The main thing I use this, and other diseases (malaria, STDs) is to let the players know a) they are not in Seattle anymore, b) there are consequences to their actions, and c) be prepared (i.e. get your shots!). The players have to deal with down time and penalties (-1 to -2 dice can make a difference). Plus, it gives the game a dark, grity feel.
One thing I learned from my time in Iraq and Afghanistan is that more soldiers are casualities by disease, local wildlife, terrain and environmental conditions then by enemy combatants. I try to add that flavor to my games. I know it doesn't conform to the "hollywood" action movie feel that people like. War is dirty. War is long periods of boredom punctuated by brief moments of terror.
You are ALWAYS tired, cold, hungry...often times you downright scared. If you are not, your too dumb to know you should be scared. You face the unknown, your intelligence sucks but you still have to act, because making the wrong choice may cost lives but it costs fewer lives then not acting at all.
The bad part is, you are doing somthing that is challenging and difficult and when you succeed, its a rush and its exciting. Sound familiar? The same reasons characters Shadowrun. It challenges you, makes you strive to be the best, all the more challenging when you overcome things like dysentary, poisoness spiders and man-eating trees.
To quote BA from the A team, "Its the jazz, man." here ends the soapbox...lol.
