A new generic scifi tabletop skirmish: need support!

[depletor [H5ed]]

Hey all,

it has been a long time since I was really active in TTH. A major reason for this is the development of 40K since 6th edition (I suppose it has been subject in many threads here).

So many painted and unused miniatures made me focus on the development of a generic scifi tabletop system. I was massively inspired by "Hordes of the Things" and "Dragon Rampant", and I play both, but they are fantasy. And I really prefer scifi.

HotT and DR
* allow to use almost any miniature you can imagine.
* have no balancing issues because there are no fractions
* are "completed", so no new books, cards ... that force you to buy new stuff to keep up with the meta.

My new system (in fact not new, but there were several leaps in evolution the last half year) offers:
* Use every miniature you like that somehow fits on a 40, 60 or 80 mm diameter base (standardization to allow competitive play while being independent from a manufacturer)
* In an extended version bigger miniatures as well (Tanks are not so very welcome)
* About 20 miniatures in one army (I assume 5 to 30 would be fine)
* Fast play for more than one game an evening
* Precise rules allow for competitive play
* very compact ruleset
* simple force construction rules
* No TLOS

Some details of the mechanics:
* d6 actions per turn, more d6 for more commanders, use highest value
* one action (including combined action move and shoot) a miniature.
* you collect impact markers during the enemies turn. In the end of the turn you make armor saves and get killed, stalled or hindered (remove from play, no action, reduced actions) until end of next turn

I tested the mechanics and it was the first time that I felt more than "acceptable". A friend who also likes wargame design tested it as well and confirmed that the mechanics are really fun. But now I need more feedback. I am developing alone, there is no group that helps me playtesting (except my son, 6). Not effective, not fun.

I someone would be interested to get involved in the developing process, here is what you would need:
* Some spare miniatures
* 40, 60 and 80 mm diameter bases for the miniatures (I use mdf, cheap and nice to work with)
* a 120 x 120 cm (4 x 4 foot) gaming table and terrain
* Some D6 and about 20 small markers (peas, corn, stones, whatever ...)
* cm measuring tape, better would be rules of 10, 20 and 30 cm length (this allows measuring as known from XWing).

What I would do next: translate the rules into English.


Looking forward to your comments!

[blackrainbow]

Saying no tanks hits the whole scifi thing for most of the armies from 40k, as you could interpret that as no (or limited) MCs as well. Just some quick thoughts.

[depletor [H5ed]]

Thanks for the reply.

The issue with tanks and big MCs is that their size cannot be easily defined. And I am sure that the miniature size has Influence on the game. Monstrous creatures can be used of course, most miniatures should fit on 80 mm bases.

For really big MCs, like the Forge World Daemons, Soul Grinders and Defilers as well, there will be an extended casual version with rules to handle the undefined miniature sizes.

Special thing about tanks: They won't be significantly different to other miniatures, other than in 40K. So they can be used but without the extra experience.

...

What I learned throughout the years of wargame design: You will have to define a "design space". Back in 2nd Edition 40K the Carnifex was the toughest miniature in the game: 3+ Sv with 2D6 and 10 Wounds. What happened throughout the years in 40K is that models got bigger and bigger, tougher and tougher. I am not trying (anymore) to keep up with that. Even more as this system is a "real" skirmish and not a mass skirmish system like 40K. And it IS not 40K.