What I will be working on soon

[Ivan Sorensen]

A few other projects in the pipe first, but here are some basic thoughts for a scifi game, aimed at 6mm play.

The game will feature light infantry based on fire teams while powered armour is based individually. Very high tech, with power armour troops and vehicles zipping around the battlefield, and with very deadly direct combat.

I imagine the turn sequence will be some variation of the FiveCore system but possibly with new combat mechanics. A typical force will not be very big but will fight it out on a pretty large battle space.

Pitched battles against swarms of bugs might be an option of course.

Interest? What kind of stuff would you like to see in a game like this?

THE ASSUMPTIONS WE MAKE:

 

Note that these aren’t predictions about what will happen. They are the setting assumptions we are making for the purpose of this game.

 

*Travel to remote star systems is possible but quite expensive and cargo capacity is at a premium.

It follows that deploying large military forces is extremely difficult and military action will rely on smaller, well equipped forces.

 

*Terraforming a world is extremely time consuming. Setting up “environmental bubbles” around a colony is easier.

This means that most combat will be in relatively “close” quarters as there may only be a handful of square miles habitable on a world. This also prevents the wide spread use of massively destructive area weapons.

 

*Fire power will outpace the ability to simply withstand the damage.

This means that evasion and movement become more important and that the role of vehicles become one of weapons platforms rather than “armour” in the traditional role.

 

*Rapid firing and highly accurate weapons combined with advanced command and control system means combat will become far more individual.

This means that decision making devolves to the lowest possible level: The individual soldier. A “battle group” may only consist of 5 or 6 soldiers and several drone vehicles but pack the fire power of a present day battalion.

 

*Advances in computers will make autonomous un-manned units capable of individual decision making possible. Due to limitations, they will never quite match human flexibility however.

It follows that forces may be comprised of human troops, autonomous units and remote controlled drones as appropriate.

[Angel Barracks]

Some interesting ideas and plausible reasons for not allowing WMDs.

I will keep watching this thread!

[has.been]

I too will follow your developments. Any interesting bits I shall shamelessly steal as I have a boxfile full of 15mm Sci Fi figures awaiting a good ‘system’.

[kid bananas]

I to shall be following this, interesting premises.

[Ivan Sorensen]

Appreciate the votes of confidence 🙂 It’ll be a few months out, but that gives me time to learn how to paint these little buggers.

[Dr.Falkenhayn]

Background Fluff sounds cool,reminds me of Haldeman’s Forever War 🙂

 

[Ivan Sorensen]

Thanks! Going for a bit more of a techy vibe. Most scifi gaming is “vietnam in space” which I dig, but maybe it’s time for something a bit different 🙂

[Stroezie]

Color me interested, this sounds exactly like the game I’m looking for.

A few thoughts:

To emphasise movement, and force players to not just hunker down and take potshots at each other, make units out in the open easier to hit but have cover deteriorate when taking multiple rounds of fire. You could also give bonuses for crossfire to give a player a reason to push a unit up the flank.

I would also like to see rules for hacking/ECM both targeted at a model and/or an area. Most rulesets tend to ignore or gloss over electronic warefare, IMO  this is what tends to make most scifi rules feel like wwII /Vietnam in space.

I look forward to seeing what you come up with, keep us posted.

[Paul]

Also made me think of Forever War. Maybe rules for time dilation tech level differences because it sounds like you are going for hard Sci fi.

Those are brave men knocking at our door. Let's go kill them!

[Ivan Sorensen]

The idea of destructible cover is a very good one.

[ArmiesArmy]

Im looking forward to this and all your other projects 🙂

[Anonymous]

6 mm skirmish always has my attention, as does 15 mm and older figures in 25+ mm, but have played at making rules for individual based 6 mm Power Armor (PA,) “almost-PA,” and armored/un-armored infantry in the past.. Will these be scale independent?

 

 

[Ivan Sorensen]

I imagine the exact scale won’t be too important, since gamers are used to changing this sort of thing all the time. So, intended for 6mm, playable no doubt up to 15. Might get too cramped after that.

Still in the notes-gathering phase and trying to sort out basics, particularly with how conventional / original mechanics are going to be. Some people want something that plays very traditional so you can pick up and play easy while other sprefer highly original mechanics. Any thoughts here?

[Drang]

Go with the mechanic that feels right and damn the “pick up and play” factor. The advantage of selling to a niche market is not having to cater to people unwilling to learn new things.

The Nefarious Fu Manchu....In SPAAAACE

[Ivan Sorensen]

Sometimes we’re selling to a niche of a niche market 🙂 It’s funny because no matter how much you carve into very specific sub genres, there’s still an audience waiting to play your game.

[Angel Barracks]

Yeah, doing 6mm sci-fi skirmish as I do, which is pretty niche, there is an audience already out there that know they are into it, and there is an audience that don’t know, but just need persuading.

 

[Mike]

Same with hobby websites.

 

 

😀

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