[v5.0] Core rules: summary

From: Peter Ramos <primarch_at_...>
Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2002 10:09:59 -0400

Hi!

This is a recap of what we have so far (note that those areas that were
generally agreed upon will not be restated):


Free Cards
Although a player may be entitled to a free card he is not obligated to
field it. Free cards do NOT occupy a special card slot

Point increment 25 points
The majority favors it, it remains unchanged.

Redundant units
A poll will be submitted with the following alternatives:

1. Redundant units will not be allowed
2. Current ruling- a duplicate unit may be purchased for every 3000
points
3. Proposed change- a duplicated unit may be purchased IF all other
units of that type have been purchased (referring to other redundant
units) and an additional 3000 points of support (non-redundant units)
are also purchased

Objectives

There are opinions on both sides of this issue so a poll will be
submitted. The options are:

1. Keep existing rule- close unit to the objective marker within 15cm
claims the objective. Units in close combat and units on fallback orders
cannot claim objectives. Two opposing units that are equally distant of
the objective counter leave the objective contested.

2. Proposed change- an objective can only be claim if all enemy units
within 15cm are eliminated. Units on fallback orders or in close combat
do not claim objectives as above.

ON a side note, objectives are claimed BEFORE rallying occurs but after
repair/regeneration.

Advanced objectives
These are from old WD's and little opposition was voiced against
including them. I also included scenarios that appeared in an even older
WD for inclusion

These are the advanced objectives posted by Peter Cornwell

They came with two different color backings to distinguish your
objectives from your opponents. You place them as in the main rules,
except each side apparently had 6 each (I never played it this way).

If one of your models gets within 15 cm of the opponents counter you can
flip it over to see what his mission is.

The objectives are each worth 5 points and they are:

TAKE AND HOLD
The standard mission objective.

ASSAULT
This objective marker represents an enemy held position, such as a
communications relay point. To achieve the mission you must attack the
counter in close combat just as if it was an opposing model. The counter
has a close assault factor of +5, and the combat is treated just

like any other close combat ie the attacking model must be on charge
orders, either side gains the benefits of secondary attackers and the
objective is affected by any special weapons or rules. If you win the
close combat the position has been successfully stormed and if you lose
the combat you're dead!

This is a one shot objective who ever gets it first keeps it and its
removed from play.

CAPTURE
The capture mission is completed as soon as you can move troops within
15cm of the objective and closer than the enemy in the end phase of the
turn. Unlike Take and Hold, the objective becomes yours for the rest of
the game so you can take the counter once you have achieved your
mission.

RESCUE
Rescue is different from the other objectives (except Take and Hold), in
that either player can claim victory points for achieving the mission.
If a model moves onto (not within 15cm) the objective, place the counter
under the model (or on the base of the Titan). The model can then move
normally, taking the counter with it. If the model carrying the counter
is killed by a ranged attack, leave the counter in place until another
model moves onto it and picks it up. If the escorting model is killed in
close combat, the victor may take the counter and escort it from then
on. If the escorting model is part of a detachment that has fallback
orders then it automatically drops the objective counter. Whoever is in
possession of it in the end phase gets the 5 victory points.

CLEANSE
You achieve the Cleanse mission by preventing your opponent from
capturing the objective. The enemy may capture the Cleanse counter just
like a Take and Hold objective (but gains himself no victory points). If
your opponent is not within 15cm of the objective counter (and closer
than your troops) in the End phase, you score the five points.

BOMBARD
To achieve this objective, you must destroy the counter. It is treated
like a building with a 4+ save on 2d6, and can only be targeted by
barrage weapons or weapons whose specific description states that they
may attack buildings. If the counter fails it's saving throw it is
destroyed and the player may take the objective.

Originally there were two of each objective counters per player, and six
were drawn out at random (per player). They described a "Poker" type
quality, as you slowly discover what your opponent's objectives are. For
me this seems too random. I also agree that you should know the
objectives before choosing your army, even if the locations may end up
being randomised. I've only ever sprinkled a few alternate objectives
amongst the Take and Holds. If used in a mutually agreed fashion, they
can definitely make things more interesting, and help give each battle
its own character. There are tons of ways they could be applied or rules
tweaked. eg not having them secret at all etc.

Despite the different game mechanics, apparently 3rd edition has these
alternate objectives. In the meantime they did some more playtesting and
it looks like they made some improvements (like rightfully eliminating
the Bombard objective - yes it is a crap objective). I'm no authority on
the matter as I don't intend getting third edition.

I'm not saying these rules should necessarily be incorporated into
Netepic at all - but they were as much a part of 2nd edition rules
additions as Ordinatus and Fliers.

I'd say eliminate the artillery objective and make these objectives know
to both players so they may purchase armies accordingly. They may be
used in conuction with take and hold objectives or stand alone.

Opinions?


Also I'd like to add a variant rule to objective that Darius uses where
the amount of objectives for a given game are halved (use 3-4
objectives). This increases the carnage of battle since you need to
break more units to win.

Scenarios
These are from WD 172. They were made by Mark Watts which was, IMO, the
ONLY guy who understood epic well enough, wasn't cheesy and made decent
rules (he's the one who made the original Q&A's).

1. Rescue operation- There is a spy that needs to be rescued/captured.
He is defended by a small contingent, but is behind enemy lines. One
player becomes the defender and may place up to 25% of his forces
defending the spy. No vehicles can be included in the defending
garrison. The game is played by the long length of the table (6-8feet).
The spy and the defense force are played way in the back in an area of
25cm square. One building should be in this area and that's where the
spy is. Place all other defenders. The remaining units are placed on the
diametrically opposed table edge. Once placed the attacker places all
his forces 11/2 feet from the table edge where the defender set up his
remaining forces (of it's a 8 foot long table 2 feet). NO fliers are
allowed on either side! The spy is treated as a command unit with CAF of
zero and no ranged weapons. Since both sides need him intact he cannot
be voluntarily killed. If by happenstance he is "killed" treat as
wounded and it cannot move any more, but can be transferred by vehicle.
Victory is achieved by the defending player IF he can exit the spy out
through the table edge he entered (meaning moving the spy clear across
the table!) by turn 6. The attacker wins if he has control or disputed
control of the spy. It is a draw if the defender has the spy but has not
escaped by turn 6.


2. A bridge too far- The game is played along the long axis of the table
as in the previous scenario. Two rivers with one or more bridges are
placed at the end of the table. One river is placed 1 foot from the edge
the other 2 feet from the edge. Bridges should be placed to give so as
to be equally close to both sides. The rivers are parallel to each
other. For purposes of the scenario the bridges cannot be destroyed. If
by happenstance, it is destroyed, treat as damaged and terrain difficult
for infantry and impassable by all else. Armies deploy normally. Four
objectives will be placed close to bridges, the others can be placed
else where. The terrain around bridges should have many buildings.
Normal victory conditions apply. This scenario can be turned into a
siege scenario by having the defender behind the rivers preventing
crossing.

3. Flank attack- Deployment is as in a standard game, except one side
can ONLY deploy in the middle 3 feet (on a 6 foot table) or 4 feet (on a
8 foot table). The extreme flanks of each side will be full of woods,
hills of mountains. Objectives are placed normally. The opposing army
may take up to 25% of his forces as a "flanking force" and MUST write
down on what turn the flanking force will arrive and which side or the
two "flanks" where the first player could not deploy. This must be done
before he sees the deployment of that player (best done by letting the
"flanker" deploy first). Normal victory conditions apply.

4. Capture and hold- Only two objectives are used and are placed in the
center of the table 3-4 feet apart. These are very important objectives
and can be anything. Standard deployment applies. The objectives cannot
be destroyed by either side or rendered impassible (as by say a pulsa
rokkit). The winner is he who controls both objectives all else is a
tie. The game lasts D3+3 turns. No VP's for casualties are awarded!!
ONLY the objectives count.

5. Break out- No objectives are used. One player is the attacker the
other the defender. The defender may arrange terrain to his liking. The
defender selects which side of the board he begins on. The defender will
have HALF the points in total the attacker has (if it is a 6000 point
game the defender gets 3000 points). The defender will set up anywhere
on his half of the table. Game begins by attacker moving onto the board
(in fact he does not deploy, his first turn IS deployment). The attacker
must exit HALF of his army off the defenders side of the table. Broken
units do not count! To make it easier calculate your total VP's in your
army and you win if you get half of the off unbroken. Damaged
titans/praetorians count as half VP"s. Defender wins if less than half
make it. NO fliers allowed!

Movement
You may not activate a unit on first fire orders for purposes of
movement when you have other units with charge or advanced orders that
can move. This is to avoid the ploy of using such units in order to move
more units capable of moving last.

Embarkation/disembarkation of units- A poll will be submitted with the
following choices:

1. Keep current rule- it costs the unit to be embarked or the transport
a proportional amount of its movement to embark or disembark from a
transport.

2. Proposed change- it cost the transport and the transported unit 5cm
of its movement to embark/disembark.

Titan and praetorian movement- they may turn up to 90 degrees in any
combination per turn.

Walkers- add a column for them in the terrain table. They move as
infantry except in respect to buildings which are impassible.

Towed artillery- cannot be fired in the turn it becomes unlimbered.

Command units
HQ units may move on charge orders, but fire in the advance phase. Units
that move on advance may fire in the first fire phase. This was the
compromise that was mostly accepted. A poll will be submitted with the
following options:

1. Keep rule as is- unit may move on charge orders and fire on first
fire orders

2. Proposed change- unit may move on charge orders, but fire in the
advance phase. Units that move on advance may fire in the first fire
phase.


Bail out rule
It will apply to troops transported in fliers IF the troops have jump
packs or flight packs. Other troop types do NOT get a save.

Troops inside destroyed titans or praetorians do NOT get a bail out save
if the destruction occurs via a reactor meltdown. IN all other cases
apply the save.

Snap fire

Several interpretations exist and will be polled. They are:

1. Some models within the same unit may snap fire while others may save
their fire until the first fire phase. Models like titans with multiple
weapons may fire some on snap fire and save others for the first fire
phase

2. All models in a detachment MUST fire when using snap fire no shots
may be saved. This includes titans and praetorians. Special weapons like
AA are the exception.

3. Same as above but titans/praetorians may "split" their fire in snap
fire or first fire.

Snap fire may not be taken by transported units unless otherwise
specified (such as in Titans and praetorians with transport
capabilities.



Flyer and fortification rules will be revised after all core rules have
been finished.

For poll information refer to this post.

Peter
Received on Fri Apr 19 2002 - 14:09:59 UTC