written by Michael T. Desing
published by Teddy Bear Press
$15
128 pages

Small-press games have a special place in my heart. Their authors are frequently able to take thematic chances that bigger companies won't touch. Army Ants is a perfect example. This is an RPO which proves you can make an entire garneworld out of one corny pun. The players are all, needless to say, insects - enlistees in the Army of Ants, seeking to make the Great Field safe for insect-kind and holding the line against the evil Bee Empire (damn bees).

Players pick a race (ant, beetle, cricket or ladybug, each with their own racial characteristics and aptitudes), then pick a specialty (character class), and finally select from a small cornucopia of skills and equipment. Character creation is quick and easy, an aesthetic that carries through the entire design - only regular six-sided dice are required for play, and the rules are decidedly table-light. The combat system takes up a mere six short pages, yet provides workable and flexible mechanics.

Nifty touches abound, such as Army Ant's clout statistic which regulates the amount of equipment characters can get out of the armory depending on their rank. This is a nice alternative to less realistic systems where militarysponsored characters have to buy their gear out-of-pocket; I'll likely borrow this idea for my own campaigns.

This book was, however, very limited in the amount of campaign background and adventure hooks it contained. A sample campaign setting is provided, but it's fairly short and would require a considerable amount of work before putting into use. While I enjoy such work as a GM, the game cries out for a sourcebook. What does a free-trade city run by a mixed insect population look like, anyway? And where do they make those cool little assault boats?

Moreover, while there is the occasional reference to human influence, adventure background is firmly wilderness- bound. What about the tremendous potential for a campaign set indoors? Avoiding lethal chemical traps, sneaking into the kitchen for midnight food recons, the threat of (HUGE) mice in warrens behind the walls... ? it makes the mandibles quiver just thinking about it.

Spring this game on a group of seasoned Shadowrunners and you might have a great time... if they let you live. While the lack of GM background material makes Army Ants a tough recommendation for novices, experienced gainers will appreciate its tongue and cheek attitude and give it a fine home.

This game has ninja potato bugs...if that doesn't put a smile on your face, you have a heart of stone.