Legions of Steel
Legions of Steel Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Capsules
The League of Aliens
As more and more races and planets flocked to join the new alliance against the machine incursion, the founders realized that a definite structure had to be established. These eleven major interstellar powers formed the Cardinal Council who would direct, and have a veto power over, the decisions of the organization. The minor powers and those who lacked interstellar capability altogether would also have to be accommodated within the system. The membership requirements defined by the Cardinal Council (sizable resources and interstellar military capability) determined which of the races would have full membership status, allowing them a vote at the League's meetings. Those who did not meet the requirements were given Ancillary membership. This allowed them to send a representative to the meetings and participate in debates, but no vote was granted.
After the formation of the League, it became their goal to uplift all Ancillary members to Full membership status. This was accomplished by aiding these races to upgrade their technology, enabling them to improve their military and trading capabilities.
The United Nations of Earth (UNE)
Although the UNE was initially created out of necessity, it soon grew into a valuable and much respected organization. The charter allows each country a voice in the UNE proceedings. A country carries a number of votes based on its economic wealth and population. This gives the large countries such as the United States significant power, but they can still be outvoted by a number of other smaller countries.
Its powers are varied and include jurisdiction over all international law. In addition, international criminals wanted in more than one country are tried and prosecuted by the UNE judicial system. Its policy towards space and contact with other races is quite simple. The UNE retains exclusive military and diplomatic representation off planet. This means that individual countries cannot send diplomats or military off planet unless they are sanctioned by the UNE. The reason for this imposed restriction is to present a unified Earth to other races and avoid "loose cannons" with their own personal agendas.
Shortly after the charter was drawn up, countries agreed that parcels of land would be put aside to become the property of the UNE. The headquarters is located in the Sahara desert in North Africa. It is a huge multi-trillion dollar self contained complex, much like a small city. It maintains huge office buildings, a military training facility, starport, and many other necessary and recreational facilities. In addition, large parcels of land in Canada, Russia and Antarctica were set aside as huge training bases. The UNE also maintain offices throughout the rest of the world.
Machine Invasion of a Planet
The Machines, upon emerging from the rift, chose unpopulated planets, moons or asteroids on which to land (hereafter referred to simply as a planet). At this point they were in poor shape to repel any hostiles and needed to concentrate all of their efforts on rebuilding their forces. Eventually, however, after establishing several initial bases they were not so particular.
The primary objective of the Machines after choosing a landing site is to secure the planet against any native or outside hostiles. Hostile natives are evaluated and then either enslaved or destroyed. Worker drones dismantle the landing ships to supply parts for the underground complex. After burrowing and creating space beneath the surface, the building begins in earnest. The Machine complex eventually evolves into a massive manufacturing centre. Power can be obtained through several means including geothermal, solar and tidal. Raw materials are mined or extracted from the planet and processed into a finished form.
The type of products to first come off the line depends on the situation the Machine forces face. If the natives are powerless and detection is unlikely by other space faring races, then first consideration is given to expanding the facilities for production of equipment, ships and weapons for future use in the machine invasion. These products are also shipped out to forward bases to resupply their forces. If a threat does exist, the Machines focus on expanding their defense. Orbital defense satellites are manufactured and launched, point defense systems are installed and large quantities of defense robots are created.
Well into the facility's growth, robot probes are sent out to scout for another landing site for the Machines. Eventually, after the production facility reaches optimum size, an armada is launched to escort ships carrying production facility equipment and start the process over again. The original base, at this point a veritable fortress, continues to produce ship after ship, machine after machine to invade and destroy any resisting forces.
Limitations of Space Weaponry
When considering how to deal with a planet that the machines have taken over and constructed manufacturing complexes on, the question may arise as to why the League would not simply "nuke it from space." The first attempts at an offensive by the League were, in fact, aimed at doing just that. Unfortunately, the restrictions of huge planet destroying devices became readily apparent.
Such weapons can be classified into two types: energy weapons and ordinance. Energy weapons fire a beam of energy while ordinance fire an actual physical projectile. Energy weapons have limited effect against planets due to atmospheric dampening. A massive laser beam travelling through several miles of atmosphere is severely weakened by the time it reaches the planets surface as atmospheric particles cause the beam to disperse and lose effect. The same applies to any energy weapons in the Alien League's arsenal. That is not to say that the beam will not have any effect, it is simply that it no longer has the punch to cause massive damage to the planet. Ordinance, on the other hand, can be made to enter the planet's atmosphere without burning up. However, any such weapon large enough to actually destroy the planet also makes an easy target for the enemy's point-defense systems.
Verbal Report to the U.N.E. Council Concerning the Overlord Computer
It appears that the subterranean robot complexes are controlled centrally. This control is carried out by the Overlord computer. The main body of this apparatus is buried deep within the production facility but has operating systems spreading out from it in a net formation. The systems furthest away from the mainframe are either redundant or control local operations. The initial destruction of these will not greatly effect the performance of the Overlord Computer. The more important hardware is deeper and better defended.
The Overlord Computer acts as a "hive mind." It controls all aspects of the production facility either directly or indirectly. It has direct control over any robot it chooses, diverting the necessary resources to do so. It controls all military tactics in the field, in the complex or planetary defence as well as the production and deployment of new robots and ships.
Indirectly it has robots programmed to carry out certain mundane tasks such as maintenance and upkeep. It remains in contact and monitors these robots throughout the "peaceful" occupation of the planet. It also assigns control of low level robots to robots with a greater "intellect" or higher programming. During an attack, it will divert most of its attention to its military arm and therefore allow other aspects of the production facility to shut down or operate at a sub standard level.
Organization of a Powered Infantry Battalion
An entire battalion of powered infantry is made up of approximately 1000 men and women, virtually all of whom are clad in powered armour of one type or another. It is organized into seven companies: headquarters company, three powered infantry companies, commando company, combat support company and administration and support company.
Headquarters company contains the upper level command and control elements of the battalion. The command section is made up of the battalion commander (usually a colonel) and his assistants. A mobile, armoured command post provides a base of operations and long range communications. The signal platoon is used to ensure that communications are maintained throughout the battalion and finally a section of military police perform functions such as traffic and refugee control, and investigation and law enforcement out of the theatre of operations.
The three powered infantry companies are the heart of the battalion. Each has its own headquarters to provide command, communications and fire support, along with three platoons. Each platoon is composed of a headquarters and three sections. Each section is the same as a commando section except for the type of weapons they carry (usually longer range) and the type of combat they specialize in (open battlefield as opposed to close combat and room to room fighting).
If the powered infantry companies are the heart of the battalion, then the commando company is the soul. The battalion's mission is to fight its way to the entrance of the Machine complex so the Commandos can go in. The commando company is organised similarly to the powered infantry company but it has an additional platoon of reconnaissance soldiers (RECCE COMMANDOS) suited in light, fast armour and equipped with extra sensors and electronic gear.
The combat support company is made up of five specialized platoons whose unique equipment and training back up the rest of the battalion. The fire support platoon is outfitted with heavy, long range weapons for use against both vehicles and personnel (i.e. man sized robots). Recce platoon is the eyes and ears of the battalion. With the same armour as recce commandos they move about the battlefield to spot the enemy and observe their activities. Combat in the future will rely more heavily on electronic warfare, so the battalion has an EW platoon with specialized sensors and jamming equipment built into their armour. Each battalion has an assault platoon made up of heavily armed and armoured troopers trained to attack well defended positions. Pioneers are a cross between infantry and military engineers. They use their equipment and training to assist in the mobility and defense of the other troops by digging them in or providing demolitions or mine warfare support.
The last company is administration and support. These units are not equipped with powered armour and operate behind the front lines providing transportation, maintenance, medical, food and administrative services.
Assault on a Planet
Due to the set up of the machine's planetary defense, humans developed tactics specifically designed to overcome them. The assault fleet would move to the side of the planet furthest from the machine's main complex where point defence systems were weakest, and drop a force of jump troops - single vehicles or powered soldiers with individual re-entry and landing equipment. Jump troops are volunteers as casualties are high, both on the way down to the planet and also on the ground as they fight to knock out the point defense systems.
Once an area has been cleared, the assault ships land. Assault ships are designed to carry large numbers of troops, including a powered infantry battalion, on a one-way trip down to the planet's surface. Assault ships cannot take off once they have landed, they have to be disassembled and redeployed to space where they are subsequently reassembled. This assault force then moves to attack the complex, moving supplies up to the troops through their "beachhead." Once at the complex, the powered infantry battalions move forward to secure the entrances. With the entrances secure the Commandos go in to attack the Overlord computer.
Operation Planetstorm
A new breakthrough in space travel developed by human engineers enabled special ships to be constructed with much higher speeds than existing ones. The League first used this technology to create a fleet of ships which were fast enough to outrun the enemy. The new breakthrough proved invaluable during Operation Planetstorm.
The main portion of the League's fleet was brought in to position to attack the machine blockade. These forces were committed to draw enemy forces and cause the machines to pull reserves from other fronts. While the main battle raged, the League reserve fleets attacked the machine blockade on another front in wedge formation. After they successfully breached the enemy line, the reserve fleets allowed the Stormfleet to pass through the enemy blockade, engage their new engines and proceed to the machine production planets.
Upon approaching the production planet, defending enemy ships were engaged by Stormfleet escort ships while the remaining assault ships waited for an opportunity to attack the planet.
Unit and Weapon Descriptions
UNE Commandos
Commandos are the close quarter shock troops of the United Nations of Earth. Well trained, high morale and armed with short range assault weapons, it is the Commandos' mission to penetrate the Machines' production complexes and destroy the Overlord computer. Commando units are organized into sections consisting of a sergeant, one corporal, four troopers and two heavy weapon troopers. In certain circumstances the section can be broken into two assault groups, with the sergeant and the corporal each commanding one. An assault group is made up of two troopers and a heavy weapon trooper in addition to its commander.
Paladin P.B.A.:
Powered body armour (P.B.A.) consists of layered steel covering an exoskeleton which allows the wearer to move with little or no encumbrance. Power is supplied by a small nuclear fusion reactor in the back of the armour which drives a hydraulic turbine and electrical generator. The armour adds strength to a Trooper and allows them to carry heavier weapons and unique armour options. It is environmentally sealed and comes in different designs with tradeoffs between cost, speed, protection and various options.
Paladin armour is the happy medium between heavy protection and good mobility. Although it does not enhance a Trooper's speed, it does allow one to move as if almost unencumbered. For indoor combat it is typically outfitted with the 360 degree camera option, high frequency com unit and autogrey face plate.
Heavy Weapon Trooper:
X26 Plasma Projector:
This weapon consists of a hand unit connected to the armour's back mounted fusion pack. Plasma (super heated water broken down into its component particles) is drawn directly from the power pack into the hand unit. A magnetic field then fires these charged particles in a spray. This wash of plasma has a wide area of fire and does tremendous damage, but has limited range. The Plasma Projector is the standard support weapon of the UNE Commandos.
Trooper:
LZ9 Blaster:
This highgain plasma weapon is also connected to the armour's power pack. The plasma is placed into a magnetic bottle which is fired out of the weapon as a bolt. While the damage is not as great as the Plasma Projector, range and accuracy is improved. Its reliability has been proven under fire and it is now the standard issue to UNE Commandos.
T19 Forcewall Grenade:
This small device is designed specifically for indoor combat. When set off it creates a magnetic energized force field approximately two metres in diameter. This field can withstand heavy impacts and is typically used for quick escapes, cover from fire or to slow up enemy troops. Designed as a one shot device, the solid energy core and generating equipment generally burn out after a few minutes, well after the end of most engagements. Issued one per Trooper with Blaster, it is used judiciously.
SX111 Kinetic Pulse Grenade:
Using gravitational inversion, the K-pulse grenade emits a strong concussion wave outwards in a circular area. The impact strength decreases as the wave moves further from the point of detonation. Although this could kill a normal human at a range of 20 metres, it has little or no effect on heavily armoured personnel beyond 6 metres.
Legions of Steel
The LEGIONS OF STEEL produce a number of different robot designs for assault, security, local defence or industrial purposes. Their hideous anthropomorphic designs have puzzled scientists for a number of years now. The most common unit is the horde which contains ten Nightmares commanded by a Mark I Assault Fiend. Nightmares have modular left arms and can be outfitted with a variety of weapons. Other known designs include the Mark II Assault Fiend, the Scorpion combat droid and the Succubot command robot.
G1 Nightmare:
These humanoid, skeletal robots are the cannon fodder of the Legions of Steel. They have limited independent thought and are generally controlled by the Overlord Computer or more advanced robot types. Untold numbers of these have been produced. Typically, Nightmares are armed with Deadbolt Launchers and a Nachtmacher grenade, but can be outfitted with a variety of weaponry.
M1 Deadbolt Launcher:
This is the standard weapon for the Nightmare robots fielded by the Legions of Steel. This sophisticated firearm fires a collapsed steel round. Although in close quarter fighting it is inferior to the LZ9 Blaster it has better accuracy at longer ranges. A large number of Commandos and other soldiers have met their maker due to this ubiquitous weapon.
MG1 Nachtmacher Grenade:
Nachtmacher is German for "night maker". The grenade creates a six metre diameter globe of utter blackness. When detonated, it creates a field which absorbs all light energy in the visible spectrum as well as infrared and ultraviolet. Issued mainly to Nightmare robots, it is utilized in an attack to cover their advance or on the defense to protect their moving forces.
Mark I Assault Fiend:
This hulking demonic featured robot stands three metres tall. Its typical weaponry includes the Napalm-X Flame Weapon with bayonet and a Power Trident. Heavily armed and armoured, it is ultra deadly at close range. Its intellect is more sophisticated than the Nightmare and is usually assigned 8 to 10 under its control.
M4 Napalm-X Flame Weapon:
This hightech flame thrower is a terror when used against lightly armoured opponents. Its high rate of fire of a super heated sodium compound can suppress large areas and take out several soldiers at once. Its effective range is short, but as an indoor weapon it is excellent. It is mainly issued to the medium sized robots such as the Mark I.
MH2 Power Trident:
This hand to hand weapon is issued in limited numbers. It is generally issued to medium size Machines for indoor defense. The energy discharger built into the head of the weapon allows it to rip through even the heaviest of personal armour.
Rules
Player Sequence
One game turn is made up of an initiative roll and two player turns. Each player turn is made up of three phases. The three phases are:
- Initial Phase
- Action Phase
- Final Phase
The player performing his phases is referred to as the "phasing" player. After resolving initiative, the first phasing player performs his three phases. After he has finished, his opponent becomes the phasing player and the three phases are repeated. The turn ends after the second player has completed his final phase.
Initiative:
Each player rolls one die and adds modifiers for leadership (qv.). The player who rolls highest gains the initiative and chooses who becomes the first "phasing" player that turn. In the event of a tie, each player rolls another die. This die roll cannot be modified by leadership. The player with the highest roll has the initiative. If another tie occurs, this process is repeated until it is broken.
Initial Phase:
Remove all of the phasing player's covering and fired counters. Those figures which were previously suppressing may continue or the suppression counters may be removed. The phasing player's surviving leaders recover their leadership points, including any assigned leadership still on the board, and may reassign them.
Action Phase:
The phasing player activates each of his figures, moving and firing them. Each figure can only be activated once per player turn and only one figure can be active at a time. A figure becomes activated as soon as the player touches it. The figure becomes inactive once the player completes all of that figure's actions or activates another figure. The opposing player may conduct covering fire, resolve suppression or use leadership.
Final Phase:
Either player may use their remaining leadership.
Leadership
Leadership points are used in the game to reflect the ability of the leaders to exert command over the Troopers and push them on to greater achievements. A unit under command of a leader is better able to react to the enemy because of the leader's experience and ability to boost morale. Leaders accomplish this directly, by telling troops in line of sight what to do, or indirectly, giving them general radio instructions on how to proceed. This makes the leaders more valuable to the player in that they can perform extra actions or get their subordinates to do so, even out of turn. Leadership points can also affect the initiative roll. When a leader is killed, that figure's leadership is lost for the rest of the game. The Sergeant has two leadership points, the Corporal has one and the remaining Commandos have none. Unless specified in a scenario, the Machines have no leadership ability in the basic game. Spent leadership is regained during a player's initial phase.
LOS (Line of Sight):
A figure has line of sight to an object if it can trace an unblocked line from the centre of its square to the centre of the square containing the object. In the basic game, only walls, doors, Nachtmacher grenades and Forcewall grenades block LOS. In the case where LOS is traced through a corner of one of these, it is not blocked.
Initiative:
Before rolling for initiative, the players must decide whether leadership will be spent to modify the roll. These leadership points can only come from the player's highest ranking leader still on the board. This is only possible if the leader has leadership left over from the last game turn.
Assigning Leadership:
Leadership can only be assigned in the initial phase. The phasing player may assign leadership points from his leaders to their subordinates. Leadership cannot be assigned to another leader of higher rank. Thus, the Sergeant can assign his two leadership to the Corporal but not vice versa. A figure does not have to be in line of sight of a leader to be assigned leadership. A figure must, however, be in contact with the leader by radio or other means. Unless otherwise stated in the scenario, a figure is always assumed to be in contact. A figure can be assigned a number of leadership points equal to his base leadership plus one. Thus, the Troopers can have 1 leadership assigned to them (they start with 0) and the Corporal can have two assigned to him, giving him a total of three. The player should place the appropriate (eg. Corporal or Sergeant) leadership counter next to the figure. Once leadership has been assigned, only the receiving figure can use it, up to the player's next initial phase. A leader who has been assigned leadership treats that leadership as his own. There is no difference between that leader's leadership and the assigned leadership.
Using Leadership:
In the initial phase the phasing player recovers any spent leadership counters, including assigned leadership which were not spent. Leadership can be spent either by a figure with assigned leadership, a leader with remaining leadership, or by a figure in a leader's line of sight. In the last case, the leader must have leadership remaining and spends the point(s) (He tells the subordinate what to do). Leadership can be used at any time on any player's action or final phase, so long as the player has points left. Leadership cannot be spent in the initial phase.
When leadership is spent, the player must invert the appropriate number of counters. They cannot be used again until recovered during the player's next initial phase. In the instance where both players elect to spend leadership, the player who declares last resolves his actions first. Once a player declares an action, it must be followed through, even if the opponent uses leadership to affect it. This could mean that a figure must waste its fire action or leadership.
Leadership points always take precedence over any other actions and the player can wait until the most opportune moment to use them. Thus, even after the enemy has declared his fire but not rolled the dice, the player can choose to spend leadership before the opponent rolls.
Actions:
Leadership can be used to perform actions. Options are listed in the following table along with the number of leadership points the action costs. When performing an action which requires two leadership, both points must come from the same leader.
| Action | Leadership Cost |
|---|---|
| Initiative (per +1) | 1 |
| +1 roll modifier to attack dice | 1 (note 1) |
| Fire | 2 (note 2) |
| Throw grenade | 2 (note 2) |
| Cover at -1 | 2 |
| Move one space in any direction | 1 (note 3) |
| Open or close door | 1 |
| Change facing by 90 degrees | 1 |
Notes to the table:
- No more than one point of leadership can be spent on one attack to improve a figure's chance to score a kill.
- When leadership is used to fire, movement modifiers are not applied to the roll (see roll modifiers).
- Figure maintains same facing.
When using a leadership point, the figure is not otherwise affected. For instance, a stationary figure which spends a leadership to move forward one space is still considered to be stationary.
Examples of Using Leadership:
After failing to kill an approaching Nightmare with covering fire, a Commando figure in LOS of a leader with two leadership, can elect to fire again. The leader inverts the two leadership counters.
The commando player wants to move a running figure (eight MPs) with one point of assigned leadership forward three spaces, around a corner, and forward five spaces. This would normally be impossible as it requires ten movement points. Instead, he moves forward three spaces, uses the leadership point at the corner to turn and uses his remaining five movement points to get into position.
Sergeant Osbourne moves into an intersection in line of sight of a Nightmare covering at -1. The machine player elects to take the figure's covering fire against the sergeant. Before the roll, the commando player has Osbourne spend one point of leadership to move ahead one square and out of the corridor. As the Nightmare no longer has a line of fire to the sergeant, it automatically misses. The robot player must still remove the covering counter and replace it with a fired counter. Osbourne ducked away just in time.
Movement
The maximum movement of each figure is determined by its movement points. A figure can only move while activated. Commandos and Nightmares have 4 movement points, while the Mark I Assault Fiend has 5. When the phasing player activates a figure, it must be designated as walking, running, or stationary. A walking figure is allotted its normal movement points. A running figure's movement points are doubled, but there are certain limitations and restrictions on movement and firing. A stationary figure cannot move or turn. A figure is not required to use its full movement point allowance, but any points not used while the figure is activated are lost. A figure can never move onto or through a square with a figure on it. The movement costs are shown below.
| Action | Walking | Running |
|---|---|---|
| 1 space forward | 1 | 1 |
| Turn 90 degrees | 1 | 2 |
| Open or Close Door | 1 (note 1) | 2 (note 1) |
| 1 space sideways | 2 | -- |
| 1 space backwards | 2 | -- |
| 1 space diagonally | * (note 2) | * (note 2) |
Notes to the movement table:
- Doorway must be at a range of 1 (see diagram below).
Diagram: a 3 by 3 grid of squares. A doorway ("DOOR") is printed on the square above, the square to the left and the square to the right of the centre square, and the square below the centre square. The figure occupies the centre square. Each of the four adjacent squares is a door.
- The first space moved diagonally costs 2 movement points, the second diagonal move costs 1 point, the third costs 2, etc. If moving backward diagonally it costs 3 MPs for each diagonal. See the "diagonal rule" in the glossary. To move diagonally the spaces directly in front of and to the side of the moving figure must be unobstructed. An obstruction for these purposes is a wall, forcewall or other similar object which occupies a full square. Therefore, it is still possible to move diagonally if these spaces are occupied by other figures. This is shown in the following diagram.
Diagram: a row of three squares numbered 1, 2 and 3, with a figure in the square directly below square 2. The squares immediately to the left and right of the figure are walls.
It is impossible for the figure in the diagram to move directly to spaces 1 or 3 as both of the squares at its sides are walls. It would have to move forward, turn and then move on to these. It can however move to square 2 without any problem. If the wall on its right side was instead an open space, then it could move to square 3 but not to square 1.
Combat
Combat is divided up into two major sections: Combat Mechanics and Fire Actions. Combat Mechanics cover kill determination and roll modifiers, while Fire Actions outline different attack forms. Each figure can only perform one of these fire actions during the player's turn. There may be restrictions on the figures fire action choices depending on the movement of the figure.
Combat Mechanics
Arc of Fire:
A figure has four arcs of fire: front, right, left and rear. These are 90 degree arcs, as shown in the diagram below. In the basic game, a figure may only fire at an opponent within its front arc of fire unless using a grenade.
Diagram: a grid of squares with the figure at the centre. The squares forming the front arc (above the figure, labelled "FRONT ARC OF FIRE"), the left arc (labelled "LEFT"), the right arc (labelled "RIGHT") and the rear arc (below the figure, labelled "REAR") are shaded in turn, forming four 90 degree wedges.
Line of Fire (LOF):
Line of fire is determined by tracing a straight line from the centre of a firing figure's square and its target's square. Any squares which the line passes through are considered to be in the line of fire. A figure can only fire at a target if it can trace unblocked LOF to its target. The following block line of fire: doors, walls, forcewalls.
Kill Number:
The kill number is the base chance for a figure to score a kill against the target. The attacking player counts the range from the firing figure to the target including the target square but not the firing figure's square. The diagonal rule is used for determining ranges (see the Diagonal Rule in the glossary). To determine the kill number, consult the weapon table and cross-reference the weapon and the range. The table is given on the following page. The number listed for a given range represents the maximum number of squares at that range. The ranges given at the top of the table (PB+, PB, S, M, L, X) are only used to describe the kill number for that particular range (ie. a weapon at Medium range has a kill number of 5).
Example: A deadbolt launcher has a kill number of 4+ from range 1 to 25, a kill number of 5+ from range 26 to 35, 6+ from 36 to 45 and 7+ from 46 to 55. A plasma projector has a kill number of 2+ from range 1 to 3, 3+ from 4 to 5, 4+ from 6 to 10, etc...
After obtaining the kill number, the player then rolls a number of dice equal to the rate of fire (ROF) of the weapon. For each modified result of any die roll which equals or exceeds the kill number, the target figure takes a kill.
In the basic game, only the Assault Fiend has more than one kill. Any other target receiving a kill is removed from the board. The Assault Fiend requires two kills to be removed. If the Assault Fiend takes a kill, place the "1 KILL" counter on the board next to it.
Weapon Table:
| Weapon | ROF | PB+ | PB | S | M | L | X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blaster | 1 | --- | 5 | 15 | 25 | 35 | 45 |
| Deadbolt | 1 | --- | --- | 25 | 35 | 45 | 55 |
| Napalm-X | 3 | --- | --- | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 |
Range key: PB+ = Point Blank Plus; PB = Point Blank; S = Short; M = Medium; L = Long; X = Extra Long.
Roll Modifiers
There are four types of roll modifiers: movement modifiers, LOF modifiers, general modifiers and fire modifiers. All of these modifiers are cumulative and apply to each die of the roll to get the modified result(s). It is possible for a figure to have enough negative modifiers to make a kill impossible, regardless of what is rolled on the dice. A roll of "1" on a die is always a miss, regardless of what bonus modifiers the attacker has.
Movement modifiers: These are modifiers determined by the movement of the attacker.
| Movement | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Stationary | +1 |
| Walking | 0 |
| Running | -1 |
Stationary: A figure which spends no movement points while activated.
Walking: A figure designated as "walking" when activated.
Running: A figure designated as "running" when activated.
LOF modifiers: These modifiers represent adjustments for obstacles which hinder, but not block, the attacker's line of fire to the target.
| Obstacle | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Firing past a figure | -1 per figure |
| Through corner | -1 per corner |
| Nachtmacher (qv.) | -2 |
Firing past a figure: When a firing figure traces LOF through any portion of a square containing another figure, a -1 penalty is incurred for each such figure in the line of fire between the attacker and its target. The Assault Fiend is an exception. Due to its size, it modifies the roll by -2 when it is in the way.
Through Corner: If line of fire is drawn through a corner, a -1 penalty is given per corner. This is shown in the diagrams below.
Diagram: two grid examples. In the first, a figure fires diagonally past the corner of a wall block to a target square; the line of fire passes through a corner of the wall. In the second, a figure fires from the bottom centre square up past the corner of the wall blocks to a target in the top right; the line of fire passes through two corners.
In the diagrams on the following page, the dotted line indicates the figure's line of fire. As can be seen, LOF is drawn through a corner in both cases and the figure incurs the -1 penalty to the roll.
Nachtmacher: A figure firing into, through, or out of a Nachtmacher darkened square incurs a -2 roll modifier. The modifier remains the same regardless of how many Nachtmacher darkened squares are fired through.
General modifiers: These modifiers are determined by the target type. General modifiers include adjustments for size, armour and speed of the target. General modifiers are given below.
| Target | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Commando | 0 |
| Nightmare | 0 |
| Assault Fiend | -1 |
| Door | -1 |
| Force wall | -1 |
Fire modifiers: These modifiers are determined by a figure's choice of fire action. See fire actions for further details.
| Fire Action | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Firing | 0 |
| Covering | -1 |
| Suppressing | 0 |
| Automatic Fire | -1 |
| Spread Fire | 0 |
| Displaced Throwing | -1 |
Fire Actions
When a figure is activated, it has one fire action available for use at any time until it is no longer active. The figure may use its fire action before, during, or at the end of its movement. The player can opt to use one of the standard fire actions described below. Additionally, other fire actions may be available depending on the scenario played. Unless otherwise specified, a "fired" counter is placed next to a figure after it performs its fire action.
Fire Ranged Weapon:
The figure fires at a target with a ranged weapon. (ie. Blaster, Plasma Projector, Napalm-X Weapon)
Fire Options:
A player who selects "Fire Ranged Weapon" as a figure's fire action can choose from a number of firing options as listed below.
Normal Firing: The player selects a target and rolls a number of dice equal to the rate of fire (ROF) of the weapon. If the rate of fire exceeds one, the player can score multiple kills against the same target.
Automatic Fire: A figure using automatic fire (autofire) rolls a number of dice equal to twice the ROF of the weapon, with a modifier of -1 applied to the rolls.
Spread-Fire: The benefit of spread-fire is that more than one enemy target can be dispatched by the same figure with the same fire action. The amount a figure can spread its attack is determined by the ROF of the weapon (doubled if autofiring). The player selects his first target and fires his first shot (one die). At this point, he can either fire again at the same target or move to a target in an adjacent square. If another target is available, but more than one square away, the figure can still attempt to fire at it. However, the player loses one die for each square separating the targets. If a figure is spread-firing at a target and it is impossible to attack any other targets with the remaining dice, the figure must continue attacking the same target. Note that a Deadbolt launcher and a Blaster must autofire to be able to spread-fire, as they only have an ROF of 1.
Three examples of spread-fire follow.
Example 1:
Private Romano, shown in the adjacent diagram, wants to attempt to kill Nightmares #1 through #4. She autofires with her Plasma Projector (4 dice) and begins with robot #1. The player rolls the first die and gets a "1" which misses. For the second roll, the player chooses to fire at the same target and kills it. The third die is then assigned to robot #2 in an adjacent square. The player rolls well enough to kill it. The figure's fourth die could be placed on either robots #3 or 4. In this case, the player decides to fire the last die against robot #3. As luck would have it, Romano misses with a roll of 2.
[Diagram: a grid with Nightmares #1 through #4 in a diagonal chain, robot X and robot Y elsewhere on the board, and Romano's figure at the bottom.]
Example 2:
Romano, from the previous example, wants to kill robots X and Y which are separated by a vacant square. The Commando autofires with her Plasma Projector (4 dice). The first die is directed at robot X which kills it. She must lose a die in the intervening vacant square and then roll her last two dice against robot Y, toasting it easily. What a hero!
Example 3:
In the adjacent diagram, Flanagan, a Heavy Weapon Trooper with his Plasma Projector, fires with a ranged weapon using the spread fire and automatic fire options in hopes of destroying the door and the Nightmare. He begins by rolling the first die against the door and misses. Note that because there is no other target available to fire at, the Commando must continue to fire at the door until he destroys it or runs out of shots. In this case, he also misses with the second and third die. If the Commando were not required to continue firing at the door, he would likely stop at this point and waste his last shot. This way, there is no chance of the shot destroying the door, leaving the Commando with no further dice and facing the enemy as a sitting duck. Unfortunately, Flanagan is required to continue firing at the door. Luckily, the last shot also missed.
Covering:
A figure which does not fire while activated, is considered to be covering, and may save its fire action for a later time. After activating each figure, if it did not use its fire action, the player should place a "COVERING" counter with the appropriate modifier beside the figure. The modifier is based on the movement modifier and a covering modifier of -1. This is shown in the following table.
FIGURE DESIGNATED AS:
| Figure Designated As | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Stationary | 0 |
| Walking | -1 |
| Running | -2 |
The figure will continue to cover until using its covering fire or the player's next initial phase. If a figure does not use its fire action or is not activated during the player turn, it is automatically considered to be covering.
Covering fire can be taken against any target in the covering figure's arc of fire. However, once the covering figure fires, it loses its covering status and the counter should be removed and replaced by a fired counter. Covering fire is taken before normal fire. The covering player can wait for the most opportune moment to take action. When a target presents itself, the covering player can wait right up to the time where the opposing player declares his fire (but before the roll) before taking cover fire. In the case where the target is spread firing, the covering figure has the option before each of the target's die rolls to take its covering fire. If the target is killed by the covering fire, it can no longer fire. In the event that two opposing figures, both covering, are exposed simultaneously, covering fire takes place simultaneously and both figures may kill each other.
A covering figure can select Fire With Ranged Weapon or Hand to Hand Combat as its fire action. It may not select Suppression or Throw Grenade.
Example: Nightmare X114A is covering from behind a closed door. Larry, a Heavy Weapon Trooper with Plasma projector on the other side of the door takes his fire action and chooses to spread fire. The door is selected as his first target. If the Commando manages to destroy the door, Nightmare X114A may take its covering fire before Larry rolls the rest of his attack dice on the Nightmare. If poor Larry is killed the remainder of his attack is cancelled. Bummer!
Suppression:
A figure can choose to suppress an area if it has been designated as stationary when activated. This is usually done to deter the enemy from moving through a particular area. The player places the small "SUPPRESSING" counter beside the figure, and the larger "SUPPRESSED" counter in the suppressed square. The number on the counter represents the ROF of the weapon and indicates the number a dice rolled against a figure entering the suppression. A figure could instead suppress a number of squares, adjacent to each other, equal to the ROF of its weapon (similar to spread-fire option except the suppression remains on the board). The figure continues to suppress until the beginning of the player's next initial phase, at which point the player chooses to continue suppressing or remove the counter(s).
The player must fire at any figure, friend or foe, moving onto the suppressed squares. The number on the "SUPPRESSED" counter indicates the number of dice to roll. The chance to score a kill is determined by consulting the range table and applying any general or LOF modifiers. Movement modifiers do not apply. Suppression itself has a modifier of 0.
Additionally, any squares which are in the LOF (qv.), are considered to be secondary target squares. If in doubt, use a straight edge to determine the secondary target squares. Secondary target squares are considered to be suppressed at a -1 modifier to the roll. See the example below.
Example: Trooper Stein is suppressing the square with the "S" in it. The squares marked with an "i" are secondary target squares. The activated Nightmare S213A moves forward one space. This puts the Nightmare in the suppressed square and Stein rolls a die to try and kill it. If the Machine survives, it can be moved forward again out of the suppressed square and LOF of Stein. If the robot stays put, there are also no further consequences. If the robot decides to turn and face the Commando, the Commando does not make another attack. The figure is only attacked when it moves on to the square being suppressed. If it foolishly moves towards Stein, it takes another die for each "i" square it moves on to at a -1 roll modifier, as these are secondary target squares.
[Diagram: a column of squares with Stein's "S" square at the top and three "i" secondary target squares below it, with the activated Nightmare and Stein's figure in the adjacent column.]
Suppression which becomes obstructed (eg. by a Forcewall grenade or closing door) is considered "blocked". The player must roll one die for each die of suppression blocked in an attempt to destroy the obstruction. The -1 roll modifier for a secondary target does not apply. If the roll(s) fail to destroy it, all of the blocked "Suppressed" counters are moved to the square directly on the obstruction. An example follows.
Example: Heavy Weapon Trooper Estevez is suppressing the square indicated by an "S" with his Plasma projector. The suppression was interrupted by a stray Forcewall grenade thrown by Heinz, one of his less diligent Comrades. Because two dice of suppression have been blocked, the Commando must roll two dice against the Forcewall. If none of the dice destroy the wall, then all of the "suppressed" counters are placed on the square with the Forcewall in it. If any of the dice destroy the wall, then all of the "suppressed" counters remain where they are. Estevez luckily manages to down the Forcewall and exchanges a few choice words with Heinz.
[Diagram: a column of squares with Estevez's "S" square above a square containing a FORCE WALL, with Estevez's figure in the bottom square.]
When a figure suppresses an area which already contains targets, either on the suppressed squares or secondary target squares, it must fire at all of these immediately as if they had just entered the square. Begin with the closest target and proceed away from the suppressing figure. Line of Fire modifiers still apply.
A figure can lay suppression beyond an obstruction such as a closed door. In this case, the figure must roll against it and destroy it or the "SUPPRESSED" counter is then placed on top of the obstruction (see "blocked" suppression above).
Grenades
Grenades are single shot devices. There are three types of grenades used in the basic game: Forcewall grenades, K-pulse grenades and Nachtmacher grenades. The first two are used only by the commando player, while the latter grenade is used by the machine player. Counters are provided to keep track of available grenades. Used grenade counters are inverted.
Using Grenades: A player's base chance to hit the target square, on one die, is equal to the range to the target square (eg. the base chance to hit a square six spaces in front of a Commando is 6 while only a 1 would be needed for the square directly in front of). A grenade can be thrown to any square up to a range of 8 where the modified result required to hit is equal to or less than 8. This sometimes results in an instant miss. Remember the diagonal rule for ranges. All roll modifiers apply. Grenades can be thrown into any of the figure's arcs of fire. Within the front arc of fire to hit chances are normal, the side arcs have a -1 modifier and the chance to hit is double the range when throwing a grenade in a figure's rear arc. This is shown in the diagram below, with the chance to hit shown in each square.
[Diagram omitted from transcription: a grid centred on a Commando figure with the chance to hit printed in each square. The values are the range from the Commando to each square as described above, with the rear arc values doubled.]
Displaced Throwing: Grenades can be thrown at some targets which cannot be engaged by ranged weapons. This rule reflects the ability to throw grenades around corners or bounce them off of walls.
A player may choose to displace a figure one square directly forward or sideways, for the purposes of throwing a grenade. The figure is not actually moved to the square but the LOF is traced from the displacement square rather than from the square which the figure occupies. Ranges are still calculated from the figure's square, not the displacement square. Displaced throwing has a modifier of -1.
Example: A covering Nightmare is around a corner from Trooper Kowolchuk. Normally, Kowolchuk would not have LOF to the Nightmare so he decides to use displaced throwing. He selects the square directly in front of himself, marked with an asterisk, as the displacement square where he can trace LOF to the robot. The range is 4 (calculated from Kowolchuk's position) and modifiers of -1 for using displaced throwing and -1 for throwing into the side arc are added to the die roll. He needs a 6. His K-pulse grenade reduces the Nightmare to a small pile of twisted metal.
[Diagram omitted from transcription: a row of squares with the displacement square marked by an asterisk, the Trooper in the lower square and the covering Nightmare to the right.]
Misses: If a grenade misses its intended target square, a roll is made to determine where it lands. The player rolls two dice, one after the other. The first die determines whether the grenade was off to the left or right and the second die far or close. This is shown in the diagram at the top of the following page. If the miss still indicates the centre square (the intended target), the attacker "lucked out" and the grenade bounced around but still ended up right where it was aimed.
In the case where the adjacent squares are walls or other obstacles, the grenade should end up in the most logical place. In the event of a miss, simply follow the arrows from where the grenade should have landed, and place the grenade in the first unobstructed square.
Forcewall Grenades: These grenades create an opaque wall of force within the target square. The forcewall blocks movement, LOF and LOS. Once detonated, they last for several minutes so, for game purposes, they remain on the board until destroyed. Forcewalls can be shot down. They have a general modifier of -1 and one kill.
Grenade Miss Table: (columns are the 1st die, rows are the 2nd die, centre square is the TARGET SQUARE, and the grenade is thrown upward in the direction of throw)
| 2nd Die \ 1st Die | 1-2 | 3-4 | 5-6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | arrow pointing right | arrow pointing down | arrow pointing left |
| 3-4 | arrow pointing right | target square | arrow pointing left |
| 5-6 | arrow pointing right | arrow pointing up | arrow pointing left |
The table is drawn as arrows on the printed page; the arrows show the direction in which a missed grenade is placed relative to the target square, as described under Misses above. If the printed arrows are needed exactly, consult the scanned page 31.
If a forcewall is created in a square occupied by a figure or other object, the object is pushed outward in a random direction. Roll on the table for misses to determine where the figure or object is pushed. If the result is the same square, the figure gets crushed against the ceiling and dies instantly. If the figure gets pushed into a wall or other immovable object then consult the table for occupied squares above and follow the arrows to determine where the figure ends up. If there is nowhere for the figure to go but the centre square (where the forcewall is) then it is crushed against the wall or other obstruction, and killed instantly. When a figure is "pushed" by the force grenade it maintains the same facing and a fired counter is placed beside it. The figure loses any covering fire or suppression fire it may have had. There are no other penalties imposed on the figure.
K-Pulse grenades: These emit an extremely strong kinetic pulse, possibly scoring a kill on several targets. The kill number for the grenade is determined by the range of the figure from the target square. The diagonal rule applies. One die is rolled for each figure or other target in these squares to determine any kills. The kill numbers for the various ranges are given below.
| Square | Kill Number |
|---|---|
| Target square | 4 |
| Range 1 | 5 |
| Range 2 | 6 |
| Range 3 | 7* |
| Range 4 | 8* |
* used only in the advanced rules
Assault Fiends (and other 2 kill figures found in later products) have an additional roll modifier of -1 when affected by a K-pulse grenade. This is due to their heavier armour. As a result, the Assault Fiend is only affected by a grenade which detonates in its square and a 6 is needed to score one kill. Doors and forcewalls cannot be affected by K-pulse grenades.
Nachtmacher grenades: Nachtmacher or "night maker" grenades create a field of darkness which blocks line of sight. It affects the target square and eight adjacent squares. The effect lasts until the end of the second game turn following their use. The player places the Nachtmacher counter on the target square, black side up. At the end of the game turn the counter should be inverted. At the end of the second game turn, the counter is removed. Figures firing through, into or out of one or more darkened squares do so at a roll modifier of -2.
Hand to Hand Combat
For the basic game this is very simple. The only figure which is actually capable of damaging another in hand to hand combat is the Assault Fiend. Hand to hand is resolved the same as fire combat except that the attacker must have its target in its front square. There are no movement modifiers to the kill roll but other modifiers still apply. An Assault Fiend has an ROF of 2 and has a kill number of 2.
Priorities of Fire
Instances occur where several different types of fire actions occur simultaneously or interrupt one another. In these instances refer to the priority chart below to determine what happens first. The chart lists the priority fire from highest to lowest (highest goes first).
- Suppression already laid down
- Leadership *
- Covering fire
- Any other fire actions
* In this case, leadership is not restricted to firing but also includes other actions such as moving a figure or closing a door.
Optional Rules
The following optional rules can be used, with the agreement of both players, to provide a different atmosphere for the game or to explore some new possibilities in gaming styles.
Stress Rules:
These are designed to add even more excitement to the game and push the tension level up to maximum. BEWARE: these rules may prove frustrating to new players or when trying out new scenarios.
Time: Each player has only three minutes to complete their entire player turn. Time used by the opposing player for taking covering fire does not count against this. The time limit may be extended by 30 seconds for each leadership point spent. These points need not be spent until the normal time allotment has expired and they may come from any leader.
Activation and Movement: If you touch it, it's activated. If nothing is done with the figure, put a covering counter next to it and move on. If a figure is physically moved into a new square or has its facing changed, it is considered to have spent those movement points. Moves can not be taken back or changed.
Turn Sequence: If you forget to do something, you can not go back and perform that action out of sequence. For instance, if a player touches a figure, thereby activating it, before assigning leadership, that leadership can not be subsequently assigned. In fact, no actions which take place in the initial phase could be performed at that point as the player's action phase was considered to have begun as soon as the figure was touched.
Movement Through Figures:
Some players feel constrained by the rule that figures can not move through squares occupied by friendly figures. This rule gives players more flexibility in deploying their figures and is somewhat advantageous to the Commandos. Certain scenarios can be unbalanced by its use.
Figures may move through squares occupied by friendly figures. An additional movement cost of +1 MP is imposed for each figure moved through. A moving figure may not move onto an occupied square unless it has enough movement points to exit that square.
Recovery of Grenades
Commandos can recover grenades from their fallen comrades. When a Commando figure is killed, any of its unused grenade counters are placed in the square which it last occupied. The counters are placed with the "USED" side facing up. Other Commando figures may then pick up the grenades and use them at a later time. To pick up a grenade, a figure must move onto the square the grenade is in and use a fire action. The player should place the grenade counter under one of the figure's unused grenade counters or invert a used grenade of the same type. Carrying excess grenades does not hinder a Commando figure's movement or fire.
Machines could conceivably pick up unused grenades as well. However, no provisions exist in the basic set for several reasons. Nightmares are not very intelligent machines and would not consider picking up grenades. Also, with the number of dead Nightmares that can accumulate, the number of Nachtmacher grenades left on the board would become unmanageable. Since both sides of the Nachtmacher grenade are used on the board they could also become confused with those in play.
Passing Grenades
A grenade can be passed from one figure to another if the receiving figure is at a range of 1 from the passing figure. The passing figure must spend a fire action to pass the grenade.
This rule is extremely useful in instances where figures are lined up in a hallway just before a crossing corridor and the first figure does not have any grenades. The figure behind it could pass a grenade and then the receiving figure could throw the grenade around the corner to eliminate or block the enemy. As only the passing figure spends a fire action, it is also possible to have several figures pass a grenade forward and then have the last one in line throw it.
Glossary
Automatic fire: This involves firing a large number of shots at a target(s) in the hopes of getting multiple hits, or to increase the chances to hit.
Blocked LOS: Line of sight which has been blocked due to a wall, door, Nachtmacher grenade or Forcewall grenade.
Blocked Suppression: Suppression is blocked when the LOF to the target square becomes obstructed by an object such as a door or Forcewall grenade. In this case the attacking figure must roll to destroy the intervening object.
Covering: A covering figure is waiting, weapon at the ready, for a target to present itself. As soon as this happens it can then fire.
Diagonal Rule: This covers how to calculate distances on the square grid playing board. It is used both for firing ranges and for movement. The first diagonal movement or range counts as two squares, the second counts as one, the third counts as two etc. See example below:
The numbers indicate the total movement points for the commando to reach that square. This commando is running. If the small commando outline was instead a target, range would be determined the same way.
[Diagram: a five-row grid. The Commando starts in the bottom left square and the numbers 1, 3, 4, 5 and 7 mark the squares along the diagonal route to the Commando in the top right square, the top right square being marked 7.]
FCL: Full combat load, the equipment and ammunition normally carried by a figure when it is battle ready.
Horde: The standard Machine military unit consisting of ten Nightmares and one Assault Fiend.
Kill Number: The modified number the player must roll on one die to inflict a kill on a target when one of his figures fires. If multiple die rolls are made for a weapon (due to ROF or automatic fire) it is possible to inflict multiple kills.
LOF: Line of fire is the path of fire of a figure. It determines if a target can be hit. It is different from LOS because a firing figure may not be able to see a target but can still fire at it and possibly destroy it (ie. firing through a Nachtmacher darkened square).
LOS: Line of sight is determines what a figure can see. LOS may be necessary for a figure to use leadership. Walls, doors, Nachtmacher grenades and Forcewall grenades block line of sight.
Normal fire: Each die roll is considered to be a burst of three rounds fired at a single target.
Point-Defense weapon: These are weapons usually permanently installed to defend a base or vehicle against incoming ordinance such as missiles or bombs. An example of a modern day point defense weapon is the Patriot missile used in the Gulf War to shoot down incoming SCUD missiles.
Roll modifiers: These consist of modifiers which are added to the die roll(s) to determine the modified roll. If the modified roll equals or exceeds the kill number a kill is inflicted.
Section: A military unit consisting of eight individuals usually including two NCOs and two support weapons. It can also be referred to as a squad.
Spreadfire: The firing figure is spreading shots over several targets in an attempt to eliminate multiple units.
Suppression: A suppressing figure is firing off large amounts of ammunition at an area to try and prevent enemy units from moving through it. It keeps the enemy pinned while other friendly units perform their actions.