In my Sentinels setting, there are a number of underground civilizations which occasionally interact with the surface world, the largest and most human-like is the nation of Underland. Heavily militarized and extremely paranoid due to their more...exotic subterranean neighbors, their primary interest in the world above ground involves conflicts over resources (oil drilling in particular, and they understandably objected to atomic testing programs back in the 50s) and their proclivity for launching abduction raids to kidnap scientists and engineers who are enslaved in Underland war industries. To date their attacks have been dealt with mostly by super-heroes (and the occasional villain) although their have been some more conventional small-scale military conflicts and diplomatic contacts with various countries, including the USA.
Listed below are a variety of Underlander villains, lieutenants, and minions that have seen use in past games.
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Arch-Tyrant Malakaust Azzat XII of Underland
Malakaust Azzat XII is the current Arch-Tyrant of Underland, one of several sprawling subterranean civilizations found beneath the surface world. His position is theoretically hereditary, but only the most capable and ruthless Underlanders can expect to achieve and retain their title in the face of their many competing kinfolk. The Azzat dynasty is genetically predisposed toward psionic powers, and Azzat XII is an unusually powerful telepath as well as a military genius and talented duelist. While primarily concerned with internal politics and rival subsurface nations, he has clashed with the surface world (and its super-heroic population) on several occasions since becoming Arch-Tyrant in the 1950s. Unnaturally long-lived though his family line tends to be, he is reaching an age where others around him are beginning to consider who might become Azzat XIII and when that might happen.
Description: A typical Underlander, pale, goggle-eyed and hairless, although his physical attributes are largely concealed by the richly decorated battle suit he wears along with the crown, power-scepter and battle-blade that make up the national regalia of Underland. His armor conceals multiple blades and blasters, as well as psionic boosters and hidden speakers to amplify his dictatorial commands.
Gender: Male Age: 90 Height: 5'10" Eyes: Wide & Colorless
Hair: None Skin: Pallid Semi-Translucent Blueish-White Build: Lithe
Approach: Specialized Archetype: Overlord
Health: 35 + (5 x H)
Powers: Power Suit d10, Telepathy d8
Qualities: Leadership d12, Close Combat d8, Ruthless Dictator d8
Status: (# of Minions & Lieutenants) 9+ - d12 / 5-8 - d10 / 3-4 - d8 / 1-2 - d6 / 0 - d4
Abilities:
Arch-Tyrant's Command (A) Boost all your minions using Leadership until the start of your next turn.
Faithful Unto Death (R) Redirect an Attack to one of your minions.
Furious Assault (A) Attack up to three targets using Close Combat. Use your Max die against one target, your Mid die against a second target, and your Min die against a third target.
Grandmaster Duelist (A) Attack using Close Combat. Use your Max + Min dice. Defend yourself using your Mid die.
Treacherous Attack (A) Attack one one target using Ruthless Dictator. Use your Mx + Min dice. That target cannot Defend or use reactions against this Attack.
Underland Legions (A) Use Leadership to create a number of minions equal to the value of your Max die. The starting die size of these minions is the same as the size of your Min die.
Upgrades & Masteries (use as long as Azzat XII still rules Underland):
Defense Shield (I) You cannot be damaged by anything except yourself until the defense shield is destroyed. The shield has 40 Health, or can be deactivated with three Overcome successes. If a hero takes a minor twist working on the shield, you can use a Reaction to Attack that hero by rolling your single Inventions die. Gain Reestablish Shield (A) Overcome using Power Suit. Use your Max die. On a success remove one success from the deactivation challenge. Alternatively, instead of an Overcome, use your Max die to Recover that much of the shield's Health. This ability cannot be used if the shield has been completely removed.
Master of Conquest (I) As long as you are in command of your own forces, automatically succeed at an Overcome to seize an area or capture civilians.
Tactics
The Arch-Tyrant is the supreme ruler of a vast and heavily militarized subterranean nation. He prefers to let his Underland Legions of minions do the fighting for him, using Arch-Tyrant's Command to motivate them and Faithful Unto Death to deter direct attacks on his person. When he does engage in combat personally, his status as a Grandmaster Duelist makes him a deadly foe one on one, while a Furious Assault lets him swiftly carve through multiple foes. Treacherous Attack reflects his cunning and ruthlessness, letting him slip past a foe's best defenses. The national regalia of Underland grants him his Defense Shield upgrade, and as the Arch-Tyrant he is a Master of Conquest.
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Battle-Bore
Battle-Bores are some of the largest war machines in the Underland arsenal, huge drill-carriers loaded with snare-cannons, explosive charge launchers, and onboard troops. Although easily the size of a modern submarine they're even more cramped and uncomfortable, and that only gets worse when they've loaded their capture-pens with captives from the surface world. It's rare to see more than one of them in a given incursion, although major assaults might employ as many as a dozen with numerous specialized support vehicles.
Description: A massive cigar-shaped machine carried on multiple sets of spiked grinder-treads that encircle the whole hull, with huge drills at each and armored hatches scattered across its surface. The thing's machinery is noisy when idling, painfully loud when powered up, and absolutely deafening when boring through the ground.
Approach: Focused
Archetype: Titan (Status Challenge: Breach Hull 00 Internal Damage 0)
Health: 45 + (5 x H)
Powers: Whirling War-Drill d12, Gadgets d8
Qualities: Imposing d10, Fitness d8, Monstrous Digging Machine d8
Status: Titan Challenge Start - d12 / Stage 1 Completed - d10 / Stage 2 Completed - d8
Abilities:
Close-In Defenses (R) When a hero takes a minor twist in the Titan's challenge, in addition to the chosen twist roll your status die and deal that much damage to that hero.
Magma Diver (I) Ignore all damage from Fire.
Massive Armored Hull (I) Reduce all damage taken by you by 6 (if your status is d12), 4 (if your status is d10), or 2 (if your status is d8 or less).
Menacing Grinders (A) Defend using Whirling War-Drill. This Defend lasts until your next turn. If an Attack deals more damage than the Defend's value, the Defend ends and make an Attack against the attacker using the value of that Defend.
Snare Cannons (A) Attack using Gadgets. Use your Max die. The target can either be Hindered using your Max + Mid + Min dice, or be unable to to take actions other than using an Overcome to attempt to escape.
War-Drill Debris Storm (A) Attack one target using Whirling War-Drill. Use your Max die. That target cannot Defend or use reactions against this Attack. Attack multiple other nearby targets using your Min die.
Upgrades & Masteries (use when carrying troops):
Mook Squad +0 Health. Gain Offload Troops (A) Replenish your Cavern Commando minions up to the number of heroes in the scene.
Master of Conquest (I) As long as you are in command of your own forces, automatically succeed at an Overcome to seize an area or capture civilians.
Tactics
Battle-Bores are major war machines and generally disregard individual man-sized targets unless they've proven to be a real threat. If they're on a raid to seize prisoners they'll focus on Overcomes, either using their Mastery with offloaded troops or with Gadgets to use their snare cannons to reel victims in. In a fight, they use Close-In Defenses at every opportunity while employing either their Snare Cannons or War-Drill Debris Storm for offense. If acting more defensively Menacing Grinders and their Massive Armored Hull keep them very safe from damage. They'll happily use their Magma Diver ability to park in a convenient inferno if given the chance, even if they have to create it themselves.
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Underlander Military Troopers
Cavern Commandos d8 minions
Description: Underlander soldiers in dark brown military uniforms with black boots, gauntlets, and webbing. Most carry short-barreled shotgun-like weapons and wear dark goggles and bulky filter masks that conceal their features. Their gray helmets are oddly faceted, like a flattened partial tetracontahedron. Officers and specialists wear different insignia, although few surface world dwellers can tell what they indicate. If seen without their masks and goggles they have the signature blue-white semi-translucent skin and huge, almost colorless eyes of most subterraneans.
Team Training: When taking any basic action, add +1 to the result if there are three or more other allied Cavern Commandos nearby. This does not apply to saves against damage.
Imprisoner Corps Troopers d8 minions
Description: As above. Imprisoner Corps specialists carry specialized non-lethal ammo that coats their target with fast-hardening alchemical goop for easy captures.
Restraint Gear: Add a +2 bonus to all your Hinder actions and to Overcomes made to take an enemy prisoner.
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Cavern Coordinater d10 lieutenant
Description: As above. Cavern Coordinators usually carry a pistol and an officer's baton that doubles as a melee weapon. They prefer to lead from the rear, but will engage in frontline combat when an all-out assault is called for.
Watchful Eye: Nearby Underlander minions may reroll once whenever they roll a natural one on their die.
Psi-Spy d10 lieutenant
Description: Psi-Spies are rare psychic mutants in military service. They rarely wear headgear or carry physical weaponry and rely on their mental powers in combat. Many of them are entirely blind, relying on ESP instead of sight.
Psychic Meddling: Nearby enemies cannot use Reactions against Attacks made by Underlander minions.
Telepathic Solutions: Add a +2 bonus to all your Overcome actions.
Underland Lordling d12 lieutenant
Description: Lordlings are the most common organizers of surface world raids, and rarely tolerate rivals in their forces. They can be identified by the chest full of medals worn on their expensively-tailored uniforms, their customized dueling sword and their overweening arrogance. Their superb training and expensive equipment make them a threat even to super-heroic opposition.
Master Duelist: When you make an Attack action, you may also Defend yourself using the same die roll.
Noble's Retort: When you are Attacked, use the result of your save roll against the damage to Hinder your Attacker.
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