"Any recommendations for a flexible skirmish rules set?" Topic

Hi,

I'm looking for an SF rules system for 28mm miniatures, that will play a decent skirmish game from say 4-12 miniatures (give or take). One thing I'd really like is that if it's possile to design your own gear and aliens, and equip accordingly (so if you have figures with pistols, for instance, rather than rifles, you can adjust the capabilities and points values), rather than stick with profiles that carved in stone. Any suggestions considered. Thanks in advance for any help.

Any of Two-Hour-Wargames rules sets are great for 4-12 miniatures. You can download Chain Reaction 2.0 free from their webpage. Its a generic set of rules, good for any era.

Tomorrows War.

Flying Lead, The Sword and the Flame (use single figures rather than units), Firefight 2.0.

I'll second bmcfarin – Chain Reaction is perfect for this size and variety game.

Blasters and Bulkheads is good for a cinematic space opera feel. I use it for Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica. There's a retro sci-fi version too, Chaos on Cronos. BnB had different weapon types, several aliens pre-defined, a campaign system and a good system for something like the Force.

Another vote for Tomorrow's War.

Necromunda, make them what you want them to be.
yaktribe.org

Believe it or not Judge Dredd is a truely flexible system. Plus you can now get for free on the Warlord site!

Battlefield Horizon and it's free.

link

These are free

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You might take a look at the new Combat Patrol game. There are several posts on TMP about it. The Web site has a video about how it works. Eventually there will be a science fiction version, but in the meantime you can easily adapt it yourself.

Thanks for all the recommendations, everyone. I can see that it's going to take me a while to get through them all (I've downloaded a couple of the free ones so far, and Blasters and Bulkheads sounds like it may be what I need, too). Cheers, guys.

PULP ALLEY is a pretty flexible game where you can adapt as much "advanced tech" or "mind powers" as you like, along with more mundane options.

Leagues are ussually 3-10 members, but can be more if you use some of the extra rules.

The core book is really a great value, BUT there's even a free download "starter rules" so you can check if they match your tastes.

Hope that helps.

Another vote for Two Hour Wargames. The 5150: Star Army rules lets you run squad to platoon actions, and flows into 5150: Platoon Leader (platoon to company) and 5150: Battalion Commander.

Thanks everyone. I think I'm leaning towards a system that ill let me use miniatures as individual characters, rather than squads of 'grunts', and there have been a few suggestions here that seem worth investigating. Everyone's help is very much appreciated. Thanks.

Being that you're Gangrel, you should have not needed anyone's advice…
Self-reliance is a Gangrel's core trait… Are you sure you're not a Malkvian who thinks he's Gamgrel? 😎
Anyways, I think any of Weasel's offerings and maybe even Savage Worlds Showdown may fit your needs.

Spoken like a true Ventrue…

A Gangrel knows when to run with the pack and when to stand alone.

SW Showdown is my usual, go-to rules system. I just wondered if there was something more fitting out there (I'm primarily a roleplayer, so I acknowledge there are people who know more about skirmish gaming than me, out there).

And Weasel?

Frostgrave

Wouldn't that require a shedload of work to science fiction-ify it? What would the advantage be over just using a decent set of SF rules?

Have to agree with Gangrel on this one…😳

The above post is regarding Frostgrave. Weasel is the author of the Five Core series of games, available on Wargames Vault….
😂😭
Capt Flash sees the truth. The real truth… And he happily laughs at how wrong it really is!!!!
Muagagahahahaaaa!!!

Rogue Planet. It's currently on sale at Wargame Vault. You can get a physical copy of the rules, a digital copy of both the normal version and 'Derelict Planet Edition' of the game, and a digital copy of the rogue variant that is set on a gritty industrial sci-fi world ruled by violence where rival gangs battle for supremacy, glory, and resources in a harsh post apocalyptic landscape for just $13.74 USD! You could also just pick up all the digital content for $7.49 USD. ;)

Thanks, everyone. I've bought a hardcopy of Blasters and Bulkheads which seems to tick all my boxes (although knowing my buying habits, I'll probably end up with one or two of the others, too). I'll investigate Rogue Planet for sure.

Thanks again to all those who've pitched it; your contributions are appreciated.