Godzilla 2076: Atomic Monsters in the World of Ogre!

Okinawa, Ryuku Islands - Nihon Empire
April 28, 2076

Colonel Tokaro Yashita stared out at the developing battle from the relative safety of his command bunker. With the aid of a rangefinder, his view swept the kilometers of beach where the Chinese marines had managed to gain a strong grip. Although Yashita despised the Chinese in general, he had to admire the audacity of this attack. To invade the homeland itself . . . unthinkable! Yet here they were, taking horrendous losses to be sure, but advancing still with every passing minute. If Yashita didn't get reinforcements soon, the Chinese were going to break out.

"Tai-sa!" Yashita turned toward one of the bunker's comtechs. The tech pressed an earphone to his head then spoke again, "Cybership Gale Wind reports it will arrive in under 70 minutes . . ."

"In 70 minutes the Sino forces will have taken this section of coast," rumbled Yashita, "and this command post."

The comtech blanched and turned back to his equipment. Yashita turned his attention to the large holograph suspended over the bunker's battle-plot table.

The Sino forces had landed in regimental strength along several kilometers of shoreline. The rocky cliffs of most of the shore had slowed the Chinese from proceeding inland after their lightning-fast landings. But those same cliffs now sheltered the marines and infantry who had survived the withering fire of the shore batteries.

Sino sappers now scaled these same cliffs in a desperate attempt to silence the guns above their heads so that the Chinese hovercraft and seaborne armor lurking just offshore, could make their own landings. Yashita's own troops had so far held them off, but just barely. The Chinese came up the cliffs in ever-increasing numbers.

"Like the tide itself." Yashita mused silently. A flashing icon in the holograph caught his attention. "Order Sho-sa Nakuma to withdraw to secondary positions. Batteries 10 and 11 are no longer transmitting their IFF."

"Hai!"

"And order all batteries in range of sector 2 to begin a fire mission on plot," Yashita punched in an enlargement command on the plot table, "oh-nine-five; duration, 2 minutes. It looks like the Sino are trying to sneak in more marines underwater at that point."

"Hai!"

Yashita watched the holographic map as the missile shells from the nearby howitzers sought their underwater targets. Nuclear blasts vaporized thousands of gallons of seawater. The noise of the salvo penetrated even through the general din of battle and shook the command post's walls.

"Tai-sa, we still have movement on our sensors in sector 2, oh-nine-five." The Go-cho adjusted his own plot screen. "Sensors may be out of calibration from the salvo, but it would appear . . ." The Go-cho stiffened abruptly.

"I have a positive movement trace now, bearing one-one-seven, now altering to the East. Speed, approximately 20 kph." He whitened as the information continued to scroll across his screen. "Mass displacement readings are comparable to those of a size class 8 or larger single unit!"

A class 8 unit! Yashita rushed back to the observation port and focused the rangefinders on the sector of sea still bubbling from the howitzer's assault. Surely the Chinese could not have something as huge as the Combine's newest Ogre. Still, there were whispers of the Chinese developing their own cybertank technology . . .

There! Movement among the boiling seawater. Yashita strained to see through the billowing clouds of steam. Slowly, a dark shape rose from the sea. No smooth, armor-skinned cybertank was this. Flashes from nearby explosions reflected a rough, scaly surface. The shape stood taller, taller, impossibly tall, resolving into the form of a head, torso, arms and ridged-plate back of truly monstrous proportions.

Yashita stared in horrified fascination as the creature strode forward, out of the nuclear fog, into the light. It raised a long armored tail from the sea and brought it down in a thunderstroke of sound and water that swamped and crushed nearby Sino GEV-PCs. The nearby Chinese forces panicked, bolting in all directions as they saw the terror in their midst. Yashita could only continue to stare as the creature raised its ancient head and bellowed forth a braying roar of challenge to the world.

"Shimatta," whispered Yashita. Images of ancient legends abruptly rose in his mind, legends of nightmarish creatures his grandfather had told in his supposed senility.

"Forgive me for not believing your stories, grandfather."

Godzilla had returned to the world . . .

In 1988 my gaming group was helping me playtest some Ogre scenarios on the 3-D replica of the G.E.V. map I had built. We had a huge army of the original miniatures and had been fiddling around with rules conversions to miniature format. Our group often played in the game room of our local hobby shop.

One evening, the manager walked in as we were playing and asked if I was interested in a small vinyl/resin kit of Godzilla he was reducing the price on. One of my players made a joke about Godzilla taking on an Ogre.

Well, I know serendipity when it strikes. I bought that kit and began trying out rules to make Godzilla the terror in Ogre/G.E.V. that he always was to Tokyo. Here is your chance to flatten a few battalions with something considerably more terrifying than an Ogre . . .

Godzilla

Like an Ogre, Godzilla has a center point (the top of his head) for purposes of determining where he actually is on the game board. Unlike Ogres or armor units, a unit is considered in overrun combat with Godzilla if it touches any part of the figure, because Godzilla is considerably more flexible and manueverable than an Ogre.

Movement

Godzilla begins with a Move of 6" per turn. His movement value will drop if he loses body points (see below) much in the same manner as an Ogre's move is reduced as it takes tread damage. As Godzilla recovers body points, his movement value will rise again. Godzilla is not required to use his entire movement in a turn (unless he goes berserk see sidebar).

Godzilla is considered size 9 on the Size table, though no one in their right mind should try to use him for hard cover.

Godzilla uses the Ogre column on the Terrain Effects Chart, except that he does not get permanently stuck in swamp. He rolls one die every turn he enters, or starts in, swamp. On a 1 or 2 Godzilla cannot move for that turn in the swamp. Godzilla can enter a cruise missile crater, at a cost of 2" of Move per inch moved through the crater, and can fight with his breath weapon from within a crater.

Godzilla is not very good at climbing. For every level climbed he must expend 2" of Move. However, 1-level-high cliffs are no obstacle to him and may be ignored. Godzilla may step off a cliff of any height and take 1 die of damage to his body points for every level fallen beyond the first. If he lands atop enemy armor or infantry, he automatically destroys one unit under him (the one he actually landed on - roll randomly). If the unit he falls on is an Ogre, it suffers a 1-1 attack against every weapon and takes three dice of tread damage. Surviving enemy units or Ogre weapons are then considered to be defending against Godzilla in overrun combat and may take the first fire round.

Godzilla can travel underwater like an Ogre. He can surface and attack at any point in the water. Godzilla may use his breath weapon while surfaced, but not when underwater. When underwater, he can only be attacked by Ogre missiles, marines, cruise missiles, howitzers and mobile howitzers (at half attack strength). Godzilla may conduct overrun combat normally underwater except for his breath weapon.

Treat Godzilla as a size 9 Ogre for all other movement purposes (e.g. to see if a bridge can support him).

Combat

Godzilla has two modes of attack. In normal combat, in the firing phase, Godzilla may use points from his energy reserve (see below) to power his breath weapon. This is a powerful cone of highly radioactive plasma that makes even the best grades of BPC armor melt like hot butter. In overrun combat, in the movement phase, Godzilla may also use his breath weapon - or he may choose a powerful physical attack, stomping and tail-thrashing enemy units unfortunate enough to be within his reach.

Godzilla's breath weapon has an attack strength ranging from 1 to 8 depending on how many energy points he wants to spend on the attack and a range of 3". Godzilla may attack with his breath weapon as often as as he wishes in the firing phase. The only limit is his energy reserve; thus, "mobbing" Godzilla is a risky proposition at best. Godzilla may carry out a breath weapon attack, evaluate the results, then decide if he wishes to attack the same target again or a different one.

Godzilla may extend the range of his breath weapon to 4", but at that range he attacks at only half strength - for instance, a strength 4 attack would cost him 8 energy.

The breath weapon, like a laser, has no spillover effect.

Because of his incredible height, higher even than a laser tower, Godzilla may use his breath weapon at targets over or behind forests or level 1 cliffs, unless the target is hiding directing adjacent to the cliff. Units may still take hard cover bonuses against Godzilla's breath weapon attack.

Godzilla may continue to make breath weapon attacks until he is either out of energy or dead.

In overrun combat, Godzilla may attack once per fire round, using either his breath weapon or his stomp/tail thrash attack The stomp attack requires no energy. Godzilla simply picks one target in the overrun and applies an attack strength of 4 against it. Any model in contact with Godzilla's model is considered to be in overrun combat with him.

The attack strengths of Godzilla's breath weapon and physical attacks are not doubled in an overrun.

Godzilla may not "ram," but he may be rammed. Follow the same procedure as for ramming an Ogre. Consider Godzilla a size 9 Ogre for purposes of being rammed. Any resulting damage is taken off of Godzilla's body points.

For all other combat purposes, treat Godzilla as a size 9 Ogre.

Body Points

Godzilla's body points (see record sheet) function much the same way that an Ogre's tread units do. As Godzilla loses body points his speed will drop. If Godzilla loses all of his body points he is dead, and may not regenerate.

Godzilla's super-dense hide means that any attacks made against his body points are automatically at 1-1 odds, like attacking an Ogre's treads. If the attack succeeds, Godzilla will lose a number of body points equal to the attack strength used. However, if a single attack or combined attack equals 20 attack strength points or more, then the odds for the attack against the body points becomes 2-1.

Ogre antipersonnel batteries don't hurt Godzilla.

Only X or XX results cause Godzilla to lose body points. Ignore D results.

Godzilla may regenerate lost body points with energy from his energy reserve (see below). However, if his body point total drops to zero or lower at any time, Godzilla is dead and may not regenerate.

[ Sidebar: Smart 'Zilla or Dumb 'Zilla? ]

Energy Reserve

Godzilla has an energy reserve which normally begins at a level of 60 points, unless otherwise specified in a scenario. Godzilla may use this energy reserve to power his breath weapon at a cost of 1 energy point for each point of attack strength used, up to a limit of eight points per attack. He can also regenerate lost body points, at a cost of 1 energy point for each body point recovered. He may regenerate body points at any time in the turn, even between enemy attacks! Once Godzilla is out of energy he may not use his breath weapon or regenerate.

Godzilla can absorb energy in a variety of ways to replenish his reserve. For every successful attack directed at him, Godzilla will absorb energy equal to half the attack strength used (round down) against him in that attack. Godzilla can also absorb energy from a reactor. For every structure point (SP) of damage Godzilla does to the reactor building, he absorbs a point of energy. Thus, if Godzilla totally destroys a 60 SP reactor, he will replenish his energy reserve by 60 points. This damage must be done via his physical attack.

Godzilla may also absorb energy from defeated Ogres! Once a cybertank is completely destroyed, he can tear it apart to feast on the energy from its reactors. If Godzilla destroys an Ogre in overrun combat, or if he spends 3" of Move atop an Ogre destroyed in any other way except total annihilation by a cruise missile, he gets energy points equal to the Size class of the Ogre.

Finally, he can draw energy from recently created cruise missile craters recently means "in the last ten turns." He will absorb 1 point of energy for each full turn he is in a crater.

Optional rule: Godzilla can also be allowed to regain 1 energy point for every attack strength point of armor or infantry he destroys with his stomp attack in overrun combat. He is eating the crews and - more importantly - their nuclear armament. (This rule gives the big lizard a bit more incentive to go hand-to-hand.)

In a campaign game, Godzilla naturally regenerates one energy point per hour. In a single tactical game, this won't matter . . . he will have to fight with the energy he starts with, plus whatever he can steal from his foes.

Cruise Missiles

Cruise missile attacks against Godzilla are handled in a special way. He may shoot down a cruise missile in the same way as a laser tower using his breath weapon. He has a base to-hit roll of 9+ on two dice, like a laser tower, and gains the same bonuses for any distance the missile has traveled. For every full 4 points put into the breath weapon attack, up to a maximum of 8, Godzilla gains a +1 to his die roll for interception. Godzilla may make one attempt on each cruise missile. Against shooting down cruise missiles, Godzilla's breath weapon has a range of 8".

Cruise missile attacks against Godzilla that succeed do the damage to Godzilla's body points that are indicated on the Cruise Missile template, included with Ogre Miniatures. Ignore the attack odds reference. Godzilla will also absorb the indicated dice of damage in energy roll this seperateIy. Thus, attacking Godzilla with a cruise missile is chancy, as the attack may help more than hurt him! If Godzilla loses all of his body points in the attack he is dead; even if he absorbs sufficient energy from the attack, he was killed first and cannot regenerate.

If Godzilla takes a direct hit, he takes 8 dice of damage to his body points and is knocked to the ground. If he survived the attack, Godzilla must spend 2" of movement to stand up next turn; he may still stand up even if he only has enough body points for 1" of movement.

Scenarios

Oh, No, There Goes Tokyo . . .

Terrain: Play on a board at least 4 feet square. One end of it should be occupied by structures with SP values, one of which must be a 60 SP reactor building. The remaining structures should be considered "town" and have the optional town-destroying rule (Ogre Miniatures, p. 49). This "town" should stretch from corner to corner on its side of the board and extend out at least 6 inches. No building (particularly the reactor) should stretch out more than a foot. The rest of the board should be an even mixture of streams, woods, hills and open terrain.

Units: The city's defenders get 2 companies (24 squads) of infantry and 200 points worth of armor (if battling a "smart" Godzilla), or 140 points (if fighting a "dumb" Zilla). The attacker plays Godzilla. The defender may take up to half of his points in cruise missiles.

Setup: The defenders must all set up within 1 foot of the city side of the board. Godzilla moves first, entering anywhere along the opposite edge of the board.

Special Rules: Godzilla's objectives, in order of priority are: 1) destroy the reactor (absorb its energy), 2) crush as much of the town as he can, and 3) stomp as many defenders as he can get his claws on. Godzilla can escape from the board edge he entered on. Defenders may escape on any side of the board.

Victory Conditions: Since Godzilla can regenerate lost body points, it is difficult to assess victory points based on damage done to him. Therefore, determine victory as follows:

Defenders preserve reactor and at least 75% of the city and at least 50% of their force: overwhelming defense victory.

Defenders preserve reactor and at least 75% of the city, regardless of casualties: decisive defense victory.

Defenders preserve reactor or at least 75% of the city and at least 50 % of their force: marginal defense victory.

Defenders preserve reactor or at least 75% of the city, regardless of casualties: draw.

Defenders lose their reactor and preserve less than 75% of the city, but can preserve at least 50% of their force: Godzilla victory.

Defenders lose their reactor and preserve less than 75% of the city, and preserve less than 50% of their force: decisive Godzilla victory.

If the defenders succeed in destroying Godzilla, then they score two victory levels higher overall.

Ogre Variant The defender may take Ogres as part of his defense force; have the city manager pay up his insurance.

Other Scenario Ideas

Monster Hunt: An ancient menace is terrorizing the countryside. Try hunting a "smart" Godzilla in the forests or mountains!

The Duel Redux: A rogue Ogre is on the loose. The city's only hope is . . . a giant nuclear-fire-breathing lizard?!? When the battle ends, the people are so overwhelmed by his nobility that they bake him a huge cake. And then he eats them.

Party Crasher: Two enemy forces are manuevering to engage when a tall and scaly third party crashes the battle. A great three-player game.

Adapt your favorite movie monster to Ogre using these rules! Great submissions may appear in a "Destroy All Monsters" column later this year.

The owner of this magazine is welcome to copy this record sheet for personal use! Copyright © 1993 Steve Jackson Games

Godzilla Record Sheet

Attack
 Breath Weapon  1 to 8, Range  3'' - 4" at half 
		          strength,  8" vs Cruise Msl.
                Can be used up to Energy Level.
 Trample/Tail   Attack 4, overrun combat only.
                Can use once per fire round.
                   
Defense
All attacks of less than 20 attack strength points 
against him  are rolled at 1-1 odds. Any single 
attack of 20 or more points is rolled at 2-1 odds. 
"D" results don't affect Godzilla.

60 Body Points      Movement starts at 6"
ooooo  ooooo        (Movement drops to 5")
ooooo  ooooo        (Movement drops to 4")
ooooo  ooooo        (Movement drops to 3")
ooooo  ooooo        (Movement drops to 2")
ooooo  ooooo        (Movement drops to 1")
ooooo  ooooo        (Godzilla is dead!)

Energy	
   Total energy at start of turn     _____pts.

Energy Reserve	
   Energy spent on Breath Weapon
     1 attack strength = 1 energy   _____pts.
   Energy spent on healing	
     1 body point = 1 energy        _____pts.
   Energy absorbed                 +_____pts.

   Total energy at end of turn      _____pts.

Energy may be expended to heal body points at ANY point 
in the turn, even between enemy attack rolls. An energy 
reserve of zero has no adverse effect on Godzilla. 
Godzilla may replenish his energy reserve in several ways.

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