"Anthropomorphic Levels" Topic

How "human" do you like your anthropomorphic wargaming figures (or book/move a'morphed characters, if you don't game them)?

1 – They look and behave like animals and just talk and think like humans. (Wind in the Willows)

5 – They stand upright and behave (carry objects) like people as well as talky and thinky bits. (Redwall)

10 – Basically humans with animal heads, (tails, wings,) feet, and hide.

I like all the options (and some in-betweens like "Frog and Toad" are probably a 2-3 on that scale), but my fave of faves is 5. Redwall meeses rule!

On the game mechanics side, I think it is essential to have "animal character". Either rules on behaviour or bonuses for making an in character decision that may not be tactically optimal.

5 would be my vote

Ears & tails … possibly whiskers and nose … Oh, sharp teeth! Defo sharp teeth!

Nekomimi FTW! :-)

…I knew living in Japan so long would taint me ,-)

I guess All of the Above is the same as No Preference.

You are incorrect in assigning your first description to The Wind in the Willows. The animals in The Wind in the Willows behave essentially as humans, wearing clothes, carrying things, living in furnished homes, even appearing in human courts for joyriding in human automobiles ("Putt-putt!").
Instead, your 1 setting applies to Watership Down, in which the characters are indeed rabbits in every respect, save for having near human-level intellect and the ability to communicate with each other in elaborate language; oh, and the tendency to create human-style cultures and governmental systems. (Great book, in any case.)

I really don't see how 5 and 10 are really any different.
Maybe 10 should be "evolved/artificially enhanced intelligent descendants of animals" as Niven's Dolphins of space, Kzinti, Traveller's Aslan and Vargr (and other aliens), and even Rocket Raccoon.

I think for gaming, I'm more of the latter two. "Real" animals having an intelligent battle just really holds no interest for me.
By the way, I'm not really certain there is a scale here. At most you have three choices, with an "All of the Above," and the "No interest" choice, of course.

How about an 'Animal Farm' scenario as per Fables?

BoJack Horseman – 10.

I'd say 5.

And I don't think the rabbits in WD behave all that different than 'real' rabbits. Addams seems to go out of his way to keep them from just seeming like talking cartoon bunnies.

BoJack Horseman – 10.

New season in a manner of days!