A few days ago we were looking the base combat rules for a game system I have been involved working on for the last couple years. Today I thought I would post up a quick article on setting up the game, as it involves several unique features, that puts some of the mission strategy into the players hands, including deployment zones.
Previous Article
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2015/09/basic-combat-rules-for-input.html
The last article on the basic combat rules really worked well, and many of the ideas and thoughts from the comment section were considered and worked through to see if they fit. So any input here is greatly appreciated. I am being literal in saying that the last few days was all about working through the comments on the combat system.
The last article on the basic combat rules really worked well, and many of the ideas and thoughts from the comment section were considered and worked through to see if they fit. So any input here is greatly appreciated. I am being literal in saying that the last few days was all about working through the comments on the combat system.
Notes... A lot of the way this is laid out was based on years of gaming and getting stuck on an odd table to be either terrain or mission screwed for the game. I wanted this set up to give the players a little control over their missions, deployment (note that mission generation is done before deployment), and how reserves come in. I also wanted a set of mission parameters that would provide more variety with each player focusing on primary missions for their own army.
Reserves... These battles take very little time (in our fantasy sci fi real time), and coordination, early strikes, and more can cause armies not hitting the field to miss the high point of the action. So pushing early reserves can be risky, but often insures your commander or leader are alive on the field. Waiting for later rounds, opens up the possibility that commanders on the field may die, and lessening the chances of your reserves making it to the field.
Also be aware that there are also abilities that effect game set up in armies (like random deployment, infiltration, etc)
Getting
Started:
1. Board
Set-Up
2. Mission
Generation
3. Deployment
4. Game
The Game is designed to be
played on a 4x4 board with larger games (2000+ pts) being played on a 4x6.
Before setting up the board, decide upon a point level to play and put together
the list of models that you want to play.
Board
Setup
Pre-Set Terrain
In some cases a table may
either already be set up, or players may wish to set up a board to a specific
setting. This is a good way to set up, and with both players agreeing there is
no limit to the battlefields that can be used. If you do this, skip ahead to
setting up Objectives and Artifact markers.
Normal Set up
To determine terrain on the
battlefield, divide the table into quarters and roll a d6 for each quarter and
check the results below. Terrain pieces that are used should be agreed upon by
both players.
1
No terrain
2 Terrain x1
3-4 Terrain x2
5 Terrain x3
6 Terrain x4
Alternate placing terrain until
each quarter is full. Each terrain piece must be placed over 50% in the board quarter
it was designated for, and be placed at least 6” away from other terrain
pieces. If the terrain designated for a quarter cannot be placed, only then can
the terrain be pushed up adjacent to another terrain piece. If this still
cannot be done overlap the terrain if possible, and if the terrain piece simply
cannot be placed there, choose another piece of terrain.
Placing Objective/Artifact
Markers
After terrain has been placed,
players alternate placement of 6 objective markers that must be within 12” of
the centerline of the board. No marker may be placed within 8” of another
marker. Using a d6 or similar token, mark each token with a number 1-6. These
markers are possible objectives and relics depending upon the missions of each
player.
Missions
Primary Mission
Players each roll for their
mission on the following table. Once rolled, each player may attempt a Command check in order to adjust the result of the die roll by +1. Roll a d6, and any
result equal to or less than your army’s highest Command attribute to alter the
mission.
After each player has
determined their primary mission, a single roll is made by both players to
determine the game’s shared secondary mission. The results for the secondary
mission cannot be adjusted.
D6 Results
1. Kill
points
2. Artifact
3. Objectives
4. Capture
and Control
5. Zone
Control
6. Assassinate
If not winner was determined through primary and secondary missions, than the game is a draw.
Kill Points: At the end of the game, both players add up the amount
of points that the enemy has lost. You must have more kill points than your
opponent to win a kill point mission.
Artifact: Roll a D6 and match this up to the objective counter with
the same number. You must claim and protect this artifact, which cannot be
moved. To claim the artifact, your forces must have more points of models within
6” of the objective at the end of the game than your opponent.
Objectives: Roll 3d6 and match the results up to the counters in
the center of the board. These are objectives than can be taken, and must be
held by your forces at the end of the game. To win the mission you must have more victory
points in objectives than your opponent to claim this victory.
Objectives can be claimed and
moved by either you or your opponent. If an objective that was rolled was also
rolled to be an artifact, the objective cannot be moved, and to claim it, you
must have more models in contact with it than your opponent.
Each objective die that was
rolled is worth 1pt for determining if you possess more than your opponent.
Duplicate die results add their point values to the objective. This means it is
quite possible for an objective to be worth 2 or 3 victory points.
Any model that is not a vehicle
can pick up an objective and move it. However an objective can only move once
per Game Round by a single activation and no more than 6". At any time during an activation, the
objective may be passed to another model in base contact with model carrying
the objective.
Capture and Control: to secure victory you must capture your
opponent’s deployment zones while controlling your own. To determine who has control over the deployment
zone, add up the point value of each model that is in that zone. The highest
total points has control of that zone. You must have control of more deployment zones than your opponent at the end of the game.
Any model that is on the line
for any zone, does not count their totals for any deployment zone.
Zone Control: Zone Control divides the game board into 4 quarters.
These are the zones that you must control at the end of the game. To determine
who has control of the zone, count up the number of points in that zone, the
highest total has control of that zone
Any model that is on the line
for any zone, does not count their totals for any zone. The player with the
most zones, wins the game.
Assassinate: Select an enemy model with the highest Command Value.
This is your target that must be killed to secure an assassinate mission. The
model chosen gains +1 Defense characteristic for the duration of the game. To
gain this bonus, the target of the assassination must be on the table during
the first round of the game.
Deployment:
Deployment Zones break up your
side of the board into 6 deployment zones which are numbered 1-6. Each zone on
a 4x4 table is 8”x 16” and 8”x24” on a 4x6 board.
Center of Board
|
||
4
|
5
|
6
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
Players Board Edge
There are two types of
deployment options players can take, standard or random.
Standard Deployment-
If you select a standard
deployment you may select your deployment zones on your side of the table. Select
three deployment zones, two of which must be on your long table edge. This
gives you the option to select one of the forward deployment zones.
Random Deployment-
You may instead choose to take
a chance for more forward deployment zones. To do this, simply roll three d6.
The numbers one the dice determine which zones are your deployment zones. Any
duplicate die results are not re-rolled resulting in the risks of attempting to
push zones.
Any table edge that is part of
your deployment zone becomes a board edge that your army can enter the game
board through.
When risky moves fail, and you’re surrounded.
Random deployment can be a
risky venture. If for any reason you do not have a table edge, all models must
be deployed onto the table unless in reserve. Reserved units must come in using
the edges of deployment zone 1.
The numbers of each deployment
zone chosen or rolled for, are used in determining who has initiative to begin
the game. Add up the numbers of your deployment zones, and the player with the
lowest total number has initiative heading into the first round of the game. Roll
off on a d6 if the totals are the same.
Deploying
your Forces
You have two options when
deploying your forces. The player without initiative declares and deploys his
first squad or single model first. Players alternate deploying a number of units
onto the table three squads at a time until all models have been declared and
deployed.
When deploying you have two
options, deploying your forces or putting them into reserve.
Deployed Units:
Deployed units are placed
either directly onto the table, or placed along the table edge of your
deployment zones that they will be coming in from on the first round
Reserves.
Up to half your units can be
put into reserves during deployment, and each unit rolls individually each
round to enter the game.
Reserves are brought in on a
d6 with a target number of 7+ under normal circumstances. Before any challenges to initiative each round, roll a d6 for each unit and add the game round to this
number. If the result is a 7+ place the unit along any of the table edges
inside your own deployment zones. This is where the unit will enter the board
from.
If you are running reserves,
you may choose one game round as your chosen reserve round. During that round,
the highest level command attribute from your Commander or Leader on the table may be added to your die roll for all
reserve rolls.
Any squad not on the board
after 4 rounds, does not make the battle and is considered a casualty for kill
points, or other mission objectives. Any units coming onto the
board, must be activated first before other units during the round.
