Quirkworthy

Deadzone seems to be doing very well. Despite it being the largest print run of any Mantic game they’ve run out already and need to print some more. This is good news for a couple of reasons. Firstly this means you’ll have loads more people to play against. Secondly, it’s given them the opportunity to incorporate a few corrections into the core book.

These are clarifications of the rules as they are intended to be played rather than a reworking of the game. However, they will, hopefully, make a few things clearer.

If, like me, you have one of the original run of books, you’ll want to know what these changes are so you can pencil them in. There are (apparently) a bunch of typos and minor layout things I’ve not seen as well, but I’m not so worried about them. The important differences between the initial print run and the reprint are as follows:

• Page 22, Free Actions section, 1st para, 5th line, sentence finishing “…action of the same type”: add “for the same model” to the end of the sentence so that the sentence reads” A free action cannot trigger another free action of the same type for the same model.”
• Page 22, the sentence after the one above: Add to the end “unless it has been earned by a different model”. The sentence will now read: ” If the result says that a second free action of the same type is earned then ignore that part of the result unless it has been earned by a different model.”
• Page 28, right col, 2nd para, 2nd line: delete “for free”. The sentence will then read “…same cube as an enemy model then it will Fight as part of that action.”
• Page 53, right col, third para: After “…only have each ability once.” add a new sentence: “Use the cost listed at the top of the column where the ability first appears, regardless of the model’s actual Rank at the time.”
• Page 68, Deployable weapons, last sentence: delete the last sentence “All they do is react to enemy models.”
• Page 68, Deployable weapons, between last two paras: insert new paragraph “Any model that moves into a cube containing a Deployed weapon in circumstances that would allow it to pick up a normal item (see page 27) may choose instead to destroy the Deployed weapon.”
• Page 78, Sentry Gun: in the bold first line, before Range insert “Shoot 5+,”.

These don’t fix everything, though they do help. I’ll add these and some surrounding clarifications to the FAQ when I get a moment.

Currently gone back to arguing with zombies 🙂

I’ve been working on some of the hotter topics within the DZ FAQ (including items, free actions, sentry guns) and have a post prepared. I’m just waiting for one more thing to be confirmed by Mantic then I can post it up.

Just FYI.

You know the drill 😉

FF Faction deck v1

This is the whole deck with the stats tweaked from yesterday’s version. I like them better this way.

The abilities are the same as yesterday with one minor change in Operator for clarity. Repeated here for convenience.

Big BOOM!

This works exactly the same way as BOOM! (see page 68 of the core rules) except that the effect of the explosion is a Massive Frag rather than merely a Frag.

Life Support

The model has an in-built automated Life Support system that does its best to keep them alive. If the model is injured, but not killed, by an attack then the Life Support automatically kicks into overdrive. The model is immediately returned to an undamaged state. This happens automatically and does not cost an action. This works once per battle.

Life Support cannot resurrect models that have been killed outright by a single attack. Also note that Life Support only works on the model itself and cannot be used on nearby models (unlike a medi-pack).

Operator

The Operator model can control models with the Remote ability.

When an Operator model is activated they must choose between taking actions as normal, or controlling one unactivated Remote from their own Strike Team. If they decide to control a Remote then the Operator does not act this Turn. Instead, their activation is transferred to the Remote which may take actions this Turn as if it was a normal model. The only limitation is that a Remote model cannot set Overwatch. If an Operator uses a Remote then both models are marked as activated.

An Operator may choose to control the same or different Remote models in each Turn.

Remote

The model cannot act without an Operator (see above).

A Remote is not counted as a model for purposes of working out how many activations a Strike Team has left.

Here you are.

FF Faction deck stats v1

Comments welcome as always. Don’t worry about the expense of Forge Guard armour at the moment. I’ll explain why tomorrow.

New abilities to go with the above:

Big BOOM!

This works exactly the same way as BOOM! (see page 68 of the core rules) except that the effect of the explosion is a Massive Frag rather than merely a Frag.

Life Support

The model has an in-built automated Life Support system that does its best to keep them alive. If the model is injured, but not killed, by an attack then the Life Support automatically kicks into overdrive. The model is immediately returned to an undamaged state. This happens automatically and does not cost an action. This works once per battle.

Life Support cannot resurrect models that have been killed outright by a single attack. Also note that Life Support only works on the model itself and cannot be used on nearby models (unlike a medi-pack).

Operator

The Operator model can control models with the Remote ability.

When an Operator model is activated they must choose between taking actions as normal, or controlling one unactivated Remote from their own Strike Team. If they decide to control a Remote then the Operator does not move. Instead, their activation is transferred to the Remote which may take actions this Turn as if it was a normal model. The only limitation is that a Remote model cannot set Overwatch. If an Operator uses a Remote then both models are marked as activated.

An Operator may choose to control the same or different Remote models in each Turn.

Remote

The model cannot act without an Operator (see above).

A Remote is not counted as a model for purposes of working out how many activations a Strike Team has left.

Thanks for all the comments on the v1 of the file. Here is the v3 (don’t ask).

Asterian Faction deck v3

I’ve gone through this with Stew at Mantic and they’re happy that this fits the models. I’ve also rechecked the costs and corrected a slight mistake I’d made the first time. Finally, most of the Cyphers have acquired a new trick:

Toxic Smokescreen

The model can generate clouds of poisonous smoke to hide itself.

Once during a battle, at the start of any one of its Turns, the model may fill its cube with Toxic smoke. The effect is identical to a smoke grenade going off in the model’s cube with the added bonus of the smoke being Toxic. As long as a model remains in the smoke-filled cube it is treated as having the Vulnerable ability. Models that are immune to Toxic are immune to the Toxic effects of a Toxic Smokescreen. Adjacent cubes are not affected by this Toxic effect.

Placing a Toxic Smokescreen is not an action and may be done even if there are enemy models in the same cube.

If the model moves away, the Toxic Smokescreen remains in the cube it was deployed in. It disperses in the same way as a smoke grenade.

This is a list of the current versions of the abilities that were not printed in the core rules (generally stuff for wave 2 models). This doesn’t include the new rules for the Asterians and Forge Fathers.

Unprinted DZ abilities v01

There are a couple of modifications left to be finalised and if there are any problems with the wording or whatever then we can still make changes. So, if you have any comments, now’s the time 🙂

I’ve been tweaking the Asterians slightly to ensure that the rules match the models perfectly – it’s not always obvious from the concepts, which is what I’ve been working from. The more devious among you will be pleased to hear that there’s one really nasty little bonus I’ve come up with for them that will go up tomorrow once Mantic have approved it. I’ll also post the modified abilities for them then too.

In the meantime, if you have any more thoughts please post them up. I’ll be checking the comments before I post them up.

The Forge Fathers are next. I was hoping to get them finished today, but they needed some entirely new rules (for blowing stuff up) which turned out to be a bit more fiddly than I’d thought, plus I also had to rework some of the DB Annual (I think it’s finally done).

No rest for the wicked 😉

Here you go.

Asterian Faction deck v1

The chap on the left is the Asterian Commander. He is the only actual flesh and blood Asterian in the Strike Team. The rest of the fighting force is made up of a variety of artificial constructs, most notably Cyphers (see below).

This heavy deployment of robotic helpers means that the fastidious Asterians don’t have to actually get their carefully manicured hands dirty when they deal with the lesser races (everyone else).

Oh, and you may have heard that there are a few sniffles going about. Not plague proportions or anything, but it might be worth taking a little care not to catch anything nasty while they’re exploring the planet…

There are a couple of new abilities to play with too:

Nano-cloud

The model represents a collective that is made up of billions of tiny flying robots rather than being a single construct. Its use of hive intelligence means that destroying a few thousand of the individual robots makes no difference to its ability to function as a whole.

A Nano-cloud does not interact with other models. This means that it cannot attack or be attacked. It occupies no space in a cube and will not be damaged by falling, or moved by Blast, Knockback or similar effects. To all intents and purposes, within the context of a battle it is indestructible.

A Nano-cloud cannot pick up items and so will not trigger Booby Traps. Instead it treats objectives and items the same way, secretly looking at the hidden side of any such counters in the same cube. This allows the owner to use the Nano-scout in a recon role.

Shield Generator (x)

This is a larger version of the familiar Energy Shield and works the same way (see page 77 of the main rules). The only difference is the area that it protects. Instead of covering a single model, a Shield Generator provides protection for every model of either side in the same cube.

If a model is protected by more than one Energy Shield/Shield Generator then all apply. Roll each separately and reduce the incoming damage by the total effect.

Seems like most of a week has slid past when I wasn’t looking. Well I’ve not been able to spend much time on sorting out the FAQs, which is a pity. However, I haven’t been entirely idle. In fact, in an hour or three I should be able to post the first of the things I have been up to, which is sorting out the Asterian Deck. This will be followed fairly closely by the Forge Fathers and some more Mercs in the next few days.

Once that’s sorted then I should be able to get back to those designer’s notes articles I have started. Movement was first, I think. These are sometimes a better way to deal with issues raised on the FAQ comments. 

Plenty of extra DZ fun and games on the way, so stay tuned 🙂