"Simulated Enhanced Impulsiveness & Addictive Risk-Taking?" Topic

I'm sure that someone somewhere is working on an enhanced and weaponized version of toxoplasmosis* right now, to make the enemy's military (or their general population) highly impulsive and even addicted to the potential thrill of risk and injury.

I know I would be working on that. :)

The best part is that, if the infection is ever discovered, you can simply blame it on the primary carrier to humans … the darn domestic and feral cats.

QUESTIONS:
1) In gaming, perhaps even against a very cool-headed methodical player, how would you go about simulating enemy troops that have been infected with such a specific behavior-altering parasite? And
2) How would you exploit that affliction in your enemy? How would you entice the enemy troops to act impulsively, perhaps despite the wishes of the level-headed player who owns them?

Dan
* link

MWAHAHAHA!

Many wargammers and war games encourage more aggressiveness and risk taking than you would see in most real combat situations anyway.

If you want to make it more so give one side an extra incentive to shoot the enemy.

Well, okay then. Cats make you nutty. Always knew I liked dogs better…

Seriously, I think the study numbers are a little small to be conclusive. If I read it correctly, the largest group was less than 500 individuals, and most were less than 200. An indication of concern, yes, but I suspect such a study needs a larger population sample to be in any way conclusive.

As to the question, I once used what was essentially a bell curve chart to create a morale swing from cowardly (likely to retreat or rout) to fool-hardy (likely to attack without orders) for a medieval warfare game. It was a simple d6 roll, compared to a chart of potential result columns (similar to a CRT) and the unit's current column status on the chart, which could swing from left (more likely to retreat/rout or ignore orders) to right (more likely to attack on its own). Situational conditions might shift the unit on these columns one way or the other (wounded, made up of peasants, made up of noblemen, proximity to army commander, proximity to lieutenants, etc.). It would be simple to say that an "infected" unit had a right column shift on such a chart. I can imagine the same would be true of any other type of roll for discipline, morale, etc., depending on the rules being used.

Dan, you are thinking that the protozoan would be somehow engineered to be have more severe and rapid effects?

Maybe something simple, such as once it is determined the soldiers are infected with the super toxoplasmosis, the player in control of those elements must roll 1d6 to determine the effects of the protozoans:

1-The figure falls into a catatonic state and must
be evac'd as a casualty.

2 or 3 The figure is disoriented. Takes penalties if
attempting to fire or fast move. No
effect on morale though.

4 or 5 The figures suffer no ill-effects, act
normally.

6 – Figure believes he has achieved his final
form and is now Super Saiyan. Will
immediately charge any enemy within reach, or
if none are in reach, will fast move toward
enemy.

It seems to me that an effective tactic might be to catapult infected pig carcases into the enemy's ranks. Oh, wait…

Wasn't there an effects table for this used for Orcs in previous eds of Warhammer?

I've done similar with various "combat drugs", usually inflicted on Sci-Fi penal troops by sadistic evil overlords.
When a unit is activated (or when the evil overlord hits the "inject" button), roll 1d6:
1-2 no effect, Unit remains under player's control
3-5 Unit is affected by the drugs for the remainder of game
6 Unit has overdosed, either remove from play or leave on table as casualties

The effects of various drugs were:
Extra melee dice for a few turns, then extreme fatigue
Extra shooing dice for few turns, then extreme fatigue
Charging into melee and setting off suicide vests
Extra movement for a few turns followed by no movement but could still shoot

Some of these were under the players control, others would charge or shoot at the closest unit (that could be friendlies)