This is prompted by a lively exchange on the 15mm SF page on facebook.
Later Ganesha rules now have the principle of using reactions but older titles can be "upgraded" quite easily.
Way, way back when we was doing LARP pirates I looked around for a set of rules that could do small unit actions. By chance there was the new Flashing steel. The results we got were so similar to real combat that we were 'ooked. Now there's an add-on that really reproduces the rolling chaos that is combat.
If your rules still use yougo-Igo, welcome to the real world-. Reactions speed up games and can be confusing as who's turn can become lost-. Try using different colour dice for reactions, it helps.
You have to appreciate the genius of the simplicity of this method. Most rules don't try. At least one does so clumsily that many players (in my experience) won't play. Simply, the lower Q opponent is more likely to fail and the higher better able to seize the day. He who dares wins.
To recap, when you roll for actions you often fail 1-2 dice rolls. As a reaction, your opponent can "seize this advantage", rerolling your fails and taking effective action.
This can be very effective so you can reduce the impact, here's some suggestions based on other rules:
you can only have one reaction attempt per unit
choice of unit is by similar rank, quality i.e. a CO can benefit from a CO but not a rank n file
only one reaction can be used - 2 fails just gives you 2 choices
not a combat action, but you can shoot and/or move into contact
reactions go first or simultaneously
Warning, this makes modern move, shoot & spray weapons very, very nasty. We used it here in game 3 and I got cheesed-.
http://unitrecon.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/a-game-of-two-halves-laserblade-vs.html
You can also use reactions of both sides to govern the erratic movement of an "NPC" force such as fleeing scientists, refugees or herds.
Here's an example from our early test of Song of Spear and shield. Achilles had been coming on strong, an armoured hero armed with javelins every move forward got a free shot and he couldn't miss. Tony used the rally back option to withdraw and reform. My activation, 2 fails (being a hero, he gets one!) In Tony's front rank there was a better quality archer who took the 2 fails- success. With 2 he does an aimed shot and rolls a 6. Achilles rolls a 1. He's not only dead, that's a Harold, gruesome death. Of a CO. Most of mine rout on the spot-. A simple rule, units having 2 simple stats, not 5-6 or more. A few add-ons. This is quality.
You may remember that Achilles was badly wounded by an opportunistic arrow shot. You can take the fail as a trip or a distraction. If you've ever been there-.
Saturday, 7 May 2016
Monday, 25 April 2016
Flying Lead Southpaws get out of Dodge vs Corporate Japanese
Time, we feel, to get
back to our regular Flying Lead ultraviolence. I've been looking at
the recent MDF terrain with some envy. I could spend £100 with nooo
problem. But I don't think I've done so shabby with my Mattel
car-boot roads and (sainsbury's profiteroles) junk buildings, ex xmas
tree-trees.
As you've heard before,
I had a “spurt” to build up forces for Harder Than Steel –
still holding breath, tapping toes, looking over glasses, looking
significantly at watch. This is part of my smaller, urban contingent
of my Corporate Japanese.
I've been particularly light on robots as
the Southpaws infantry lack the weapons to take them out. You first
saw their larger cousins in Flying lead Dominar, Dainties &
dastardly droids of 30.1.2015. The Ninja used a larger variation of
the robot for personal transport and protection, carrying a mini
missile system based on the (Japanese) infantry launcher below.
The basic light mini-
missile is the standard Japanese support munition. The infantry
launcher carries 8 shots chosen from:
Armour Piercing Fin Stabilised Discharging Sabot
(APFSDS)
High Explosive Armour Piercing grenade round
(HEAP)
Anti-personnel (AP)
Chemical Smoke Marker* (CSM)
Chemical Smoke Concealment (CSC)
Larger units add a fire
and forget (mortar) seeking HEAP round that reacts to the CSM*.
The infantry launcher
and some other units have a signature exhaust suppressor. It's loaded
like a revolver and either scrapped or recycled. Fortunately Flying
Lead has a simple method for upgrading, a longer range and larger
blast circle. Mortars and robots can shoot indirect. As with the
UNLI, the robots are controlled by specific handlers, the no.2 of
snipers & specialist teams.
I took mortars as
indirect, requiring 1 action to spot by an officer, robot or sensor
equipped specialist. Either I was too cautious, forgot them or I
should have included a spotter, possibly with a specialist drone
unit. I may do another game using the “non urban” vs my PAU that
requires set-up of HW or a firebase or guarded perimeter. Hmmm,
star/airport, big lifter- watch this space.
Japanese TOE
Command squad.
CO & coms specialist, Robot, controller & sensor operator, 2
independent launcher troopers. IFV 558
Infantry Section
Junior Officer & robot*
Squad Sergeant, 3
troops, sniper & 3 troops. Attached SAW gunner. 1,103
HW Section 2 RAM
mortars & crew, 2 Gatling & crew, 2 troops. 608
Total force 2,299.
APC's are a separate extraction force.
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Corporate Officer
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Points 130
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Quality 3+
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Combat 2
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-Assault Rifle, Body Armor,
CQB Specialist, Dashing, Leader,
Personal Communication Device
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* Corporate Japanese
platoons often have an extra junior officer who acts as point man or
detachment squad leader, a bit like the old British Subaltern or
naval Ensign. Other ranks are more likely to respect an officer who
has seen active combat close & personal.
I got rather stung by
the Anatochi's Workshop 15mm range. I bought a small batch intending
to upgrade later. I like the new Eurofed by Brigade, as the mix of
wheeled designs fits in with the concept , particularly the urban
force here. Doing the whole lot in one go each section would cost
about £18, being 2APC's or 3-4 smaller vec's – roll on the sale!
I need to get the power armour first, but I'm taking the hint from
GZG's “pack A”, hinting at more to come-.
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Southpaw TOE
Senior officer, Drone
handler, independent sniper. 356
Militia Infantry squad,
4 infantry, Officer 520 x5
Special Forces unit 6
infantry 794
5 SW, either attached
or independent & Officer 672
Forces:
Wave 5 Infantry + 2
independent SW 2,288
Command + 4 infantry
sections 2,436
Command, 3 Infantry, 4
SW, 2,322
(chosen) Command,
Special Forces, 2 Inf, 2 independent SW 2,409
Command, SW, Special
forces, 1 infantry 2,213
Way
back in May 2014, after 1st use of Southpaws, I decided we
needed some basic rules for drones & robots. As we're using both
here's a summary:
Robots.
Most are effectively normal infantry who will MIRROR (SOP) the
activation or reaction of its parent unit. Loss has the same morale
effect due to loss of asset.
A hit that has a non penetrating hit represents an impact that causes loss of unit integrity, a bit like losing your wifi on the move.
A hit that has a non penetrating hit represents an impact that causes loss of unit integrity, a bit like losing your wifi on the move.
Exception 1)
in the case of a withdraw, a robot unit will always take the rear
position.
Exception 2)
a robot can be ordered to seek and destroy (i.e. against a sniper)
without regard to own safety.
Exception 3)
a robot vehicle benefits from end-of-move free movement like
any other unit. Unmirrored robot infantry
do not.
Exception 4)
only one activation is required to go on overwatch.
Exception 5)
no test needed to close assault, can be programmed to close assault
as a reaction.
Drones. Scout
and/or electronic warfare (EW) asset, from shell delivered
to grav AI's. EW can be built into any vehicle or robot. Here is a
use for those plastic covers on CD's as its area of influence. Use as
seems logical. For instance in a built up area a drones effectiveness
is greatly reduced.
Drones are replaceable
small targets, flying as hard cover to represent random evasion
movement and small size. Q will represent tech level and
sophistication. Most drones are unarmed. Any armed drone loses cover
advantage above.
Actions
Move
EW attack,
2dice Q test. If passed any unit in area cannot make aimed shot due
to disrupted electronics.
Or command
radius reduced to Short.
Or target
vehicle(s) (including robots or Mechanoids) lose 1 activation, which
counts towards switch-over.
Reaction
Move.
Target has
revealed itself and is painted, if successful 2dice Q test any
shot against will count as +1. This lasts until drone is destroyed or
end of turn.
The Game.
I deployed first, given
that Tony aught to know where I was. Gave Tony the initiative, again
nothing was going to happen-. First off Tony put his leader out
there, dangerous as I had a sniper. I had a fail & he used it to
advanced his drone (can your rules choice do that?) which my sniper
promptly shot. That forced his right hand force to go to ground, his
sniper began stalking mine. On the other flank his special forces
scary bastards started sliding forward.
My sniper moved forward
(shoot n scoot) and the SAW & others moved up to cover. Using an
infantry squad as cover his sniper worked forward until he got a shot
of the vehicle my sniper was using for cover. I use a needle, they
use a sledge hammer. Crump! Scratch vehicle, scratch sniper.
On the other flank the
SF protected the point of the advancing infantry but fell foul of my
robots who started to take 'em out one at a time due to their
dispersed formation. I did get a lock on his infantry, but shiny
cars and lasers don't work that well and the mortar round fell short.
I had a nice line of infantry designed to draw them out. Didn't
work, my Sergeant decided to go Samurai 1:1 with a SF, to be knocked
down by a second. All this attracted the attention of the infantry,
who came swarming over the bus, guns a-blazing. That did it for my
squad, but the launchers opened up and pushed them back with
casualties n collateral damage. This is war right?
The SF did the trick on
my robots, jumping on them & disabling systems. Worked but one
of them didn't jump clear-. These guys are unarmed, so makes sense
that they'd be equipped with a shaped charge door buster to handle
AFV's and other door equipped obstacles? Slap one in front of the
missiles and jump-.
On the other flank,
spurred on my the CO the infantry close assault mine, killing half
and forcing the others back with better-than-average shooting.
The sniper gets a good
position and starts “plinking” the nearest bunker.
The successful infantry
turn left and head for my surviving right hand force, suffering . My
CO runs for the IFV, which adds to the crossfire. Off it goes, to the
flank of the infantry, but then there's his sniper with a difficult
shot. He takes it, hits and gets a stunned.
That was it over for
me. My officer would have been on a charge, as he lost too many
assets. So a win for Tony & the southpaws.
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| My exit point and transport. |
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| HW emplaced, the mortars are on the roof, but the HMG's are in the bunkers |
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| Don't worry, they'll never hit anything at this dist-" |
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| SNIPER! |
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| Add caption |
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| Sniper, original position |
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| Junior officer and robot. Base works here, but not on the grassy knoll- |
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| Incoming! |
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| Both assaults going in |
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| For once, due to angle, we didn't take enough pics |
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| Artistic licence! |
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| OW!!! |
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| I'm not sure why the sniper ignored the SAW |
Tuesday, 19 April 2016
Flying Lead Going Large on Mars
Never,
they say, reinvent the wheel. Sound advice. There are times, dear
readers when one's vision and megalomaniac streak makes you want to
go large. Then you realise that the rules (ahem, Harder Than Steel,
coughs loudly in meaningful way, looking over glasses) have not been
released yet.
And, just
to rub salt into the open pustular sore, some B'stard releases what
you crave (as opposed to actually need, this being a serious
addiction).
http://dropshiphorizon.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/mad-mecha-guy-15mm-flying-skiff.html
I have
been working on some models of the Chumley, Warner and Patel bespoke
contraptions for the discerning explorer, but ran out of, um, steam.
So this is
a pale shadow of what is to come, oh my co-conspirators. Many moons
ago when the Earth was a younger green and pleasant land I pitted a
horde of Pyrats agin me stalwart Dorsetshires. This combination
worked so well that I'm going to reuse it here, but with Flying Lead
as opposed to its close relative Flying Steel. I'm going to make a
few radical modifications based on the Quar rules. With a good dose
of OGAM.
Command
Activation.
Senior
Officer rolls first, can use or pass down activations to next
level, who can then roll and add that activation to their total.
This had the effect of units nearest the CO moving first.
Middle
officer's roll can now be used to activate a base, vehicle or
unit as per normal group activation, except that 1 activation works
on whole unit, not just 4.
2 fails
still passes over initiative. Failed initiative = no end phase move.
End
phase. Any unit not activated can perform either a move OR shoot
activation. Start at one side and apply common sense (these move
into range, so then these shoot). Can move into contact, but not
fight. Caught unit can disengage if got initiative or reaction.
Shooting/fighting.
Attacker uses 1 dice per 4 full combatants. Add C and weapon
modifier to dice total. Defender uses 1 dice per 4 full combatants
plus C. Every +3, 1 dead. +1 one repelled from base +2, 2 repelled
from base, each requiring an activation to return to coherence.
This is a
follow-on to our last game. The Prince has yet to return so his
brother Prince Humper is in charge. There is a consecutive game to
follow as I'm trying to catch the feel of those pulp productions
possibly perfectly.
The
Forces. I haven't costed this, as it's not yer usual game, ok?
Forces of
the Dread City Republic of Bananos, dread city of the Death Cult
priests!
High
Priest CO with bodyguard Q3 C2 Fanatic, Long range +2
Sub
commander with maiden guards Q3 C2 poor shots, fanatics, Medium range
+2
Maiden
Guards Q4 C2 Fanatics, Poor shots, Medium range +2
Chosen
(zombie) shooters Q3 C1 Long range +2
Chosen
(zombie) rabble Q4 C1 x 3
The
Expeditionary column of Prince Humper of Allumpa.
Prince
Humper of Allumpa. A Hero Q3 C2
City
Infantry, ½ shooters, ½ swords. Q3 C3 poor shots X2.
Sub
Commander Biggus Dickus, A human transported Hero, Q3 C4
Mercenaries
1/2 shooters ½ swords Q4 C2 poor shots. X2.
Japanese
Allies
Chumley,
Warner and Patel bespoke contraption plus 4 fighting crew , Vehicle
C5 Q4, Medium
Crew Q3
C3, Dashing x2 Infantry can be detached as separate unit(s)
Japanese
may seem odd, but Space 1899 says there are several trading posts.
I'm extrapolating that Samurai who disagree with the changes in
culture at home would welcome the chance to live a more traditional
life on Mars, where the tribal Martians present an ideal enemy.
There's a
mix here. Martian Empires Martians, Irregular Miniatures Mohicans,
smaller samples from my Japanese collection, as the Martian 18mm are
quite small-. I hope you like the
http://www.ralparthaeurope.co.uk/shop/1879-c-126/samsut-c-126_146/
Plus a pack of cultists. I'm often accused of painting “too dark”
so decided to go the other way, quite pleased with these. You'll
detect the influence of The Last Empire raised dead.
Playing
the game. The rules made for quick turns with most units doing
something or totally failing-.
Tony took
the mixed force and won the initiative. All his moved forward,
putting mine in danger-. My zombies surged forward and I started to
move my zombie shooters, as they were to be my hinge-.
On came
the constructions, grinding through my zombies. Ouch. Zombie
shooters should be able to destroy or impede them, but 3 fails in a
row-. My leader can see 2 machines coming right at him. Recall the
maidens! They leap in and destroy a contraption due to Tony rolling
bad for once!
One
Japanese crew cannot resist going hand to hand and lose one! Even the
CnC gets stuck in-.
If I'd
costed it, I think the Princes party overwhelmed the city. I need to
make and get more, cavalry, artillery, city heavy infanrty.
I hope you
will take something from this and our Giant Rat game of June 2014.
If you need to go Large, go for it, have fun.
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| Prince at the back, Hero to the front. |
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| My CnC looks awfully exposed- |
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| My Sub-commander gets stuck in- |
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| NEVER give a zombie a cunning plan---- |
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| The Prince gets stuck in- |
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| "They shall not pass!" |
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