"Looking for a Sci-Fi skirmish game" Topic

Many of the futuristic skirmish games play as though the weapons are typical rifles and pistols. What i'd like to find is a skirmish game that fields 10 or 15 minis per side *tops*, with a variety of futuristic weapons like ray guns, stun guns, disintegrator guns, etc. and other pulpy fun stuff. Any suggestions?

Star Grunt by GZG

Could you just play Pulp Alley with some modifications?

So Infinity has a lot of normal rifles and pistols but it also has a TON of depth to it as far as having hacking, EM rounds, invisibility and all kinds of sci-fi stuff.

Some of the weapons templates could be used as one thing or another probably.

Guys, I appreciate the suggestions, but i've been a gamer for years, and if I wanted to I could home brew some rules. I like Pulp Alley, but it's just guys shooting guys, and the types of weapons don't really matter. I want something imaginative. More imaginative than me. I want to imagine a ray gun going ZZZZZAP! and sending somebody to another dimension, or melting him, or something. Not just another "mini shoots with +3. Minus 2 for cover. Add 2 for sharpshooter attribute". Know what I mean?

Pictors

I downloaded the free rules and i'm looking them over. Thanks.

Dennis

Stargrunt II is supposedly a free download, but i can't figure out how to accomplish that.

GZG Rules Downloads

link

Have you checked out Rogue Stars in the Osprey series of games? Lots of customization and interesting effects there, also designed for small forces. Haven't tried it yet but I just read them and they may be of interest to you, and cheap too.

FiveCore 3rd edition. The first edition and several supplements that were rilled into the 3rd are available as a free bundle at Wargame Vault. Normal guns, crazy sci-fi guns, psychic, magic, and super powets that can all be used as different weapin types, it is very flexible.

Stargrunt seconded.

here ya go, Spacey-Pulp goodness!

link

Stargrunt isn't really for 10-15 models per side, neither is Tomorrow's War (from Ambush Alley). Both are more in the Rogue Trader 30-50 infantry and a couple vehicles per side scale.

The only game I know that is written for 10-15 models per side is Infinity. The current edition of the rules is written to be a better game at the expense of some realism. The previous edition of the game was written for maximum realism. You should still be able to find pdfs of the old, 2nd edition rules, but I really think the current edition is a significant step up.

If you have any questions about the Infinity rules, don't be afraid to sign up on the forums, forum.corvusbelli.com I post as Section9 over there.

You could wait for this:(I have it on pre-order)

From a recent Pen & sword blurb……
Pen and Sword Books announced that they will be releasing their new One-Hour Skirmish Wargames book in September 2018. The book will be written by Author Dr John Lambshead and will retail for £12.99 GBP.
Many wargamers enjoy the challenge of skirmish games where, instead of the strategy of vast armies portrayed by traditional wargames, the focus is on the tactics of a small unit. However, skirmish rules are often so complex that it can take hours of rolling dice, consulting tables and recording data to recreate what would in reality be a fast and furious fight lasting just minutes. Now these new rules make it possible to recapture the speed and intensity of these actions where every man, and every second, counts.
The basic rules are supported by sections which give special rules and scenarios to capture the favour of a range of different periods, from Napoleonic to Modern Warfare and beyond with Sci-Fi. From the 95th Rifles, scouting for Wellington, Western gunfights and WWI trench raids, through WW2 parachute assaults or Special Forces strikes in Afghanistan, or even Space Marines storming a space station, Squad Firefights elegantly simple system allows you to focus on proper tactical decisions rather than rolling buckets of dice or calculating masses of modifiers.

Or use Black Ops

Or dare I say 40K 8th ignoring army lists etc and picking and choosing what you want to use

Of course your mileage may vary, I have been wargaming for almost 30 years and I am still awaiting the "one set", but I don`t think its ever going to happen.

Good luck

Glen

P.S. If you find something you like please let us know

Given your requirements, I'd say Pulp Alley with Mods is your best bet.

And Stargrunt II is a great game but definitely the next tier up, size and complexity wise.

There's the recent Rogue Stars, but it's small scale and quite fiddly, IMO. What about Mutants and Death Ray Guns from Ganesha Games?

Galactic Heroes fistful of Lead by Jay Wiley has a sci-fi skirmish set that is exactly set for that size game. I was in the Kickstarter that ended middle of this month. Rules are based of mechanics in Fistful of Lead. There are a few battle c reports on line that show how the rules work. There is a video on Kickstarter too. I love the other sets. Really easy to play and loads of fun. Only downside for you is weapons aren't drastically different. You might be able to adjust that. Rules available in September.

Thanks.

John

I've looked at several rules sets, and they are al OK in their own way, but i get the feeling, as in Pulp Alley, that there isn't enough science or fiction in any of them. So, I think i'll take some bits of all of them and add my own Flash Gordon twists. So,, hows this? I use the usual IGOUGO basic firing with the usual plus or minus die roll modifiiers for range, cover, morale, wounds, attributes, etc., with these weapons:

Disintegrator Ray: Completely disintegrates a figure or cover. If it hits any sort of obstacle, that obstacle is removed. If it's terrain, like woods or brush; completely remove a two inch wide section.

Interdimensional Rift ray: If it hits a figure, that figure is removed from the table for two turns, and reappears at a random location. It can even reappear among enemy figures.

Molecular Disfunction Ray: Any figure that is hit becomes fragile, and any further hits will kill it. No matter what it's size or strength.

Confusion Ray: Any figure that is hit has a random chance to attack a friendly mini during it's turn, for one turn.

Flame Ray: Sets a figure on fire and kills it next turn.

There should also be ways to counter some of these effects. I haven't worked that out yet, but a medic or science officer might be two possibilities.

The weapons should be hand held, but large and cumbersome, so equipped figures will move slower.

Those are just basic ideas. I need to flesh them out. Possibly put a cap on the number of heavy weapons a unit can have, or put a point value on the Space Rangers and their weapons.

Any other ideas for weird science weapons or gear will be appreciated.

SF games are ww2 or modern because what is the point otherwise?
Distingrators? Just remove the cover then do it again.

Same reason space games are ww2 in space. Either it's a dogfight in 'snub' fighters or it's ww1 or 2 big gun ships.

But Tin-Soldiers Starguard had distingrators back in the 70s. I loved the old 1st, 2nd, … maybe 3rd but then they became just to hard.

Dragon6

The point? To replicate adventures that might have appeared in a Flash Gordon comic strip back in the 1930's. I'm not exactly sure what your point is.

Sorry I guess my explanation was too poorly argued.

Flash Gordon is pulp so I suggest any of the many pulp rules.

Dragon6

Well, you see, that's the problem. Many Sci-Fi games play like a WW II game. Same old guns and area weapons. Just because you're using minis that look like spacemen or aliens, and using weapons that you name blaster or phaser, or whatever. If the outcome is the same as any WW II game, EG. figure fires weapon, throw dice, add abilities, subtract cover, figure dies or is wounded, then it's just a WW II game with Sci-Fi window dressing. That's why I want to employ weapons that do things that WW II weapons don't do. Like make cover disappear without any other destruction. Make a unit disappear and reappear in another section of the playing field. Control a mind. Make a figure think that his friends are his enemies and shoot them! Rearrange molecules so any enemy, no matter how large or tough will become as fragile as glass. Set a figure on fire without destruction to a large area, or any other any other figures as a flamethrower would. Stuff that you would *only* see or read in Science Fiction. Things that can only be done in a fictional world, but based in some alternate idea of science. See what i'm saying here?

Well, you see, that's the problem. Many Sci-Fi games play like a WW II game. Same old guns and area weapons. Just because you're using minis that look like spacemen or aliens, and using weapons that you name blaster or phaser, or whatever. If the outcome is the same as any WW II game, EG. figure fires weapon, throw dice, add abilities, subtract cover, figure dies or is wounded, then it's just a WW II game with Sci-Fi window dressing. That's why I want to employ weapons that do things that WW II weapons don't do. Like make cover disappear without any other destruction. Make a unit disappear and reappear in another section of the playing field. Control a mind. Make a figure think that his friends are his enemies and shoot them! Rearrange molecules so any enemy, no matter how large or tough will become as fragile as glass. Set a figure on fire without destruction to a large area, or any other any other figures as a flamethrower would. Stuff that you would *only* see or read in Science Fiction. Things that can only be done in a fictional world, but based in some alternate idea of science. See what i'm saying here?

All of that is accomplished in 7TV 1st Ed. – though admittedly, a disintegrator does 1d6 points of damage. Since most cast extras have a single hit point, the result is much the same. Heroes have up to three hits, so a slim chance of survival.

Same with the other effects – apply a flame result to a firing weapon instead of a bullet. Or make a "dominated" beam – fires as a rifle, result is target is "dominated" and switches sides.

One of the Programme Guides (Man from 2000) even has a Dimensional Shift effect (as a character trait), but could easily be adapted to a weapon. Also a "Take Back Time" effect (re-roll or cancel some dice rolls).

Regards,
Keith F.

Thanks Keith. Sounds interesting. I'll check it out.

1st Edition is on sale as a pdf at Wargames Vault.

link

Bear in mind, it's packaged as a 1960's/70's style TV game, but all those tropes from the 70's were inspired by the 30's and 50's.

I'll be running two games at NJ Con, if you're in the neighbourhood.

Regards,
Keith F.

When's NJ Con?

8 and 9 June on the outskirts of Edison, NJ

njcon.org

KF

I'm out in High Bridge, near Clinton NJ. I know a couple of the guys that put on the show in the past. I'll try to make it this year.

I think that any good WWII set of rules can be easily adapted for science fiction skirmish gaming quite easily. Over the years I have used GASLIGHT and no Combat Patrol for science fiction skirmish games quite effectively.

Buck Surdu

I'm gonna chime in here. Grab a copy of 1st edition Warzone. It's got the usual shooty guns in space, but also has a plethora of unique weapons and units. Very cinematic game play.
My locals and I have played it in 54mm Skirmish utilizing just Heroes as characters and have had a great time.
Look on eBay for Warzone Rule Book Target.
There are also the four main supplements :
Dawn Of War
Casualties Of War
Beasts Of War
Dark Eden.

Here's one on eBay. This is the edition you want.
auction