"A try at using Chain Reaction rules for Quar" Topic

I think Quar are more like an imagi-nation for WW1, WW2, or in-between than science fiction, so I never know where to post battle reports for them. And my Quar fight over areas that look a lot like Normandy.

I normally use Chain of Command for my Quar. I love the uncertainty of jump-off points and command dice. I wanted to try a co-operative game with my wife, so I'm giving Chain Reaction a try. I've got an old version of Nuts!, but stuck with Chain Reaction for now for simplicity. I like the idea of us exploring the battlefield together.

We got a little way into it, and I decided I needed to ask some questions. I always get the impression Ed is making different assumptions than I am.

Pictures for most of what we did are here:
goo.gl/photos/oQVavRLwFL8Jfnte9

I gave each of us a partial squad of Crusaders, with a yawdryl (sergeant) and 5 rhyflers, each with semi-automatic rifles (Bogens). The other side was Coftyrans, who have bolt-action rifles and a LMG in each (partial) squad. There was also a HMG team.

One assumption difference is probably that Ikeep trying to act by squad, and I think the rules want me to act by figure. So when I send 6 guys to a hedgerow to see what is on the other side, I expect to move them all up. But I think I was supposed to do an In Sight test when the first figure hit the hedgerow. (I gave the hedgerows cover as well as concealment, because these were the rocky ones with thick trees on top.) Then I'd do firing one figure at a time, with reactions based on that firing. It got very hard to keep track of what had happened so far, what was happening in general, and what was next.

We decided to stop and ask for general guidance. Should we stick to a figure-by-figure approach, and would it make it clearer if we did? Maybe that means we should each have only 3 or 4 figures, and quit thinking about it as a squad each. It seemed to bog down with lots of dice rolling back and forth and while we resolved one player's squad, the other player waited around. Maybe that's because Chain Reaction is aimed a low number of figures? Would Nuts! go up a bit towards the squad level I keep thinking about?

When I have a squad all in one area, and all can see an enemy squad, it seems odd to go so far in resolving one figure at a time and reactions related to that before carrying on with the figures right next to them. This is part of the same question as above.

Any thoughts on platoon-level Nuts! or Chain Reaction?

thanks
andy

The forum is the best place to ask questions.

site.twohourwargames.com/forum

However I will take a stab at the first question. Are you using the current version ? Its a free download.

This is from the book:
Once the test is triggered the triggering group is allowed to move all of its figures (whether they triggered the In Sight or not) up to two additional inches. This movement could result in the figure going out of sight.

Hope that helps.

Bob

Great terrain!

Nuts can handle up to about a platoon without a lot of fuss (you can play bigger but that's the typical level I see people play), though I feel the rules shine the most when your men can act fairly individually.
The squad to half-platoon was the level we enjoyed the most.

I do have the latest. If the squad is moving 8", but one at a time, then I guess I could have moved the guy who triggered the test back to not get shot at. But is there any way to get the whole group up to the hedge? Or is that a step in the wrong direction, because I should really make myself get used to one at a time?

I don't think my wife is going to have patience for me to resolve multiple steps each for multiple guys in my squad. If she knew what to do, maybe we could each roll the dice for the enemy when ours isn't the squad involved.

How do guys playing Nuts! at platoon level do it (assuming someone does)?

andy

From memory, you roll for a group and they all take the same reaction, but maybe someone else can pitch in who has played more recently?

Try to picture what would be happening in real life. Groups can move simultaneously to a point, then send someone a little bit forward to see what is going on, and then, based on that recce the entire group could move again,

When a group is activated there is no requirement to finish moving one figure before moving another.

If a hedge is 4" away you could move the entire group 3" forward, then move one guy 1" to the hedge to take a peek. Then you have the option of moving everyone 2" more before taking the In Sight test.

In order to move 2" after someone in the group triggers an In Sight, those figures must have at least 2" of their move left.

As for your Reaction Test question, the Stop box on page 14 says that after all figures in a group fire, one set of dice is rolled for the enemy group that received the fire. The results of this roll are applied individually to figures requiring a test.

Does that answer your question about firing as individuals?

EDIT: I am quoting from Chain Reaction Final Version. That does mean that other THW games work exactly the same.

I have a print out of the Final Version. Of course, we're using the post-final 2015 version now. :)

You're right, I could have taken what I know of the In Sight movement and gotten up to within 2" of the hedgerow and gotten every one else in.

The shooting and reacting individually might be too involved for me.

andy

Thinking more about it, for moving I could have either moved the first guy back, breaking LOS, or moved the whole squad up more slowly, until more of them could get to the edge in 2". Two ways to get what I want there.

Can you handle shooting in groups, adding the Target numbers? Maybe for Outgunned you'd have to remember the weapon with the largest Target value. I guess the problem with that is that the other side would only fire in reaction after a whole squad's fire, rather than back and forth with individuals.

Still digesting …

andy

I am sure 5150 had quar lists when originally released.
I have been using No end in sight and it works quite well, I tweaked the weapons to reflect the technology of the Quar world.

For group shooting, we ended up using differently coloured dice. A few blue dice for the machine gun, white dice for the rifles, that sort of thing.

What do peple use as enemies of the Quar? Or are they fighting themselves?

We have Quar Coftyrans, Crusaders, and Kryst.

I've designed my own lists for Chain of Command, but others have associated each group with WW2 armies. Coftyrans as British, Crusaders as Germans or Americans.

andy

So essentially it's a world populated with these guys instead of humans, more or less?

That's super neat.

There are some really neat groups. Take a look at the different nations in 28mm, which are absolutely wonderful:
link

I play 15mm because of scale convenience and price, but I do love the 28mm figures.

andy

Very cool, I dig the style a lot.
Next time I buy scifi, I may have to get some of these guys.

The squad moves at the same time , not one figure at a time. Move them the same distance if you want. When the first figure and subsequent figures gets into sight, they all can move 2" before the In Sight is taken. This allows you to duck back out of sight if you want.

As for taking reactions, roll 1 set of d6 for the whole squad, then apply the results to each figure based on Rep. So if they are all the same Rep, they will all react the same way.

Start with a squad and increase as you get more familiar with the rules.

Hope this helps.

Also if you want to play faster –

1 – Eliminate Outgunned.
2 – Eliminate Received Fire Test. Instead, if a target is missed, it automatically can return fire at the figure that shot at it.

I fire at you and miss.
You return fire – no Received Fire Test taken.

Thanks, Ed.

OK, so the first guy that comes into sight determines where you start moving 2" from (move everything 2" from where they were when first guy(s) came into sight). In my case, they were in a line parallel to the hedgerow, and would have all gotten there at the same time. Then if I didn't want to deal with the fight, I could step everyone back. That helps, thanks.

How about shooting? Is that figure-by-figure?

If my squad wants to shoot at their squad, do I do one shot at a time? If so, is it the group that takes Receive Fire, or the specific figure(s) targeted? (I think this was one of the things that confused me, and my own assumptions may be at fault.)

Let me see if I understand your "As for taking reactions" suggestion or clarification(?). Would I shoot with my whole squad, and the target squad would take either Received Fire or Man Down, depending on whether I hit anything? If on the other hand I were to do one at a time (which I think is intent of rules), specific targets would fire or duck back, and that whole back-and-forth would continue until resolved. Can a reacting figure fire at anything other than the one that fired at them? Otherwise, I'd have a lot of trouble remembering when a firefight should stop.

Would eliminating Outgunned really be faster? Or would it just be simpler? Seems like it would end a particular exchange of fire a bit quicker sometimes.

If eliminating the received fire test, you shoot back and forth until somebody gets hit?

I hope I'm already at small enough games to begin with, with a half squad or so for each of us. The problem we had was that she (who is much less interested than I am) had to wait while I did the back and forth for my squad. I am not interested in playing solo, but maybe I should try to finish up the game while she's away this weekend, so I could be prepared to try again with more knowledge.

thanks
andy

We played without Outgunned for a few games and ended up kind of liking it better that way.
The system is very robust to tinkering.

In my case, they were in a line parallel to the hedgerow, and would have all gotten there at the same time. Then if I didn't want to deal with the fight, I could step everyone back.

Correct.

How about shooting? Is that figure-by-figure?

Right.

If my squad wants to shoot at their squad, do I do one shot at a time?

No, fire with everyone and after it's resolved, roll 1 set of d6 for the received Fire test for the targets and let them react.

If so, is it the group that takes Receive Fire

Group with one set of d6 rolled.

Let me see if I understand your "As for taking reactions" suggestion or clarification(?). Would I shoot with my whole squad, and the target squad would take either Received Fire or Man Down, depending on whether I hit anything?

Correct. Roll 1 set of d6 and apply it the each figure for both tests if it happens.

If on the other hand I were to do one at a time (which I think is intent of rules), specific targets would fire or duck back, and that whole back-and-forth would continue until resolved. Can a reacting figure fire at anything other than the one that fired at them?

No must return fire at the shooter.

Would eliminating Outgunned really be faster? Or would it just be simpler? Seems like it would end a particular exchange of fire a bit quicker sometimes.

It would be quicker if combined with the automatic return fire if the target was missed.

If eliminating the received fire test, you shoot back and forth until somebody gets hit?

Right but you bring up a good point. Damage becomes "1" Dead Impact or less but ot a "1" OOF, higher then Impact – Duck Back. Like the 2d6 sci fi combat rules.

I hope I'm already at small enough games to begin with, with a half squad or so for each of us. The problem we had was that she (who is much less interested than I am) had to wait while I did the back and forth for my squad. I am not interested in playing solo, but maybe I should try to finish up the game while she's away this weekend, so I could be prepared to try again with more knowledge.

Or play together on the same side against the game mechanics.

thanks
andy

Thanks. Playing same side is what we're doing now. I do think we've got a small game, it just felt that messy to go back and forth one figure at a time.

We'll try doing the reaction after resolving all the fire. I think that means we're more likely to get Man Down tests, because we're more likely to have hit something after everybody shoots. I think I need to remind myself of what "carry on" specifically means.

thanks
andy

Playing same side is one of the coolest parts. Totally changed the way we went about gaming.