Quirkworthy

I’m currently thinking that this is the best balance point between making BA too powerful and too ineffective. It’s still not a great deal of use against Asterian Cyphers, but they are particularly heavily armoured for Constructs, and not all will be. I’ve been using the Zombies with a similar rule that goes one worse (for the zombies) in that they always count as Suppressed. That’s because they really don’t care and don’t use cover, so it makes sense that the BA always has maximum effect. For the Constructs who do use cover and do care, it makes sense that the effect is at least somewhat mitigated.

Construct Models Versus Blaze Away Damage

Add the following new paragraph to the description of Construct.

The model acts as if their Aggression level was Alert at all times with one exception.  When a Construct model is the target of a Blaze Away attack they suffer damage as if they were Pinned. Note that this does not affect the success or failure of the test itself – only the application of the results.

The subject of this experimental rule is related to high AP weapons and Tough targets.

I say experimental as this isn’t something that’s slated for a particular product. It is, instead, simply something that has been worrying away in the back of my head as a detail that needed looking at… sometime. However, several commenters have brought this topic up recently and so I thought it would be worth looking at a bit more closely now. Thanks to all of you that have made suggestions and comments.

This isn’t an official update, change in the rules, or errata. It’s just me musing out loud 😉

Excessive Force

This situation is typically caused by someone using an anti-tank weapon to attack an individual trooper. In these cases the individual’s defences are totally outclassed and usually overwhelmed.

Any attack that is resolved at AP3 or higher may count as Excessive Force.

If the attack’s AP is equal to at least twice the target’s Armour then the attack counts as using Excessive Force. Excessive Force attacks are resolved as if they were Irresistible.

Note that Excessive Force applies regardless of whether the AP value is native to the weapon or boosted by playing a card, using special ammo, or any other method.

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.