u/Double_Ice8165

Any fellow designers willing to examine my current set of rules?

Table of Contents:

Troop Profiles

Each unit has a “stat profile” which details their capabilities in battle. For example, here is the profile for a British Riflemen:

M: 4”
WS: 5+
T: 2
W: 1
AG: 4+
LD: 5+
CP: 6+

Each of these characteristics represents a different trait or attribute, and each characteristic is used differently within the game. In some cases a low number is better, but in other cases, a high number is better:

  • Movement (M), Toughness, (T), Wounds (W) are all shown as simple numbers, in which case a higher number is better.
  • Weapon Skill (WS) and Agility (AG) are all shown as target numbers; a number followed by a “+” symbol. That is what you are required to roll equal or above. The lower the number the better.
  • In addition, a unit’s psychological characteristics, Leadership (LD) and Composure (CP), are also shown as target numbers; a number followed by ‘+’ symbol. The lower the number the better

Characteristics

Movement (M)

  • This is the distance, in inches, a unit can move.

Weapon Skill (WS)

  • This shows the unit’s proficiency in close combat when using weapons that have either the Melee trait or the Sidearm trait.

Toughness (T)

  • This represents how tough the unit is. The higher a unit’s Toughness characteristic, the less likely they are to be wounded by an attack.

Wounds (W)

  • A unit’s Wounds characteristic is a measure of how much punishment they can take before succumbing to their injuries.

Agility (AG)

  • A unit’s Agility characteristic provides a measure of their dexterity and the quickness of their reflexes.

Leadership (LD)

  • A unit’s Leadership characteristic represents their ability to issue or follow commands in the heat of battle. When doing a group action, roll for leadership, on a fail no bonuses are given.

Composure (CP)

  • A unit’s Composure characteristic represents their capacity for keeping calm under fire. On a composure test roll 2d6, if they fail a composure test they will be shell shocked and can only perform non-combat actions for a turn.

Weapon Profiles

In the same way as a unit, each weapon has its own characteristics profile, detailing the range of its attacks, the damage it deals and so forth. For example, here is the profile of a Lee Enfield

Lee Enfield

Range:
Short: 8”
Long: 24”
Accuracy:
Short: +1
Long: -1
Hit Chance: 4+
Caliber: 3
Attacks: 1
Armor Penetration: 0
Damage: 1

Bayonet

Range:
2”
Accuracy:
Melee
Caliber: 2
Attacks: 1
Armor Penetration: 0
Damage: 1

Range

  • This is how far you can shoot, depending on the distance can give certain modifiers. Range is put in Min/Max, meaning max distance and minimum distance, minimum distance is shot from equal to below.

Accuracy

  • Depending on your distance you have hit chance modifiers.

Hit Chance (HC)

  • This is what you must roll to actually hit for ranged weapons.

Caliber (C)

  • This is what you must roll to actually deal damage for ranged weapons.

Attacks (A)

  • This is how many dice you must roll.

Accuracy

  • Depending on your distance you will have hit chance modifiers which can improve or lower your chance to hit.

Armor Penetration (AP)

  • This is how well you're able to penetrate armor.

Damage (D)

  • How much damage each attack does

Radius (R”)

  • For explosive weapons this is how big the blast circle is.

Actions

Actions can be done to do certain things:

Each player will have their own command cache. Players will always start at 3 actions, adding 1 for each Rank unit in your army at a maximum of +2 actions. Any actions that remained unspent in an activation can be used in the next activation sequence. Players may have a max of 5 Cache. Each unit may only do 2 actions.

Infantry & Elite Actions cost 1 Action Cost
Light Mechs cost 2 Action Cost
Heavy Mechs cost 3 Action Cost

(Basic Actions) (1)
Move

  • Move your movement value in inches”

Shoot

  • Shoot a weapon.

Fight

  • Fight with a melee weapon.

Fall Back

  • Move out of combat.

Interact

  • Interact with objectives.

Rally

  • This unit may do a composure test, on a pass this unit loses d3 composure tokens.

(Advanced Actions) (2)
Run

  • Move your movement distance + 1d6” straight in the direction of the unit. Every 4” you may switch directions. Next turn this unit will have -1 Hit Chance.

Shell Up!

  • Reload a siege weapon.

Holding the Line

  • Stay stationary but reroll 1s to hit.

Ambush

  • Remaining stationary, this unit may react to enemy activations on the opponent’s activation phase by an action.

Get to Cover 

  • Roll for agility, on a pass move a unit's movement characteristic + 1d4” into cover. This action may only be used if the unit is shell-shocked.

Group Actions (1)

To do a group action infantry must be within 2”. Infantry may be in groups of 3,4, or 6. Elite units may be in groups of 2 or 4.

They can perform a Group Action:

Spend 1 action from each unit
Choose ONE of the following:

  • Group Shoot
    • Reroll 1s to hit
  • Group Move
    • All move together
    • Ignore medium terrain penalties
  • Group Assault
    • +1 to wound in melee

However, if a squad loses half of its squadmates, it will be forced to take a composure test and will gain no modifiers.

Every unit in a squad must be facing the same direction.

Commanding units can be attached to infantry units to provide buffs.

Movement

Movement is tracked in inches.

There are more movement actions however such as turning and sprinting.

Facing Rule

Each model has 4 arcs:

Front (90°)
Sides (left/right 90° each)
Rear (90°)

A unit may freely turn during movement, but once it finishes moving, its facing is locked.

Moving backwards while facing the opposite direction will cost -1” to your movement.

Attack Direction Bonuses

Front Attack

  • No modifier

Side Attack

  • +1 to wound

Rear Attack

  • +1 to wound
  • +1 AP

Attacking

When you attack you must first select targets in range and in line of sight.

Damage goes from the front to the back. However, if in a squad the attacker may choose which targets to select however that will result in reroll 6s to hit.

After you roll your attack value in D6s, hits will count based on your hit chance for ranged attacks and weapon skill for melee attacks. However, on a 6 you have +1 to wound.

For every hit check your caliber against the enemy’s toughness.

To wound roll you must roll a d6 for each attack and add your caliber subtracted by the enemy’s toughness, as well as adding additional modifiers.

D6 + (Caliber-Toughness) + AP + Other Modifiers = Wound Roll

All units will be wounded on a 4+

Wound Modifiers may not be above 3+ or under -3.

Armor Penetration (AP) will lower a target’s toughness.

Rolls of 1 are an automatic failure and cannot be modified. Likewise for rolls of 6 as an automatic success.

Army Building

To build your army you use silver to purchase troops, weapons, upgrades, and of course, mechs.

Troops can be given all sorts of weapons, including grenades. Infantry may only have 1 primary weapon and 1 secondary/utility.

Troops will start with no weaponry. Their datacard will also show how many things they can hold through SL (Storage Limit).

Example Datacard:

(3/3) British Riflemen:

M: 4”
WS: 5+
T: 2
W: 1
AG: 4+
LD: 5+
CP: 6+

Lee Enfield (1)
Range: 8” / 24”
Acc: +1 / -1
A: 1 | HC: 4+ | Cal: 3 | AP: 0 | D: 1

Bayonet (1)
Range: 2”
Acc: Melee
A: 1 | WS: 5+ | Cal: 2 | AP: 0 | D: 1

Grenade (1) (1 use)
Range: 6”–9”
Acc: +0 / -1
A: 1 | HC: 4+ | Cal: 7 | AP: -1 | D: 3

Storage Limit (SL)

Each unit has a Storage Limit (SL), showing how many items it can carry.
Each weapon or equipment uses 1 SL. Heavy Weapons use 2

Each model may carry:

1 Primary weapon
1 Secondary/Utility
Squad Weapons (#)

Weapons listed with (#) show how many models in the squad have that item.

When a model is removed:

Reduce weapons by 1
You choose which weapon is lost
Consumables

Consumables (e.g. grenades) are shared by the squad and are not lost when models die.

(3/3) British Riflemen Squad (4 models):

M: 4”
WS: 5+
T: 2
W: 1
AG: 4+
LD: 5+
CP: 6+

Lee Enfield (4)
Range: 8” / 24”
Acc: +1 / -1
A: 1 | HC: 4+ | Cal: 3 | AP: 0 | D: 1

Bayonet (4)
Range: 2”
Acc: Melee
A: 1 | WS: 5+ | Cal: 2 | AP: 0 | D: 1

Grenade (2) (Consumable)
Range: 6”–9”
Radius: 3”
Acc: +0 / -1
A: 1 | HC: 4+ | Cal: 7 | AP: -1 | D: 3

Making a unit will also allow you to customize them with a name and backstory. Units may also be given special traits and perks

John Doe

Infantrymen

M: 4”
WS: 5+
T: 2
W: 1
AG: 4+
LD: 5+
CP: 6+

Rifle
Range: 8” / 24”
Acc: +1 / -1
A: 1 | HC: 4+ | Cal: 3 | AP: 0 | D: 1

Bayonet
Range: 2”
Acc: Melee
A: 1 | WS: 5+ | Cal: 2 | AP: 0 | D: 1

Perks

Certain units may have perks granting special benefits. Perks are in different categories. Strength, Dexterity, Ferocity, Intelligence, Shooting, Cohesiveness, Savant.

Strength

Iron Knuckles:  

Composure

Composure is a stat to see if units will run in the face of combat or hold their ground. 

Weapons with suppression will give enemy units 1 composure token, if they reach three they must do a composure test.

A composure test must be done when a unit has an ability that says so or when a squad loses half of its squad mates or when a unit loses half its wound value. 

To do a composure test roll a 2d6, if the result is equal or higher than the unit’s composure value then they will pass being able to reroll ones on any combat actions. If the result is under then that unit must roll for one of the effects below.

1 This unit is shell-shocked, for any actions an agility test must be made with a -1 modifier.
2 This unit is afraid they must move backwards or perform a fall back action.
3 This unit is in shock, they may perform non-combat actions only.
4 This unit is struggling, they can perform normal actions however rolls of 6 must be rerolled.
5 This unit is strong, they can perform regular actions as if passing a composure test.
6 This unit is brave, they will continue to fight with rerolls to rolls of 1.

Grenades

Grenade (1 use)
Range: 6”–9”
Acc: +0 / -1
A: 1 | HC: 4+ | Cal: 7 | AP: -1 | D: 3

When a unit uses a grenade, roll for HC as normal, if the result is a 1 (automatic failure), roll a d6 to see the effect of the grenade. A unit cannot use a grenade and fire a weapon in the same turn.

1-2: The grenade explodes in the bearer's hand. Dealing damage as normal to units within its radius.
3-4: The grenade throw goes wild and spins out of control. Travelling D6” in a random direction from the fighter and exploding.
5-6: The grenade drops to the ground hissing. It’s a dud.

Playing

Battle Play

Pre-Battle

Players will choose their armies and will draw 2 random missions. They will keep one of these missions and the other as a backup if the first fails. These missions will remain hidden until said to be revealed on the card and players will draw a new mission. A mission is revealed when a player chooses to reveal it at the start of their activation or after 3 turns. Although missions are random

Battlefield Conditions

Roll a D6 for battlefield conditions that will affect the game for a certain duration. See the chart.

1: Fog The entire map is covered with fog. -1 to hit unless within 12”.
2: Rainy It is a muddy battlefield. -1” to movement.
3-4: Clear No modifiers.
5: Frost Digging in is hard, you are easily visible, trenches will grant no cover.
6: Flood The battlefield floods, when entering a trench units will have -2”, roll a d6, on a 4+, only one action may be done

To roll for duration roll a d3 and add 3, that is how many rounds it will last for.

Setup Phase

First players will start by rolling for priority. The player with the highest number will decide to be either the offense or the defense. The offense may then set up 1 unit/squad, alternating to the defense who will do the same, but may also place a defensive barricade alongside.

Missions

Overtake

When the whistle blows soldiers are sent over the top into No Man’s Land to overtake the enemy trench.

Win Condition: Have more models in the enemy trench at the end of the game.

Reveal: When you have 5+ units within 6” of the enemy trench.

Hold the line

Soldiers stay put in their trenches, prepared to hold off massive infantry charges.

Win Condition: Avoid having 5+ enemy soldiers in your trench. 

Reveal: When the enemy enters your trench.

Bite and Hold

Soldiers take their time, taking little by little.

Win condition: Control zones totaling 6” advancement every 2 turns

Reveal: Turn 2 or when you control midfield

Demolition

Soldiers are tasked with creating explosions in different areas.

Win condition: Place explosives (Basic Action) in 3 different target points while being within 1” of target point and remotely detonate them (Basic Action).

Reveal: Turn 5 or when you’ve placed all 3 explosives.

Assasination

Soldiers are tasked with eliminating certain threats.

Win condition: Choose a Rank unit on your opponent’s side, this unit must be eliminated by turn 5

Reveal: Reveal this mission after 1 chosen target loses a wound or at the start of turn 3.

Activation Phase

Players alternate taking control of 3 units/squads. During each activation players may only activate 1 elite or mech unit/squad max. If a mech is activated it gets 1 heat token. Next activation, if this mech is not activated, the heat token will be removed. If the mech gets 3 heat tokens. Next turn, it must do a cooldown action (Advanced Action).

Terrain and Cover

Boards are flooded with terrain used to protect troops from the enemy. If 50% or more of a model is behind terrain, it counts as cover.

During the setup phase the defender is allowed to set up different types of barricades in different categories.

Light Cover

If you are shot while behind light cover the attacker suffers -1 to hit.

  • Barbed wire
  • Craters / shell holes
  • Shallow trenches
  • Bushes / foliage
  • Broken fences
  • Smoke / debris clouds
  • Rubble piles (low)

Heavy Cover

When behind heavy cover the attacker suffers -1 to hit and -1 to wound.

  • Sandbags
  • Trench walls
  • Thick stone walls
  • Fortifications
  • Bunkers
  • Large debris / collapsed buildings
  • Armored barricades

Trenches

Trenches count as heavy cover and give units +1 CP.

Incendiary

Weapons with the incendiary ability ignore benefits given from cover.

Obstacles

Barbed Wire

Movement through barbed wire is halved and an agility test must be made to escape.

Fog

Units inside fog cannot be targeted within 12” and any attacks made into fog will have -1 to hit.

Elevation

When attacking from high ground, +1 to hit.

When attacking uphill, -1 to hit.

reddit.com
u/Double_Ice8165 — 8 days ago

What's the best way to design different factions?

So I'm currently working on ww1 dieselpunk skirmish wargame and currently I have four factions. Germany, France, United States, Soviet Russia.

Germany: I've mainly decided for germany to be the aggressive, tanky faction with advanced gear.
France: They're the defensive faction that specializes in cheap troops and artillery.
United States: Expensive troops but highly advanced and modular.
Soviet Russia: Mass cheap troops.

I'm trying to give them each their own ability's and rules but I'm struggling to figure out something.

reddit.com
u/Double_Ice8165 — 12 days ago