love my 40k models; hate the 40k rules

[jet]

The subject says it all.  Everyone in my group has wonderfully-painted 40k armies, but we are not at all interested in playing the 40k system (for many obvious reasons).  I have a largish Lost and the Damned army, others have large painted forces including Eldar, Plague Marines, and Necrons.  It's a shame that these models sit on shelves and never see the game table.  Has anyone ever found a good generic squad-based sci-fi ruleset? - vehicles, special weapons, daemons - the list goes on.

Ideally, we would like a system that would allow us to create our own units by choosing stat lines, abilities, & weapon types, and then calculating an appropriate points cost.  Please share your experiences - good and bad.

Thanks,
JET

[Keith]

Just giving Future War Commander a good read through now. It contains a skirmish variant and is meant to support up to 28mm. Could be worth a look for what you're after?

[WillieB]

Same here Jet.
Really like most of the 40K models but the game-system is abysmaly bad.
I'm afraid I can't give you any advice on another rule set.
I've tried out several but none is really suitable for a game with this many diverse models.
 

[jet]

I bet the Triumph & Tragedy rules would work great with small squad sci-fi action.  The trick would be devising a unit creation system that is a little more in-depth than the one in the main rules.  Obviously the wider array of weapons, abilities, and for that matter, non-human races, would require a points based calculator that is less generic.  One thing that I noticed about T&T that I really liked - weapons count for a great deal of a units points.  Therefore, an army of rifle armed men, with HMG and mortar back-up, will greatly outnumber an army of spear-armed natives.  This huge gulf in the numbers would be excellent in representing some 40k match-ups (i.e. 15 space marines vs. 50 tyranids). 

Just thinking out loud in a very random fashion.  I'm not drunk, but I'm very tired, so I may think all of these ideas are stupid tomorrow 

[Backyardpatrol]

The farther in editions 40k descends the more our group pines for 2nd edition or Rogue Trader, where we all got started.
We distract ourselves in the meantime with Necromunda and Mordheim.

[wolfgangbrooks]

Gaslight!

[Lordblackwing]

Scurv, where would I find these rules? How do they play, fast and easy or slow and detailed or both? Love my Squats, but hate having to rule proxie them for games past 2nd edition.

[AKULA]

laserburn ?

any bits of the rules you don't like, take out.

 

[Dr. The Viking]

I've had tremendous fun by amalgating I Ain't Been Shot, Mum! and Warhammer 40.000 2nd Edition.

I think TW&T and FWC is the 2nd. best option I've encountered so far.

I mostly play with really few vehicles though as I don't think they fit that well in 28mm scale.. ten 28mm tanks trampling around on a 4x4 table just looks silly and stupid!

[Geudens]

Same here Jet.
Really like most of the 40K models but the game-system is abysmaly bad.
I'm afraid I can't give you any advice on another rule set.
I've tried out several but none is really suitable for a game with this many diverse models.

What Willie forgot to mention (he is such a modest guy...  ) is that he and I are working on a set of "generic" SF rules allowing many diverse figures and models to be used.  It will be in line with our other hexbased rules and aim at 2-3 hours gametime (rules to be mastered in one or two games by newcomers).  However, this is still a WIP for the moment.

Rudi

[dijit]

If you're interested I've started writing a rulesset to cover exactly the same problem as you've experienced. I've loved 40K, and especially the models, but the game as missed what I loved so much. So I've started writing my own, they're in development at the moment, and a 40K supplement is in the works along with a solo supplement and the best is they're free. If you're interested in seeing the playtesters version of the rules then feel welcome to take a look:
www.crimsondusk.webs.com
the system for working out points values is a little complicated at the moment but that'll be simplifed by producing various 'army lists' that we're all familiar with, but the system will remain for those that want to play around. I'm also very happy to get any feedback, positive or negative. i've been using my Eldar, Dark Eldar, Guard, EM4 minis and marines for playtesting so far so good.

[Argonor]

I downloaded Crimson Dusk a while ago and gave it a quick browsing through. At first glance it seems playable, but I think there were a couple of sentences that baffled me. I think you had a thread about it somewhere in here?

[Pil]

I'd say 40k 2nd edition probably has everything you need though of course it's very interesting what alternatives are out there

[black hat miniatures]

I'd recommend No Limits, which are free and provide a good alternative to 40K

Mike

[dijit]

Yeah there are a few sentances which aren't exactly clear, that's one of the things that'll get tidied up when the 'real' edition comes (I'll hopefull get my wife to read through it when the time comes, if she can undrestand it from a total non-gamer perspective then it should be understandable to the rest of us too). My english skills were never fantastic, but since I've been in Denmark they've got pretty rusty!