rubber-police
 
News: Clark has announced that he has started to post old LoS content (in the Media Gallery section), and will be posting more plus new content!

Author Topic: Draft LoS rules for low intensity skirmish  (Read 1602 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline YojimboUsaka

  • Nightmare
  • *
  • Posts: 33
Draft LoS rules for low intensity skirmish
« on: February 26, 2011, 09:05:51 AM »
Good day,

  I have been working on cludging together a rules set based on Legions of Steel that allowed us to more seemlessly use non powered infantry and low tech forces.  I also wanted to work in troop quality and morale.  LoS was the framework while I took inspiration and ideas from several other systems with a few other things thrown in.  Stargrunt II was a big inspiration as well for morale, troop quality and leadership mechanics.
  I wanted the commandos and nightmares to feel like the killing machines they were supposed to be so used them as the high end of the scale for most attributes.
  The die roll to hit was changed to be your quality; Elite was a d12 and dropped by one type for each drop in quality (Elite, vetaran, regular, green and untrained at a d4).  All kill modifiers were doubled and shifted 4 down while the commando/nightmare armor now gave a +4 modifier.  The intent was to keep the base LoS probabilities as close to original as possible but allowing a finer granularity to the odds. 


   Armor Type      General Modifier   Example
   None         -2      Tourist in Bermuda shorts
   Light Armor      -1      Flak vest, light infantry
   Basic Body Armor       0      SWAT armor, gremlin, heavy infantry
   Heavy Body Armor      +1      Assault SWAT, carapace armor
   Very Heavy Armor      +2      Scout power armor
   Power Armor      +4      UNE commando PBA, nightmare
   Heavy Power Armor      +6      Assault trooper
   Very Heavy Power Armor   +8      MK III Assault Fiend

  Morale was based on taking fire, friends getting hit/killed and so on.  Elite units in power armor pretty much ignored most morale issues (trying to keep the feel of the base game still) but lighter armored units with lower quality had issues when under heavy fire and constant pressure.
For example these were the rules for taking fire...
Flinch   When a figure is shot at it might take STRESS.  Whenever you shoot at a figure that figure will take STRESS for each dice that rolls a 2 or higher.  Any figure adjacent (including diagonal) will receive a STRESS point for each die that rolls a 3 or higher.  If the figure can claim cover or is not in direct LOS add one to the number needed for STRESS.  If the attacker needs to roll desperation dice Flinch is caused on a 6 or higher.
   Suppression causes a figure to test for FLINCH for each action it takes when adjacent or in a suppressed square. (i.e.  A figure is adjacent to a square being suppressed with 2 dice.  Each time the figure moves, fires, turns etc.. it will test for 2 FLINCH using the suppressing figures quality die type.)
   Some weapons will cause more than 1 STRESS for each FLINCH.  They will have a F in their notes section.

  I basicly used the LoS rules and modified/inserted the changes noting where they were different from the base rules.  Rules for encumberance, throwing heavy items etc. were also being worked on.  IF anyone is interested in the full document or just certain areas I would be happy to share.  Not sure if posting the whole thing would be kosher as the bulk is still LoS rules.

Thank you,
Charles

Offline Dave Chase

  • Succubot
  • ***
  • Posts: 242
Re: Draft LoS rules for low intensity skirmish
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2011, 09:21:27 AM »
Sounds interesting.

Question, though.
How does your morale differ from the morale rules in Planetstorm (pg 177, section 14)?

BTW, I too liked Stargrunt and Dirtside along with Full Thrust. But I also like the simple one die does it all in LOS/Plantstorm.

Dave Chase
Freedom is the right to speak your mind.

It is also the right to walk away from those you don't want to listen to.

Offline YojimboUsaka

  • Nightmare
  • *
  • Posts: 33
Re: Draft LoS rules for low intensity skirmish
« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2011, 08:19:07 PM »
I used an individual based morale system based on STRESS and FATIGUE.  It was more bookkeeping but wanted the detail and used small reference cards for each figure to track the morale/stress/ammo (used paper clips on the sides and tops to track the numbers on sliding scale to keep the writing/erasing down to a minimum).

   STRESS is a measure of a figures physical and mental ability to keep fighting.  Once a figure reaches its maximum STRESS level it begins to become fatigued.  A figure can get STRESS from getting shot at and physical exertion.  Resting can get rid of stress as well as being motivated by a leader or being heroic.  A normal humans maximum STRESS is usually his quality die type. (i.e. Green is 6, Regular is 8, Veteran is 10 and Elite is 12)
   When Stress is half max or over the figure is strained (-1 to fire and –1 to morale).  When STRESS is maxed the unit is exhausted (-2 to fire, -1 MP and –2 morale)
   At the beginning of a figures activation if there is not a squad member within 2 squares it automatically receives 1 STRESS.  Some special gear and/or abilities will negate this.

   Other things that cause stress (Must have LOS or communication)
      Friendly figure wounded   1
      Friendly figure killed      3
      Leader wounded      2
      Leader killed         4
      Untreated wounded      2  (per wounded figure)
      Friendly unit flees      1 (3 maybe?)

Flinch
   When a figure is shot at it might take STRESS.  Whenever you shoot at a figure that figure will take STRESS for each dice that rolls a 2 or higher.  Any figure adjacent (including diagonal) will receive a STRESS point for each die that rolls a 3 or higher.  If the figure can claim cover or is not in direct LOS add one to the number needed for STRESS.  If the attacker needs to roll desperation dice Flinch is caused on a 6 or higher.
   Suppression causes a figure to test for FLINCH for each action it takes when adjacent or in a suppressed square. (i.e.  A figure is adjacent to a square being suppressed with 2 dice.  Each time the figure moves, fires, turns etc... It will test for 2 FLINCH using the suppressing figures quality die type.)
   Some weapons will cause more than 1 STRESS for each FLINCH.  They will have an F in their notes section.

The FLINCH rule looks really busy but it in games we found it moved pretty quickly once you got the hang of it.  The quick reference cards helped in the early stages.

Rest
   A figure may declare a REST action at the beginning of its activation.  Place a REST marker next to the figure.  If the figure does not gain any STRESS or use a fire action for any reason it may resolve the REST action at the beginning of its next activation.
   When a figure resolves a REST action it removes STRESS equal to its recovery stat (usually 3 but some races would have more or less).


Each point of FATIGUE acts as a permanent STRESS and can only be removed by a medic, leadership, hero or command point.
When a figure has FATIGUE equal to its max STRESS level its morale has broken and must retreat and will only fire if fired upon.

There are a few more bits but this hoepfully gives you a decent idea what I was working towards.  Morale and leadership were to be a fairly large chunk of the game.  For non-elite units running from a fight is not an uncommon thing and I wanted to stay away from the 'fight till everyone dies' type of game.

My 2 cents
Charles