Diseases and plague

[welsh]

One of the major challenges the teams are likely to deal with, and which they might not be fully equipped to deal with, could be diseases and plagues.

Recent news for Africa about an out-of-control Ebola outbreak is worth considering and while this news is tragic for Africa, it might make for some interesting story ideas for your Morrow Game.

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/jun/23/west-africa-ebola-epidemic-out-of-control

Might be worth noting that infectious diseases and war often go together. The Great Influenza that followed World War 1 supposed got its origins from military camps. Armies have spread HIV/AIDs in Africa, as have refugees and even migrant workers. One of the arguments among conservatives is he spread of infectious diseases by immigrants due to a relatively loose border and we've seen the spread of Cholera- brought by Gurkha peacekeepers in Haiti- spread from Haiti into Latin America.

Regions in which state institutions have generally collapsed are especially vulnerable to infectious diseases. The spread of infectious diseases among American Indians had much to do with the nature of those societies and their integration/trade ties as well as their governing institutions. Likewise the Black Death in Europe followed similar patterns.

How have you used diseases in your game? Do you use it as a post-apoc challenge or the cause of the apocalypse?

[mikeo80]

Diseases are always a great tool for the coniving GM to throw at a complacent team. Gee, it seems that every one is coming down with the flu...But the symptoms are just a little bit different.....

My $0.02

Mike

[ArmySGT.]

War Plagues - Biowarfare weapons featured in the 3rd edition. The survivors would now be immune but, there can be carriers and the Teams are not immune.

This and for that matter an unwitting carrier may have brought a war plague to a region that has not seen it. So a science team has to get around to places, collect samples, and synthesize a vaccine.

This while not being killed for their voodoo.

[welsh]

Imagine something like the White Plague, or the plague of Children of Men, whose consequence is sterility. The project is triggered not by nuclear war, but by fear of a plague that will wipe out the species. 150 years later, the world's population still survives, but those who remain are not immune. Whatever immunity has since passed on as the disease had died out.
Except that there may be members in the Project who carry the bug.