Goblin Suicide Bombers?

A while back when looking threw all those old Magic Cards I have left over from my Magic days, I came across an interesting idea for an adventure. There was a card (from the Fallen Empires set) called gobling grenade. The illustration on the card depicts a goblin laden with explosives jumping into battle. This sparked an idea for an adventure. Now flash forward to my current homebrew world. The PCs are opposing the fanatical goblin empire. I thought it would be a great hook to have gobling fanatics blow themselves up to inflict massive damage on the PC's and their allies. This could make goblins scary again and allow for some interesting momements (any goblin could be a potential bomber.) The problem in running goblins is that after the PC get on a higher level, goblins are no longer a challenge, except in huge numbers. Even then, the PC's no longer fear them.
Although I had planned to introduce the goblin "suicide bomber" concept for a long time, I am not sure if it's still appropriate given the situation in the middle east. I'm afraid that the players will criticize me for trivializing the murder of the Jewish citizens of Israel. The reality is that I've had this idea lingering in the back of my mind since before the current suicide/murder bombings in Israel. However, I'm not sure that introducing this current campaign hook would be in good taste at the moment.

It really is a dirty tactic, but I think it's a bad time to introduce it. Talk it over with the group, and if they don't have a problem with it, don't worry about it.

Keep in mind that various suicidal attacks could take a lot of forms. You could be basically fighting "goblin terrorists," which, while definately interesting (and something I could see goblins doing), could definately offend far to many people in the world.

Baiscally, talk with your group. I can't view it very objectively myself, and I would feel uncomfortable with goblin suicide bombers. But if they don't, no reason to deprive them of the dirty tactic...

...and keep in mind, as they get high levels, the exploding foes could get even bigger.

.Heh. Just realized how appropriate my nickname is to this thread..."Kamikaze Midget" indeed...

As long as the suicide bombers are the bad guys, whats the problem? Its kinda like how there is nothing wrong with Wolfenstein, because the whole idea is to KILL the Nazis.

Primarily, this kind of campiagn would serve to INCREASE sympathy for the Israelis. Its easy to criticize Israeli soldiers for shooting so many Palestinians, stopping ambulances, and making Palestinians get down on the ground far from checkpoints, but when you put yourself in the place of an 18-year-old draftee with only his (or her) wits and an M-16 (if even that) between you and and certain death at the hands of (potentially) absolutely any given Palestinian, you'll be surprised that innocent Palestinians are rarely if ever shot by accident "just in case" they are a terrorist. Those that do die nowadays are almost always (there are exceptions) hit by stray bullets or while acting as human shields for terrorists who are actively shooting at soldiers.

If anything, it might be offensive to pro-Palestinian types, as it would compare them to goblins, an inferior and irredemably evil race.

And on a related historical point, suicide bombings by Islamic terrorists pre-dated the 19-month-old Al-Aqsa Intifada, and even the inceased violance triggered by the 1993 Oslo accords. It has been going on for decades, and increased as Israeli commando teams got more effective and as the Israeli's (unlike the Americans) remained true to their refusal to negotiate with terrorists. Over the course of the late seventies and early eighties, it became clear to the terriorists that they were going to die anyway, so they might as well throw self-preservation to the wind and gain the associated tactical advantages, while at the same time ensuring that they would not be taken alive (which over there is not a very pleasant experience, to say the least). for instance, a Hizbollah terrorist drove a car full of explosives into an American barracks in Beirut in 1983, killing nearly 300 American and French Peacekeepers.
Oh, and note that Warcraft 2 had a Goblin suidice bomber unit in it (and a dwarven equivalent)

Kamikaze Midget is right, see what your players oppinion of the topic is first, The last thing you want is a problem with your players. its unfortunate that the incidents of the middle east are occuring, but unfortunately this is part of modern life in some regions.

shadow said:

The problem in running goblins is that after the PC get on a higher level, goblins are no longer a challenge, except in huge numbers. Even then, the PC's no longer fear them.

Click to expand...

What's not challenging about a Goblin Rog12/Asn5?

I'd be more worried about introducing explosives into the campaign world. Just wait until your players get their hands on it.

Anybody else find it wierd that a guy calling himself Kmikaze Midget objected to the idea of suicide goblins?

Reynard