SST Evolution games at Mongoose - first impressions

[Voracioustigger]

For the person talking about Infinite and Squad weapons. Neither exists under the playtest rules. Rather than generic Traits, each card has a set of special rules for the unit and it's weapons (like 'may only be fired once per turn and never as a reaction' for missiles and other such heavy weapons).

Ya, at first I thought this would make things more complicated because having universal rules seems to make everything easier, but in reality, just having all the info you need on a card makes things a whole lot easier. Right now, you might forget if Plasma bug fire is Piercing or Flame or Multihit or 3" or 4" or who knows, but if everything is just written on the card, there's no other "universal rule" to confuse it with. It's just stated once, in plain english, on the card with no way to confuse it. It's really nice.

 

[lastbesthope]

Dear all,

I am, at Matthew's request, trying to find a good date for another playtest session of SST:Evo at Mongoose in Swindon. Please visit this thread:

http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=296879#296879

And make known your availability.

Thanks

LBH

 

[roughneck GIR]

Where did this thread come from? I haven't seen it and then wham!

I feel so left out, I can't play the sst evo rules yet *cries *

Though from some of the comments, they sound nice

 

[The jeske]

A queston how are skinis doing in the tests . Any major change in tactics . What are the best units/weapons in the new rules. Does anyone test skinis all I see here are just MI and Bugs and no words on the skinis.

 

[Cailet]

A queston how are skinis doing in the tests . Any major change in tactics . What are the best units/weapons in the new rules. Does anyone test skinis all I see here are just MI and Bugs and no words on the skinis.

We had one Skinny-MI game which was an MI win due to the shatterpoint rule (MI were being wiped out but the Skinnie Raiders were off-table so when the MI wiped out the Cabal and a speeder the army was shattered).

Unfortunately that was the only game so there's not much to say from it,.

 

[Voracioustigger]

A queston how are skinis doing in the tests . Any major change in tactics . What are the best units/weapons in the new rules. Does anyone test skinis all I see here are just MI and Bugs and no words on the skinis.

The shattered rule really brings a whole new dynamic to the game. You can no longer legitimately have an all drop troop or tunneling or ambushing army. You MUST have models on the table or you'll almost certainly lose the game in a matter of minutes.

Skinnies seem to be doing ok. Some of there more powerful weapons are toned down a bit, but most units are about the same as always. there haven't been many major changes.

 

[Alexb83]

From that last skinnies game, their weapons are still very nice. One speeder was able to shred a CAP trooper squad. The heavy speeder is a bit more difficult to use due to the arcs for the mass driver. You'll never be able to draw full armament to bear on any one target, unfortunately.

The cabal was nice, again they managed to really hurt another MI squad (and it was only a 4 man cabal) but died off to reaction fire.

The skinnies did strike me as very cheap - in that game I had a light and heavy speeder, 4 man cabal and a whole squad of raiders (unfortunately hiding them was a bad idea, and they were within weapons range of the MI too!) for the same price as two squads of CAPs and one CAP Lt. (with no traits).

The MI units do strike me as a bit pricey overall, especially in light of the bug upgrades. But Matt did say that where things have been trimmed off the MI and pathfinders, compensation will be given.

 

[5.56 Surgeon]

Everything I've heard so far doesn't inspire a lot of confidence with me. Maybe after the new rule sets are finalized I might change my mind, but I will probably use the old rules more then the new.

I don't like the sound of suppression at all, I can see blasters and ripplers pinning down squads that are unable to return fire, but not vice versa, the plasma blowing away all that it can see is nothing new, but I hear upgrades, point recalibration, and these things bother me. Not sure why.

 

[Alexb83]

Well, the points values need reworking because a few of the fundamentals of the game have really changed.

There are for instance no more 'dodge saves' by that name, though some units get the 'tough' rule which gives them a 5+ or 6+ chance not to be removed as a casualty. It's more like a ward save, than what used to be a dodge save.

Unfortunately for instance, this wasn't on the pathfinders card. All they did have for the extra 10pts/man was a rerollable armour save in cover. I think it's likely that the cards had been put together using a mix of old points/new rules to give us a chance to play a good variety of units, and winkle out any flaws in the basic rules, not in the units themselves. To that end it was pretty successful.

 

[Mr Evil]

here is a pic of the new prepainted sas figs

 

[tneva82]

Having a test that requires balancing and even changing rules here and there can be dangerous if too many people are involved.

All it takes is somebody with good vision in charge having final say. Somebody who is open to suggestions but is firm when it is needed. Worked with Epic Armageddon so could work with SST as well.

But it WOULD need that final arbitator. EpicA development has suffered bit recently since Jervis is no longer working with it(darn GW!) which has left it hanging in air.

 

[MaxSteiner]

Not liking the sound of some of this;
Only one reaction seems to change the entire dynamic of the game,
and the shatter rule seems like it'll dramatically change play.
It sounds like the new rules make the game a hell of a lot quicker too.
And not to mention the of victory conditions... Just seems that alot of what made the game so distinctive has been dropped in favour of a mass market kid friendly game style.
... Still the old rules can always be used instead I suppose.

One issue I would raise though regarding the cards. Mongoose have to make sure they proof read them! No more silly mistakes like in the main rulebook, the army books etc. People arent going to read through a players guide to find the correct wording of the cards.

 

[mthomason]

Everyone should bear in mind that the rules sheet previewed was the "quick-play" rules that will be included in the unit boxes, designed for those who want an "out of the box" game and not the rulebook that will be coming out later for those who like full-scale battles, scenarios, campaigns, and lots of options

 

[tneva82]

Everyone should bear in mind that the rules sheet previewed was the "quick-play" rules that will be included in the unit boxes, designed for those who want an "out of the box" game and not the rulebook that will be coming out later for those who like full-scale battles, scenarios, campaigns, and lots of options

Jep. That rulebook sure sounds logical place for scenarios like current battle matrix. Afterall if basic rules fit into one sheet there's got to be SOMETHING to fill that rulebook. Apart from army lists it's the different scenarios and campaign rules that seems most logical choise :wink:

 

[Voracioustigger]

From that last skinnies game, their weapons are still very nice. One speeder was able to shred a CAP trooper squad. The heavy speeder is a bit more difficult to use due to the arcs for the mass driver. You'll never be able to draw full armament to bear on any one target, unfortunately.

To be fair, the current Heavy speeder has those same restrictions too.

Also, how did one speeder shred an entire CAP trooper squad? It only gets 4 shots an action and only has 12" range. Did the CAP trooper squad really move within 12" of the speeder the team before (and have only 4 models in it)? I can see it killing 3-4 models, but it's impossible for one to kill more than 4 in one action.

 

[5.56 Surgeon]

With the speeder, wouldn't it be a hover forward, get them with the front arc, the retreat and nail them with the back end?

 

[Voracioustigger]

With the speeder, wouldn't it be a hover forward, get them with the front arc, the retreat and nail them with the back end?

You can shoot at any point during your jump, but not at two different times during the SAME jump.

 

[5.56 Surgeon]

Well that a limiting factor now isn't. Maybe the speeders aren't the investment I thought they were.

 

[Voracioustigger]

Well that a limiting factor now isn't. Maybe the speeders aren't the investment I thought they were.

Regular speeders have both forward facing weapons, and heavy speeders can still split fire, they'll just lose 1 constrictor cannon.

 

[The jeske]

but the normal speeders have 12" range that's death for them.