So, I am about to send my players into Orbell Quill, hunting after Eldar- while "He who walks behind the Rows" stalks them from his namesake location.

Unfortunately, I've abused of the "bad guys use smoke and darkness" to kick the players ass that all of them have finally learned their lessons and purchased both photo-visors AND Infra-red goggles.

In order to preserve the Atmosphere on Orbell Quill, and just keep things mysterious and creepy, I would very much LOVE to break these… but… without looking like an ass… or using a "GM Hand-wave" [which I already used to explain why those things don't work on Dusk ]

Anybody got any ideas that would cause these things to fail? I'd rather it not be supernatural though- I'd like to be subtle about it if at all possible. I know I am asking to have my Cake and Eat it too- but thats why I am turning to the collective minds of the forums

I can't remember if it's synskin or one of the body gloves, but I know they hide heat (except when worn under power armor). The cameleon cloak also helps alot (it doesn't specifically state that it requires darkness to provide it's bonus).

Those plus proper agility(?) and associated concealment traits should readily make the foe difficult to spot.

(you could also throw in some sort of minor null rod-ie effect if you need to hide from a psyker aswell)

I should mention- the foe in question is a supernatural entity! So body-gloves aren't really an option.

On the other hand, the fact that its a daemonic entity (with daemonic presence) could simply have that as the effect. Though, like I said, effectively eliminating that piece of gear for the entire adventure would be cool- that way the Dark can make them more paranoid instead of having the creature announce its presence that particular way.

I would suggest integrating some security counter-measures in the environment:

1. Variable heating. For example, certain parts of the columns, floor and ceiling could hide thermal elements. Once someone activates a heat-visor, he'll see utterly insane (say hello to IP's ) pictures or just such a riot of colours that it would hamper his ability to see anything.

2. Chemical smog. Even modern smoke grenades use something entirely different from the "campfire smoke" and could really mess up the vision enhancers. It stands to reason their 40k counterparts would be no less effective.

3. Ultra-high / -low frequency ambient sounds. At some point players can come up with an idea to use sound enhancers: a recital of the Epistles of Lorgar (or some of the late 20th century popular music) will undoubtedly discourage them or result in a large amount of corruption / insanity.

4. Water curtains. Strategically placed, these also effectively kill many of the vision & sound enhancers.

5. Variable lightning. Make the lightning switch from excessive to low in arythmic fashion (at uneven time interval, in bursts, whatever): a bright enough flash can even blind a person wearing night vision goggles

6. Mirrors. Harmless all by itself, but when excessively numerous and combined with p.1 and 5, they could prove to be a quite a hindrance.

7. To top it all off, make the room hazardous: place wardrobes next to doors, scatter small ceramic balls on the floor, bolt some of the tables and chairs to the floor and walls - that sort of thing.

You could get them into a gunfight and fudge the rolls to have them get shot in the head, breaking the equipment that way.

The blood rain from Blood Red Rains could begin, interfering with the equipment, or ruining it as the oxides seep into the circuitry or whatever mystical technology lies within

To mask it so you're not blatantly nerfing their resourcefulness, maybe have some other pieces of their equipment destroyed first.

Thermals didn't help the Marines in Aliens because the aliens were room temperature.

I'm not sure if IR goggles are actual thermal goggles like the military's FLIR system, or if they just see in the infra-red spectrum. If it's the former, your supernaturals probably are room temperature (or better yet, only some of them are room temperature). If they work like night vision (photo visors) but work in the IR spectrum, they require a light source still. Turn out the lights. Or have the environmental systems wonk out and make it a sauna that the enemies blend in with.

Be careful always screwing your players. Give them some success with the goggles. You don't want to upset the players, just keep them on their toes.

Any sort of psyical barrier will help. E.g hedgerows, clumps of rushes, dense forrest/jungle, an english garden, a cemetary, supermarket shelves, a car park, rocky badlands, curtains, fences.

Up close you could use gore/mud splatters on goggles. Have a PC fall down something and only discover later that the goggles need recalibrating.

And just because they've got infra-red doesn't mean it's good. Have you ever looked through a first generation night-scope, it's not flash and you could prey on the indeterminacy to help the tension.

But…I do have to agree with Flatline. You let them have the goggles, they should work most of the time.

Also I don't think they can wear both IR and photo visors at the same time. These things work differently so set up encounters and see which they are wearing at the time.

Battery life- when was the last time the players recharged their goggles? -Or just get them wet. Electricity + water = fail.

Thanks for the ideas! I am bound to use most of them- though just a side note, they have used the goggles effectively before by beating a few ambushes at their own game So already the items have been a great success.

On the other hand, they do take away from the atmosphere for SOME small sections of the game- running trough Corn Fields with something you can't quite see hunting you down slowly but surely and relentlessly can be pretty horrifying.

Can't fudge combat rolls, we do all of those in the open. But messing around with the lights, temperature and general environment is great idea. Not to mention, tweaking the monsters body-heat.

Letting them spot the human red herrings around town (Ax-crazy murderers!) might hurt the atmosphere a slightly bit, but I guess it will make things more horrifying later when the goggles stop working, or when they notice that the goggles aren't working the way they are supposed to/detect nothing anyways.

Saldre said:

Every type of cover, including from cornfields would limit their vision.

Check out this new systems for tanks, they might provide an idea. That is the way the military is countering the increase in infrared vision.

Remember to give them back the "power" of their googles.

(And ps. get into my thread and write a reply)

Synskin beats both Infra Red en Photo Visor and can be worn under regular armour. I'm sure the Eldar have something simular