First games played! Pics to follow.
A very very good rules set, the book could be ordered a bit better, but it did not detract from the carnage.
Game 1 saw a section of British infantry attempt to infiltrate a small town and take photographs of a potential arms shipment, intended for the Northern Rostonovans. Unbeknownst to them, the cargo container was guarded by a squad of PMC, payed to ensure this shipment got to its detonation, without showing any true affiliations.
This was basically a stress test of basic rules as we had never played before, squads were not pointed up, but eyeballed for some balance. Brit section was 8 men in 2 fireteams, one team with LMG and one with UGL. All had body armor and frags.
The PMC had 2x3 man teams with carbines and frags. One team had a UGL and the other a origin shotgun. They were supported by a 2 man team with DMR and carbine.
Both sides started unalert, the brits patrolled toward the town, the DMR from the PMC spotted a soldier behind a car and engaged (a turn later as per the awareness rules) and dropped a fireteam commander in one shot. I don't think we were really ready for how deadly this game is. This set the whole table on alert and the PMC's made for the cargo container, the brit fireteam who lost their squad commander got into cover behind a car and returned innefevtive fire on the DMR team. The battle really went quite quickly in the PMC favor, with them gaining initiative 3 turns running. The suppression made a massive difference, giving the PMC room to breath and maneuver. They managed to kill a second squad leader and pin most of the rest of the Brits. The fireteam behind the car was essentially a medic spending 2 turns staunching bleeding for his comrades. The PMC got a bit cocky though, and over extended, the second Brit fireteam rallied and burst out of cover, catching three guys in the open and taking them down with clos range fire and grenades. They did however over extend in turn and walk directly into the sights of the DMR who continued his previous trend of tapping blokes out with headshots.
We called it there, the PMC had 4 guys left to the Brits 2.
As a leaning game, this was a bit of a beast. Getting caught in the open, or even in light cover is a death sentence. Elevation and not moving have the DMR +2 to his shots. Which made a huge difference. Both teams were professionals, and it showed, anyone not suppressed usually hit their target effectively, and getting hit is almost certainly a bleed out or kill.
I didn't get any pics of this game as I was the rules jockey for my mates. But in summary of the rules:
Plays well even with 2 8 man teams per side.
Rules are accurate and brutal, I you can get over the bad ordering of the book.
After a couple of turns, the basic mechanics are easy to remember.
The game has lots of small rules that really drive narrative games, dragging casualties, staunching bleeding, injured guys firing sidearms, all adds to the fell that the guy on the ground are actually doing something as opposed to just bein wound counters for squads.
All in all a good game, and can't wait to play more. We did two other games that day, but have pics for those so will sort them out and get them on here soon.
15 February 2015, 12:06:34 PM