Home Forums Sci Fi General Sci-Fi HorizonWars – Hard SF Wargaming from Osprey Publishing/Precinct Omega

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  • #40992
    Avatar photoThaddeus Blanchette
    Participant

    What makes mechs special from conventional units, then?

    We get slapped around, but we have a good time!

    #40996
    Avatar photoThaddeus Blanchette
    Participant

    Well, I just pre-ordered the Kindle version and will get it tomorrow. At 13 bucks, that’s very reasonable. REALLY looking forward to this, though I will probably tinker heavily with the rules to make it D6.

    We get slapped around, but we have a good time!

    #41001
    Avatar photoRobey Jenkins
    Participant

    Faster, more resilient, more flexible.

    #41008
    Avatar photoThaddeus Blanchette
    Participant

    And I get to wake up to Horizon Wars. Cool!

    We get slapped around, but we have a good time!

    #41041
    Avatar photoThuseld
    Participant

    Lovely surprise when I arrived at home today. I have managed to mark my books and give  Horizon Wars a quick scan. I cannot wait to get to table.

    #41057
    Avatar photoSteve Johnson
    Participant

    Seriously tempted by these rules to go with my KR-16 figures and EM4 mechs

    #41082
    Avatar photoThuseld
    Participant

    Do it. Succumb to the temptation!

    #41084
    Avatar photoMr. Average
    Participant

    I’m looking forward to trying this one out. It’s slightly more abstract than I’d imagined I might want, but the balance seems good and there’s a definite flavor to it that is really appealing.

    #41086
    Avatar photoThaddeus Blanchette
    Participant

    So basically a unit can take as many hits as it has stats, as long as it doesn’t bottom out its armor rating? Am I understanding that right?

    We get slapped around, but we have a good time!

    #41088
    Avatar photoThuseld
    Participant

    I’m looking forward to trying this one out. It’s slightly more abstract than I’d imagined I might want, but the balance seems good and there’s a definite flavor to it that is really appealing.

    I agree with this comment. The battle system does seem a little more abstract than I am normally used to, but it has gotten me interested. I intend to have lots of units battling it out soon.

    #41092
    Avatar photoRobey Jenkins
    Participant

    Thaddeus – yes, although it’ll be fairly useless before then. Plus, critical hits will usually see for a seriously damaged element long before that point.

    Also, there is an oft-overlooked rule covering “ineffective” elements that applies in several missions.

     

     

    #41106
    Avatar photoMr. Average
    Participant

    I agree with this comment. The battle system does seem a little more abstract than I am normally used to, but it has gotten me interested. I intend to have lots of units battling it out soon.

    At first glance, I felt like it was a less-sophisticated Battletech. Then I though it was a MORE-sophisticated version of Ogre. But it’s neither – it’s something all its own, and I like it a lot. It has enough of the “build your own army” flavor to make it really interesting and repeatably fun, and doesn’t rationalize away anything like aircraft or artillery with some story element about why you can’t have any of the things you really want in a game like this. It suits my small-unit “Mercenary Wars” milieu very well. And it’s just a nicely produced volume in itself, well made, pleasant to read, easy to refer to, and far better organized that has been typical of other Osprey game titles like Tomorrow’s War, which has rules jammed all over the place with no clear summary.

    I’m even getting to where my HW units are going to be on traditional game bases, not my usual label scheme. Although I am doing some illustrated unit roster cards for the various merc units I’m working up – going to laminate them for ease of reuse.

    #41120
    Avatar photoThaddeus Blanchette
    Participant

    Is D also an active stat which can be used to soak damage, or only M, F and A?

    Whoops! Read right here: D is a passive stat, so it doesn’t reduce.

    We get slapped around, but we have a good time!

    #41126
    Avatar photoRobey Jenkins
    Participant

    Yes, D is not an active stat. It’s ability to help you repair is already degraded by your damage track.

    R.

    #41144
    Avatar photoBodok
    Participant

    It seems to be a good rounded out ruleset. Me and my mates are mustering forces (old space marine and epic minis) and looking forward to the first games.

    Am I right in the assumption, that it is not intended for the CAV to get rid of the vanguard rule (by command recources upgrade)?

    Am I assuming right, that a conventional element can get more than one command recources upgrade?

    #41145
    Avatar photoRobey Jenkins
    Participant

    It seems to be a good rounded out ruleset. Me and my mates are mustering forces (old space marine and epic minis) and looking forward to the first games. Am I right in the assumption, that it is not intended for the CAV to get rid of the vanguard rule (by command recources upgrade)?

    Not only not intended, but also not implied, suggested, hinted at or otherwise permitted.  If you want a tank to not have the Vanguard upgrade, take a mech.

    Am I assuming right, that a conventional element can get more than one command recources upgrade?

    No reason it can’t.  Saw someone dump 8 CR into two elements yesterday.  Now that was a recon element from nightmares!

    R.

    #41146
    Avatar photoBodok
    Participant

    Not only not intended, but also not implied, suggested, hinted at or otherwise permitted. If you want a tank to not have the Vanguard upgrade, take a mech.

    Ok, I see, that’s the build in advantage of the Mechs in the backroundstory.

    So when I need such a warmachine I’ll take a mech without feet 😉

     

    And thanks for the quick reply!

    #41151
    Avatar photoThaddeus Blanchette
    Participant

    One thing I don’t get: light infantry has the best D stat among the conventional units and heavy cavalry the worst. Why is this the case? What am I mising?

    We get slapped around, but we have a good time!

    #41152
    Avatar photoRobey Jenkins
    Participant

    A lot of reasons.

    The D value represents, amongst other things, an element’s organic support assets.  It’s a lot easier to give integral or close support to an infantry squad than it is to a tank.  If a soldier loses his rifle or a radio, another one can be handed up the line very quickly (and the sergeant major will pencil in a severe bollocking to the offender, if he or she survives to receive it).  But if a tank so much as throws a track – a comparatively quick and simple fix – it will still usually have to wait until the battle is finished before it can be addressed.

    It also represents that whilst infantry are squishy – only A1 in some cases – they possess a different kind of resilience to mere armour that comes from the fraternity of a battle squad.

    Less poetically, it’s also a balancing mechanic.  But I wouldn’t have used this as a reason if I hadn’t already felt that the true resilience of combat infantry was accurately represented by a high D stat.

    #41155
    Avatar photoThaddeus Blanchette
    Participant

    Hmm. I think I will see it as resilience, then. 😀

    We get slapped around, but we have a good time!

    #41164
    Avatar photoBodok
    Participant

    The text of the Mech-upgrades (p. 62-63) adresses in some cases only mech vs mech effects. Do these apply also for conventional elements vs mech (agil frame, stealth suite, spuadron commander)?

    #41165
    Avatar photoRobey Jenkins
    Participant

    Yes.  That’s an embarrassing editing failure in text copied from MechaWar material.  For “mech” read “element”.

    #41166
    Avatar photoBodok
    Participant

    Editing and proofreading is an art that is best done by other people than the author.

    No problem – I’ll take my printer, scissors, tape and my felt pen and be on my way 😉

    And be assured I don’t rate this as a serious problem….

    #41766
    Avatar photoBodok
    Participant

    An additional question popped up yesterday:

    Is the squadron commander upgrade only available for Commanders in a mech (the position of the text suggests that for me), or also for commanders in conventional equipment (my buddy’s opinion)?

    #41772
    Avatar photoRobey Jenkins
    Participant

    strictly-speaking, just mechs. This is due to how upgrades are bought for conventional elements (using CR), which would mean you would have to upgrade all the elements of that type to all be squadron commanders, which doesn’t make any sense at all.

     

    But if you felt inclined to experiment, I’d be interested to hear the results.

    #41773
    Avatar photoBodok
    Participant

    When we are done with painting our troops, I’ll post some reports. Up to now we are in the early steps of rules aquiring and testing.

    But in certain circumstances the squadron upgrade could be pretty tough….

    #41792
    Avatar photoThaddeus Blanchette
    Participant

    How can we represent mechanized infantry in this system?

    We get slapped around, but we have a good time!

    #41793
    Avatar photoRobey Jenkins
    Participant

    Annoyingly, I wrote a blog article about this but it got lost in the transition to my new website.  We’re in the process of recovering it.

    Bascially, the broad doctrines of mechanized infantry are covered either by Mobile Infantry or by using a combination of Light Cavalry and Light Infantry.

    There are no battlefield taxis in Horizon Wars.

    R.

    #42395
    Avatar photoSteve Johnson
    Participant

    Copy ordered and fingers crossed it should arrive this week

    #43004
    Avatar photoRaskal
    Participant

    I have started to create elements profils for a modern settings but i have just read the rule (not yet played)

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B11AOOvvrsb7RWJxNjZpLUdCUWM/view?usp=sharing

    Any comments ?

    Thanks

    #43005
    Avatar photoRobey Jenkins
    Participant

    they look good. Only comment to make is that you need to separate the Mv and Mb for your aircraft. Different rules affect each, so they need to be individually stated.

     

    R.

    #43006
    Avatar photoRaskal
    Participant

    Thanks Robey. I will work on a new version ASAP with some typos corrected (the profil of Heavy Tank was bad), profils for 4×4 and trucks and separation of Mb et Mv

    #43032
    Avatar photoRaskal
    Participant

    I uploaded a new version : https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B11AOOvvrsb7RWJxNjZpLUdCUWM/view?usp=sharing

    I have a question perhaps a little stupid but english i not my natural languages. I am not sure to understand how to use the damage track on the army rooster. Can you tell me how you use it and how you keep track of individual damage on M, F & A ? (the damage track seems made to follow global damage)

    Thanks

    #44918
    Avatar photoMarc Caron
    Participant

    Hello!

    Played my first game this weekend. Love the dice and action systems.

    —————————————-

    Here is my first question.

    We ran into 2 problems while playing [Safe Corridor]. We ended the game (25 points) after turn 2. There was no animosity. We are long time friends. Here are our observations :

    1) After the first turn, as per RAW of the mission, the defendant is not required to put any (0) Evacuees in play. How can the attacker win if the defender doesn’t put at least 5 evacuees in play? Shouldn’t there be a set value per turn to ensure the rescue mission progresses? 3 per turn for the first 3 turns for exemple.

    2) From the defendant’s point of view, the evacuees are too slow. On a 48″ table, as per RAW, it takes 6 turns (Patrol 4+4×6=48) for the first evacuee to reach the opposite side. Ample time for the attacker to destroy the defenders army and then kill the defenceless evacuees. Since they are scared to death and running for their life in open terrain, we suggest they should have two (2) actions instead of one. At 16″ per turn the first evacuee «wave of 3» would arrive at the other side of the table on turn 3. The second on turn 4 and the final on turn 5.

    The fact that the attacker could possibly win on turn 2 is offset by the advantageous forward deployment (12-24) of the defender.

    Any thoughts on these suggestions?

    Marc C

    #44931
    Avatar photoAlexander Wasberg
    Participant

    1)I’d say that’s probably just a typo. As the defender, placing at least 1 evacuee into play is required past turn 2 if there is to be any chance of victory for the attacker. So I think you could try the 3/turn for the first 3 turns, or allow the defender to place 1-3 units in turns 2 and 3. Either aproach works I think, depending on wether you want to skew the odds in favor of attacker or defender.

    2) That sounds about right, 6 turns is way to long, by then you’ll have destroyed each other or the attacker will have swooped in and killed the defenceless evacuees. I think the reason they only have one action is so that the attacker can’t react to them moving in LoS. But allowing them 2 actions would help speed them along. I do think that you’d need a bit more terrain than usual on this mission, to give the evacuees a chance to screen their movement as to not get shot to ribbons first thing.

    Your observations seems fair and the possible fixes well argued. I’d recommend running it again, with the above changes, and see what you and your opponent think of the result after trying it both ways.

    Hope that helps in some small way 🙂

    #44979
    Avatar photoRobey Jenkins
    Participant

    I guess this is one of those times when I look at my own design work and just have to accept that I did a poor job of executing a good idea.

    I played various versions of this scenario and tweaked them as I went in response to experience.  Reading over it now, I would make three simple adjustments to make the game balance better.

    The first is – yes – to restrict the “only one order per turn” for the civilians to the Patrol version of the game (with a 2′ wide board, an 8″ move per turn is plenty!).  The second is to change the “W” on the table size to “L”.  The third is to reduce the table size for a Squadron to 6’x4′.  Of course, the key issue is how far civilians can move per turn, not the size of the respective opposing forces.

    That said, I would also emphasize the tactical advice given in the rulebook.  The defender’s best solution to having civilians die too quickly is not to let them move on their own.  Surround them with  punchy protectors to block LOF (two per civvie element will usually be enough), make good use of cover and aggressively close with enemy elements.  Charging is a very good option for the defender, because the critical thing is to degrade the attacker’s ability to close with and kill the civilians.  The massive damage that a good charge can inflict will often be enough to either crush movement or firepower – either of which is a good option for the defender.

     

     

    #45064
    Avatar photoAndrew Thomas
    Participant

    I guess this is more steampunk than sci-fi really but is anyone playing Horizon Wars with Dystopian Wars miniatures?

    #45067
    Avatar photoRobey Jenkins
    Participant

    Yes! Me. I treat the little mini tank bases as heavy infantry. Otherwise, out works pretty well. Airships aren’t covered very well by the game, but you can just about get by using the super-heavy supplement.

    #45102
    Avatar photoAndrew Thomas
    Participant

    Interesting. Thank you for the reply. I have a pile of unpainted EoBS tanks tucked away somewhere… 🙂

    #45141
    Avatar photoAndrew Thomas
    Participant

    And I’ve just spotted your KoB Dystopian Wars tank in the Super Heavy supplement. Very nice.

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