Black Ant (giant)

Giant Black Ant

Species	insect (lasius niger gargantua)
No. Appearing	10-100 (+ warriors & queen nest)
Behaviour	nest
Range	jungle, rainforest, savanna, Taiga (range), woodland
Size	2 ft. long
Weight	17 lbs.
Intelligence	0
Armour Class	4
Hit Dice	2
Action Points	5
Max. Stride	{{{stride}}}
THAC0	20
Hp/Die	d2
Attack Forms	pincers
Damage	1–4
Special Attacks	swarm

Encounters with giant black ants are likely to start by encountering a forager. This individual will be located from 75 yards from the nest, up to a quarter of a mile. Upon contact, the ant will release a pheromone that will quickly spread upon the slightest wind, which is sure to be picked up by nearby ant within 2-5 rounds — who will release the pheromone in turn. This will bring a swarm to the initial location. The time this takes will be one round per 25 yards distance from the next. If the location of the nest is not known, roll 3-18.

Soon the party will hear the rustle of ants coming from multiple directions. The swarm will gather, for the first three rounds, at 1-4 giant worker ants per round. Thereafter, until the ants have killed the intruders or driven them off to a distance of 450 yards, each round will see the arrival of 1-2 warriors and 2-8 workers. The swarming nature of the creatures will allow two ants per combat hex when attacking.

It will often require skill at tracking to find the nest and the queen. Nests in temperate climates will be active only from early April to mid-September. Add +10 workers in July, +20 in August and +30 in September. Always allow for 3 warriors remaining in the nest to protect the queen, though she will have no attendants if it is April or early May.

Tracking ability is required to find the nest and the queen. The queen herself will be bloated with eggs and will be unable to fight. There will be 4-40 eggs in an adjoining chamber when the nest is searched.

Ant Warrior (giant black)

Species	insect (lasius niger gargantua)
No. Appearing	4–16
Behaviour	nest
Range	jungle, rainforest, savanna, taiga, woodland
Size	3 ft. 6 in. long
Weight	60 lbs.
Intelligence	0
Armour Class	4
Hit Dice	3
Action Points	6
Max. Stride	{{{stride}}}
THAC0	19
Hp/Die	d4
Attack Forms	pincers
Damage	2–8
Special Attacks	swarm

On a warm day in middle to late September, nests in temperate climates will be full of activity as 3-30 young queens and drones, birthed in late August, will emerge from the nest and mate, flying above the nest. These queens will fight like warriors if met (6 hit dice each, 1d8 per die). The male drones, able to fight as warriors, will drop to the ground and die within a day or two. The young queens will bury themselves in random locations up to 3 miles distant, to wait dormant through the winter season before building a new nest in March-April.

In tropical and subtropical climates, black ant colonies will continue the year around. Double the number of ants present; mating will occur at the end of the wet season. Some colonies may be as large as ten times in size, with up to a thousand ants.

See Bestiary