Predator in Mega-City One! Bringing the Ultimate Hunter to Sector 102

I've got a new addition to Sector 102, and this time we're heading into the world of Predator! Now, if you've been following Adventures with Peps for a while, you'll know I'm a big fan of taking miniatures from all sorts of different games and finding them a home in my own little corner of Mega-City One, and this is a perfect example.

Today's addition is a classic Predator, made from an old Heroclix miniature. He's got a new home, a new hunting ground and, thanks to one of my amazing subscribers, a set of rules that should make him an absolute menace on the tabletop. But before we get to the rules, we've got a rather important question to answer. What on earth is a Predator doing in Sector 102?

The Ultimate Hunter

If you're not familiar with the Predator, firstly, where have you been hiding? Secondly, you're in for a treat! The Predator, or Yautja as they're commonly known, is an alien hunter with a rather particular hobby: travelling around the universe looking for dangerous prey, and they're very good at it. These aren't just big, angry aliens with sharp teeth. They're intelligent, incredibly strong and armed with technology that makes most of our toys look a little rubbish.

We're talking wrist blades, combi-sticks, smart discs and that wonderfully over-the-top shoulder-mounted plasma caster. Add in a cloaking device and a Bio-Mask that lets them see their prey in ways we can't, and you've got a rather unpleasant opponent to run into. But what makes the Predator really interesting is the hunt itself. They're looking for a challenge. They want worthy opponents, and taking down dangerous prey is part of their culture. The trophies are proof of a successful hunt. Which got me thinking…If a Predator arrived in Mega-City One, where would it go hunting? Because let's face it, this is a city full of criminals, mutants, monsters and heavily armed Judges. If you're an alien looking for something that might put up a fight, you've certainly come to the right place!

Welcome to the Spillways

There are a few places I could drop this chap into Sector 102. The streets are an obvious choice. Mega-City One is crawling with perps, gangs and Judges, and there's no shortage of potential trophies. But with all the cameras, patrols and Justice Department surveillance, I suspect our visitor would attract a bit too much attention. Then there's the Cursed Earth. Plenty of mutants, weird creatures and all manner of nasties out there. A Predator could have a wonderful time exploring the wastes. But I've got another location in mind.

The Spillways. If you've been following my Sector 102 project, you'll know the Spillways are the dark, filthy sub-tunnels running beneath the city and into the Undercity. They're full of rubbish, forgotten infrastructure and things that have been lurking down there for far too long. In other words, they're absolutely perfect. Imagine being one of the mutants living in those tunnels. You've survived the Cursed Earth, the city and whatever horrors the Undercity has thrown at you. You know your territory, you're armed, and you reckon you're pretty tough.

Then people start disappearing. A gang goes missing. A particularly nasty creature turns up dead. More bodies follow, and nobody can work out what's happening. There are no witnesses. No obvious tracks. Just the occasional strange noise echoing through the tunnels, and every now and again, someone hears that unmistakable clicking. Something is hunting in the Spillways, and it's looking for the biggest, nastiest prey it can find.

What Is It Hunting?

I don't see this Predator wandering around picking on ordinary citizens. That's not really the point of the hunt. No, I reckon it's after the serious stuff. A mutant champion. A particularly vicious gang leader. Some enormous beast that's made its home beneath Sector 102. Perhaps, just perhaps, a Judge. Now that would be an interesting encounter! Imagine being a Predator and discovering that Mega-City One has an entire organisation of heavily armed law-enforcers whose job is to hunt down dangerous criminals. You might just think: challenge accepted.

Of course, the Justice Department isn't going to be terribly impressed by an invisible alien stalking around the Spillways and collecting trophies. Sooner or later, the Judges are going to investigate, and that's when things could get really interesting. Because our Predator isn't just facing off against a few mutants anymore. It's got the Judges on its trail.

The hunt has just got a whole lot more dangerous, and I absolutely love the idea of this becoming an ongoing little story in Sector 102. A mysterious hunter lurking beneath the city, gangs terrified of the dark, and the Judges trying to work out what on earth they're dealing with. All from an old Heroclix miniature!

Taking the Hunt to the Tabletop

Of course, having a great miniature and a cracking bit of backstory is all well and good, but I also wanted to get this chap onto the tabletop, and this is where I need to give a massive shout-out to one of my amazing subscribers, who has put together a set of Predator rules for me. Seriously, this is one of the things I love about the hobby. People sharing ideas, making things, and helping each other bring our mad little projects to life. It's brilliant, and I'm incredibly grateful for the time and effort that's gone into these.

They've done a cracking job of capturing the Predator. We're looking at a Move of 6, with a Fight of 4, Ranged of 4 and a whopping 22 points. This isn't something you want charging down the corridor towards you! The weapons are just what you'd expect. The Wristblades are nasty up close, the Combi-stick gives it some reach, and then there's the Plasmacaster. A close range of eight-inches, gives it a plus one, while at Power 4 with Improved Sights and High Power. this weapon will bring the pain. But it's the special rules that really bring the character to life.

The Bio-Mask helps it see through the tricks of opponents using Stealth Suits, or gas weapons. The Cloaking Device gives it a Stealth Suit card from the start, making it that much harder to pin down. Fortitude means it can ignore the effects of its first Injury or Stun marker. So even when you finally manage to land a hit, it might just keep coming. Then there's Master Hunter, which gives it a bonus to Shoot and Fight when targeting the enemy leader. I love this. The Predator isn't interested in the little guy. It wants the biggest challenge in the room.

Finally, there's Trophies. Take down or subdue the enemy leader and the Predator immediately gains an Armoury card. It's a lovely little mechanic that captures the whole idea of hunting the strongest opponent and claiming a trophy. I can't wait to see how it performs in a game. Although, if I'm playing against it, I might suddenly find myself developing a very healthy respect for the other side of the table!

Something Is Out There…

And that's the beauty of Sector 102 for me. I'm not restricted to one range of miniatures, one game or even one genre. If I like a model, I can find a place for it, give it a story and see what happens. A classic Predator made from an old Heroclix miniature? Absolutely. A subscriber-created set of rules? Even better, and a dark, dangerous network of tunnels beneath Mega-City One for it to hunt in? Perfect.

Somewhere in the Spillways, something is stalking its prey. The mutants don't know what it is. The Judges don't know what they're dealing with, and our Predator is probably watching them both.

So, what do you reckon? Where would you put a Predator in Sector 102? Would you send it into the Spillways, let it loose in the Cursed Earth, or have it hunting Judges right on the streets of Mega-City One? What do you think it should be hunting? Let me know in the comments. I'd love to hear your ideas!

You can also check out the full video over on the Adventures with Peps YouTube channel, where I talk through the Predator lore, its place in Sector 102 and the fantastic rules my subscriber has created.

Until next time, keep painting, keep playing, keep creating…

And if you hear that clicking noise coming from the Spillways…

Don't go looking for it.