For several weeks, while running, I’ve been thinking hard about some new ideas for WWII skirmish gaming. If these ideas work out, I can see applying them to multiple “modern” skirmishes, such as cowboys and sci fi. I’m trying to get at a number of important issues:
- I wanted to avoid having individual soldiers target individual soldiers across the table. That slows a game, leads to gaminess, and provides unrealistically good control of distribution of fire.
- I wanted cover to act as cover. In most games cover reduces your chance of hitting a target. While this is mathematically indistinguishable from what I’ve decided to do, it didn’t quite seem right at the skirmish level.
- I wanted fire to be at areas, rather than individual soldiers, but I wanted team leaders and squad leaders to have an impact on distribution of fire by restricting the size of the target area.
- I wanted activation to be randomized, but I didn’t want only one person playing at a time.
- I wanted movement distances to be somewhat randomized.
- I wanted the game to work for either a “realistic” skirmish game or something more cinematic.
- I wanted it to be quick and fun without becoming simplistic.
So, lets start by defining the attributes of each figure. These attributes are indicated by the acronym GAMER:
- Guts: the “morale” of the figure. This can either be a unit attribute or different for each figure. Ratings are green (worst), regular, and elite (best).
- Accuracy: the ability to hit a target with a firearm or thrown object. Ratings are trained (worst), veteran, and expert (best).
- Melee or Might: the ability to damage an enemy in hand-to-gland combat. Ratings are trained (worst), veteran, and expert (best).
- Endurance: the ability to take damage before being incapacitate. In a “realistic” game Endurance is three, but for more cinematic games Endurance can range from two to eight.
- Reaction: the ability to react first or more quickly than an opponent. Ratings are slothful (worst), average, and cat-like (best).
Activation and movement are based on Guts. When a unit activates, a d10 is rolled for its movement speed, but there are minimum distances depending on Guts:
- Green: 3:
- Regular: 5″
- Elite: 7″
Movement over linear obstacles costs 2″. Movement through rough terrain halves the movement speed.
Activation is done by rolling cards and looking for your Guts. Cards have Green, Regular, and Elite on them as well as being numbered from 1 to 6. There are several of each of the 1 – 6 cards. Two in each color are black. Up to three in each color are red. All of the red cards and black cards are usable by elite units. Only two (of three) red cards and both black cards are useable by regular units. Only one red card and two black cards are usable by green units. There are additional activations cards for close air support, indirect fire, heroes (in a cinematic game), and other events.
In my next post, I will discuss how fire combat is resolved. We played it last Friday night, and the players seemed to think it worked pretty well.