Gates of Antares: Free light rules set

[zemjw]

Warlord have made a starter version of their Gates of Antares rules free for download - link

Never tried the rules, but will probably pick up the pdf at that price

Antares Base One covers the basic rules and forces (well, a bit more than the basic) in an easy to follow format. The games designer, Rick Priestley, produced this set as a taster for the full game and as an accessible introduction to the Antares game system as a whole.

Base One is a bit more advanced than the step-by-step introductory book that is Kar’A Nine’s ‘Start Here’. It can even be seen as the core rules for Antares, containing everything needed to play a streamlined game and get a really good overview and taste of the system. Included within its 56 pages are the main rules, basic army lists, unit and weapon stats and selected special options for each of the major factions – all grouped together, as well. There are links and references to the full rules, so you can see where the game expands, and the simplified army lists give a really good flavour of each faction: for many there are suggested steps to take to extend the basic game even further!

[Hobby Services]

Plenty of review and gameplay videos on youtube, it's pretty much the Bolt Action game engine with scifi elements added.  Seems to play okay, although the various factions leave me kind of cold.  Plenty of very interesting figs in the range that can be cribbed for other settings, though.

[Daeothar]

I got a free booklet with those rules along with an order I placed at Wayland Games, about 6 months ago.

Haven't taken the time to leaf through it though, as the setting does n't do it for me. But hearing it's basically SciFi BA, I might look into it; I'm always in the market for a good SciFi skirmish game...

[spect_spidey]

I would be more interested in Beyond the Gates of Antares if you could play it as a skirmish game. Modelling and painting big armies is just not my thing. I want a game that I can play with about 5 to 20 miniatures. Don't get me wrong, I find the rules quite interesting. I just couldn't see myself ever playing more than maybe 500 point games with 750 definitely being my max. And I am not sure you get the most out of this game with playing that low of points all the time.

[baldlea]

I would be more interested in Beyond the Gates of Antares if you could play it as a skirmish game...750 definitely being my max. And I am not sure you get the most out of this game with playing that low of points all the time.

I'd say go for it at 750. Most of the published scenarios have been aimed at the 750 mark and, after two years, they are still the typical size of game we play.

The other thing to bear in mind is that the vehicles that can be used from 1000 points onward are typically about 250 points. This often means that the jump from 750 to 1000 is just adding a single vehicle.

[spect_spidey]

I'd say go for it at 750. Most of the published scenarios have been aimed at the 750 mark and, after two years, they are still the typical size of game we play.

The other thing to bear in mind is that the vehicles that can be used from 1000 points onward are typically about 250 points. This often means that the jump from 750 to 1000 is just adding a single vehicle.

So the drone ships and transports are that many points? What a shame. I envisioned playing this game with say 10 to 15 individual models activating on their own and say a drone ship or transport. I am guessing if they are that expensive then they would be overpowered in a game that small.

[baldlea]

I envisioned playing this game with say 10 to 15 individual models activating on their own and say a drone ship or transport. I am guessing if they are that expensive then they would be overpowered in a game that small.

Transporter drone is about 100 points without gubbins. A big combat drone might over power a smaller game which is why the bigger vehicles are not allowed until 1000 points. At that level, you are also allowed more access to support weapons which can keep them in check.

That said, it depends what sort of drones you are thinking of, My friend uses Freeborn with a couple of their light skimmers at 750 and has getting on for 20 infantry.

All the latest army lists are available for free from Warlord so it's worth having a look at what you can put together.

An example of a 750 point Concord list I'll often run is:

3 x 5 man strike squad
1 x 3 man command squad
X-launcher (mortar)
1 or 2 of the light weapons drones (the circlular ones that come with the main game)
Handful of the tiny, buzzy targeter drones.

You could swap the light weapon drones out for a transport vehicle etc.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

I have not got the latest version points lists (except the Garrison list) but a five man squad is just over 100 points (or six for Freeborn). Smart carriers and medium grav tanks are in the 200-300 point ranges.

Non smart carriers are about 100 points.

Similar to Bolt Action/K47.

For games involving vehicles, you will need to have some suitable AT weapons - smart vehicles are only grazed by organic heavy weapons.

(shows how long it takes me to post, Baldlea posted while I was typing...).

[Ultravanillasmurf]

So the drone ships and transports are that many points? What a shame. I envisioned playing this game with say 10 to 15 individual models activating on their own and say a drone ship or transport. I am guessing if they are that expensive then they would be overpowered in a game that small.

That would require a lot of order dice (one per unit).

I would go for forces similar to Baldlea.

Mine are being built from the plastic kits (C3 brown and green;  Algoryn; Freeborn).

[Momotaro]

As luck would have it, Warlord are having a sale starting today - the starter sets are going for £35 each!  They range from 500-800-points (you can squeeze more points out using options but that may not be the best idea).

It is, like BA, a great squad vs squad game.  Twenty troops and a couple of support options are a good force to play with, and the armies do play very differently.

The light rulebook is great: there's a lot of additional detail in the main rules that you want to add in gently, lots of small +1s here and there.

[Lowtardog]

Now I am not a fan of bolt action but think these rules hit the spot for sci fi for me. Really enjoy playing it

[Momotaro]

Couple more things:

1)  Quality of the minis.  The plastic troops are fine, but the metal figures are absolutely beautiful, and produced well too.  Hardly any cleanup, and great, crisp details.

2) Background.  It's very like the original Rogue Trader - the nature of the Antarean Nexus as a plot device is very like the notions of warp storms and re-exploring an older, vaster empire.  Gateways to new star systems are becoming accessible all the time, and established systems fall out of contact.  What has happened to star systems while they have been out of contact for entire ages of civilisation, and how many brand new systems are there to explore?

What kind of SF campaign do you want?  You can do it in Antares.

[spect_spidey]

Couple more things:

1)  Quality of the minis.  The plastic troops are fine, but the metal figures are absolutely beautiful, and produced well too.  Hardly any cleanup, and great, crisp details.

I am not a fan of metal or resin miniatures. I prefer plastic, multi-part if I can. It wasn't until the Algoryn were released in plastic that I started to heavily consider this game. Now with the Freeborn also having a plastic kit, well the last straw would probably be seeing the Boromites in plastic. Of course the other issue is getting anyone around here to get their heads out of the proverbial GW ass. LOL They just love 40K around here, but it is such a toxic community locally. The only Warlord game that sees any action around here is a bunch of 65+ year old men playing Bolt Action once a month at the local store.

[Hobby Services]

I'd second those points.  The minis quality is very good, although their plastics are still behind GW in terms of sophistication and versatility.  Easily as good as Mantic's most recent stuff, though - and I consider those quite good, now that they're past the restic silliness.  The setting doesn't do much for me, but that's more because none of the canon forces particularly appeal to me rather than a failure of the basic concept.  I do really like how VERY high tech most factions are.  No grimdark idiocy with barely-understood tech being run by religious fanatics here.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

I have to agree that none of the canon forces grab me.

The C3 sprue is okay, poses do not look daft (no Morecombe and Wise poses). They could do with some command options and additional command arms (the other two leaders required conversions.

The Algoryn two sprues are good, obvious commander figure is a bonus.

The Freeborn  are just okay, the rank and file have visual deficiencies (what idiot has a bare back in such hostile environments?) And their fixed arms lead to silly poses for the command figures, serious conversion required. Almost tempted by the recent Maelstrom's Edge miniatures as a proxy.

They need some additional forces in plastic to round  out the existing forces.

The medium grav tank is okay, I have two of the transports to build.