Reactions?

[Ben2]

Having read the rules, does anyone miss reactions? There is still an alert status so you can leapfrog forward in standard infantryfashion, but I was wondering if people missed BF:Evo style reactions.

On the other hand, I am liking the rewritten rules, particularly all models on a players side getting to activate, and seeing some interesting possibilities with them.

 

[dhw1971]

Never played BF evolution, how did the reaction rules work?

 

[locarno24]

Essentially, every model on permenant alert status unless it had a trait that stopped it.

 

[tnjrp]

I'm not happy with JD being traditional IGOUGO and as such it'll likely see very little play in our group (well, in the plain vanilla version anyway :wink.

While the automatic unlimited reactions mechanic in Starship Troopers was a bit too much geared towards fighting man-on-bug combats but as I recall it was replaced with two actions/one reaction per unit system later on. That would be definitely better than having to explicitly go on Alert.

 

[locarno24]

Evolution did indeed use two actions, one reaction - being able to react twice became a 'big deal' conferred by a few special rules (such as the 'Battle Hardened' rule.

There's an argument for and against reactions, both of which essentially boil down to gunfire being extremely lethal.

An army without reactions risks being wiped out in shooting phase #1 without any chance to respond.

An army with free reactions is essentially immune to an opponent who depends on charging into combat because they'll be gunned down before they get there unless the enemy is either very tough or outnumbers them massively (i.e. warrior bugs)

 

[shotgun-toting chipmunk]

IMO Reactions was one of the (many) great strengths of the BF Evo system. It really made the game more fluid and kept players engaged. It made larger-scale games far more palatable.

 

[Judge Xombe]

I'm not happy with JD being traditional IGOUGO and as such it'll likely see very little play in our group (well, in the plain vanilla version anyway :wink.

While the automatic unlimited reactions mechanic in Starship Troopers was a bit too much geared towards fighting man-on-bug combats but as I recall it was replaced with two actions/one reaction per unit system later on. That would be definitely better than having to explicitly go on Alert.

In practice it works fine. The system as is is sooo fast and deadly there is not much downtime moving 7-10 figs per side.

That very soon gets reduced through hits. I find the biggest drawback to the game so far is the survivability of units between games. There is almost no chance a minion can be converted to a hero. Surviving 5 games is never going to happen. Should be based on pure xp from kills and mission objective successes.

Alert works once your figs are in position. (if thy survive getting there !)

 

[Judge Xombe]

Played 3 games using v2 rules last night. 2 different players. Punk gang vs punk gang. 440 creds per gang. One had hero, the other better gear (a laser rifle)

Armour works much better. Criticals are better. Makes little diff to minion battles now. You don't know how many time a crit came up in a game. Although last night I rolled triple 1's from a spitgun(?) so there you go.

Like the cost of gear restrictions on the minions bit it brings back the feel of the Gangs rule about weapons having min levels.

Some of the costs still need work. Haven't had time to study everything, but why wouldn't I take a gangster gang over punks/juves other than theme? Gangsters get to handle more gear at the same figure cred cost.

Survivability seems to still be the main comment from my playtesters. That and weapon costs ( ranges vs costs)

 

[Judge Xombe]

Speaking of surviving (and apologies if I missed it in the rules), but can your figs voluntarily leave a game and if so is there a penalty? It came up with a robot gang vs 2-hero punk gang. The last hero would not fail his will rolls and kept fighting to the death. (well until removed, then he was crippled during the injury roll). He wanted to run voluntarily as he only had an electrazap gun so he couldn't win.

 

[tnjrp]

In practice it works fine. The system as is is sooo fast and deadly there is not much downtime moving 7-10 figs per side

Downtime is not the problem. The main game mechanical artefact arising from an IGOUGO system -- the "sitting ducks syndrome" -- is. I detest it far more than any artefacts arising from alternating activation ("activation rushing" being the most obvious) and it can't alleviated.

 

[Judge Xombe]

In practice it works fine. The system as is is sooo fast and deadly there is not much downtime moving 7-10 figs per side

Downtime is not the problem. The main game mechanical artefact arising from an IGOUGO system -- the "sitting ducks syndrome" -- is. I detest it far more than any artefacts arising from alternating activation ("activation rushing" being the most obvious) and it can't alleviated.

With weapons that can shoot clear across a table, (like laser rifles), this is cover becomes the most important thing from turn one. You'd never start or end out of cover if you could avoid it.