I've only played one game of Epic 40K, and I suppose I should give
it another try before I decide too much. Still, because I enjoy
doing it, here are some thoughts on what I do and don't like about
each system. Sometimes a negative for one systems is included in
a positive for the other.
Space Marine/Titan Legions
+ The basic rules are very simple. It is all the other stuff that
gets complicated.
+ I like picking the specific targets of shots, not just shooting
at a detachment and taking off the first ones. This is most
noticeable for barrages--I placed Whirlwind barrages on units
close together, but in the back. They were not anywhere near
to be hit by the FP dice. Seems like the barrage marker should
place units under it in a virtual front line, though I suppose it
depends on the mix of barrage and regular FP.
+ Weapons could vary in strength, accuracy, and number of shots
independently.
- It took so long! Whether I'm trying to get my wife, a friend who
likes games, or someone just willing to try it once for fun, the
biggest problem with getting people to enjoy it was how long the
game took. We always played fairly small armies (2000-3000, I
think 4000 was the max), but it always took so long. I want to be
able to have more turns with bigger armies in less time. Problem
is that this conflicts with some of my desire for more detail, but
I still believe that decision making is the longest part of the game.
- Initiative had too much influence.
- Close combat felt wrong--guys could charge across the field, and
only guys on First Fire could shoot at them, and only guys who
ended up in base-to-base contact.
Epic 40K
- Basic rules come across as much more complicated. I know there
are fewer exceptions, but the rules do get overwhelming.
+ I like the turn sequence. Having a second move in the assault
phase means that they had to either take cover along the way,
or get shot at. Seems like a better solution than some of the
arcane things I came up with for this.
+ I like blast markers in theory, though they've caused some confusion.
They've caused some frustration, too, but they are supposed to.
+ I like the detachment designs. I think I'd use models I might
not have in the old system, but I'm not sure of that.
+ I like what I've heard about a typical game going more turns, and
our first try went 6. I wonder if that is due to shorter ranges
or to scoring, or how hits are applied, or what.
- I don't like assault/firefight. I thought I would on first hearing
about it, having assault not be all about base-to-base contact, but
it is more about that than I like. I'd like to see the two actions
combined into one, and I'd like to see it less dependent on the
dice. They dice seemed to overwhelm the assault values.
Someone asked how I'd combine the two.
Starting with Space Marine:
* A very simple approach is to change the turn sequence of Space to:
Orders, Movement, First Fire, Advance Fire, Assault (assault move
and close combat), End phase. I don't think this would change too
much, though it might reduce the value of CC troops. I don't really
mind that, but they do still get to move 2x their move, as before.
It doesn't address time, my biggest complaint. I suppose putting
the initiave per phase in would also be easy, and might help.
* I don't know how to put in Blast Markers. I could come up with
a rule for when to place them, but would have to think some on
what effect they would have.
* I don't know how to have the flexibility of design from Epic 40K.
Maybe that doesn't matter, but for small battles I always wished
I could have more variety.
Starting with Epic40K:
* I could take just the shooting stuff from Space Marine, and try
to put it into Epic40K, but I'd have to hack some. Maybe do
saves on bigger dice. Sounds much harder, and I'd have to
work hard to make it not take too long.
* Maybe I'd be content with letting barrage FPs apply to units
under markers. (Have I missed any rule about this?)
* Although I'm not a fan of base-to-base contact, since it is
important in the assault phase, I'd rather have the dice you
roll per participant be applied (before rolling) to the specific
enemy units in contact. You already roll one die per unit, just
have each unit apply its die to one of its enemies. I didn't like
the complaints people had about the losing side picking the
toughest enemy as its one kill, or the way that it goes between
abstract and concrete (in whether contact matters or not).
Why can't I ever be content to play with printed rules?
andy
askinner_at_...
Received on Tue May 20 1997 - 18:17:56 UTC
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