Stalwart Phile #8

The 8th issue of the Stalwart Phile is now posted. It focuses on the Null Zone, presenting a few creatures who come from it. As you can see, I've done some housekeeping here on ye old blog. I've also done some updates to the Doc Stalwart Comic Database, and added a bit to the Resources tab for Stalwart '85. 

Visual Redesigns

One of the things I'm doing is a visual re-design of the various other creatures in the world of the ants. For many creatures, I only have some sketches or a handful of drawings in my comics. As a for instance, bees only ever made an appearance in the form of General Groth, and his design was pretty weak from the get-go. I always just kept it because that was how I'd established him. I've now come up with a re-design for bees that I think makes them a little more visually interesting, and reflects where I am now as an illustrator vs. where I was thirty years ago (and might still in some way feel beholden to)... this design is both kind of cute and a little menacing at the same time, which fits the vibe of the whole thing quite well. 

These are two drawings I did this morning that might give you an idea - a Bee Soldier and Dr. Weevil. For Dr. Weevil, I think that he is a mad chemical engineer who works for the Wasp Empire, and is developing all sorts of nerve toxins or biological weapons that could be used against the ants. This opens the game up for various effects that would be more than simply dealing or resisting damage. 

I would think that any mission involving Dr. Weevil would require that he be brought back alive - I like him too much as a squirrely little nuissance to have him killed off entirely.
 

Ant Ant-Sized Update

I've done a little bit of housekeeping here on ye old blog, and I've also shifted (as you can see) to an Army Ants theme for a bit, since that is where my head is right now. Of course I've got the core rules available as a PWYW download or (if you love killing trees as much as I do), it's also available in print. 

Furthermire, I've started a series of posts following an actual play experience. You can see how the game works and following along with my silliness. 

I've also got an Army Ants Companion going. This should be a full release at some point, but for now I'm keeping everything new that I create in a separate document that you can access and use as you see fit.

Semper Formica!

Tracker Session Zero

Meh. I have now tried three times to record a video of this process, but each time something has gone wrong, and I ended up having to start all over. I am going to chalk that up to a learning experience, and go back to the way I usually do this - sorry you don’t have any video to watch.

Anyhow, I feel like making an ant and taking him on some adventures. I’ve been doing some Army Ant writing, and I have some ideas for things to do with that IP (ooh, look at me. I have an IP).

When I was ten, my first three GI Joe action figures were Flash, Breaker, and Stalker. I didn’t like Flash too much, because the whole sci-fi thing didn’t fit with GI Joe to me. I didn’t want my GI Joe getting into my Star Wars. Breaker was kind of boring, because he was a communications officer. Stalker was cool. He was the team leader. He had camo.

As you might have noticed, some of my Army Ants are inspired by some GI Joes, but I’ve never built my homage to Stalker. Time to fix that. I like that history ties Stalker and Snake Eyes, and that both Tracker and Zak are black ants - gives them a bit of kinship.

I ended up in the hospital for a few days this weekend (I'm doing much better now), and ended up channel surfing (which I never do). This gave me a chance to watch the History of the Navy Seals on A+E (as well as some wrestling documentaries), so it was an entertaining day. That also inspired me in this direction.

While the rules state that you start at level 2, I’m going to start Tracker here at level 3, so that he can survive solo for a bit. This gives him the following: 

Level 3 

100 Mission Points

D8 Action Die

I have 30 points to distribute among traits. I’m going to make him a Ranger, which means he has to have at least D8 Spirit (and he’ll get +1 edge with Spirit checks)... I don’t want to go less than D6 anywhere, because he’s solo, and I don’t want any glaring holes. I’m going to lean heavily into Spirit (since he’s going to have to sneak past a lot of foes to survive on his own), and I’ll lean towards Reflex over Body (small and fast is his game)...

Body D6

Mind D6

Reflex D8

Spirit D10

The character I made for the core rules has very different Traits, even though they are both Rangers. This makes me feel good - you could put together a team of Rangers and have them be versatile. 

As far as skills, he has 8 points (since his action die is D8), and must have Nature +1 and Stealth +1. Random thought - Nature should include swimming. If I’m trying to swim against a current, I would roll Might + Nature to do it. I sense some house rules (or GM guidance) coming up…

Going through the list, I also like Aim, First Aid, and Infiltrate for him. All are needed on some level. Aim is important for everyone, but first aid/infiltrate are secondary to my character. I go back and forth between Aim or Stealth for the +3, but end up with Aim - the higher die and automatic +1 edge give me a lot of power already in Stealth without the extra +1 point allocation, but that +1 aim might be really important. 

Tracker, Ant Ranger

Level 3 (Action Die D8) 100 XP

BODY D6 | MIND D6 | REFLEX D8 | SPIRIT D10

+1 Edge SPIRIT Checks

Aim +3 | First Aid +1 | Infiltrate +1 | Nature +1 | Stealth +2

As far as rank, I roll D6+0 and get 1. He started as an A-1 Private. He got an automatic bump in rank at level 3, but he might have advanced during level 2. He would roll D6+2 after each mission, and he’d have completed an average of 7 missions (since a typical mission grants 10 MP). I’ll roll D6+2 seven times and see what happens…

5+2=7. He moved to A-2 after his second mission.

3+2=5. Nothing.

3+2=5. Nothing.

6+2=8. Moved to A-3 after his fifth mission.

5+2=7. Nothing.

1+2=3. Nothing.

5+2=7. Nothing.

Upon turning level 3: 5+3=8. He gets to move to Corporal, 2nd Lieutenant, or Petty Warrant Officer. The reality is that with his lower Mind, he’s unlikely to get higher results, and staying as an enlisted soldier is going to be his best bet. Besides, the character he is based on is a sergeant, so I kind of have to go that route… A-4 Corporal he is!

This gives him 30 Clout (from being level 3) +15 (from his rank), for a total of 45. He starts with a basic kit (free). I’ve decided to add a weapon to the game, so I’m having him take an AM-3A spitfire rifle, with more damage but compact range:

AM-3A Spitfire Rifle

(20 Clout | D6+1 | Range 20)

This powerful, short-range weapon was designed for use in tunnels.

This is 20 clout, leaving him with 25 to go. I really want him to have a silencer (6 clout; 19 left). He’s got camouflage fatigues (4 clout; 15 left), and I’ll get 2 field grenades (2 clout), 2 smoke grenades (2 clout), 6 aid kits (6 clout). He now has 5 clout left. I go with binoculars (4 clout), and use the extra clout point to get another field grenade. 

Standard Issue Gear

AM-3A Spitfire Rifle + Silencer

Camouflage Fatigues

3 Field Grenades

2 Smoke Grenades

6 Aid Kits

Binoculars

I now have to work out my other stats, based on what I’ve done so far:

3 Actions Per Round (from being level 3)

Defense: 7 (half of his Reflex is 4 + his level of 3)

Armor: 0 (because he's not wearing anything)

Grit: 18 (because of D6 Body x level)

Move: 3 (everyone starts here)

Moxy: 3 (from his level)

My actual setup as I'm working (along with my Hellfire Club gift pack from Christmas I haven't used - and my camoflage lanyard):

My Shoes

About two and a half years ago, I bought a pair of shoes for work. I usually maintain three pairs of shoes - a pair of sneakers for weekends, a pair of black dress shoes for whenever I have to dress of up, and these - my go-to work shoes that I used to wear almost every day. In September of 2024, I realized that these shoes were starting to wear down - they were about a year old at that point, and they were starting to fade. However, I decided that I could probably get to Christmas with them, so I waited on replacing them.

Then I got sick. A doctor gave me a letter that said I had six to twelve months to live. My priorities shifted. I had to 'get my affairs in order'. I had debts to resolve. Bank accounts to organize. A will to revise.

I looked at these shoes and decided that they were sufficient. They would see me through to the end.

I no longer needed these shoes for work. I was 'permanently disabled'. I still pulled these shoes out from time to time. I wore them to the doctor's office when he told Mary and me that the many rounds of chemotherapy and immunotherapy had not helped; my tumors continued to grow. He explained that he had 'nothing more he could do', but suggested we consider a 'second opinion'. 

I wore the shoes again when we drove to Pittsburgh. To our surprise, the doctors had a plan. Lutathera; a nuclear treatment designed for pancreatic cancer, but which may also attack my tumors since they shared many characteristics.

Four trips to Pittsburgh. Four treatments. Eight months. Same shoes. Because why get new ones, right?

But, because of God's grace and mercy, the treatments have worked. My small tumors have been destroyed. Larger tumors made smaller. 

I decided I felt healthy enough to substitute teach a few days a week. I looked at the shoes and decided they'd get me through that. They could substitute teach one or two days a week. I was still 'permanently disabled', right?

But my most recent visit was the most optimistic. Out of my team of doctors, my local oncologist was the most positive. He was effusive in his hope for my future. We have options - either more treatments of Lutathera to destroy the tumors further, or other treatments that are likely to prevent further growth and stablize tumors where they are. I will have cancer for the rest of my life. I don't know what that is, but it's no longer 6-12 months. My affairs are in order as much as they need to be. I don't feel permanently disabled.

This morning, I saw a listing for my dream job. If you could write up a perfect role for me, this is it. It would allow me to leverage everything - my education, my passions, my experiences, my hobbies. All of it comes together in this one job. 

I sent in a cover letter and my resume.

I think it's time to buy a new pair of shoes. I'm going to need them.

A Health Update

 Thought I would share a health update with all y'all...

After about ten rounds of chemo, at least fifteen rounds of Keytruda, and four rounds of a nuclear treatment, my most recent scans show that the nuclear treatment, Lutathera, has actually stopped the tumors from growing on my spine, ribs and pelvis, and may in fact be shrinking them. We're working on getting another round of Lutathera to see if we can make more progress, but the fact is that they have stopped my cancer from growing. My original prognosis was that I wouldn't be here today, but I've actually started to substitute teach a few days a week when I'm feeling up to it, and I have some hope for hanging around a few more years. Thanks again for all of the prayers and support that you've sent my way, and for the support you've all given Mary and Grace as well. We truly appreciate it.

Shout Out

I'll be posting a bigger update soon, but I wanted to give a shout out to Christopher Cortright and his supplement Five Foes for Stalwart '85. As a publisher, I'm not able to review or rate it (at least, I think that's why), but I'd gladly give it five stars if I could. Chris did a nice job with this, and I hope you support him.

Thanks!