Hello Everybody!
I don't know how many new people you see these days but judging from the posts in the forum it seems that new births are rare! No matter. I decided to trade away one of my games I never played, for a brand new box of GOMCO plus 3 blisters on Boardgamegeek.com. I have never read a Dredd comic in my life but I think that the whole premise of Dredd and his world is cool. I have also never played a miniatures game but really liked the world here so I just went for it.
Now I am a bit overwhelmed. Not that the rules are complex. Quite the contrary. They are actually a bit too simplified (but I was warned). Not that, that is a bad thing. I just thought that a miniatures game strove to be a bit more "realistic" due to the level of detail that the miniatures themselves can achieve and environments you can create! A bit more about this later.
My only real gripe is in the range rules. There basically aren't any. As range to a target increases, the probability to hit should decrease. This is really fundamental to me in any engagement/war game. The "if its within the maximum distance of the weapon, your chance to hit is the same, if its an inch away or 10 inches". This oversimplification in a game where you have to measure distances for everything, is in my opinion, unacceptable. This omission nullifies any advantage of engaging the enemy in closer quarters. Bad.
However, I think I have a simple fix that keeps within the spirit of the game and its streamlined rules. I have yet to actually try them but it goes something like this:
1) Determine maximum range of weapon.
2) Divide the value into 3rds (multiply by 0.33)
3) Add -1 to all die rolls for all distance greater than 1/3 the maximum range of the weapon being fired and -2 for distances greater than 2/3 the maximum range of the weapon being fired.
I realize that this modifier may be a bit more than the game can effectively implement and still be playable. Its a place to start and hopefully, I can figure out a simple fix like this to use in our games. I would appreciate any opinions on this idea or any other suggestions. I am so utterly disappointed in the range rules as they are written, it makes me not want to play the game as it stands.
Now an even larger concern. This whole terrain aspect is VERY daunting. As well as the miniature creation. I am a very experienced historical spacecraft modeler. I have created some nice historical spacecraft model kits (and still do so) but these kits do not require the painting techniques that are necessary to create nicely detailed miniatures that look good for miniatures gaming. Lets face it. Miniatures gaming is NOTHING unless you can create a nice looking, realistic environment to play in.
Miniatures require a level of imagination in order to be fun, that can only be maintained with environments that are pleasing to look at. If it looks like a 3rd grader put it together the entertainment factor is lost for me. Poorly painted minis are not exciting to play with and it takes from the gaming experience. There are far to many games to play. Unless you have a nice environment to play in, the fun factor drops precipitously and too much is left to the imagination to fill in. I need to feel like I am a part of the action and that Coke can in the middle of the action just ruins it for me.
So I am desperately seeking help on constructing long lasting, detailed construction techniques to use in my gaming. WorldWorks has great sets, but you really need to make them a bit more rugged to use routinely and store for easy quick use. Any suggestions on how to make nice foam board kits would be nice. It would be great if Mongoose would put together a book for us newbies, who have never played a minis games and have no one else to show us on how to build and paint minis!
I will play my game. Thing is, I want to continue playing it and get my friends playing. With cheap looking minis and sets it wont happen. I have a group of friends who play Heroscape and Star Wars minis. I have played SW but not HS. SW is fun but it has the same range problem as GOMCO but additionally lacks the 3rd dimension that GOMCO has available. I think GOMCO has huge potential to get them turned on. I'm competing with factory painted minis and landscape. Please help me and a chance to get more gangs in the world!.
One last request....I have compiled a list of GOMCO entries in Sign and Portents. Please LMK if I have missed any and if there is any other GOMCO material to be found anywhere.
SP #20, 23, 24, 26, 30, 31, 32, 37, 38, 39, 43, 45
All the Best, Love all Serve All,
Roger Summers
I don't know how many new people you see these days but judging from the posts in the forum it seems that new births are rare! No matter. I decided to trade away one of my games I never played, for a brand new box of GOMCO plus 3 blisters on Boardgamegeek.com. I have never read a Dredd comic in my life but I think that the whole premise of Dredd and his world is cool. I have also never played a miniatures game but really liked the world here so I just went for it.
Now I am a bit overwhelmed. Not that the rules are complex. Quite the contrary. They are actually a bit too simplified (but I was warned). Not that, that is a bad thing. I just thought that a miniatures game strove to be a bit more "realistic" due to the level of detail that the miniatures themselves can achieve and environments you can create! A bit more about this later.
My only real gripe is in the range rules. There basically aren't any. As range to a target increases, the probability to hit should decrease. This is really fundamental to me in any engagement/war game. The "if its within the maximum distance of the weapon, your chance to hit is the same, if its an inch away or 10 inches". This oversimplification in a game where you have to measure distances for everything, is in my opinion, unacceptable. This omission nullifies any advantage of engaging the enemy in closer quarters. Bad.
However, I think I have a simple fix that keeps within the spirit of the game and its streamlined rules. I have yet to actually try them but it goes something like this:
1) Determine maximum range of weapon.
2) Divide the value into 3rds (multiply by 0.33)
3) Add -1 to all die rolls for all distance greater than 1/3 the maximum range of the weapon being fired and -2 for distances greater than 2/3 the maximum range of the weapon being fired.
I realize that this modifier may be a bit more than the game can effectively implement and still be playable. Its a place to start and hopefully, I can figure out a simple fix like this to use in our games. I would appreciate any opinions on this idea or any other suggestions. I am so utterly disappointed in the range rules as they are written, it makes me not want to play the game as it stands.
Now an even larger concern. This whole terrain aspect is VERY daunting. As well as the miniature creation. I am a very experienced historical spacecraft modeler. I have created some nice historical spacecraft model kits (and still do so) but these kits do not require the painting techniques that are necessary to create nicely detailed miniatures that look good for miniatures gaming. Lets face it. Miniatures gaming is NOTHING unless you can create a nice looking, realistic environment to play in.
Miniatures require a level of imagination in order to be fun, that can only be maintained with environments that are pleasing to look at. If it looks like a 3rd grader put it together the entertainment factor is lost for me. Poorly painted minis are not exciting to play with and it takes from the gaming experience. There are far to many games to play. Unless you have a nice environment to play in, the fun factor drops precipitously and too much is left to the imagination to fill in. I need to feel like I am a part of the action and that Coke can in the middle of the action just ruins it for me.
So I am desperately seeking help on constructing long lasting, detailed construction techniques to use in my gaming. WorldWorks has great sets, but you really need to make them a bit more rugged to use routinely and store for easy quick use. Any suggestions on how to make nice foam board kits would be nice. It would be great if Mongoose would put together a book for us newbies, who have never played a minis games and have no one else to show us on how to build and paint minis!
I will play my game. Thing is, I want to continue playing it and get my friends playing. With cheap looking minis and sets it wont happen. I have a group of friends who play Heroscape and Star Wars minis. I have played SW but not HS. SW is fun but it has the same range problem as GOMCO but additionally lacks the 3rd dimension that GOMCO has available. I think GOMCO has huge potential to get them turned on. I'm competing with factory painted minis and landscape. Please help me and a chance to get more gangs in the world!.
One last request....I have compiled a list of GOMCO entries in Sign and Portents. Please LMK if I have missed any and if there is any other GOMCO material to be found anywhere.
SP #20, 23, 24, 26, 30, 31, 32, 37, 38, 39, 43, 45
All the Best, Love all Serve All,
Roger Summers