Macroeuphractus in GURPS

While most armadillos will eat small vertebrates and scavenge carrion, Macroeuphractus' teeth suggest it was a more aggressive predator, capable of taking relatively large prey. It lived in Argentina and Boliva from the late Miocene to the late Pliocene. Like its living relatives, it had sturdy claws for digging and was protected by bands of scaly armour.

Macroeuphractus

ST 8; DX 10; IQ 3; HT 10.
HP 8; Will 11; Per 11; FP 10; Speed 5.00; Dodge 8; Move 5.
SM −1, 70 lbs.

Bite (12): 1d−3 cutting. Reach C.
Claw (12): 1d−2 crushing. Reach C.

Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Discriminatory Smell; DR 4 (Directional, Back); Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 10; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/Second); Night Vision 2; Parabolic Hearing 1; Peripheral Vision; Quadruped; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-12; Survival (Plains)-12.

This represents a modest size estimate. Some have suggested a weight of up to 220 lbs. Such a creature would have ST and HP 12, SM 0, DR 6, and do 1d−1 damage with a bite, or 1d with a claw.

Extinct hippos in GURPS

There are several known extinct species of Hippopotamus, in addition to the living H. amphibias. H. antiquus lived from the early to middle Pleistocene, with a range covering most of Europe, reaching as far into Asia as Georgia. It seems to have spent even more time in the water than its relatives. By contrast, its small descendant, the Cretan dwarf hippo, H. creutzburgi, was mostly terrestrial. During the same period, H. gorgops inhabited the rivers of East and North Africa, and the Levant.

In the middle to late Pleistocene H. melitensis lived on Malta, while H. pentlandi occupied Sicily. Although both were 'dwarf' species, they weren't much smaller than modern hippos. The Cypriot dwarf hippo H. minor, however, was quite diminutive and survived into the early Holocene. On Madagascar, another dwarf species, H. lemerlei, lasted until around 1,000 years ago.

Hippopotamus antiquus

ST 38; DX 9; IQ 3; HT 13.
HP 38; Will 11; Per 11; FP 13; Speed 4.00; Dodge 7; Move 4.
SM +3 (14 hexes), 7,000 lbs.

Bite (12): 4d+3 impaling. Reach C.
Trample (12): 4d+4 crushing.

Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 3; Breath Holding 2; DR 4; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 8); Night Vision 2; Parabolic Hearing 2; Peripheral Vision; Quadruped; Subsonic Hearing; Terrain Adaptation (Mud); Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-11; Survival (River/Stream)-12.

For H. creutzburgi (900 lbs.) decrease ST and HP to 19, SM to +1 (2 hexes), and DR to 2. Add half a level of Enhanced Move (Ground Speed 12). Damage becomes 2d with a bite, 2d+1 with a trample.

For H. gorgops increase ST and HP to 42, which raises damage to 4d+5 with a bite or 4d+6 with a trample.

For H. melitensis or H. pentlandi (both about 2,200 lbs.) decrease ST and HP to 26, SM to +2 (4 hexes), and DR to 3. Damage becomes 2d+3 with a bite, 2d+4 with a trample.

For H. minor (300 lbs.) decrease ST and HP to 12, SM to 0 (2 hexes), and DR to 1. Damage becomes 1d with a bite, 1d+1 with a trample.

For H. lemerlei (1,000 lbs.) decrease ST and HP to 20, SM to +1 (2 hexes), and DR to 2. Damage becomes 2d with a bite, 2d+1 with a trample.

Macroraptorial physeteroid whales in GURPS

These relatives of modern sperm whales were more like orca in their habits, hunting large prey close to the surface. They thrived throughout the Miocene. The largest and most famous was Livyatan, which inhabited the southern Oceans, sharing its habitat with the giant shark Megalodon. Its smaller relatives were Acrophyseter which lived in the south-east Pacific (its remains were found in Peru), Albicetus in the north-east Pacific (California), Brygmophyseter in the north-west Pacific (Japan), Zygophyseter in the Mediterranean (Italy), and Scaldicetus, which may have had a world-wide distribution, or be a 'wastebasket taxon' of multiple only somewhat related whales.

Livyatan

ST 100; DX 10; IQ 5; HT 11.
HP 100; Will 11; Per 11; FP 11; Speed 4.00; Dodge 7; Move 4.
SM +6 (39 hexes), 125,000 lbs.

Bite (12): 11d+10 impaling. Reach C.
Tail (12): 11d+22 crushing. Reach 1-6. Limited Arc, Rear.

Traits: Absolute Direction; Acute Hearing 2; Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 3; Colorblindness; Doesn't Breathe (Oxygen Storage ×100; Doesn't Sleep (Temporary Disadvantage, −4 IQ); DR 10; DR 10 (Limited, Crushing; Partial, Skull Only); Enhanced Move 2 (Water Speed 16); Injury Tolerance (No Neck); Nictitating Membrane 1; Night Vision 2; No Depth Perception; No Legs (Aquatic); No Manipulators; Peripheral Vision; Pressure Support 1; Sonar (Water Only; Extended Arc, 240°; Reduced Range, 1,000 yards); Temperature Tolerance 10; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-12; Survival (Open Ocean)-12.

For Albicetus, Brygmophyseter, Zygophyseter, and Scaldicetus (all about 6,000 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 36, SM to +4 (8 hexes), both types of DR to 4, and Temperature Tolerance to 4. Damage becomes 4d+2 with a bite, 4d+7 with the tail, which has Reach 1-3.

For Acrophyseter (1,800 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 24, SM to +2 (5 hexes), both types of DR to 3, and Temperature Tolerance to 3. Damage becomes 2d+2 with a bite, 2d+5 with the tail, which has Reach 1-2.

Dinopithecus and other giant prehistoric monkeys in GURPS

The Papionini include the living baboons, geladas, macaques, mandrills, and mangabeys. Some extinct genera in the family were significantly larger than their living relatives. These were ground-dwelling social animals, living in troops led by a dominant male. The males probably had colourful patches on their faces, chests, and buttocks and were significantly larger than females. They would have eaten a mixed diet of fruit, leaves, seeds, roots, and small prey.

Dinopithecus was the most closely related to baboons, and lived in South Africa during the early Pleistocene. Theropithecus has one surviving species, the gelada of Ethiopia. T. oswaldi was much more widely distributed, occupying much of Africa and south-western Eurasia during the early to middle Pleistocene. T. brumpti is known only from Ethiopia during the late Pliocene. Gorgopithecus lived in South Africa and Tanzania during the Pliocene and early Pleistocene.

Dinopithecus

ST 10; DX 12; IQ 5; HT 11.
HP 10; Will 11; Per 11; FP 11; Speed 6.00; Dodge 9; Move 8.
SM 0, 110 lbs.

Bite (14): 1d−1 impaling. Reach C

Traits: Born Biter 1; Chummy; Extra Arms 2 (Foot Manipulators); Ham-Fisted 1; Semi-Upright; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-14; Climbing-12; Intimidation-12; Survival (Plains)-12.

This profile is for a male. Females (60 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 8, SM to −1, and lose the Brawling and Intimidation skills. Bite damage becomes 1d−3.

Theropithecus brumpti would have the same profiles as Dinopithecus. T. oswaldi males (160 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 11, raising bite damage to 1d. T. oswaldi females (90 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 9, and lose the Brawling and Intimidation skills. Bite damage becomes 1d−2.

Gorgopithecus males (80 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 9. Females (45 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 7, and lose the Brawling and Intimidation skills. Bite damage becomes 1d−3.

Aliens: 'take off and nuke the site from orbit'.

In a recent session of the Alien RPG, players asked how much artillery the USCM could call down if needed.

In general, the USCM make significant use of tactical computer systems to allow even small units to direct artillery strikes without consulting the chain of command.

Each section has an APC which is equipped with 51 mm DSGR laser-guided precision strike 'smart' missiles. These have kinetic warheads, so there is no blast effect. Accuracy is dependent on the target designator, but a skilled operator at reasonable range should be able to put them into a 100 mm radius target. They should hit about as hard as an autocannon round, so plenty to kill a person or xenomorph, and threaten lightly armoured vehicles.

Each platoon has a single 80mm mortar, which would usually be directed from the tactical operations centre of an APC. Lethal blast radius should be about 12 metres (on the tabletop this would be about 8" in ~1:60 scale, so picture slapping a 16" pizza on the board), with fragmentation possibly extending casualties out to about twice that. Accuracy is good enough to ensure that the target is somewhere within the blast radius almost every time.

The UD-4 dropship which is often attached to a platoon carries 32 Banshee 70 rockets. Each of these is capable of causing casualties over an area of over half a hectare (or one American football field), about three times the radius of the 80 mm mortar round. Repeated strikes would be necessary to ensure everything in the area was disabled, especially if they were armoured, inside buildings, or super-humanly tough.

At the company level, a special weapons platoon adds another mortar and APC. Mortar carriers from an artillery company can be attached to infantry companies, which increases the number of shells that can be put into the air, but doesn't otherwise extend the unit's capabilities.

Above the company level is the dedicated artillery company which is typically attached to an infantry battalion. The main artillery piece at this level is the M292 Self-Propelled Gun, a large tracked vehicle. It is armed with a 158mm gun, capable of shelling targets up to 62 km away. Some of the shells it uses are homing weapons, allowing for precise bombardment. Maximum effect may be similar to that of a Banshee 70 rocket. An even heavier option is the M201 Multiple Rocket Launch System, which has a range of 120 km and is described as 'accurate', which probably means it also has guided or homing capabilities. This should affect an area about four times that of a Banshee 70 rocket (i.e. twice the radius).

Spacecraft can deliver nuclear weapons to the surface of a planet via re-entry vehicles or cruise missiles. Maximum yield is one MT TNT-equivalent (causing casualties in a radius of around 8 km, although more-likely-than-not fatalities would occur at only about half that distance). Use of nuclear weapons requires approval of the most senior officer in the theatre of operations, but there doesn't seem to be a lower limit to that (e.g. in Aliens, corporal Hicks seemed able to do it while Lt. Gorman was incapacitated). There are also 'strict guidelines' on the use of nuclear weapons on inhabited planets.

It isn't entirely clear whether the nuclear weapons used by the USCM are thermonuclear fission-ignited fusion ones (like modern-day ones) or 'pure' fusion ignited by antimatter, superconducting z-pinch device, hafnium isomer explosives, or some other science-fiction technology. The latter would be far safer and more flexible, but the significant caution about deploying them suggests that they are actually not that safe. Pure fusion devices such as atmosphere processors and spacecraft engines do exist in the Aliens setting, but it is possible that there is a minimum size which makes them impractical as (tactical-scale) weapons.

Megalosaurs in GURPS

A group of large theropod carnivores, closely related to the spinosaurs. They emerged during the early Jurassic, diversified in the middle Jurassic, and died off around the start of the Cretaceous. They had large heads, slender bodies, and long tails. Their arms had three claws, while their feet had four, although one of the latter was a small dewclaw. Unlike many of their relatives, their faces usually lacked horns or ridges. Their size combined with the warm Jurassic climate suggests that they would have little need for insulation as adults, and they have traditionally been portrayed with bare, scaly skin, but simple hair‐like proto‐feathers are also plausible, especially for juveniles.

Megalosaurus bucklandii was a fairly typical member of the family which lived in central Laurasia (in what is now Britain) during the middle Jurassic. It was the first dinosaur to be given a binomial scientific name. Poekilopleuron bucklandii may be a closely related genus, another species of Megalosaurus, or a somewhat larger individual of the same species. Duriavenator and the larger Wiehenvenator were also closely related and come from around the same time and place. Torvosaurus was another close relative, from later in the Jurassic and further west (in what is now the United States), which reached a similar size to Wiehenvenator

The relationships between other megalosaurids are less clear. Eustreptospondylus lived close to Megalosaurus around the same time, but was only distantly related. Afrovenator was a large predator which lived in the jungles of northern Gondwana (now Niger) from the middle to late Jurassic. It seems to have been closely related to Dubreuillosaurus and Magnosaurus which lived in Laurasia (now France and Britain, respectively) during the middle Jurassic. The huge Piveteausaurus from central Laurasia (now France) during the late Jurassic may be related to the smaller Leshansaurus from eastern Laurasia (now China) during the middle Jurassic, but it isn't clear if they are even megalosaurids.

Megalosaurus

ST 23; DX 11; IQ 3; HT 11.
HP 23; Will 10; Per 12; FP 11; Speed 5.50; Dodge 8; Move 5.
SM +2 (3 hexes), 1,600 lbs.

Bite (13): 2d+2 cutting. Reach C.
Fore‐claw (13): 1d−1 cutting. Reach C.
Kick (11): 2d+3 cutting. Reach C.
Tail (11): 2d+3 crushing. Reach 1–3. Limited arc (rear).

Traits: Born Biter 2; Discriminatory Smell; DR 2 (Tough Skin); Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 10; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/Second); Night Vision 1; No Fine Manipulators; Weak Arms 2 (½ ST); Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling–13; Stealth–11; Survival (Island/Beach)–12; Swimming–12.

For Poekilopleuron or Duriavenator(2,200 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 26, SM to +3 (4 hexes), and damage to 2d+3 with a bite, 1d with fore‐claw, and 2d+4 with kick or tail.

For Wiehenvenator (4,400 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 33, SM to +3 (5 hexes), DR to 3, damage to 3d+4 with a bite, 1d+2 with fore‐claw, and 3d+5 with kick or tail, and tail reach to 1–4.

For Torvosaurus (4,400 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 33, SM to +3 (5 hexes), DR to 3, damage to 3d+4 with a bite, 1d+2 with fore‐claw, and 3d+5 with kick or tail, and tail reach to 1–4. Change Survival specialty to (Plains).

For Eustreptospondylus (1,100 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 21, and damage to 2d+1 with a bite, 1d−1 with fore‐claw, and 2d+2 with kick or tail.

For Afrovenator (3,300 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 30, SM to +3 (4 hexes), DR to 3, and damage to 2d+3 with a bite, 1d+1 with fore‐claw, and 2d+4 with kick or tail. Change Survival specialty to (Jungle).

For Dubreuillosaurus (750 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 18, DR to 1, and damage to 1d+2 with a bite, 1d−2 with fore‐claw, and 1d+3 with kick or tail. Change Survival specialty to (Swampland).

For Magnosaurus (500 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 16, DR to 1, and damage to 1d+1 with a bite, 1d−3 with fore‐claw, and 1d+2 with kick or tail.

For Piveteausaurus (8,000 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 40, SM to +4 (6 hexes), DR to 4, damage to 4d+4 with a bite, 2d−1 with fore‐claw, and 4d+5 with kick or tail, and tail reach to 1–5.

For Leshansaurus (1,600 lbs.) change Survival specialty to (Woodlands).

Alternative Interpretations

Megalosaurus fossils were first understood as the remains of elephants or giants. When some reptilian features were recognized, it was described as a huge, amphibious, lizard‐like quadruped, 40 feet long, 8 feet at the shoulder, and weighing as much as an elephant. Later estimates gave sizes from 30 up to 70 feet in length. A sculpture by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins based on this description can be found among the Crystal Park Dinosaurs.

Megalosaurus (Quadrupedal Reptile)

ST 43; DX 8; IQ 2; HT 12.
HP 43; Will 10; Per 10; FP 12; Speed 5.00; Dodge 8; Move 5.
SM +5 (21 hexes), 10,000 lbs.

Bite or Claw (10): 5d+3 cutting. Reach C.
Tail (8): 5d+4 crushing. Reach 1–4 Limited arc (rear).

Traits: Amphibious; Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 1; Cold‐Blooded (65°F); Discriminatory Smell; DR 4 (Tough Skin); Night Vision 1; Quadruped; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling–10; Survival (Island/Beach)–12; Swimming–15.

This represents the 40 foot version. For a 70 foot colossus (26 tons), increase ST and HP to 75, SM to +7 (36 hexes), DR to 7, damage to 8d+9 with a bite or claw and 8d+10 with the tail, and tail reach to 1–7. A 30 foot beast (2 tons) would have ST and HP 32, SM +4, DR 3, do 3d+3 damage with a bite or claw, and 3d+4 with its tail, which would have a reach of 1–3.

Litopterns in GURPS

An order of odd-toed ungulates (distantly related to horses and tapirs) which evolved in South America during the late Paleocene. They thrived in the warm climate of the Paleocene and Eocene, but as global temperatures dropped, their numbers declined. Nevertheless, some survived as late as the Holocene and were hunted by humans.

Theosodon garretorum and Borhyaena tuberata by Charles R. Knight (1913).

Protolipternidae

Early litopterns resembled chevrotains (also known as mouse-deer), with slender legs, short tails, and fang-like canines. Their feet were closer to tapirs’ paws than hooves, however, and they were omnivorous. Protolipterna was a rabbit-sized animal, while its larger relative Asmithwoodwardia was as big as a hare. Both lived in South America during the late Paleocene and early Eocene.

Protolipterna

ST 3; DX 13; IQ 3; HT 11.
HP 3; Will 10; Per 12; FP 11; Speed 6.00; Dodge 9; Move 6.
SM −4, 2 lbs.

Bite (13): 1d−6 impaling. Reach C.

Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Discriminatory Smell; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 12; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/Second); Night Vision 2; Quadruped; Wild Animal.
Skills: Stealth-14; Survival (Woodlands)-12.

Asmithwoodwardia (10 lbs.) increases ST and HP to 4, and SM to −3.

Sparnotheriodontidae

A family of browsing herbivores. They are the only litopterns known from outside South America, having crossed the land bridge to Antarctica. Sparnotheriodon (from Argentina) and Victorlemoinea (from Antarctica and South America) are either different names for the same genus, or close relatives. Both were moose-sized animals and lived during the Eocene. Notiolofos was an Antarctic genus, consisting of the large N. arquinotiensis, which lived through the Eocene, and sheep-sized N. regueroi, which is only known from the early Eocene.

Sparnotheriodon

ST 19; DX 11; IQ 3; HT 11.
HP 19; Will 10; Per 12; FP 11; Speed 5.50; Dodge 8; Move 5.
SM +2 (3 hexes), 900 lbs.

Kick (9): 2d+1 crushing. Reach C-2.

Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Discriminatory Smell; DR 1 (Tough Skin); Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 10); Night Vision 1; Quadruped; Wild Animal.
Skills: Stealth-11; Survival (Woodlands)-12.

Use the same profile for Victorlemoinea.

Notiolofos arquinotiensis adds Temperature Tolerance 3 (Cold). N. regueroi (90 lbs.) reduces ST and HP to 9, SM to 0, kick damage to 1d−1, kick reach to C, 1, and adds Temperature Tolerance 2 (Cold).

Macraucheniinae

Macrauchenia by Robert Bruce Horsfall (1913)

The largest litopterns all belonged to this family. Their diet seems to have been a mixture of grazing grasses and browsing from trees and shrubs. They are notable for having nasal openings at the top of their skulls, surrounded by attachment points for some soft tissue structure. This has sometimes been reconstructed as a short trunk, but more recent attempts favour a large nose (such as that of a saiga antelope) and maybe highly mobile lips (like a moose). Otherwise, they seem to have resembled large, heavily-built, hump-less camels with three-toed feet. Despite their size, their simple but strong ankle bones suggest considerable agility.

Macrauchenia inhabited the arid scrublands of Patagonia throughout the Pleistocene, while Windhauseria occupied even drier regions of Argentina. Their earlier and smaller relative Huayqueriana lived in the mountains of Western Argentina during the late Miocene. Xenorhinotherium lived later and further north, surviving in the temperate forests of Brazil until the early Holocene.

Macrauchenia

ST 26; DX 12; IQ 3; HT 11.
HP 26; Will 10; Per 12; FP 11; Speed 5.75; Dodge 8; Move 5.
SM +2 (3 hexes), 2,200 lbs.

Kick (9): 2d+4 crushing. Reach C-2.

Traits: Acute Taste and Smell 2; Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Discriminatory Smell; DR 2 (Tough Skin); Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 10; Costs Fatigue, 1FP/Second); Night Vision 1; Reduced Consumption 1 (Water Only); Penetrating Voice; Temperature Tolerance 1 (Cold); Quadruped; Wild Animal.
Skills: Survival (Plains)-12.

This profile assumes a relatively small and immobile snout. To represent a trunk, remove Acute Taste and Smell, Penetrating Voice, and Quadruped, then add Extra Legs (Four Legs), One Arm, and Ham-Fisted 2.

For Windhausenia (2,000 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 25, increase Reduced Consumption to 2, and change Survival speciality to (Desert).

For Xenorhinotherium (2,000 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 25, remove Reduced Consumption, and change Survival speciality to (Woodlands).

For Huayqueriana (550 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 16, SM to +1 (2 hexes), DR to 1, kick damage to 1d+2, kick reach to C, 1, and change Survival speciality to (Mountain).

Proterotheriidae

This family was characterised by bearing their weight on a single hoof on each foot, like horses. Unlike horses, they used a rotary gait to run, in the manner of dogs and pronghorns. Most seem to have been herbivores, but had tusk-like teeth which could deliver a nasty bite.

The sheep-sized Diadiaphorus lived in the mountains of Argentina and Bolivia during the Miocene, while the smaller Tetramerorhinus was found further north and west in Argentina and Peru. The tiny early Miocene Thoatherium also lived in the mountains of Argentina and had only a single toe, lacking even vestigial traces of others. From the late Miocene to the early Pliocene the large Displasiotherium lived near Buenos Aires. Megadolodus, from Miocene Columbia, was more pig-like in its habits and possibly an omnivore. Neolicaphrium, the last survivor of the family, lived in northern Argentina and Uruguay from the late Pliocene to the late Pleistocene. It seems to have adapted from living in grasslands to retreating into forested habitats.

Diadiaphorus by Charles R. Knight (1913)

Diadiaphorus

ST 11; DX 12; IQ 4; HT 12.
HP 11; Will 10; Per 12; FP 12; Speed 6.00; Dodge 9; Move 6.
SM 0, 150 lbs.

Bite (9): 1d−2 cutting. Reach C.

Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Discriminatory Smell; DR 1 (Tough Skin); Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 12); Night Vision 1; Quadruped; Wild Animal.
Skills: Survival (Mountain)-12.

For Tetramerorhinus (90 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 9, and bite damage to 1d−3.

For Thoatherium (30 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 6, SM to −1, bite damage to 1d−4, and remove DR.

Thoatherium minusculum by Charles R. Knight (1913)

For Displasiotherium (900 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 19, SM to +1 (2 yards), bite damage to 2d−1, bite reach to C, 1, and DR to 2. Change Survival speciality to (Plains).

For Megadolodus (160 lbs.) change Survival speciality to (Jungle).

For Neolicaphrium (60 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 8, bite damage to 1d−3, and remove DR. Change Survival speciality to (Plains) or (Woodlands).