake. Against Marines and Aliens alike, the Spear Master is useful for safely killing small numbers of enemies with hit-and-run assassination attacks. The Spear Mast er's phoenix armor also makes it ideal for countering Flamethrower Marines and u pgraded SADAR Troopers. The Spear Master is feared by some Predators for its nea r immunity to plasma weaponry. Weaknesses The Spear Master lacks the strength to deflect the strikes of any Alien larger t han a Warrior. These enemies make quick work of the Spear Master, particularly w

hen attacking in numbers. The Spear Master should also avoid hat have been frenzied by a War Empress. They are abnormally e fended. Against Marines, the Spear Master is vulnerable to en cannot inflict casualties fast enough to prevent terminal

transbreed Aliens t strong and cannot b massed fire and oft retaliation.

Stalker Statistics Health: 350 Population: 1 Heavy Kinetic Damage Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 20 Speed: 3 Visual Range: 12 / 27 Upgrade Statistics Health: 350 Population: 1 Heavy Raw Damage Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 20 Speed: 3 Visual Range: 12 / 27 Description The Stalker is the Predator equivalent of the Marine Sniper; it has the largest range of any Predator and it is the stealthiest, in that it can maintain cloaked status for far longer periods than the others. Like the Hunter, the Stalker str ongly benefits from enhanced vision mode upgrades, since its weapon significantl y outranges its default field of view. Default Weapon - Spear Gun The Stalker's spear gun is an unusually potent weapon. First, it enables the Sta lker to fire at opponents from extreme range. Second, its strike is hard to trac e to its firing point - the weapon's impact reveals firing direction, but little else. Third, it produces no detectable phenomena at its firing point, enabling the Stalker to fire at enemies from close range without fear of being detected. Characteristics - Deep Infiltration The Stalker wears a unique low-energy suit with microweave optical channeling th at enables it to stay cloaked for far longer than if it used the conventional Pr edator cloaking mechanism. This benefit comes at a price, however, as the suit i s fragile, provides no armor, and prevents the Stalker from moving quickly. Characteristics - Telescoptics The Stalker gains significantly greater benefits from vision mode upgrades than other Predators, enabling it to scout for prey at extreme distances. Upgrade - Bleeder Spears When upgraded, the Stalker's weapon becomes a monstrous thing, designed to enhan ce the drama of the hunt at the cruel expense of its victims. Standard spears ar e replaced with "bleeder spears", hideously barbed harpoons that drain their vic tims' vital fluid levels to just above the point of death. This makes prey more satisfying to hunt; bringing once mighty prey to a pathetic state, bleeding prof usely, almost crawling to escape - to many Predators, this is the essence of an epic hunt. Strengths When commanded properly, the Stalker is devastating. It can severely degrade ene mies from long range while cloaked, all but eliminating their ability to respond in any meaningful fashion. The upgraded Stalker is even better at this role, si nce it can slay an entire platoon of Marines on its own, by bleeding them to jus t above the point of death before delivering a round of finishing blows. Weaknesses While exceedingly powerful in many ways, the Stalker has weaknesses to match. It has no armor, moves slowly, and is the most physically frail of Predators. Its spears are deadly, but they have little ability to penetrate even moderately har

dened armors. Robotic enemies are quite dangerous to the Stalker, since they typ ically have hard armor and ignore weapons that cause bleeding in organic creatur es. Cloak detectors are also a danger, as detection often means death to the Sta lker. Disc Master Statistics Health: 400 Population: 1 Medium Kinetic Damage Medium Kinetic Armor Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 10 Speed: 4 Visual Range: 12 / 20 Upgrade Statistics Health: 400 Population: 1 Heavy Raw Damage Medium Kinetic Armor Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 10 Speed: 4 Visual Range: 12 / 20 Description Predators giften with exceptional intelligence and focus become Disc Masters, wa rriors that mentally command their discs to strike multiple targets simultaneous ly. When basking in the full glory of battle, a single Disc Master routinely kee ps three discs aloft at once, each of which can attack three targets before retu rning home. While other Predators are attacking a single target, the Disc Master is attacking nine, a feat that does not go unnoticed by its fellow clan members . Default Weapon - Disc The Predator disc is dangerous because of its capabilities against large numbers of enemies. It has a razor sharp edge, unerring mental guidance systems, and th e ability to continue flight after its initial impact. Because of these attribut es, a competent Disc Master can be expected to quickly damage many targets, no m atter how agile they might be. Moreover, the disc is initially thrown with suffi cient force to drive back those opponents without substantial armor or large siz e. Upgrade - Nanovibronic Edge When upgraded, the Disc Master gains a set of nine nanovibronic discs. These dis cs possess a high-speed molecular chainsaw around their circumference that can t ear through even hardened composite armors. Worse, each Disc Master is trained i n the art of Ka'Ri, or "death from within". This involves embedding three nanovi bronic discs in an armored opponent and activating each disc's "haywire mode". N eedless to say, few enemies fare well with berserk ripping machines embedded in their internals. Strengths The Disc Master is best employed in a support role against enemies that are easi ly disrupted by the initial impact of each disc. Most Marines and all Aliens les s powerful than a Predalien fall into this category. When upgraded, the Disc Mas ter becomes an excellent all-around support Predator, stunning or tearing apart light and heavy enemies alike. This capability only magnifies in numbers - a lar ge group can unleash a veritable hurricane of discs few enemies can penetrate. Weaknesses For all its skill at degrading throngs of enemies in combat, the Disc Master is actually fairly weak in one-on-one or front-line combat. It is not as tough as o ther Predators, and its standard discs have little ability to damage or stun arm ored opponents. It is for these reasons that Disc Masters are taught to rely upo

n peers for defense. That, and the hard-earned battle wisdom that it is better t o kill one enemy than damage ten, since the dead one cannot strike back.... Vanguard Statistics / Upgrade Statistics Health: 500 Population: 1 Heavy Raw Damage Medium Kinetic Damage Medium Fire Armor Light Acid Armor Attack Rate: Slow Attack Range: 2 Speed: 4 Visual Range: 10 / 18 Description A clan's most seasoned close combat veterans become Vanguards. The Vanguard has both the honor and the responsibility of leading the clans melee assaults. Unlik e other melee Predators, the Vanguard is well armored and carries an advanced we apon of awesome potency: the plasma scythe. The scythe's energy blade cannot be stopped by normal matter - a crucial attribute - given that the Vanguard is hono r bound to directly engage the clan's most dangerous enemies. Default Weapon - Plasma Scythe According to Predator law, this eminently dangerous weapon can only be wielded b y those who have earned the right to bear it. When it strikes, its blade leaves wounds filled with seething dark plasma. Dark plasma triggers a controlled energ y reaction that causes damage in proportion to the mass of the target, enabling the weapon to kill any enemy, regardless of its power, with no more than four hi ts. Upgrade - Killscreen Generator Given its duty to lead the charge against even technically advanced enemies, the Vanguard requires a defensive system to protect against enemy fire. That system is the killscreen generator. This projection spines on this weapon emit unstabl e streams of dark plasma particles that vaporize incoming enemy projectiles. The killscreen can only vaporize so much mass per unit time, however, enabling enem ies to overwhelm the system with large numbers of projectiles. Strengths The Vanguard is best used to attack large or heavily armored targets like purebr eed Aliens. Regardless of strength, no enemy can withstand four closely timed pl asma scythe strikes. Hence, four Vanguards make for a particularly lethal heavy assault force, since they can kill any single enemy almost instantly. When upgra ded, the Vanguard additionally becomes an excellent defensive choice, shielding other Predators from enemy fire and even leaping Facehuggers. Weaknesses While its weapon does massive damage, it is heavy and requires great effort and time to swing. As such, the Vanguard is ill-equipped to deal with large numbers of lighter fast-attack enemies. And though the killscreen is an excellent defens ive mechanism, weapons with high fire rates or large projectiles can easily over whelm it. In fact, combat shotguns and torrent cannons fire so many projectiles that the killscreen does not even attempt to counter them. Hydra Statistics / Upgrade Statistics Health: 650 Population: 2 Heavy Raw Damage Heavy Kinetic Armor Heavy Fire Armor Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: Fast

Attack Range: 14 Speed: 3 Visual Range: 12 / 20 Description The Hydra is a military-grade heavy assault Predator, designed to wade into fier ce engagements and methodically crush enemy resistance. Because its guided elect roshock missiles are particularly damaging to enemies with advanced sensors, the Hydra is an excellent shock trooper, in that it excels at killing enemies that counteract Predator cloaking. Default Weapon - Electroshock Missile Battery The Hydra's weapon is its back-mounted personal missile battery, which rapidly f ires guided electroshock missiles at enemies within a 360 degree arc. These miss iles unerringly seek their target before delivering an armor-penetrating electro shock plasma warhead. This warhead jolts the sensory systems of whatever target it hits, causing extra damage to non-Predator enemies with particularly advanced detection capabilities. Characteristics - Hydra Shock Barrage If a Hydra is engaging more than a handful of enemies, it may determine that it is necessary to unleash a full-scale missile barrage. When this happens, the Hyd ra fires a missile at every target within its visual range, frequently resulting in a truly overwhelming storm of projectiles. Given the energy requirements it places on the Hydra's systems, this maneuver can only be performed periodically, and even then, only when the Hydra is not cloaked. Characteristics - Tactical Supremacy Armor Like all military-grade Predators, the Hydra wears tactical supremacy armor. Thi s widely feared protective suit provides its wearer with substantial defenses ag ainst kinetic, fire, and acid damage. Its exceptional hardness also deflects out right any projectiles not specifically designed to penetrate armor. Consequently , enemies must make a concentrated effort to defeat any Predators possessing thi s defensive system. Upgrade - Warhead Swarm When upgrades, the Hydra fires electroshock missiles with multiple warheads. Whe n a missile nears its target, it checks to see whether other enemies are within range of its warheads. If so, the missile splits into as many as three seperate sub-missiles, each capable of independently striking a different target. This up grade can cause a Hydra shock barrage to release a mind-boggling number of indep endent warheads. Strengths The Hydra is a dangerous combatant in most circumstances, though it excels at at tacking groups of tough enemies from range. Its tactical supremacy armor gives i t excellent staying power when outnumbered, and its shock barrage naturally infl icts tremendous amounts of damage in these situations. The Hydra is also an exce llent shock trooper, using its electroshock missiles to destroy cloak detectors and thereby enable other Predators to engage in a sustained, invisible assault. Weaknesses Like other heavy combatants, the Hydra is vulnerable to enemies specifically des igned to fill the "anti-tank" role; Snipers, SADAR Troopers, and Ravagers are al l dangerous to the Hydra. While enabling surprising agility given the protection it provides, tactical supremacy armor still slows its wearer down, meaning that the Hydra often cannot escape if odds turn against it. The Hydra cannot fire wh ile moving either, making fleeing particularly dangerous. Blazer Statistics / Upgrade Statistics Health: 650 Population: 2 Heavy Fire Damage Heavy Kinetic Armor Heavy Fire Armor Heavy Acid Armor

Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 16 Speed: 3 Visual Range: 12 / 20 Description The Blazer is a military-grade heavy support trooper capable of rapidly turning its surroundings into a raging firestorm. Its arcing inferno beam ignites most e nemies it touches, causing severe fire damage. No other known personal-scale wea pon system has the ability to achieve the overall damage output of which the Bla zer is capable. Default Weapon - Blazer The blazer is a shoulder-mounted energy projector that fires a sweeping inferno beam. Hotter than many stars at its core, an inferno beam works by instantly hea ting objects it touches to the point of spontaneous combustion. Given this abili ty, the weapon is designed to hit as many enemies as possible by sweeping in lar ge arcs across its primary target. Since it does not need to be aimed with much precision, the Blazer can continue to fire even while on the move. Characteristics - Tactical Supremacy Armor Like all military-grade Predators, the Blazer wears tactical supremacy armor. Th is widely feared protective suit provides its wearer with substantial defenses a gainst kinetic, fire, and acid damage. Its exceptional hardness also deflects ou tright any projectiles not specifically designed to penetrate armor. Consequentl y, enemies must make a concentrated effort to defeat any Predators possessing th is defensive system. Upgrade - Dual Blazers When upgraded, the Blazer Predator mounts a set of two linked blazers, one on ea ch shoulder. The dual blazers coordinate their fire in order to maximize the dam age they inflict, by keeping as many enemies on fire as possible. With this upgr ade, a single Blazer Predator can set an entire enemy platoon on fire in seconds . Strengths The Blazer excels at spreading large quantities of damage across multiple target s. This works particularly well against ranged enemies, since they often arrange themselves in ways that are easy for the Blazer to strafe. The Blazer's ability to fire on the move is critical for attacking melee enemies, since it enables t he Predator to run from them while continuing its strafing. Finally, tactical su premacy armor ensures that killing even a single Blazer requires sustained, coor dinated effort. Weaknesses Since its attack is heat based, the Blazer is less than effective against enemie s with fire resistance. It also has trouble with tight clusters of enemies, sinc e its heat beam cannot pass through targets and therefore often fails to reach b ehind the front lines. Like the Hydra, the Blazer is vulnerable to enemies that have powerful "anti-tank" capabilities. PredGun Statistics Health: 1000 Population: 2 Heavy Raw Damage Medium Kinetic Armor Medium Fire Armor Medium Acid Armor Attack Rate: Slow Attack Range: 14 Speed: 2 Visual Range: 10 / 18 Description The PredGun is an autonomous mobile defensive platform used by the Predators to guard their Shrine. To succeed in its role, the platform mounts a heavy plasma c

annon capable of inflicting substantial damage on the largest and most armored o f enemies. Default Weapon - Heavy Plasma Cannon The heavy plasma cannon fires oversized, armor-penetrating plasma bolts capable of causing extreme damage to whatever target they strike. Like other burst plasm a bolts, the projectiles from the heavy plasma cannon detonate upon impact, show ering the surrounding area with damaging plasma shrapnel. To achieve its remarka ble hitting power, this weapon trades away some of the fire rate and range of th e standard plasma caster. Characteristics - Autonomous Redeployment A key advantage of the PredGun over the Marine Sentry Gun is its ability to pack itself up, move to a new area, and redeploy there - all without any external in tervention. Like the Sentry Gun, however, the PredGun cannot fire while in its p acked state. Characteristics - Integrated Self Healing The PredGun is made of "smart" materials that are capable of healing themselves when coordinated by the platform's regeneration management subsystem. This heali ng cannot occut while the PredGun is sustaining damage, but proceeds with surpri sing speed when the PredGun remains unmolested for any length of time. Strengths The PredGun is designed to protect the Predator Shrine by complementing the Shri ne's offensive capabilities. While the Shrine is capable of inflicting sustained damage across a number of lighter enemies, the PredGun is designed to stop heav ier attackers. Like the Hunter's plasma caster, the PredGun benefits greatly fro m enhanced Predator vision modes. With them, the PredGun can outrange many cloak -defeating sensors, enabling cloaked Predators stationed behind it to remain und etected. Weaknesses The PredGun has several weaknesses. First, it cannot counterattack while moving, making it vulnerable during transit. Second, the PredGun moves slowly, making i t less successful at operating on highly fluid front lines. Third, its slow fire rate makes it vulnerable to being overwhelmed by large numbers of lighter enemi es. Shrine Statistics Health: 1250 Population: 4 Medium Fire Damage Light Kinetic Armor Heavy Fire Armor Light Acid Armor Attack Rate: Extreme Attack Range: 10 Speed: 2 Visual Range: 10 / 18 Description The Shrine is an autonomous support platform that Predators rely upon to call in reinforcements. It is mobile, reasonably well armed, and very tough. Default Weapon - Fireliner The Shrine is equipped with a fireliner, a multi-beam heat weapon related to the blazer. Unlike the blazer, the fireliner focuses small "beamlets" on different enemy weak points, heating them to the point of combustion. Overall, the firelin er spreads its pool of beamlets across as many enemies as possible, to maximize the number of opponents suffering from ongoing burns. Like the blazer, the firel iner can fire on the move. Characteristics - Drop Site Transceiver The Shrine enables Predators to call in reinforcements and field upgrades so tha t they might continue the hunt after suffering losses. In addition to transmitti ng requests to an orbiting HuntMaster ship, the Shrine serves as a drop site bea

con, so that Predator drop pods can land in an area immediately relevant to an o ngoing hunt. Since Predators consider requiring rescue more than vaguely dishono rable, clan leaders are keenly aware that losing their last Shrine often means f ailure and death. Characteristics - Energy Infuser The Shrine can rapidly recharge the energy supply of nearby Predators from an in ternal pool of energy it maintains. It has sufficient output to sustain several cloaked Predators without loss, but more will cause it to slowly lose its energy store until it eventually runs dry. The Shrine can refill its own energy supply at a much higher rate if there are no ongoing drains on its charging system, me aning that it is far more energy efficient to periodically recharge Predators th an to continually sustain them. Characteristics - Integrated Self Healing Like the PredGun, the Shrine is made of "smart" materials that are capable of he aling themselves when coordinated by the Shrine's regeneration management subsys tem. This healing cannot occut while the Shrine is sustaining damage, but procee ds with surprising speed when the Shrine remains unmolested for any length of ti me. Strengths The Shrine is best kept well protected and at a safe distance from heavy combat. While tought and powerfully armed, it is the Predators' sole means of acquiring both reinforcements and field upgrades. In the eventuality that it is attacked, the Shrine is best used to assist supporting PredGuns by degrading nearby enemi es with its fireliner. When sufficiently protected, the Shrine serves well as a forward operational base by delivering reinforcements very close to the point of need. Weaknesses The primary weakness of the Shrine is that it is a single point of failure for t he Predators' ability to maintain field strength while on the hunt. As such, vet eran Predator clan leaders typically deploy multiple PredGuns for protection and sometimes even order spare Shrines to remain prepared for contingencies. Beside s its inherent criticality, the Shrine has two other weaknesses: 1) its slow spe ed, and 2) the fireliner's inability to completely dispatch multiple enemies qui ckly. Alien Bestiary Overview Transbreed Versus Purebreed Drones, Runners, Warriors, and Predaliens are known as "transbreed" Aliens. Diff erent types of hosts produce different transbreeds, many of which possess attrib utes and abilities superior to those found in their hosts. Aliens such as Praeto rians, Queens, Carriers, and Ravagers, however, are considered to be "purebreed" Aliens. They can spawn from any host and more purely represent the multi-specie s interstellar parasite that is the Aliens. While transbreeds enable Aliens to a dapt to a target species, purebreed Aliens enable them to overpower it. Creating More Transbreed Aliens Aliens create more of their kind by infecting other species. To do this, Aliens typically attack an enemy until it becomes unconscious, so that a Facehugger can safely attach itself. After this, a Chestburster is born, which subsequently co coons itself before turning into an adult Alien. The type of adult Alien created typically relates to the type of victim that was impregnated. Generally speakin g, more advanced species produce better Aliens. Creating A Queen The Aliens can spend infestation points to morph a Praetorian into a Queen. The Praetorian is the basal "purebreed" Alien, and it is able to turn into other adv anced Alien species besides the Queen. To create a Praetorian, the Aliens must m orph an Egg into a "Praetorian Egg". This kind of Egg produces a "Praetorian Fac ehugger", which can create a Praetorian from any host. Both creating Praetorian Eggs and morphing a Praetorian into a Queen require small infestation point expe

nditures. Creating Other Purebreed Aliens To create Carriers and Ravagers, the Aliens must expend infestation points and m orph available Praetorians. This activity may only be performed when a Queen alr eady exists and only after the Praetorian subspecies has been upgraded. Upgrading Aliens An Alien hive may upgrade all the instances of a particular subspecies through t he Queen. The Queen alone can access the vast genetic database evolved by the Al ien species to select the appropriate counter-evolutionary response to threats c urrently being experienced by the hive. Naturally, rapidly evolving her brood in this way costs infestation points. Earning Infestation Points Aliens earn more infestation points by rendering active enemies unconscious, whe ther by attacking or facehugging them. Unlike other species, Aliens do not need to spend infestation points on ordering reinforcements; instead they spend them on upgrades, creating Hive Nodes, and morphing Eggs and Praetorians. Regeneration All Aliens can regenerate when in contact with the hive web, the repulsive black secretions found in Alien hives. The Runner and the Predalien, however, have ad vanced metabolisms and can regenerate whether near hive web or not. This latter kind of "roaming regeneration" does not occur while a Runner or a Predalien is a ctively taking damage. It "stacks" on top of standard hive-based regeneration th ough, enabling these organisms to regenerate quite rapidly when in the hive. Spore Sight Hive Nodes, Runners, Praetorians, and Queens emit spores. Spores coat living org anisms and grow upon them for an extended period of time. Spores have numerous s ensors and relay what they "see" by encoding this information on ambient radiati on that bounces off of them and finds its way to other Aliens. This "spore sight " enables the hive to track hosts long after they have left the vicinity of any nearby Aliens. Naturally, spores defeat Predator cloaking. Acid All Aliens had blood that is remarkably caustic. Unsurprisingly, several Alien s ubspecies have adapted to use their blood as a weapon. After striking an enemy, Alien acid damages it for some time before neutralizing, causing horrendous, sem i-permenant wounds on organic targets. Furthermore, kinetic armor is less effect ive while being burned by acid and Aliens instinctively leverage this effect by purposely tearing into the sizzling wounds of their victims. All Aliens are full y immune to the effects of their acid. Strengths The Aliens are easily the most numerous of species, since they are able to infec t most life forms of dog-size or larger, and, unlike other species, can replenis h their numbers free of cost. They are also tough physically, with Alien subspec ies like Predaliens, Ravagers, and Queens capable of becoming nearly unstoppable juggernauts. Of all the species, the Aliens are the most difficult to cut off f rom fresh reinforcements and upgrades; killing a Queen in her hive is no small f eat. Weaknesses Aliens must work hard to generate reinforcements, frequently needing complete vi ctory in combat to ensure readily available hosts. If a hive falls behind in its growth, it may become unable to win further battles and therefore unable to rec over from losses. Aliens also have few ranged attacks, causing them to rely on o verwhelming numbers and brute force. Lastly, Facehuggers and Chestbursters are e asy to kill and hence a vulnerable link in the Alien reproductive cycle. Hive Node Statistics Health: 500 Population: 1 Spore Sight Heavy Kinetic Armor

Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: N/A Attack Range: N/A Speed: 0 Visual Range: 10 Description The Hive Node creates hive web in a circular area around where it grows. The Hiv e Node is produced by the Drone and by the Queen when she lays her egg sack. Characteristics - Hive Web Creation The Hive Node is a living creature that steadily grows acid-secreting tendrils i nto whatever it is attached to. These tendrils leech nutrients from surrounding materials and use them to grow a web of living encrustations around the Hive Nod e. This "hive web" packages nutrients for easy absorption by nearby Aliens, enab ling them to regenerate when touching it. When a Hive Node dies, its ability to supply nutrients dies with it, causing hive web around the node to wither and di e. Characteristics - Spore Emission Hive Nodes produce Alien spores. Spores coat living organisms and grow upon them for an extended period of time. Spores have numerous sensors and relay what the y "see" by encoding this information on ambient radiation that bounces off of th em and finds its way to other Aliens. This "spore sight" enables the hive to tra ck hosts long after they have left the vicinity of any nearby Aliens. Naturally, spores defeat Predator cloaking. Strengths The Hive Node is armored and regenerates quickly. It can be placed close to comb at areas to enable wounded Aliens to replenish their health quickly. This is par ticularly useful for extending the movement range of Facehuggers, which might ot herwise run out of energy when moving to distant locations. Because the Hive Nod e is a spore emitter, is also makes an effective spotter and early warning syste m for the hive. Weaknesses While physically tough, the Hive Node has no ability to attack on its own. It is particularly susceptible to armor-piercing and fire-based weapons. Egg Statistics Health: 200 Population: 1 Medium Kinetic Armor Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: N/A Attack Range: N/A Speed: 0 Visual Range: 6 Upgrade Statistics Health: 200 Population: 1 Medium Acid Damage Medium Kinetic Armor Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: N/A Attack Range: N/A Speed: 0 Visual Range: 6 Description The Egg stores and protects the Facehugger(s) it contains from enemies, harsh en viroments, and the passage of millenia. When an infectable host wanders close to an Egg, it awakens its contents and hatches. Once an Egg has disgorged its cont ents, it dies. Only the Queen can lay Eggs. Subspecies - Praetorian Egg

The Queen can stimulate the production of Praetorians by spending the resources of the hive to metamorphose an Egg into a Praetorian Egg. As its name implies, t he Praetorian Egg produces Praetorian Facehuggers, each of which is capable of p roducing a Praetorian from any kind of host. Upgrade - Adaptive Hyperfertility Since they contain multiple Facehuggers, hyperfertile Eggs are swollen and overs ized. When they hatch, they releast their contents under pressure and direct the m towards nearby hosts. This behavior also happens reflexively on death, in a vi olent acid-drenches explosion. Hyperfertile Eggs automaticall scale their size t o relative hive strength. In other words, when the hive is weak, the Queen insti nctively produces larger hyperfertile Eggs, and when the hive is strong, the rev erse is true. Strengths Standard Eggs are typically best kept close to the hive, where they can provide extra protection for the Facehuggers they contain. Hyperfertile Eggs, however, c an be used as a kind of static defense to guard key areas, since they hurl Faceh uggers at attackers - even if killed from standoff range. Hyperfertile Eggs are also somewhat resistant to Predator melee attackers because of the acid they rel ease upon death. Weaknesses Enemies that are invulnerable or resistant to Facehuggers excel at killing Eggs; Eggs have no power to defend themselves outside of their ability to release the ir deadly cargo. Enemies than can attack from extended range are also good at ki lling Eggs, since they can complete their work without fear of reprisal. Facehugger Statistics / Upgrade Statistics - Facehugger Health: 15 Population: 1 Instant Death Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: Variable Attack Range: 4 Speed: 4.5 Visual Range: 10 Statistics - Praetorian Facehugger Health: 25 Population: 1 Instant Death Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: Variable Attack Range: 6 Speed: 4.5 Visual Range: 10 Description The Facehugger propogates the Alien species by parasitically attaching itself to the facial area of a host life form and impregnating it with a Chestburster. Th is is easiest when prey has been incapacitated and moved someplace safe by adult Aliens, but the Facehugger can also scuttle after prey and leap onto it, if nec essary. Hosts do not remain conscious when "facehugged" in this manner, and ther e are no recorded instances of hosts surviving once they have been impregnated. Characteristics - Impregnation The Facehugger is unique in its ability to infect hosts. Since this process inca pacitates the victim instantly and permanently, it can be used to remove powerfu l enemies from combat without heavy losses. The type of Alien that is produced b y a Facehugger's impregnation typically depends upon the type of host. Characteristics - Reactive Dormancy The hatched Facehugger has the unusual habit of cannibalizing one of its interna l organs for energy. Accordingly, the Facehugger loses health as it exerts itsel f. It can repair this organ by regenerating on hive webbing, like other Aliens,

or by clutching the riding spines of a Carrier. This unusual sustenance mechanis m appears to enable the Facehugger to have an unlimited lifespan while inactive. In other words, the creature is short-lived while active, but immortal while do rmant, making it an ideal stowaway on long interstellar flights. Subspecies - Praetorian Facehugger There is a larger, more armored version of the common Facehugger that produces P raetorians no matter what type of host it impregnates. This "Praetorian Facehugg er" is tougher, has a longer roaming range, and can leap farther than the common Facehugger. Upgrade - Binary Parasitism The Facehugger develops a chemical trigger that causes the Chestburster it carri es to split into twins when producing simpler Aliens, such as the Drone and the Runner. The Aliens can use this ability to jump-start hive growth in wilderness areas. Strengths The Facehugger is best used on prey rendered comatose by adult Aliens. It can al so be used in large numbers, or in conjunction with other Aliens to take down pr ey otherwise capable of defending itself. When combined with a Carrier, multiple Facehuggers can become a powerful ranged weapon, able to quickly incapacitate l arge numbers of enemies. Weaknesses The Facehugger is small enough that it can be killed in one shot by most attacks and in large numbers by high fire rate weapons like the Smartgun. Some melee Pr edators are trained to strike a leaping Facehugger mid-flight, making them diffi cult targets while conscious. Furthermore, robotic enemies are immune to impregn ation altogether, as are certain heavily armored opponents such as the ExoSuit. Finally, the unique design of the Flamethrower Marine's "ape suit" renders him i mmune to facehugging while conscious. Drone Statistics Health: 200 Population: 1 Light Kinetic Damage Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: Fast Attack Range: 1.5 Speed: 5 Visual Range: 8 Upgrade Statistics Health: 200 Population: 1 Light Kinetic Damage Light Acid Damage Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: Fast / Normal Attack Range: 1.5 / 6 Speed: 5 Visual Range: 8 Description As the "worker bee" of the Alien hive, the Drone performs a variety of utility r oles, including dragging hosts back to the hive for impregnation and moving Eggs about the hive itself. Other adult Aliens can perform these tasks as well, but it is the Drone that is most cost efficient in this role. The Drone is unique am ong Aliens for its ability to create Hive Nodes. These, in turn, create hive web , which Aliens use to regenerate. Drones are produced by infecting Oswocs. Characteristics - Hive Node Creation The Drone is uniquely capable of manufacturing embryonic Hive Nodes inside its b ody. It places these nodes within the hive to extend its reach or in in remote l ocations to enable more combat-oriented Aliens to recover from the ofter dangero

us task of securing hosts. Hive Nodes are genetically complicated enough that ge nerating them requires spending precious infestation points. Upgrade - Cystic Acid Spittle The Drone develops a cyst-filled acidic froth that it spits on potential hosts. The cysts invade the body through the resultant acid-induced wounds, whereupon t hey cause tumors that use the host's body to generate nutrients beneficial to tr ansbreed Chestburster development. Accordingly, adult transbreed Aliens from cys tically infected hosts are tougher than usual. These "cystic" Aliens have a red streak running along the dorsal region of the head. A red circle beneath cystica lly infected hosts signifies their plight. Strengths The Drone is useful in a support role, since it can create Hive Nodes that enabl e other Aliens to regenerate. When it is upgraded, and when the Facehugger is up graded, the Drone develops into a useful combatant. It becomes one of the few Al iens that can attack at range, it strengthens the brood in victory, and it is fr equently available in large numbers, many of which are often cystically enhanced . Weaknesses Whether upgraded or not, the Drone has no armor and is vulnerable to almost any weapon. An upgraded Medic can heal cystic infections, as can all Predators via t heir Medicomp - meaning hit and run infection tactics are inadvisable. Robotic e nemies cannot be cystically infected, nor can the pilot of the hermetically seal ed ExoSuit. Finally, cystic acid spittle is useless against enemy Aliens, forcin g the Drone to revert to its claws against them. Runner Statistics Health: 250 Population: 1 Spore Sight Light Kinetic Damage Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rage: Fast / Variable Attack Range: 1.5 / 7.5 Speed: 8 Visual Range: 10 Upgrade Statistics Health: 250 Population: 1 Spore Sight Medium Raw Damage Light Kinetic Damage Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rage: Fast / Variable Attack Range: 1.5 / 7.5 Speed: 8 Visual Range: 10 Description The Runner is a light-weight, high-speed Alien built for scouting and raiding. T hanks to its abnormally high-output metabolism, this Alien conjures images of a rapid terrestrial cheetah - but one that never tires and can leap onto prey with the force of a sledgehammer. Moreover, it emits spores and has a skeleton that explodes violently when overheated, making it a powerful suicide weapon against enemies that use fire. The Runner is produced by infecting Kurn or Kriltics. Characteristics - Biohydraulic Lunge When a Runner is far enough away from a target, it can lunge toward it at tremen dous velocity. The Runner commonly leaps at its victim's neck, which it strikes viciously on impact. This causes damage that is often unexpectedly severe from a creature of the Runner's size. Characteristics - Pyroreactive Cartilage

The Runner is unusual in that is contains a cartilaginous framework throughout i ts body that expands inward when exposed to heat. This creates enormous pressure s inside the beast's skeletal system that are suddenly and violently released by an automatic neurological trigger should the creature die while overheated. In turn, this causes the cartilage to shatter along jagged internal faultlines, res ulting in a high-speed burst of razor-edges biological shrapnel that strikes eve rything nearby. Characteristics - Metabolic Overdrive The Runner has an unusually high speed metabolism that enables it to heal at tru ly astounding rates. This regeneration does not occur when the Runner is being a ttacked, as its body must cope with the internal system shock produced by penetr ating wounds. This coping period is short, however, after which biological repai r happens so quickly that it is observable with the human eye. Characteristics - Spore Emission Runners produce Alien spores. Spores coat living organisms and grow upon them fo r an extended period of time. Spores have numerous sensors and relay what they " see" by encoding this information on ambient radiation that bounces off of them and finds its way to other Aliens. This "spore sight" enables the hive to track hosts long after they have left the vicinity of any nearby Aliens. Naturally, sp ores defeat Predator cloaking. Upgrade - Virulence The upgraded Runner develops a large number of subcutaneous stinger-tipped venom sacs across its extremities. On contact with a victim, the stingers inject high concentrations of Alien spores that multiply in sufficient quantity to turn bod ily fluids black and soupy, sickening and nauseating the host organism in the pr ocess. Needless to say, Aliens can use these spores to track prey that has becom e weakened by the sickness the spores induce. Strengths The Runner is best used as a scout or a raider, particularly since it can detect even cloaked enemies and quickly recover from otherwise crippling encounters. I ts upgrade reinforces its role as a raider, as Runners can sicken their targets and then back off to let them weaken. Sickened enemies frequently find their com bat effectiveness reduced by uncontrollable vomiting, making them easy prey for more powerful Aliens. Give its pyroreactive cartilage, the Runner also excels at eliminating fire-wielding attackers. Weaknesses Despite its many abilities, the Runner is one of the physically weaker Aliens. I t has no armor and its claws have a hard time penetrating armor. As such, it can not withstand prolonged combat with most enemies. Also, the Runner cannot benefi t from its innate regenerative abilities while irradiated by enemies like the up graded Flamethrower Marine and the upgraded Smartgunner. Warrior Statistics Health: 300 Population: 1 Medium Kinetic Damage Medium Acid Damage Light Kinetic Armor Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 1.5 Speed: 6 Visual Range: 8 Upgrade Statistics Health: 300 Population: 1 Medium Raw Damage Medium Acid Damage Medium Kinetic Armor

Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 1.5 Speed: 6 Visual Range: 8 Description The Warrior is the primary Alien assault organism. It is fast, reasonably tough, and a savage combatant. Even in death the Warrior is dangerous, bursting apart when killed and drenching nearby enemies in acid. The Warrior is created by infe cting humans. Characteristics - Pressurized Bloodstream When an Alien Warrior is killed by weapons that cause massive physical trauma, i ts pressurized bloodstream causes the creature of explode, showering the surroun ding area with acid. This typically does not happen if the Warrior is on fire, h owever, since fire causes the creature to harden into a charred mass. Upgrade - Onslaught Genome When upgraded, the Warrior becomes suitable for heavy assault. First, it develop s hardened chitinous ridges that enable it to penetrate tougher armors. Second, it develops redundant life support systems, enabling it to continue operation ev en after sustaining crippling damage such as limb loss. Third, it improves its c apacity to repair itself via hive web. The latter two abilities combine to enabl e the creature to regenerate lost limbs and return to perfect health through sus tained healing at the hive. Strengths The Warrior performs well in many situations. Large numbers of Warriors are good for wearing down biological enemies, given that acid causes wounds that are ver y difficult to heal. Additionally, the upgraded Warrior's redundant vascular sys tems can spray acid twice - first when the Warrior is crippled and then when it is killed. Even so, the upgraded Warrior has a good chance of surviving hard fou ght battles because it can often crawl back to the hive in a crippled state and regenerate itself back to full health. Weaknesses The Warrior is particularly vulnerable to fire. Flame often so thoroughly bakes the Warrior, that it prevents the creature from showering the surrounding area w ith acid upon death. It also prevents the upgraded Warrior from returning to ope ration; burns are often pervasive throughout the creature's entire body, defeati ng its redundant life-sustaining systems. Predalien Statistics / Upgrade Statistics Health: 550 Population: 1 Medium Kinetic Damage Medium Acid Damage Heavy Fire Armor Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: Normal / Very Slow Attack Range: 1.5 / 1.5 Speed: 5 Visual Range: 8 Description The Predalien is one of the hive's heavy assault organisms, as it is tougher tha n the Warrior and capable of inflicting more damage. While it does not have the protective armor of the Warrior, it constantly secretes a flame retardant coatin g that makes the creature impossible to ignite and generally resistant to heat d amage. Naturally, a Predalien emerges from an impregnated Predator. Characteristics - Digestive Bite Periodically, the Predalien bites its prey and injects it with acidic saliva. Th e Predalien then quickly drains and consumes the nutrient slurry that results, r eplenishing its health in the process.

Characteristics - Advanced Metabolism The Predalien has a powerful enough metabolism that is can automatically heal it self, even when away from the nourishing touch of Alien hive web. This automatic regeneration is not nearly as quick as that of the Runner, but it is similar in that it does not occur while the Predalien is suffering physical trauma. Characteristics - Fire Retardant Secretions Given that Predators come from an arid death world, it is not surprising that th e Predalien has natural heat resistance. Its secretions absorb heat and evaporat e, creating a flame-extinguishing cloud around the creature. Accordingly, it can not be set on fire, and it sloughs off most heat damage. Upgrade - Predatory Growth Response The Predalien has an unusual adaptation that enables it to better subdue Predato r populations. As the creature engages in combat, it accumulates growth hormones in its body. When enough hormones have accumulated, the creature can pause to m olt when unthreatened. The Predalien that emerges is tougher than before, sporti ng extra bony protuberances on its back as an indication of its overall power. A Predalien that has survived numerous combats can become exceedingly tough as a result of this adaptaion.... Strengths Even a moderately sized ground of Predaliens is a force to be reckoned with. The y are hard to keep at bay with any kind of suppressive fire, they largely ignore heat-based weaponry, and they can heal anywhere after battle. If kept alive acr oss several battles after being upgraded, such a force can become extremely toug h to resist in a head-on conflict, as it becomes impossible to bring them down b efore inflicting heavy damage. Weaknesses The Predalien's primary vulnerability is its lack of any kind of armor. This mea ns it can most easily be brought down by massed kinetic weaponry. It is also qui te vulnerable to radiation, since this prevents the creature from regenerating w hen not on hive web. Praetorian Statistics / Upgrade Statistics Health: 750 Population: 1 Spore Sight Medium Raw Damage Excellent Acid Damage Medium Kinetic Armor Light Fire Armor Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: Normal / Very Slow Attack Range: 1.5 / 3 Speed: 5 Visual Range: 10 Description The Praetorian is the basal purebreed Alien strain, from which all other adult p urebreed Aliens spring. It can be created from any type of host via the Praetori an Facehugger. In terms of its combat abilities, the Praetorian is a powerhouse, possessing incredible durability, a hardened exoskeleton, armor-piercing claws, and the hideous ability to disgorge vast quantities of acidic blood on its enem ies. The Praetorian's distinctive head crest is also a source of Alien spores. Characteristics - Royal Transformation If a newly created hive does not yet have a Queen, or if a hive's Queen has been killed, a genetic trigger inside the Praetorian enables it to cocoon itself and emerge as the hive's new Queen. There can be only one Queen, however, so remain ing Praetorians genetically "de-trigger" after this happens. Of all the purebree d Aliens that a Praetorian can transform into, the Queen is the most genetically similar, making transformation cost relatively inexpensive. Characteristics - Vascular Disgorgement

The digestive and vascular systems of the Praetorian are not separate entities a s in most life forms. This enables the Praetorian to vomit vast quantities of it s own caustic blood when it determines that its current combat situation warrant s such an act - typically when the Praetorian's enemies are vulnerable to acid a nd either numerous or particularly powerful. Characteristics - Spore Emission Praetorians produce Alien spores. Spores coat living organisms and grow upon the m for an extended period of time. Spores have numerous sensors and relay what th ey "see" by encoding this information on ambient radiation that bounces off of t hem and finds its way to other Aliens. This "spore sight" enables the hive to tr ack hosts long after they have left the vicinity of any nearby Aliens. Naturally , spores defeat Predator cloaking. Upgrade - Speciated Metamorphosis When upgraded, the Praetorian can transform into two other types of purebreed Al iens: the Carrier and the Ravager. The genetic imperative to ensure that there i s a Queen to manage the hive is irresistable, however, so the secondary transfor mations available to an upgraded Praetorian can only happen if a Queen already e xists. The different types of transformations require varying quantities of infe station points, depending on the type of Alien subspecies being created. Strengths The Praetorian's armor-piercing claws and acidic disgorgements are best put to u se against heavily armored targets. The Praetorian is always available to the hi ve no matter what kind of hosts are nearby, making it easy to ensure that the hi ve has a force of Praetorians it can draw upon in an emergency. Should the Queen and all Eggs and Facehuggers be slain, transforming a spare Praetorian into a n ew Queen may be the hive's only chance for survival. Weaknesses The Praetorian is more expensive to produce than any of the transbreed Aliens, i n both time and infestation points. This causes Praetorians to be fewer in numbe r, which leaves them vulnerable to being overwhelmed by large groups of enemies. Weapons that are good at penetrating heavy armor are also dangerous to the Prae torian. Queen Statistics Health: 1500 Population: 1 Spore Sight Heavy Kinetic Damage Medium Kinetic Armor Light Fire Armor Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: Fast Attack Range: 1.5 Speed: 4 Visual Range: 12 Upgrade Statistics Health: 1500 Population: 1 Spore Sight Heavy Kinetic Damage Heavy Kinetic Armor Light Fire Armor Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: Fast Attack Range: 1.5 Speed: 4 Visual Range: 12 Description The incontestable ruler of the hive, the Queen is relentless in her drive to exp

and the brood, and her will is executed by her offspring as if it were a biologi cal imperative. She is the one Alien that creates Eggs, the entity from which al l other Aliens eventually develop. A hive may only have one Queen at a time and all Queens come from a Praetorian that has undergone royal transformation. While the Queen normally avoids combat, she is extremely dangerous when cornered. Characteristics - Genetic Determination The Queen is unique in her ability to control the genetic configuration of the h ive. She alone can spend infestation points to unlock the massive database conta ined in all Aliens, and thereby evolve the creatures of the hive into more capab le forms. Characteristics - Egg Laying Abdomen The Queen can expend infestation points to distend her abdomen and cause it to s pawn Eggs. While this "egg sack" fixes the Queen in place, she can rip free at a ny time. This forces the Queen to create a new egg sack to continue Egg producti on, however, so she chooses this course only when threatened or when all nearby hosts are consumed. The process of creating an egg sack also spawns a Hive Node nearby, so that Eggs can get its nutritional benefits. Characteristics - Smashing Blow The Queen is a huge beast, capable of striking enemies with bone-shattering blow s that send most man-sized creatures hurtling through the air. Characteristics - Spore Emission Queens produce Alien spores. Spores coat living organisms and grow upon them for an extended period of time. Spores have numerous sensors and relay what they "s ee" by encoding this information on ambient radiation that bounces off of them a nd finds its way to other Aliens. This "spore sight" enables the hive to track h osts long after they have left the vicinity of any nearby Aliens. Naturally, spo res defeat Predator cloaking. Upgrade - War Empress When the hive is engaged in all out war with a host species, the Queen can upgra de herself, improving her combat abilities in three ways. First, she becomes far tougher. Second, she grows hardened chitin that deflects all but heavy munition s. Third, she develops the ability to will nearby transbreed Aliens into a comba t frenzy. In this state (signified by a green glow), transbeed Aliens inflict no tably more damage than normal and their blows cannot be turned by opponents usua lly capable of such a feat. Strengths The Queen is best used as an engine of hive growth, continually creating Eggs so that the hive can add new members. When the hive is directly threatened at its heart, the Queen also makes a powerful last-ditch defender. With her upgrade, th e Queen can go on offense, spearheading mass assaults of unparalleled visciousne ss. This latter option is not without risk, however, as the Queen cannot lay mor e Eggs while on the more or if killed. Weaknesses While attached to her egg sack, the Queen cannot attack and must remain stationa ry. This makes her an easy targer for long range bombardment. Also, while her at tack is unquestionably powerful, it relies more on concussive impact than any ki nd of armor-penetrating effect. As such, heavily armored opponents are more like ly to survive her strikes. In all other cases, the Queen is a hard target that c an only be neutralized with overwhelming force. Carrier Statistics Health: 400 Population: 1 Medium Kinetic Damage Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 2 Speed: 4 Visual Range: 8

Upgrade Statistics Health: 400 Population: 1 Medium Kinetic Damage Medium Acid Damage Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 2 Speed: 4 Visual Range: 8 Description The Carrier spreads the Alien infestation to outlying regions by serving as a Fa cehugger transport. While riding a Carrier, Facehuggers do not expend energy, en abling them to reach farther areas than their limited energy supply would otherw ise allow. In combat, the Carrier is an extraordinarily dangerous enemy, since i ts carge does not hesitate to leap on nearby gargets when threatened. Like all p urebreed Aliens, the Carrier comes from a morphed Praetorian. Characteristics - Facehugger Transport Facehuggers (normal or Praetorian) can leap onto the Carrier's spines of their o wn accord, or the Carrier can call them to itself. Once riding the Carrier, Face huggers are protected from most weapons by the shape and disposition of the spin es. Facehuggers can also feed from tiny filaments on the Carrier's spines to rep lenish their fixed energy supply. By default, a Carrier can serve as a transport for up to six Facehuggers simultaneously. Characteristics - Launching Spines When the Carrier attacks an enemy, any Facehuggers riding on its back automatica lly leap with uncanny accuracy towards the faces of all potential hosts that are within range. In the right circumstances, a single Carrier can bring down an en tire group of enemies in seconds via this mechanism. Characteristics - Exadrenaline The Carrier feeds the Facehuggers it transports with a biological stimulant know n as exadrenaline. This substance causes Facehuggers to continue operating even after sustaining normally terminal damage. The Carrier saturates riding Facehugg ers with the substance, effectively rendering them temporarily invulnerable. Onc e a Facehugger leaves a Carrier, however, further damage causes the Facehugged t o rapidly consume its exadrenaline store. Remaining exadrenaline passes from the Facehugger to any Chestburster(s) is produces. Upgrade - Supercarrier Genome An upgraded Carrier, known as a Supercarrier, can bear twelve Facehuggers instea d of six, enabling it to perform it utilitarian transport role more efficiently. The Supercarrier has an added defense mechanism - when killed, a neurological t rigger causes the creature to burst apart violently, spewing its deadly cargo an d vast quantities of acid. Facehuggers launched in this way have an uncanny knac k for flying straight at their attackers. Fire prevents this explosion, however, by charring the beast solid. Strengths The Carrier is useful for carrying Facehuggers to victory sites and obviating th e need to drag hosts back to the hive. When screened from enemy fire by other Al iens, the beast can be devastating in close combat if fully loaded. Entire squad s of enemies can become Alien hosts, as Facehuggers automatically leap at vulner able opponents nearby. Exadrenaline ensures that Carrier-borne Facehuggers and t he Chestbursters they produce have a far better chance of surviving combat. Weaknesses The Carrier trades the strength and toughness of the Praetorian it morphs from t o become a utilitarian beast capable of nurturing Facehuggers. As such, it has n o armor and can fall to enemy attacks quite quickly. It is highly vulnerable to fire, both because fire heavily damages its cargo and because it prevents the up graded Carrier from exploding on death. Finally, the Carrier is not particularly good at attacking enemies that are immune or otherwise resistant to being faceh ugged.

Ravager Statistics Health: 1000 Population: 1 Heavy Raw Damage Medium Kinetic Armor Light Fire Armor Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 2.5 Speed: 4 Visual Range: 8 Upgrade Statistics Health: 1000 Population: 1 Heavy Raw Damage Heavy Kinetic Armor Medium Fire Armor Heavy Acid Armor Attack Rate: Normal Attack Range: 2.5 Speed: 4 Visual Range: 8 Description The Ravager is presumed to be the Alien evolutionary response to the heavier mil itary equipment brought to bear by more advanced species. This massive beast tow ers above other Aliens and is a uniquely terrifying presence in battle. Instead of hands, its upper extremeties terminate in "hull blades" capable of slicing th rough even advanced armors. A Ravager comes from a Praetorian that has morphed a t a considerable infestation point cost. Characteristics - Hull Blades The Ravager possesses two diamond-hand chitinous blades that are sharp enough to slice through starship hulls. No terrestrial armor is capable of resisting them , making the creature adept at tearing apart even heavily armored targets. Worse , the Ravager intelligently strikes the weak points of its enemies, meaning that it typically seeks to decapitate bipeds. The Ravager is unique among Aliens in that it kills its prey outright, instead of rendering it comatose for subsequent impregnation. Upgrade - Colossal Resilience Upon upgrade, the Ravager develops two new features: 1) a hard chitinous shell t hat deflects even medium caliber weapons fire and 2) the ability to perform a ra pid internal restorative process called regenesis. Regenesis causes a severely d amaged Ravager to enter a cataleptic state instead of dying. If a cataleptic Rav ager avoids sufficient additional damage, it rapidly rebuilds itself and returns to battle at half strength. Fire and extreme terminal damage prevent regenesis. Strengths The Ravager excels at dismantling anything it encounters, even heavily armored t argets. Since the Ravager kills prey outright, it is a particularly good choice for use against enemies that cannot be impregnated. When upgraded, the Ravager i s best used in conjunction with other Aliens. This way, enemies must focus on a number of targets, often enabling slain Ravagers to successfully complete the re genesis process and return to battle. Weaknesses The Ravager kills its prey rather than rendering it comatose, so it is a poor ch oice when the hive is in dire need of viable hosts. The Ravager should avoid fir e, since it prevents the creature from triggering regenesis when upgraded. Preda tor Vanguards are also to be avoided, since their plasma scythes can frequently kill a Ravager quickly enough to prevent it from undergoing regenesis.