Sable Antelope

Sable Antelope

Species	bovine
No. Appearing	4–40
Behaviour	herd (loose)
Range	desert, steppe, woodland
Size	4 ft. at shoulder
Weight	510 lbs.
Intelligence	1
Armour Class	7
Hit Dice	2
Action Points	8
Max. Stride	20
THAC0	20
Hp/Die	d10
Attack Forms	horn butt
Damage	2–8
Special Attacks	charge

Sable antelope are large hoofed mammals whose range extends from southern Africe to the Indian Subcontinent; they are often confused with the bluebuck, which looks similar. They prefer wooded areas throughout the savanna, but can be found in semi-deserts such as the Thar Desert or in southern Arabia. The name comes from the black colour of their dark coat; their skins are prized for use as floor coverings and shield making.

Behaviour

Ordinarily docile, the sable antelope give ground when approached, keeping a distance of 20-50 hexes. They'll fight if pressed. A missile hit causes the antelope to scream, which panics the herd into a run — these creatures can reach speeds up to 35 mph. When antelope encounter predators that can outrun them, the herd tightens together to confront the threat; upon the stunning or death of an antelope, the others will usually withdraw, allowing the predators to have at the carcass.

Sable antelopes rut during the late dry season, for 2-3 months — and during this time they are very aggressive. Males fight among themselves to become the lead male, but these fights rarely end in injury. During this period, the animal may charge aggressively if approached; in such cases, a hit with the horns will cause double damage.

When herds grow larger than 35 to 40 animals,

a herd grows too large, it will divide into smaller groups of cows and their young. These groups form new herds, once again with only one adult bull. Additional males will move along nearby and keep to themselves in groups of 3-12.

See Bestiary