"All Quiet on the Martian Front: Rulebook and System Review!" Topic

link

From the article:

All Quiet on the Martian Front takes place in the era where World War I would have occurred. It's 1914ish, and the Martians are back after their first failed attempt as foretold in the non-fiction historical account The War of the Worlds. The first invasion was going well until (spoilers!) the Martians' immune systems defeated them as they couldn't deal with the common cold. But now they're back, and they've come prepared! But we've prepared too. The industrial powers of the world have been feverishly producing machines of war- massive tanks powered by steam and firing the finest conventional weapons available- and a few unpredictable, emerging technologies as well! Though the tanks are individually no match for a Martian Tripod, human ingenuity, leadership, and willpower are often enough to carry the day…

Read more here: link

Excellent review. after seeing the game in person I am considering jumping in also. Thanks for this info.

Thanks for the review!

Thanks for the review.

No "to hit" modifiers for range, concealment, movement?

Cheers

Nick

Not for range or movement (although some units cannot move or shoot), but there is for terrain, as mentioned in the review :)

Nice review !!
Of course, I get mad that I actually got into the KS and I still haven't seen my stuff but I accept the fact that it is important to get product reviews out and if someone takes the time to become a frequent reviewer it is fair that they'll get some perks…

Looking forward to my stuff arriving, I like the "epic" style of the game concentrating on stats and simple mechanics for what I expect to be larger games.. Hopefully it will play as well as it reads…

thanks !
Francisco

I would like to see what they say after playing a game.

Really impressed that this is working for folks, but I couldn't get into a game where everything is steam driven in 1914. Lovely models, especially the tripods.

My stuff shipped yesterday (Georgia, USA) and I am hoping Jracel and I will get to play some games soon. Looks very promising.

Nice review, and great looking models!

yeah. why steam powered in 1914? kinda weird…

Good review. Looks to be another in a seemingly endless series of simplistic games with very nice models. After reading the names on the rulebook cover I knew the game wasn't for me, but may still pick up some of the models for use with other games.

I would like to see what they say after playing a game.

While *I* (Steven) have not played, Scott HAS played several games, so his POV is coming from one of experience :)

cloudcaptain, still on the northside of ATL? Will have to get together and play some.

Yep! Up in Cobb. Will let you know when we get off the ground with things.

I thought it was an alternate 1910, and I think there is an explanation given for why steam tanks instead of internal combustion. Maybe something to do with coal mining be easier than petroleum refining given where the Martians landed?

It is the one piece of the backstory that strikes me odd. Why not either keep it 19th Century or allow proper 20th C technology?

Not that I expect this to interfere with the fun. After all if I can accept giant Martian tripod war machines striding about with heat rays, surely I can accept steam driven tanks…

"Not that I expect this to interfere with the fun. After all if I can accept giant Martian tripod war machines striding about with heat rays, surely I can accept steam driven tanks…"

:) good point :)

Weren't some of the early WW1 tanks steam-powered? I know that early internal combustion engines were woefully low-powered, so getting something heavy moving made steam engines a viable option.

That's pretty much it Lion. US industry was cranking out all kinds of trains and steam powered stuff in 1910. The internal combustion engine was a new technology, and an immature one at that. So in this history line the US, and other powers, went with the technology that they had: coal and steam. Plus the US had/has huge reserves of coal so the fuel is plentiful. It's all in the fluff.

As for real world steam tanks, they did exist!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_tank

Is the "everything is steam powered" component much more than fluff? I mean would primitive petroleum powered tanks function any differently within the rules?

Gah, it IS 1910- that is my mistake and I will fix it in the review now :) Good catch!

Actually, based on some snippets I've seen, I think the background timeline is up to 1913 at least, with the initial Martian landings in America being 1908 or 1910. But either way, I don't see anything implausible about America choosing steam power over petroleum, it makes sense given the state of industry at the time, and the absolute state of crisis (much worse than WWI, as portrayed) the country would find itself in.

It also better allows for some truly massive landships that are forthcoming.

I think the British tanks are more conventional, and use petrol(in fact, they look more like WWII machines, with turrets). The idea being, the British, having been the victims of the first invasion, prepared far more seriously for the Martians' return.

Festerfest--From what I've seen, the steam vs gasoline might make a small difference in the rules, as a one of the special units you can get is a coal tender tank.

At some point, they ought to expand into airpower, though short of using tow cables a la Empire Strikes back, I'm not sure what a biplane could do to a tripod. (As I think about it, that sounds really cool!)

@seldonH

Your not the only on.

Still All Quiet in ABQ.

Nah, for anything smaller than a train it was all over for coal burning steam engines well before 1900. The internal combustion engine was well on track.

At some point, they ought to expand into airpower, though short of using tow cables a la Empire Strikes back, I'm not sure what a biplane could do to a tripod. (As I think about it, that sounds really cool!)

Myself and one of the guys who bought into this with me had this same talk the other day. I thought about being able to drop bombs ontop of them, but the tow cable idea seems even more awesome!

The game's background does give some thought to 'why steam'? Namely, petrol would ignite instantly when up against Martian heat rays! Steam power allows the tanks to hang in a fight longer (and the US Army did have a steam-powered prototype in 1918).

Mingans, there were some epic threads in the Robot Peanut Studios forums going back and forth on the airpower topic; the company confirmed there will be an airpower expansion rulebook.

Who needs snow speeder biplanes? Just dig a bunch of deep ditches/holes and wait for the tripods to try and cross that area of land. Or just soak the ground until it becomes deep mud. Either way, after they get done tipping over, crack them open like crabs.

If one thinks a second or two, tripods are a dumb idea.

I just got my rulebook and the game covers a time span from the begining of the Second Martian Invasion in December 1908 through 1914 with the war still in going.