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Author Topic: Element-based sci-fi games apart from Alien Squad Leader?  (Read 4000 times)

Offline Major_Gilbear

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Re: Element-based sci-fi games apart from Alien Squad Leader?
« Reply #30 on: January 05, 2022, 08:27:31 AM »
@ Glasvandrare:

Glad to hear!

The nice thing about Warpath is that it's about company-level (or brigade is you go 6/10mm), but also that t has two other related games - Firefight (which is about platoon level), and Deadzone (which is squad-level).

Because Deadzone is somewhat abstracted (it is essentially grid-based, and LOS is very simplified), it is playable at relatively smaller scales too - 15mm should be okay I think. If during the course of your games you want to do a few commando-style missions, Firefight and Deadzone should enable you to do this without needing to re-invent too much. Both of these games are for individually-based troopers though, so element/multi-basing won't really work. Then again, for Deadzone, you only need 5-12 figures a side so it's not exactly a huge bother if you give it a go in 15mm and don't like it.

Furthermore, if you've already mapped your own forces onto those of Warpath, it's easy to port over to the other two games as well.

...Anyway, apologies to Hobgoblin for the small thread derailment!  o_o  ;)

Offline Hobgoblin

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Re: Element-based sci-fi games apart from Alien Squad Leader?
« Reply #31 on: January 06, 2022, 01:45:55 PM »

...Anyway, apologies to Hobgoblin for the small thread derailment!  o_o  ;)

No problem at all! Lots of interesting stuff coming through on this thread.

I've downloaded the Warpath rulebook; I hadn't earlier because I'd read that only the first edition was element-based (the current edition is, but it seems to be doing its best to disguise the fact!). It looks as if my ASQL elements will work fine for it - perhaps doubled up to get an appropriate footprint, though with four or six figures rather than five, which seems to be neither here nor there.

Agis's Victory Decision:Future War can by played with bases (I think the idea was to account for 15 (FoW) mm multiple bases - as these are a SF version of his WWII set). Also includes a fairly flexible army list system

Played "Alien Squad Leader" when the Author first released it (part of the Lincoln Barn Club). The system is great, and the second (current?) Edition improved on it

Recommended.

And I second "Warpath", it's a great game


Thanks - interesting on all counts!

Offline NotifyGrout

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Re: Element-based sci-fi games apart from Alien Squad Leader?
« Reply #32 on: January 07, 2022, 03:34:00 PM »
Warpath deserves so much more love than it gets. It's a game by gamers who want something that is both easy to learn and with meaningful tactical decisions.

Epic 40k would be good for really, really big combined arms battles if you don't like the hard sci-fi approach of Dirtside II.

(note- I have read through them, but I haven't gotten to play any of these, so my take is admittedly limited).
https://www.instagram.com/notify_grout/
Current projects: collecting way too many vintage Warzone models.

Offline sleep when Im lead

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Re: Element-based sci-fi games apart from Alien Squad Leader?
« Reply #33 on: January 11, 2022, 03:17:01 PM »
I recall the Traveller wargame, Striker using based infantry. The second version was based on Command Decision, a modern/ WW2 system. Both good for bigger battles. Should be easy to get a pdf.

Future war commander might also be worth a look. Again for bigger battles but allows you to treat units as individual soldiers. Probably long out of print.

Dirt side is also a good a good system and free. More aimed at smaller scales but would work with lower troop densities in bigger scales.

Another option would be to look at hex based wargames. Generally simpler mechanics.

 

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