"'Ware Xenos!" Topic

My copy of Xenos Rampant arrived yesterday afternoon. This is NOT a proper review. That would involve maybe a week and test games. This is a few observations and questions.
1. My first thought was that this would be an excellent fit for someone with a pretty recent 40K army or portion thereof--right down to adjusting unit sizes (5's and 10's instead of 6's and 12's) to accommodate the forces of the Evil Empire.
2. Otherwise, it's pretty straight Mersey, right down to the expendable first section. (I shall mentally file "Commanders" where I placed "Boasts" from Lion Rampant. Commanding the troops and bragging are my job, not something outsourced to the rules.) It looks to be clear enough to anyone familiar with other Mersey rules--simple, fast-playing and suitable for solo games.
3. I'd be interested in thoughts on troop types, though. I finally placed my Halfling/Ratling snipers as recon infantry with the "sniper team" option, and maybe my thoat-mounted Barsomian lancers should be heavy infantry with "mobile" "Close quarters doctrine" and "assault doctrine," though calling them infantry grates. But has anyone a thought about where my Squat trikes fit?

Haven't got my copy yet. I do have Barsoomian 18mm armies though. Plus i like the rest of his rules.

Thanks

John

Say something when you've read them, please. I'm getting the distinct feeling the tricky part here will be finding just the right troop type and options to recreate existing literary and Hollywood SF types.

I watched the Guerilla Miniatures Youtube Channel review of XR, and I'm not convinced that this rules system can capture the flavor of SciFi battles beyond the terrible trooper horde vs. bug horde of the Starship Troopers film, or maybe the Droids vs. Gungans battle of Phantom Menace, both of which just seem like Napoleonics with fancy guns. If anyone can present experience to the contrary, I'm eager to hear of it.

though calling them infantry grates

Would calling them REALLY fast infantry help?

Actually, Stryderg, he'd call them "mobile infantry" which is even worse for an old Heinlein reader. His gun crews are also called infantry. I did two tours in artillery units, and if anyone read such a thing to them, any response would be bleeped out on TMP.

Count the trikes as technicals?

Robert
Once you built your unit and worked out the point value
You can call your unit what you like,
Once built units don't change in campaign mode only your commander changes.

Pontifex
The game has
4 commander types each with 6 traits.
10 unit types each with special rules and options which can alter the base unit type.
3 vehicle types with special rules and options.
35 xenos rules which are basically options that can be added to any of the units.
12 scenerio's.
And optional rules like,
Civilian (NPCs)
Police response (NPCs)
Fog of war
Night fighting
Limited ammo
Zombie Apocalypse
Boarding action's

One thing that is missing is exotic environment rules eg low/high gravity ect apart from the explosive decomposition rule which is part of "boarding action"

I think it looks like cool game which challenges you to use your imagination.