While there is some lively debate on the DP9 forums about how to improve the PL system and how it relates to the current objective system, I'll stay out of that topic for now in relation to my Flash! houserules as I believe it needs too drastic an overhaul for the purposes of this houserule blog (but I may change my mind at some point in the future). Most of the below changes are just tweaks to the current Scenarios chapter in the Field Manual (pg. 24) to make them consistent with the changes presented earlier in the blog (like the electronics stat for example). Any rules not specifically addressed below are not changed and you should use the FM rules as written.
Battle Conditions:
Roll once of the following table:
1-3: No additional effects.
4: Roll once on table effects.
5: Roll once on unusual events.
6: Roll once on both the table effects and unusual events tables.
Table Effects
1: Night: The stealth perk is always applied. Models not out in the open are counted as in cover one step greater for the purposes of passive/active locks (so a model in some cover is counted as in partial cover). This is cummulative with the benefit from the hiding special action.
2: Dawn: The first two turns are treated as per the night rules above.
3: Dusk: The last two turns are treated as night. If used in conjunction with the variable time limits unusual event, the start the night conditions on turn 4.
4: Fog/Smoke: No model is considered out in the open for the purposes of cover modifiers. Subtract 1 for every 12" of range or portion thereof to the target from the electronic stats of firing models for the purposes of active/passive locks.
5: Storm: No model is considered out in the open for the purposes of cover modifiers. Variable wind conditions cause a -1 penalty to attacks using IF including artillery strikes.
6: Roll a 2d6 on the above chart and reroll 6s, duplicates, or the second roll granting night, dawn, or dusk.
Unusual Events
EM Storm: Replace the term comm event with electronics event.
Objectives:
Unchanged except as follows:
Recon: The size limitation on the combat groups is change to groups of 2 or more models if using my fire team and section houserules instead of traditional Blitz squads.
Scout: Change the range limitation to 3'+ EL instead of within detect range.
Support Options:
Remove any reference to concealment and change the term comm event to electronics event instead. Defensive assets are considered to have an EL 0.
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Friday, February 22, 2013
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Example Squad to Fire Team Changes
I recieved a question about the changes I proposed to combat groups and thought a post detailing how I'd convert a group from a squad to a fire team would be a good idea.
The most complete way to convert a squad is to have the book open next to you (either physically or virtually with pdfs) while you have Gear Garage open. You add the squad you'd like and then add the upgrades and swaps that you'd like (making sure you can take 2 of them in the "squad" entry for the single flash! fire team entry). There isn't a way to automatically validate my house rules in Gear Garage but the program does offer a relatively easy way to do it manually. When you have a 5 gear squad, make sure that the four non-CGL models are two groups of two identical models (including swaps and upgrades). If the program allows you to take two of them (including the upgrades), you'll be able to take a single model in the fireteam. Here is an example of a Southern FIF fire team of one king cobra, one blazing mamba, and a black box iggy CGL made from the appropriate squad entry.
Veteran Line Strike Cadre (Specialist) 380TV
You can see that I've got two sets of two twin models (the King Cobra and Blazing Mamba) that show me with the existing build of Gear Garage that I can take doubles of that upgrade. I upgraded two Jagers to the King Cobras as well as the both regular Mambas to Blazing. The CGL Mamba took CGL only swaps down to an Iguana (in the squad entry) and then to a Black Box Variant (the Gear Regiment CGL only upgrade). The only thing I'd need to manualy check is if I took any other upgrades like weapons for the CGL that weren't specifically listed as CGL-only as gear garage would allow me to take the "change 1 model in the squad" option which isn't enough for a fire team. The final step would be to simply mark the units on the GG printout (similar to how I italicized/bolded the models taken above) and then add up the TVs.
Anyways, I hope that helps show any interested players how to make up an army using Gear Garage to try out the smaller scale Flash! fire team games.
The most complete way to convert a squad is to have the book open next to you (either physically or virtually with pdfs) while you have Gear Garage open. You add the squad you'd like and then add the upgrades and swaps that you'd like (making sure you can take 2 of them in the "squad" entry for the single flash! fire team entry). There isn't a way to automatically validate my house rules in Gear Garage but the program does offer a relatively easy way to do it manually. When you have a 5 gear squad, make sure that the four non-CGL models are two groups of two identical models (including swaps and upgrades). If the program allows you to take two of them (including the upgrades), you'll be able to take a single model in the fireteam. Here is an example of a Southern FIF fire team of one king cobra, one blazing mamba, and a black box iggy CGL made from the appropriate squad entry.
Veteran Line Strike Cadre (Specialist) 380TV
- Black Box Iguana [2/2/1/2] (14/42 LHC) LAC MPZF VB CGL (2 options) 60TV
- Blazing Mamba [2/2/1/0] (17/51 LHC) HGLC APGL APGL HG VB (1 options) 55TV
- Blazing Mamba [2/2/1/0] (17/51 LHC) HGLC APGL APGL HG VB (1 options) 55TV
- King Cobra [2/2/1/0] (21/105 SSLHC) LPA HRP/24 MRP/36 LGM LAC APGL HG VB CR (1 options) 104TV
- King Cobra [2/2/1/0] (21/105 SSLHC) LPA HRP/24 MRP/36 LGM LAC APGL HG VB CR (1 options) 104TV
You can see that I've got two sets of two twin models (the King Cobra and Blazing Mamba) that show me with the existing build of Gear Garage that I can take doubles of that upgrade. I upgraded two Jagers to the King Cobras as well as the both regular Mambas to Blazing. The CGL Mamba took CGL only swaps down to an Iguana (in the squad entry) and then to a Black Box Variant (the Gear Regiment CGL only upgrade). The only thing I'd need to manualy check is if I took any other upgrades like weapons for the CGL that weren't specifically listed as CGL-only as gear garage would allow me to take the "change 1 model in the squad" option which isn't enough for a fire team. The final step would be to simply mark the units on the GG printout (similar to how I italicized/bolded the models taken above) and then add up the TVs.
Anyways, I hope that helps show any interested players how to make up an army using Gear Garage to try out the smaller scale Flash! fire team games.
Advanced Changes
I do realize the irony in calling an update "Advanced Changes" on a blog filled with completely optional and unofficial house rules not endorsed by anyone other than myself as the author but I felt it was somewhat appropriate. So far, the updates have largely dealt with my two goals of simplifying and speeding up the play in Blitz; while my rules changes and combat group reorganization can be used either together or separately, I feel that they accomplish both of my stated goals (especially when used together). In this entry, I'm going to be posting the updates that don't necessarily accomplish either of those goals but rather are simply matters of preference.
Fire Support Gear Survivability Changes
One recognized problem in HG Blitz is that the supposedly tough models like the Grizzly actually get damaged and destroyed fairly easily compared wtih their lighter brethren. The problem lies with the inherent link in Blitz between the strength of the hit and the amount of damage due to them being dependant on the same dice roll. This simplicity is actually something I consider elegant about the Silhouette system and I don't see it as the main cause of the problem. The problem in my opinion is the rigid adherence to the stats originally developed for a related but much more intricate RPG system. Using the same armor value but vastly simplified damage system means that hit that did almost nothing really significant combat-wise in the RPG (like causing minor communications system damage) result in a box of damage regardless.
The solution that DP9 has been using (and rumored to be expanding via the next Gear Up webzine) is to change the defense modifier of the gear to 0 at combat speed instead of the -1 typical previously of Fire Support class gears. While this does address the problem of lessening the damage taken by FS gears, I don't find the change to be very elegant. I personally liked the idea that a gear was less maneuverable but simply able to shrug off the damage due to high armor instead of the effectively dodging the same as smaller gears despite twice the mass and 2/3 the speed. The solution I'm presenting is simply increasing the armor of Fire Support gears to a level that actually increases their survivability. I've tried taking an approach to this set of house rules that I start with the results I want and work my way back to the rules to express those results and this change is an example of that. The armor values of the fire support gears might shock long time players but I've done the math and they generally result in only slightly more durability to most incoming fire than compared with the standard Hunter/Jaeger and still leaves it behind the Elite gears. Basically, the FS gears are able to largely shrug off lighter damage like LACs but get hit just as hard by the heavier ordnance like Mzk/Hbzk which are meant to take out their class.
Change: Size 7 gears with a maneuver -1 stat (using my Flash! houserules) or a -1 defense modifier at combat speed (using the standard Blitz rules) increase their basic armor rating by 7 for 10TV. If the models currently have an upgrade option to increase their defensive stats, you have the option of using this armor increase instead for the same listed points.
For example, the Grizzly would increase its armor to 25 (27 in the front) as part of the roaring upgrade instead of increasing its defensive modifiers by 1. The above (especially the TV cost) may be revised once the next Gear Up issue is released. Feel free to try the above and let me know how it affects the actual survivability of the gears (once you get over the shock of the simple number value of the armor stat!).
Fire Support Gear Survivability Changes
One recognized problem in HG Blitz is that the supposedly tough models like the Grizzly actually get damaged and destroyed fairly easily compared wtih their lighter brethren. The problem lies with the inherent link in Blitz between the strength of the hit and the amount of damage due to them being dependant on the same dice roll. This simplicity is actually something I consider elegant about the Silhouette system and I don't see it as the main cause of the problem. The problem in my opinion is the rigid adherence to the stats originally developed for a related but much more intricate RPG system. Using the same armor value but vastly simplified damage system means that hit that did almost nothing really significant combat-wise in the RPG (like causing minor communications system damage) result in a box of damage regardless.
The solution that DP9 has been using (and rumored to be expanding via the next Gear Up webzine) is to change the defense modifier of the gear to 0 at combat speed instead of the -1 typical previously of Fire Support class gears. While this does address the problem of lessening the damage taken by FS gears, I don't find the change to be very elegant. I personally liked the idea that a gear was less maneuverable but simply able to shrug off the damage due to high armor instead of the effectively dodging the same as smaller gears despite twice the mass and 2/3 the speed. The solution I'm presenting is simply increasing the armor of Fire Support gears to a level that actually increases their survivability. I've tried taking an approach to this set of house rules that I start with the results I want and work my way back to the rules to express those results and this change is an example of that. The armor values of the fire support gears might shock long time players but I've done the math and they generally result in only slightly more durability to most incoming fire than compared with the standard Hunter/Jaeger and still leaves it behind the Elite gears. Basically, the FS gears are able to largely shrug off lighter damage like LACs but get hit just as hard by the heavier ordnance like Mzk/Hbzk which are meant to take out their class.
Change: Size 7 gears with a maneuver -1 stat (using my Flash! houserules) or a -1 defense modifier at combat speed (using the standard Blitz rules) increase their basic armor rating by 7 for 10TV. If the models currently have an upgrade option to increase their defensive stats, you have the option of using this armor increase instead for the same listed points.
For example, the Grizzly would increase its armor to 25 (27 in the front) as part of the roaring upgrade instead of increasing its defensive modifiers by 1. The above (especially the TV cost) may be revised once the next Gear Up issue is released. Feel free to try the above and let me know how it affects the actual survivability of the gears (once you get over the shock of the simple number value of the armor stat!).
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