Oh, goody! A table of Basic Animal Characteristics! Yes, this is where we get more details on what these animals can actually do once you're run into them. The table gives us the four basic types and their subtypes, the chance that they will attack, the chance they will run, and how fast they move. Herbivores check their chance to flee first, then their chance to attack; everyone else gets the attack roll first. And they aren't likely to run anyway.
So, as mentioned before, herbivores are split between filters, intermittent, and grazers. We still don't have definitions for these types beyond what we can figure out from our own experience. Filters run on an 8+, intermittents on a 9+, and grazers are the skittish ones, running on a 5 or more on the 2D roll. Filters are only going to attack under certain circumstances; intermittents are quite unlikely to attack (10+), while grazers that stand their ground have a decent chance of fighting back (8+). Filters are slow, while the other two have double the normal movement rate.
Omnivores are gatherers, hunters, and eaters. Gatherers attack on a 9+, or run on an 8+. Hunters will attack on a 6+, but only if there's smaller prey (at least one member of the encountered party is smaller than the hunter); otherwise, they run on an 8 or more (at double speed). Eaters, to no one's surprise, attack on a 5+, and run on a 10+; their speed is either ordinary or double normal.
Next up, the carnivores: Pouncers, chasers, trappers, sirens, and killers. Pouncers, trappers and sirens will attack only if they have the element of surprise on their side. Chasers will only attack if they outnumber their prey. Killers will attack on a 6+. None are likely to run; pouncers will, if they themselves are surprised. Chasers and trappers flee on a 9+, sirens on a 10+, and killers on 11+. The speeds are interesting; pouncers are double, chasers are triple or double speed, trappers and sirens are either moving at a normal pace or don't move at all, and killers can double their speed.
Finally, the scavengers. They are hijackers, intimidators, carrion-eaters, and reducers. Carrion eaters will attack on a roll of 1 or more on 2D. Which is interesting, because they'll attack absolutely anything. I'm assuming there are some modifiers to the roll, because otherwise Traveller's vultures will be as aggressive as sharks. If by some miracle the carrion-eater doesn't attack, it flees on an 8+, as do the hijackers and reducers. The latter two attack on a 7+ and 10+, respectively. Intimidators attack on an 8+ and run on a 7+. All but the carrion-eaters move at double speed.
The way the varied speeds work isn't quite clear. The note at the bottom states that when an animal subtype has two possible speeds, roll 2D; on a 7+, the first speed applies; lower rolls get the second speed. But does that apply to the species in its entirety, or is it situational? I'm inclined to go with the species in its entirety, because of how the trapper and siren predators work. I'm thinking in particular of carnivorous plants like the Venus fly-trap; no die roll is going to get it to hike up its roots and high-tail it to safer ground.
So, that's a pretty useful page of information, already offering some variety within the animal types. Next up...whatever is on the next page.
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