Fria Ligans forum

I’ve got questions related to the stealth mechanics in Evolved Edition, especially when it involves xenomorphs. I like the cat-and-mouse mechanics introduced and have mental images of Alien Isolation all over the place. But I feel the xenomorphs are still unforgiving and I’m wondering whether the mice might have any chance.

Roleplay starting situation: a group of humans, including a witty synth (OBS 8), is exploring a building where a drone is present, passive in the beginning.

Example 1: the PCs have been silent so the xeno is still passive. Both come within line of sight of each other in an office. The group won a first passive open opposed OBS roll (p. 56) since they’re using the high stat from the synth for the group (p. 57). They choose to hide in this cluttered area. They’re now out of sight of the passive xeno. On the next stretch, they decide to ambush the xeno when it turns its back on them to leave the office. They need to leave their hiding spot, thus coming into line of sight of the xeno (even though they’re still behind it). They want to execute an ambush, which requires them to "make an opposed OBS roll against all enemies in line of sight" (p. 58).
Question 1: am I correct to assume that PCs willing to get the ambush bonus against an enemy need to win two opposed OBS rolls in a row (unless they ambush directly after the initial OBS roll)? If they fail this second opposed OBS roll, they only get the surprise bonus (p. 59)? They can’t ambush from their hiding spot?

Example 2: the PCs have made noise while searching an office. The xeno is now active and is zeroing in on the group, making noises in the airducts that the PCs hear. They have a couple of seconds to decide what to do. They know if they try to hide now, they can only hope that the GM gives them a stretch plus that the xeno won’t get any success on its 8 OBS dice (chance of success 13%). Instead, they decide to stay standing in the office. They don’t have time pressure, and they can count on the synth to win the passive open opposed OBS roll (chance of success 50%).
Question 2: am I right to assume that the hiding mechanics are basically useless against the xenos and nudge the PCs to either ambush or retreat (i.e. fight or flight but no freeze)?

Besides these mechanical questions, it makes me wonder what the rules try to achieve.
I feel like these rules want the PCs to realize they should stay clear from any xeno but the mechanics de facto encourage them to act aggressively (or flee). Am I missing something?

Thank you Aittia Studio and Arthur Dallas for your insights.

The origin of my confusion came from my understanding of the RAW that the PCs would need to win two OBS rolls in a row to plan an ambush, which felt unfair (let's say against a human enemy; it's suicidal against a xeno indeed (even though you know how stupidly a PC can act (or be bound by their personal agenda))).

I understand I need, as a GM, to gauge how strictly to apply the rules. I need to find a balance between the rules (that can have harsh results) and my calls (that can be too lenient). Both your inputs help me in that, especially with your incremental way of applying pressure.

It reminds me of a light-bulb moment when I read that a xeno, as a superpredator, would like to play with its prey and instill fear in it instead of killing it on sight. I used it in a session of Hope's last day. In the first minutes of the scenario, a PC went straight to the WC right where there's a passive xeno. Instead of the expected attack, I made it drool from the roof, Isolation-like.


PS: I wanted to thank you, Arthur Dallas, for all your work for this community (assets, answers, comments, etc.)

Arthur, thanks for your feedback. I actually never thought of making the xenos retreat from a fight as I used to think about them as relentless killers from the beginning to the end. But modulating their behaviour from hit-and-runs to all-out attacks is a solid idea I'm going to implement.