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Author Topic: CapnJim's Pulp Stuff (2nd Matewan Convention Game AAR - Pg 15...08 Nov 23)  (Read 30114 times)

Offline has.been

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 8235
Nice little game. I look forward to your opinions (on rule differences)
after you try it with Fistful of Lead.

Offline Easy E

  • Mastermind
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  • Just some guy who does stuff
    • Blood and Spectacles
Fun!  I really liked your cars.
Support Blood and Spectacles Publishing:
https://www.patreon.com/Bloodandspectaclespublishing

Offline CapnJim

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3658
  • Gainfully unemployed and lovng it!
Nice little game. I look forward to your opinions (on rule differences)
after you try it with Fistful of Lead.

Thanks!  I'll be sure to post a battle report and out comparative thoughts after we paly it.

Fun!  I really liked your cars.

Thanks.  They are all diecasts.  The truck by the car in the yard of the one house is one I repainted.  The rest are straight out of the box.  Next time I'm at my wargame building, I'll take notes about manufacturers, and post that info here.

Now. on with our thoughts on the rules...

General Thoughts

These rules don't really break any new ground, in our opinion.  They did OK in presenting an enjoyable game, and they had a couple interesting features, but nothing ground-breaking.

They did have some editing issues, though.  For example, on Page 14, under Resolving Ranged Attacks, it says "(see the weapons table on page XX-XX)".  It also mentions the "standard rules" a couple times, in regards to not having terrain effects and vehicles rules.  But, it then provides a section on Advanced Terrain and Movement, but nothing on vehicles.  We made up our own vehicles rules for the scenario, that we felt worked within the spirit of the rest of the rules.  And, aside from having Unit Type of "Extras", there are no non-combatant rules.  We made them up too, but ended up not using them (no civilians appeared...).

The rest of our thoughts below are by game section...

Unit Types

There are several Unit Types, from Heroes and Villains (the best folks in the game) to Extras (the worst).  Unit Sizes range from 1 figure to 4 figures, depending on Unit Type.  Pretty straightforward.  Figures are In Touch if they are within 3" from another figure in the Unit.  Otherwise they are Out of Touch.  Single-figure units are always In Touch 

Initiative
Sides roll a d6 for initiative to determine who activates a unit first.  High die wins.  Then players take turns activating a unit in die order, until all units are activated.  Nothing fancy here.

Activation
When a player picks a unit to activate, they roll a d6, and must score equal or higher than the Unit Type's Activation score to get a full activation.  Otherwise, they get a Partial Activation.  There are a few modifiers for this roll (taking into account Suppression, being Out of Touch (the figures, not the players... :D)), etc.  Full Activations may choose from any of the allowed actions (walk and shoot, run, charge into melee, stay put and shoot with a bonus modifier, etc.).  Partial Activations may only Pass, go into Defensive Stance (getting a Save bonus), or go into Reaction Fire (allowing them to shoot during an enemy figures activation).  Full Activations may also do those 3, as well.

The better the Unit Type, the lower their Activation score.  This worked out OK, but Gene rarely rolled Higher than a 2 on his Activation rolls for his gang member units.  They spent a lot of time on Reaction Fire, but it did cause Ted to use a lot of caution in moving his figures...it proved to be a very interesting dynamic...   

If a unit was Suppressed when it activated, that Suppression was removed as soon as the Activation roll was made.  Thus no figures ever fired ranged weapons while they were suppressed.

Once a figure did anything (moved, went into Defensive Stance or Reaction Fire, fired, fought in a melee, etc.), they were considered Activated for that turn except figures on Reaction Fire could still do their Reaction Fire).  We liked that.

In addition, at the end of the turn, all Defensive Stance, reaction Fire, and Activated markers were removed.  Interesting, but satisfactory.

Movement
This was pretty straightforward.  Up to 4" for walking, 6" for charging into melee, and 8" for a full-out run.  The Advanced Terrain rules had movement penalties for some terrain types, which we used.  There were no movement penalties for being Wounded.

Ranged Combat
Again, pretty straightforward.  Units rolled a number of dice equal their weapons' Impact Points (IP).  Dice that equaled or exceeded their Skill rating hit.  The target figure rolled die equal to the number of hits, trying to equal or exceed their Protection rating (the lower the better, and the rules account for everything from essentially no extra protection to varying levels of armor, natural, and energy protection).  A successful save sees nothing happen.  A failed save results in a Suppression.  A failed save on a figure that already has a Suppression is a Wound.  A 2nd Wound and the figure is Knocked Out.  The only modifier (aside from Special Benefits, which I'll cover here in a bit) is Degrading Terrain, which provides a -1 to hit.   Overall, this worked out pretty well, but was nothing ground-breaking. 

There were 3 things we didn't care for.  First was that figures had 360-degree visibility, so they could react to figures behind them with out penalty.  Second was the relatively short ranges for ranged weapons.  8' for pistols, shotguns, and submachineguns, and 12" for rifles.  As it turned out, our gunfight happened within those ranges, so it wasn't a factor.  But it could have been had the players done things differently.  And third, being Wounded didn't affect a figure's marksmanship.

Melee
Also pretty straightforward.  A similar mechanism to ranged combat, but both figures roll to hit with a number of dice equal to the Impact Points each figure has for Melee (depends on their melee weapons and training).  Figures had to be in base-to-base contact to fight a melee.  The usual modifiers - Suppressed, Wounded, fighting multiple enemies (the rules limit a melee to no more than 2 opponents.  Even though we didn't have any melees in our little gunfight, we thought that could be a bit limiting), etc.  The figure that caused the most hits wins.  The loser rolls a number of saves equal to the difference between hits caused by the 2 figures.  Figures remain locked in combat until one is Knocked Out or Withdraws.

One thing - a failed save in Melee is a Wound.  No Suppression here.

Another thing, Melee can happen at 2 points in a turn.  1st, when a figure charges into Melee during its activation.  2nd, after Initiative and before Activations, figures locked in Melee fight a round of Melee, unless one or both choose to Withdraw.  Regardless of the result, any figure that fights in a Melee or Withdraws is marked as having Activated.   

Special Benefits
Units have a number of Special Points they can spend on Special Benefits, depending on the Unit Type.  Special Benefits are advantages for the activating unit, or disadvantages for an enemy unit.  They include die roll modifiers (both positive and negative) for various kinds of die rolls, die re-rolls, added weapons ranges, added movement, etc.  This serves the same purpose as the special cards in Fistful of Lead, for example.  While units could only use them a limited number of times in a game, they were an enjoyable element of our game.

In fact, by the 10th or 11th turn (we played 20 turns in about 2 hours), we no longer had to consult the rules much.  The exception was to peruse the list of Special Benefits to see which might be applicable to the situation at hand.

Other Elements of the Game
There are other elements included in the rules which we did not use.  More roleplaying-like aspects, such as character backgrounds, character Obsessions, character progression, campaign rules, and even rules for various animals/beasts are included in the rulebook, but played no part in out game.  My read-throughs of them, while they surely add some "Chrome" (as they put it) to games, we didn't think they broke any new ground.

Conclusion
Pulp! is a very playable set of rules.  It does a decent job of differentiating between Heroes/Villains, Elites, Veterans, Seasoned "troops", Green "troops", and extras.  For example, the Gang Boss, Gang Lieutenant, Postal Inspector, and Marine Gunny played like the high-level characters they were.  And the Marines' better training proved too much for the gang members to overcome (even with Gene's crappy Activation rolls for his gang members).  Everything felt right, but nothing screamed "this is unique".

We would have liked to see at least rules for vehicles, but they were easy enough to come up with.

I'm glad I bought them, as they made for an enjoyable game, and we're likely to play them again sometime (likely with a few tweaks).  But my guess is that they won't become a regular part of our game rotation...

To be fair, the above is strictly an opinion, but is based on readthroughs, a couple discussions of the rules with Gene and Ted, and an actual game.  Others may see it differently.  But I hope my scenario, the battle report from it, and our observations on the rules prove helpful...
« Last Edit: December 23, 2022, 12:17:06 AM by CapnJim »
"Remember - Incoming Fire Has the Right-of-Way"

Offline frd

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 54
  • 15mm of madness
Thank you for the write-up of the game and your thoughts on the rules. Really enjoyed them and are now closer to giving those rules a chance.

One quick question on the rules - is it impossible to "one shot" a figure? From your description it seems that if you shoot an non-wounded figure and they fail their save they only get suppressed without a chance to straight up wound or KO that figure. It feels a little odd, even for a pulp game that it would not be possible, so maybe I'm reading it wrong?

Offline Sunjester

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1510
This is really helpful, thank you very much. I had been interested to see the initial announcement about these rules, then put off by online comments i saw. Now I think I will give the rules a try.

I am not looking for any ground-breaking ultimate ruleset, just something that will give a fun game for skirmishes in the interwar period. I had been using the micro-version of the Men Who Would Be Kings, which works OK, but does not have provision for the single figure heroes, just units.

Offline mikedemana

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2848
  • Investigating curiosities around the globe...
    • Worldwidemike
Thanks for the run-through of the rules, Jim. Wait a minute...TED was on the positive end of unbalanced die rolls...?  lol

Seriously, very helpful AAR and analysis. Not that I was thinking of buying the rules, but very useful nonetheless. The fact that you guys were not needing to consult the rules once you were fairly far along into the game, and the fact you played 20 turns, is a good sign for those thinking of picking them up. Hope you guys are surviving the Snowpacalypse and Arctic temperatures up north...

Mike Demana

Offline CapnJim

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@frd:  it is mathematically possible to wound a character in one ranged attack.  With some weapons, you could even knock a figure out in one ranged attack.

One note, pistols and rifles have 2 IPs.  Submachine guns have 3 IPs.  Shotguns have 3 IPs out to 4", and 1 IP from 4+ out to 8".  Thete are several other weapons in the rules - these are what we used.

A:  Green "troops" and Extras don't get supressions.  All unsaved hits cause wounds.  So with 2 unsaved hits, a Green "troop" or Extra can be KOd in one ranged attack.

B.  If an unsuppressed figure is shot at, 2 unsaved hits would result in a suppression and a wound.  3 unsaved hits would be a suppression and 2 wounds.  THAT would knock a figure out.

C.  If a suppressed figure is shot at, any unsaved hits become wounds.  So, 2 unsaved hits on a suppressed figure knocks him/her/them out.

Does that help?

@EasyE:  My gangster-era cars are from a variety of manufacturers.  Matchbox Models of Yesteryear (the Mail truck and the car in the yard),  Eligor (the green gangster car), Athearn (the yellow gangster car and the black pickup in the other yard), and the repainted truck in the yard is from an unknown maker.  I also have some from Lledo and Solido.

@Sunjester:  As I mentioned, you certainly can have single Heroes and Villians.  One thing we liked was that the rules do well at rating various figure/unit types.  In our one game, figures acted like we thought they should (with the possible exception of Gene's crappy activation roles).

@mikedemana:  Yep - Ted rolled pretty good for once.  And so far, it's just cold and wind.  Not much snow here...

Offline Vagabond

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1622
    • Vagabond's Wargaming Blog
Your game story is as good as ever, an enjoyable read with some very nice cars and thanks for the info on manufacturers.

It never fails to astound me the number of posts and opinions that appear on the LAF around rules that haven't been published yet,  let alone opinions based on a quick skim through once they have gone public. So it's good to read a reasonable appreciation of a set of rules after playing a game, thanks.

I did like your opinion, as I understood it, that the game wasn't won or lost based on a few good or bad dice rolls, having just played some d20 rules where dice throws dominated the game detrimentally, this is a good point.

Offline CapnJim

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Thanks Vagabond!  Appreciate your comments...

Yeah, you got the gist.  Tactics, if one can call them that, won that game - crappy die rolls didn't lose it...


Offline Ghost

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 66
Hello CapnJim,
I wonder if this rule can allow me to play in some sword and sorcery or scifi settings ?
Thanks !

Offline CapnJim

  • Scatterbrained Genius
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Hello, Ghost.  SciFi definitely.  There are rules in there for that kind of stuff.  But keep in mind you'll have to come up with vehicle rules, though...feel free to steal and adapt the ones we came up with... ;)

As for Swords and Sorcery, maybe.  You'd have to adapt them for the Sorcery part, but the Sword part, I would think so. 

Offline CapnJim

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My weekly gaming group is going to play the US Mail Truck Robbery scenario I came up with (and that we previously played using Osprey's new Pulp! rules) using the Fistful of Lead rules this Friday coming.  Below you will find the scenario information in Fistful of Lead terms.  First is the US Mail truck info, then the gangster info, and last the civilian info.

Of course, I will post an illustrated report following that affair...

Offline CapnJim

  • Scatterbrained Genius
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  • Gainfully unemployed and lovng it!
Otis took his car out of gear, having just parked in front of the diner in town.  He set the parking brake, turned the car off, and got out.  He walked around the back of it, looking at the newly dented rear bumper.  I haven't seen shit like that since the war, he thought to himself.

He gave the paper kid selling his wares on the sidewalk a nickel in return for a paper, and there it was.  A 3-inch headline above the fold:  MARINES FOIL MAIL TRUCK STICK-UPS!  Below the headline read, in smaller letters 12 GANGSTERS, 2 MARINES OUT OF ACTION, 2 MARINES INJURED!  Oh, he thought, there was another stick-up?  One of 'em happened pretty much in his front yard.

He went into the diner, and sat down with Earl and Frank for their usual Saturday morning coffee and peach cobbler.  Frank asked Otis "Didja hear what happened?"  Otis came back "Hell yeah!  Have I got a story for you guys!"...


Yes - my regular gaming group played out my US Mail Truck robbery scenario this Friday past, only this time we played it using Fistful of Lead (see the scenario sheets above).  Twice.  Ted (again) played the US Mail truck and the Marines in both games, and Gene played the gangsters again.  And now, I'll let Otis tell his story to Earl and Frank.

"You guys ready for this?  And this is no shit!"  He went on  "Well, I had yesterday off, and I was just finishing lunch.  I looked out my front window, and I saw a couple cars came up the Northern Pike.  2 Fords - a green one and a yellow one.   Never seen 'em out there before.  And I swear i saw Tommy guns.  Turns out I was right."  "Tommy guns? You sure?" asked Earl.  "Yep." replied Otis.  "Now keep up, boys.  The green Ford kept going up the Pike, while the yellow one headed east toward the County Road.  Then I saw the Mail truck coming down the Pike on its usual Friday run.  You won't believe what happened next!"  "Go on", said Frank.  Otis:  "Well sure as shit, the green Ford tried to ram the Mail truck.  That Mail truck driver must be good.  He swerved through that gap in the fence at the north corner of my property, and the Ford nailed that phone pole across the road from there.  Nailed it good.  Caved in the front end of that Ford."

"Anyway, the Mail truck kept going along the fence through my front yard and a couple of guys come out of the wrecked Ford guns blazing.  And one of them did indeed have a Tommy gun.  Then I seen that yellow Ford slam on its brakes, and hit it in reverse.  He tried to cut off the Mail truck at my driveway, but I'll be damned if that Mail truck driver squeaked through between my car and the yellow Ford.  Smashed right through my fence.  If some dumbass in a stake truck hadn't come up the Pike, the Mail truck would've gotten away."

"What happened?" asked Frank.  Otis went on "The Mail truck hit that stake truck dead on its rear axle.  Took it off the truck's frame, but it mashed the Mail truck's front end. I don't know how the guys in the front of the Mail truck didn't get hurt or worse."  "Then, 3 guys came out of the yellow Ford, and they had a shotgun and a Tommy gun.  That's when things got really hot."

"Whaddya mean?" said Earl.  "C'mon, Earl. I said keep up."  "A Mail Dick hopped out of the front of the Mail truck, and I'm not kidding here, Marines piled out of the back of the Mail truck. And they weren't foolin' around."

"They had a Sergeant with 'em, and that ol' boy knew what he was doin'.  Musta been in the war too.  I heard about those Marines when I was over there, - the Hun called 'em Devil Dogs.  I can see why."  Earl then said "Yeah, my nephew is a Marine.  He is one tough sumbitch".   "You ain't kiddin' " Otis continued "I had grabbed the shotgun off the wall, and was gonna go out an help 'em, but they sure didn't need my help. Those ol' boys took care of business.  So did that Mail Dick.  In fact, one of those punks knocked a Marine on his ass by my car in my front yard, and the Mail Dick emptied his revolver into him. Dropped him cold.  And the Marine just got up and shook it off.  Before I knew it, it was over."

"That was it?" asked Frank.  "What happened next" asked Earl.  Otis came back "Well, I ain't never seen so may cops and Marines and G-men in one place.  I found out there were 6 of those sonsabitches who tried to stick up the Mail truck.  Not one made it out alive.  In fact, one of the cops told me that one of the crooks musta broke his damn neck when his car hit that phone pole.  They found him crumpled up in the back seat of that car - no bullet holes in 'im.  One of the Marines got messed up when the trucks crashed, too.  Hell, another Marine got hurt in the crash, but he got his ass into the fight anyway." 

"You look none the worse for wear, Otis" exclaimed Frank.  "Yeah, nothin' hit the house.  My car's back bumper is all dented up and there's a few bullet holes on my car, but I'm OK.  Oh yeah, I got some ruts in the yard and a fence to fix now..."

"Oh, and look a this headline.  There musta been another Mail truck stickup try, too.  Here, let me read it to you..."


That was our second game Friday.  Just as in the game we played a few weeks ago using the Pulp! rules, the Marines and the Postal Inspector came out on top.  6 dead gangsters.  One dead marine (killed in the truck wreck) and 2 injured Marines (one in the truck wreck, and the one "knocked on his ass" by the gang boss).

I'll post my notes on Fistful of Lead vs. Pulp! after Otis reads the newspaper article to Earl and Frank (that'll cover our first game).  Stay tuned for that...
« Last Edit: January 22, 2023, 05:01:19 PM by CapnJim »

Offline CapnJim

  • Scatterbrained Genius
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By they way, we used red micro-die to track wounds, blue ones to track shock, and black ones denoted "out of ammo".  Whitish ones indicated which figures had activated each turn...

Offline has.been

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 8235
Sounds like two more fun games, thanks for posting.
The big question is...which set of rules do you, & your mates, prefer?

 

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