Aliens Necromunda, Part 3

Mostly just brainstorming and inspirational reading for this update.

Deciding on my switch to squares/hex based play means a few changes. For example, the Necromunda template weapons will need to be modified. For Flamers, I think I will keep things simple. Like the miniatures play rules, except the amount of fuel used (1, 3, or 5) equals the distance hit. Given my initial statline idea for the Alien Drone/Warrior (M6 WS4, BS 2, S4, T4, W1, I4, A3, LD10, Armor 4+, Leap Skill), I may either increase the fuel carried per Flamer, or improve the Strength of the Flamer. In the Leading Edge boardgame the Flamer was THE weapon, outside of the short range and inability to shoot through friendlies. I want to keep the basic "feel" of the original game intact. I most likely will go with the improved Strength and remove the burning effect Necromunda Flamers have. Using the 40K Hit/Wound/Armor Save/Damage Amount/Ganger Effect roll setup is MORE than enough die rolls as is. I am probably gonna try to streamline it to keep the tension up though.

For now, I am thinking 1 point fuel = 1 adjacent square, S4, D3 wounds. 3 points of fuel = 3 squares in a row, S5, D3 wounds. 5 points of fuel = 5 squares in a row or a 4 block (2 out, 2 wide to simulate a heavy sweeping motion), S6, D3 wounds.

Ill keep the utterly low and cruel 10 points of fuel per canister with 1 reload on hand though. The Flamer carrying Marines just became the biggest asset yet most fragile one at the same time.

Calculating range is easy: 4" = 1 square. Up to 2" more? Still one square. From 2.1-3.9"? Counted as an extra square. Its a loose abstraction, but more than adequate overall and faster than rolling a die for the extra distance. This also means that Aliens with a D6 leap only get an extra square of movement 50% of the time.

For Alien acid splash, my current thoughts are T+2 of the Alien hit in the square, and a T hit to every Marine in an adjacent square. Its fast, fearsome, and similar in number of rolls to the LE game. Of course no acid splash from the Flamer, but you need a clear LOS or a willingness to kill your fellow Marines...

More Alien rules will include grabbing hapless victims to take back to the hive (Aliens themselves will be immune to Pin, Down, Flesh Wound, and Out results. If they are wounded they are OUT. No pins at all. ) probably based on Flesh Wound, Down, and Out Results on Marines. (Flesh Wound works as normal, Down means incapacitated and ready to be carried off next Alien Move Phase, Out means.. well dead Marine. For Alien combat, number of attacks used means what they do. 3 normal attacks to try and grab a victim, 2 attacks to do an adjacent square tail impale (Down becomes killed. Not good for Marines OR the Hive.. I might drop this one), or 3 attacks for a 2 square Acid Spit strike.

Marines will have extra actions too. 1 move and a shoot. No moves and +1 BS to shooting (Perfect for making Marines die to save a buddy!), 1 move and a weapon reload/jam clear, no moves and use a medpack, device, ect.

I have plans, but these are brainstorms right now and not actual rules as of yet.

As to the inspirational reading I have done? I went and grabbed some of my Aliens related books I could easily reach. HR Giger's Retrospective 1964-1984 (mostly imagery, nothing too useful overall), Giger's Alien (lots of movie making stuff, though some nice images I can be inspired by for the game), Alien Resurrection making of/art book (haven't relooked through it. Probably not too useful for this situation! I'm dealing with the GOOD Alien movies here!),and a Cinescape Alien magazine released in 97. (About half the magazine isn't even about the Alien films. Stuff on Starship Troopers, the Borg, Species, and Alien knock offs and previous sci fi thrillers before Alien aren't what I dropped 10 bones in 97 for! The other half is stuff mostly repeated and expanded in the Alien Quadrilogy DVD set, which is one of the best Christmas gifts I have gotten as an adult.)

Still, its all given me some ideas for more scenarios and something to flip through casually in this cold cold week. Its so cold one of my car door locks is frozen, and the side that isn't is frozen shut! That's COLD. And I so wanted a Slush Puppie today..

I've also continued looking for useful miniatures. I found a decent Power Loader proxy, but its a Japanese Kubrick as part of a set with some also useful eggs, and 5 figures. Its not worth the 70-100 bucks it sells for. Especially given I have Kubrick sized Aliens, Queens, and a Ripley already from Mezco's short lived line that were WAAAAAY cheaper. Sadly, no Power Loader.

Maybe Ill just make one out of Yellow Legos. It doesn't need to be perfect, just something decent enough to get the point across.

My next update will probably be a loose set of thoughts for mission structure.