"Best Sci-Fi Skirmish Rules for Man to Man Combat?" Topic

I've read a bit about some of the Sci-Fi rules available, and would like to know which people think are the best for Man-to_Man/Woman/Alien combat?

I'm looking for individual to individual To-Hit, injury determination, movement, etc. Morale can be handled on a squad, or individual basis.

Ideally, the rules will have details for spaceship boarding actions as well, e.g. breaching doors, etc., in addition to combat on open ground, or in cities.

The number of troops per side will range from 6 – 12 at the low end, and 24 – 40 on the high end (obviously with more time for the larger games needed).

There should be rules for random character activations, overwatch and defensive reactions to offensive moves, ducking back into cover, varying weapons, battle armor, melee rules, etc. It would be nice to have rules (morale checks) for whether the troops are willing to storm a well defended corridor, or will simply hang back and take shots at the enemy from cover.

I know Stargrunt is good for squad to squad, or fireteam battles, but I am looking for a true 1:1 figure:miniature rules set for 15mm and 25mm scale figures.

CR 3.0, 5150, "We can be Heroes II" seem to be possible choices, but I would like to know if there are others as well.

Fun, quick play games are desired, with a reasonable amount of detail. I'd prefer to avoid overly burdensome details if possible, while still providing some good Sci-Fi feel to the games. Rules for vehicles would be nice too, if available, but they don't have to be included, since I can always add those on later, if needed.

Any ideas?

Same thing I tell everyone looking for versatile rules that cover character driven skirmish.

Savage Worlds.

Ganesha Games upcoming Flying Lead with some minor changes for Sci-fi

Ben.

Combat Zone! Everything you described above. True, it's more near-future than sci-fi, but it includes rules for power armor, droids, aliens, etc., plus everything that can be found on the free online Combat Zone Chronicles. And it's really easy to draw up stats for new troop types and weapons.

Dang. I just cannot remember if Two-Hour Wargames 5150 has detailed to-hit areas, or just a generic damage pool. Anyone know the answer?

Haven't checked the books recently but this is what I remember.

The 5150 base rules has what I call standard wargame damage effects: obviously dead, out of fight, knocked down.
Damage is determined based on armor effects and weapon impact ratings.

I think the Infestation supplement added an optional system for for additional damage detail (wound location and effects).

5150 does have detailed hit locations and damage in the Infestation Alpha Mission suplement book. This works for both shooting and melee damage.

AS

Agent smith is right …new infestation rules for 5150 have detaled combat damage

The Rules With No Name could easily be adjusted to accomodate Sci-fi (SyFy?) weapons.

Combat Zone is good but if you want the defensive reactions you will have to go with 5150.

Robert

Check over the Skank game (officially called Warlord 2085). It might fit what you're looking for.

And it's free.

skankgame.com/Downloads.html

I've been harping on the rules for a while. I'm not a !! I just really like them and like them to get more recognition.

Seconded on TRWNN. If you join the Doghouse yahoo group

link

you can get access thru the files to Gun Sharks which is a sci-fi variant of TRWNN. Also there are the Streetfight rules but these are more modern to near-future. I recommend one of these variants as the gameplay is very cinematic and has good detail in areas of injury effects etc.

Is TRWNN a western miniature game rule set?

Try the No Limits set of free rules. One of our locals here in Sacramento has used the quite successfully in his Junktown games.

Can you give us a link, Mike?

My searches for No Limit rules, No Limit Game, etc… turn up nothing but Texas Hold'em Poker crap.

I found the link by searching for "No Limit" on boardgamegeek.

wargamesunlimited.net

That's the one. The No Limits rules are great, and generic.

Infinity has everything you're looking for *except* the detailed hit locations. It runs off the wargaming convention OK/Wounded-but-still-combat-effective/unconscious/dead states.

Are you really sure you want that much detail with a skirmish game? Even Infinity bogs at the upper end of what you're wanting to run, and adding another layer of book-keeping could get painfully slow for combat resolution.

Oh, almost forgot: The basic rules for Infinity are free to download, if you want the background info you need to buy a rulebook.

Rules: PDF link

Army lists: link

The 'Add-to' lists are the new units that are going to show up in the next book release, but they all have models. The Army lists from the basic book are here: PDF link

Warning: *BIG* (4+MB) files, not recommended for dial-up connections at all!

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone.

I shall have to check them out.

As for injuries, sorry for the confusion. They don't need to be tracked to wounded in the left toe; just killed, wounded, uninjured, etc., should suffice.

However, if there is a quick reference chart that can be used for the types of injuries, and their severity, that might be useful for smaller games, e.g. a dozen or less figures per side.

Really, I am just primarily looking for man to man/alien combat, with a fun, fast-playing set of rules. Some interaction during play would be good as well, e.g. action/reaction type activations – man A activates and chooses to advance; his opponent is on overwatch, so has a chance to get off a shot at man A; he passes his overwatch skill check, so fires and hits, but man A's body armor saves him; man A fires back, hitting his opponent, and severely wounding him.

I'd prefer to avoid games where squad A moves and fires, wiping out squad B to the last man, who then fails his morale check and runs away/surrenders.

Thanks for the link, Dan.

"The No Limits rules are great, and generic." – I've only played this once, but really liked it. Never ran it tho. Might be worth a good look at, Top Gun Ace.

Plus you cannot argue with the fact that they're FREE.

If you ever get tired of the bookkeeping of wounds, etc… Give those Skank rules a try.

TGA: Infinity completely fits the description you're talking about, but it does bog at about 20 activations per side. (Some activations are multiple models, like the Antipodes) I've been working on a modification for fireteams as the basic activating unit (instead of individual model), but ran into a problem with how the HMGs work.

Infinity is a modified IGO-UGO, where the other player *always* gets to react to any order that brings a model (or models) into line of sight. Most models only have one wound, so they're either 'OK,' 'Unconscious' or 'Dead' (dead is one more wound than model's statline). The key mechanic is an opposed roll, where both the Active Player and the Reactive Player roll dice. If both succeed, then either the higher roll or the Crit happens.

@TopGunAce

A new sci-fi skirmish game called Faction Wars is currently undergoing play-testing. I think it meets all of your criteria. It's due out in the next couple of months.

It is designed to be quick and simple to play, but places some emphasis on tactics too, so hopefully will appeal to a broad range of sci-fi gamers.

If you are interested, PM me and I will send you a copy of the current ruleset to take a look at. In exchange for some feedback of course!

rgds

Darryl

Hi Darryl,

Thanks for the kind offer. I really appreciate it.

I would be happy to provide feedback to you.

My e-mail address is:

topgunace111 AT yahoo DOT com

Sorry, I couldn't PM you, since there isn't a button to do that, and I don't have one either.

Best regards,

Rob

Combat Zone – easy to learn with plenty of flexibility.

Darryl, would you mind it terrible much if I asked to jump on that bandwagon too?

If it's okay with you…

warrenss2 AT yahoo DOT com

"I've read a bit about some of the Sci-Fi rules available, and would like to know which people think are the best for Man-to_Man/Woman/Alien combat?

I'm looking for individual to individual To-Hit, injury determination, movement, etc. Morale can be handled on a squad, or individual basis."

I've just thought that the Rattrap game Fantastic Worlds: Pulp Action in the Far Reaches of Space would come close to what you're looking for.
link

A VERY GOOD game!!!

@topgunace
@warrenss2

Guys,

Just emailed you both the latest version of the rules.

rgds

Darryl

Hi Darryl,

Thank you.

I will look them over, and give them a try.

I appreciate the opportunity to do so.

Sincerely,

Rob

I'm echoing Rob on the Thanks, Darryl.

I'm looking them over now.

Will try a playtest sometime next week.

Hi Daryl,
I too am interested in Faction Wars. I was a beta tester for several upcoming games, and I'd be happy to give yours a thorough run-through and commentary. Sci-fi skirmish is by far my favorite genre.

I tried to PM you but it didn't work. You can try to PM me back – it should work; i just became a paying member – or if it doesn't just email them to me at adunks@ves.org

Thanks!

@Atvar0001 – I'll add you to the list. I have since discovered that PM-ing doesn't work very well!

My email address for anyone else who is interested is darrylATfactionwarsDOTcoDOTuk. Or contact me through the web site at factionwars.co.uk

I was going to put up another post on TMP soon asking for more playtesters when most of the really stupid "bugs" had been ironed out. I think we're close to that point now.

The artwork is starting to come together too, so the website should improve. And yes, I know the standard of miniature painting on the web site isn't great. ;-) That will be updated in time too.

-darryl

I am looking for same in modern. I have contacted Phil Barker The Sharp Edge. going over rules now. Also Dogs of War and Ambush Alley.

Any input would be well recieved.

If it could be as easy as Melee ( Steve Jackson/ TFT )

Billy

Mail with JC McDaniel.

DOW 2. Comming 2011 ish.

Still looking for players in Tacoma.

Billy