"Looking for a simple reactive rules for skirmish game" Topic

I'm on the hunt for a simple set of rules for a SciFi skirmish (up to 10 figures per side) that does not have the IGOUGO mentality.

They need to be simple (like FUBAR)
Easy to use (like USE ME)
Give a reasonably short game (Like Songs Of)

I do have a copy of the SJG Battlesuit ( and one pristine copy ) that lets the other side react to movement when counted out and a copy of Force on Force but neiterh seem to hit the spot for me.

Looking at 5150 I am put off by the number of dice you need to throw.

I am almost tempted to take the USE ME rules and move each figure individually based on their ELAN level but have modifiers for the sequence depending on situation (e.g. pinned / open target etc)

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance
Andrew
Mini site: 2mmwars.blogspot.com

Do you like "Song of….."?

Then try "Flying Lead" or "Mutants and Ray Guns", both from Gensha"…..

Dave

What puts you off FUBAR?

I have MRG but in the whole series turn control is random

Fubar just does not care about reactions to the level I am after

could crossfire be modified to suit?

Foundry's "Street Violence" must be somewhere in their web. It uses cards just like "The rules with no name".

Download a free copy of Infinity off the Corvus Belli website.

Ambush Alley is coming out with Tomorrow's War, which has the reactive system they use in their modern rules.

tinyurl.com/3fzr4ck

Mike

Ambush Alley, Force on Force, and like PZ noted, new Sci-Fi rules coming…..
Kevin

Tomorrow's War probably will not meet the skirmish game requirement (up to 10 figures per side as defined by the opening post). It really is geared to put the player in the role of Platoon Leader or Company Commander vice Fire Team Leader or Squad Leader.

SpaceJacker's Gut Check might be just what you want. Simple mechanics, with just enough of a reaction system to give it some flavor:
link

Chris K.

I have to second Infnity. It sounds like just the thing you want. The rules are pretty simple. They play well with 4-10 models a side. You really need to think about where you are going to put your troops so they don't get caught in cross fires. It is a little bit IGOUGO in that there are turns but both players stay active in each part of the turn.

So when my troops are acting the enemy troops are reacting and, often, the reactive force is the one doing most of the killing in a turn if they have moved their models into good positions.

Try Two Hour Wargames.

link

Chain Reaction will give you an idea of how the game system works and it's free.

Infinity is exactly what you're looking for. TW is one level up from 1:1 skirmish using teams and squads as basic units. Infinity is perfect for 5-10 figures.

Seems like an individual, card-activated CR3 would work, with activations for each person, instead of by squad or fireteam.

I'm not so sure you'd find 5150 needs that many dice. Most of the time you're only rolling one or two D6.

There are only two checks you use for most of the game – the 'insight test' is by far the most common, closely followed by the 'received fire' test. Essentially for each you're rolling two D6 for a group of figures and then comparing each D6 against the 'rep' of each figure to see whether it passes or fails.

Its all very quick in my experience, and games seldom last very long in realtime.

Yep, TW is not a good fit for what the OP asked for. It's definitely intended for more than 10 figures per side. Thanks for the mentions, though.

THW's games seem ideal for this. I haven't played Infinity yet, but I've heard lots of good things about it.

Best,

Shawn.

I've downloaded the small Infinity set and Gut Check! 1.7 to have a read.

Thanks for the ideas.
Andrew

"Seems like an individual, card-activated CR3 would work, with activations for each person, instead of by squad or fireteam."

Ed might like to chip in here, but I think the upcoming 5150: New Beginnings, might be worth a look, when it's released. It specifically re-addresses the subject of individual activations and reactions.

Duck

Gut Check needs a little more streamlining, not to mention rules for building forces and more robust scenarios. If you're prepared to do the extra work of statting up your models it's given me some good sessions. I really need to work on a 2.0 version.

In hindsight, I think it's still a tad too complex (I , like you find THW has too many die rolls) and I'm thinking about a system that's more straightforward, but similar to infinity. (every action in LOS elicits a reaction)

Lastly, a really elegant reaction system I saw in the Wasteland forum was Just this: If you roll a natural 1 to hit on your D6, the enemy model reacts! (randomized between shooting, moving or charging) which I really like the sound of. Rolling to see if various models react is too cumbersome for solo IMO.

5150: New Beginnings, out next month is based for small numbers from 5-10. You may roll more dice on some occasions but you roll them less times.

SpaceJacker, that sounds like a pretty simple reaction system… I like it. Thinking about using that in the next Gut Check edition?

Chris K.