Science Fiction/Near Future Miniatures Wargame Skirmish Rules Fireteam composition: A fireteam consists of three to six figures, usually five, rarely three. One will be the leader, one of them may have a special or heavy weapon, and one might be a medic. Some groups of less capable fighters (scavengers, civilians, etc.) may have more than six in a team or group. Each player controls one team. There should be a maximum of eight players and 50 figures in a game, divided into two OF more sides. Sequence of play: Make two cards for each fireteam, one for firing and one for moving. Make two other cards, one for hand-to-hand combat (HTH) and one for recovery. So, for example, three teams on each side for a game would mean a total of 14 cards in the deck for that game (two cards for each of the six teams = 12 plus one HTH card plus one recovery card = 14). Shuffle all cards together. Play through the deck as many times as necessary for the game, shuffling and reusing after all have been used. Each team moves and fires individually. FITH and recovery are simultaneous for all figures/players. Firing Each figure that is going to fire selects a target and rolls 2D6. The player controlling the target figure also rolls 2D6. Add or subtract any modifiers listed below. If the firing figure's roll is greater than the defender's, the figure is HIT, otherwise no effect. Turn a HIT figure on its side A HIT figure cannot do anything Firing figure, add 1 for each weapon level above the target's armor level 1 if leader within 9" 1 for each troop quality better than the target Defending figure, add 1 for armor level above the firer's weapon level 1 for each friendly within 12" that can see the firing enemy (assumed suppressive fire, add a maximum of 3) 1 if in light cover 2 if in medium cover 3 if in heavy cover 1 for each troop quality better than the firer NOTE: In any case that the attacker rolls 12 and the defender rolls 2, the attack ALWAYS results in a HIT, no matter what modifiers there may have been. Movement Roll 2D6 for each figure and that is the number of inches it may move, or it may choose to move 6" without rolling. Declare movement direction or goal before rolling, all carry it out. Deduct a suitable number of inches for obstacles or rough terrain, 2" to cross linear obstacle, double cost for rough. Instead of this type of movement, jump-pack equipped figures may jump up to 24" in any direction: roll 2D6 after jumping - on a two, the figure is HIT. A jump must start and land at least 3" from any other figure. A jumper may clear a vertical obstacle 1/2 as high as the jumped distance, and can jump vertically to the top of, or down from, something 18" high. Weapons Here are the weapon names, levels, and ranges. LOT = length of table Note: There is no scatter for the explosive weapons; these are mostly professional soldiers with reliable hightech (future) weapons. The rounds land where desired. There might be exceptions for grenade lobbers or mortars, but you can usually assume they are in contact with a spotter (even one not shown on the tabletop), HIT A HIT figure is Hiding, Injured, or Terminated. It is at least temporarily out of action. On the next recovery card, it will recover or be permanently removed from play. Recovery Players roll 2D6 for each of their HIT (turned on side) figures. Add or subtract the modifiers listed below. On a final total of eight or greater, the figure recovers and is turned upright. If the roll is less than eight, remove the figure from play. Add only ONE of these three modifiers at any time: 2 if medic within 3" 1 if leader within 6" 1 if group member within 3" Add any or all of these modifiers at any time 1 if in/behind any cover 1 if in medium armor 1 if quality is Good or Elite 3 if quality is Hero Hand-to-hand combat (HTH) Figures passing within 2" of an enemy must engage in HTH--move to base contact. A HIT figure automatically loses and is immediately removed from play, as dead (or maybe captured if desired - next recovery card is when you will determine if the figure is really "dead"). Otherwise, roll 2D6 against each other: Difference of 0 to 2, remain in HTH 3 to 5, loser killed 6 or greater, winner may choose to kill or capture loser. Each figure adds 1-3 for own armor level (0 if no armor), add 2 for pistol- rifle (not civilian or sniper rifles), or special HTH weapon, like a sword. There is no disengagement from HTH--it is always a fight to the death (or capture). There is no firing at/into HTH, though the figures in HTH may catch the edge of an explosion from a weapon fired at others. One figure may guard up to five captured figures in place, it takes one figure for every three captives to move them. Vehicles Any armored vehicle will be very powerful in this scale of a game. Give tracked and wheeled vehicles their own set of cards, and let them move 3D6. Armor can be rated as heavy +2 (like a whole new armor level). Nothing but an MG or a weapon with an explosive device can have any effect no matter what may be rolled on dice. Damage can be taken to movement or weapons systems; an ad-hoc record sheet, tailored to the vehicle, can be used to keep track of damage. Hovercraft or helicopters can probably move LOT in a turn (except hovercraft weaves through woods or narrow streets - they might be slower than ground vehicles), they can perhaps be used to insert new troops anywhere on the table. Anti-air rules, ways to handle HITs on crew and passengers, etc., must be determined as a scenario may dictate. Generally speaking, avoid using many vehicles in these rules - and very rarely more than two. Morale Generally, any fireteam down to two figures (after a recovery card, and you know people are dead) will attempt to withdraw or combine with another team. If they combine, they will act on the other team's cards throw their original set of cards out of the deck. If a surviving figure is a leader, or a hero, or there is a scenariobased reason to stay, then two figures might fight on. As far as "army" morale goes, any side that has lost more than 50% of the starting number of figures after a recovery card is played will start withdrawing off the table - unless they have superiority in actual number if figures. They will continue to fight as they retreat. If at some point they have the upper hand in figure superiority then they might turn and continue the mission again. As with so much of the rest of these rules, player or GM interpretation and expansion may be necessary. Miscellaneous There are four armor levels none, light, medium, and heavy. Typically, police wear light armor, most soldiers wear medium armor, and power armor is heavy. Medics, or "fixers" (an elite combination medic/armorer/mechanic), carry at least a pistol, even if the miniature figure does not show one, and may use it. Troop qualities are Poor, Fair, Good, Elite, and Hero. A difference in troop types may be from better weapons or communications, not just training or experience. Troop types for the same group of figures may change from game to game, because it is a relative comparison. Usually, an entire fireteam is all the same quality, but sometimes the leader or another member may be a better quality soldier or even a hero. Heroes are very rare, and certainly no entire team is made up of them. Leader bonuses apply to the leader figure itself, medic bonuses do not self-apply. Fireteam Tomorrow WWII Rules Introduction Rules Back to MWAN #117 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2002 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com