Firefight 2.0: Getting Going

I spend many many hours writing and editing for both pleasure and as part of my monthly tasks on Barking Irons Online and Orcs in the Webbe (which if I'm honest I really enjoy so they're pleasure too). I also like converting games for use with virtual tabletop software (like the awesome Battlegrounds). The one thing I don't seem to do much of is actually playing the damned games I write and create. Well, thanks to this blog,  that stops now. One of the reasons I started it was to make me think about what takes up my time. The posts themselves are written mainly on the bus so there's not much time lost there. This evening Ems is staying over down in London (one of the perils of being a lawyer in a city hundreds of miles away from home) so I am going to play a game...

Sounds simple doesn't it, but what to play? Something I know the rules to? something new? something digital? something out of a box? All have pros and cons. It's decided that when I get in I intend to game. I shall give it some thought, but not too much, five minutes after I'm in I want to be playing a damned game...

(incidentally I did realised trying to cram Action Cards, Virtual Table Top (VTT) Software and Boxed Game ethics into one blog post was a bit much. Today's post is about the game. Yep, I've used Battlegrounds to play it but this post is about the game (and maybe a teeny bit about the Action Cards). A bigger, shiny VTT post is coming soon, don't you worry...)

*Thirty or so minutes later*

Well, I made it in and decided to give Firefight a whirl. I know I haven't finished my FF2.1 training gamebook yet but I did manage to finish off making my Action Cards. So I'm going to play the first FF2.0 scenario in the rulebook, Getting Going, using Bob Minadeo's cracking solo rules which can be found on Barking Irons here. 

And so it begins...

Firefight 2.0: Episode 01 "Getting Going"

A simple grudge match between two sets of four Muster, for ease of play called Red and Blue. I took control of the Blue and gave the Red's over to the solitaire rules. 

Turn One

Event: 2 Spades - No event

Initiative: Red 5 vs Blue 1 - Red's Go First

I rolled a D4 to choose which order to activate the red miniatures. I've cut and pasted bits from the solo rules to show what each character gets up to.

Red 3 - 5 of Diamonds (Discretion) - A figure that is already behind the furthest available cover on the battleground will Stay Frosty instead of Moving, firing on the first enemy to spend a General dice within LOS and weapon range.

Red 3 - Tactical Option: Stay Frosty

Red 1 - Ace of Clubs (Willingness to Wait) - If there is no enemy figure in LOS within the distance indicated by the card the figure will default to a Stay Frosty action, firing on the first enemy to spend a General dice within LOS and weapon range.

Red 1 - Tactical Option: Stay Frosty

I worked out which squares would trigger opportunity fire and marked them on the map. This helped in the solo game so I didn't miss anything.

Red 2 - 10 of Diamonds (Discretion) - Move and Fire action if an enemy figure is in LOS within the distance indicated by the card. Any movement will be used to move away from any enemy figures only if the figure can end its move in hard or better cover.

Red 2 - Move & Fire @ Blue 4 - 5,2,3 - No TARGETs - Stays in place

B4 has to activate next as survived attack.

Blue 4 Move & Fire @ Red 2 - 3,5,6 - One TARGET - Moves 2 squares

Red 2 - Is Turn Done so can only use Tactical Response: Armour

Response: Armour - 2 - No DODGEs

Dead!

Well, that went well :) 

Red 4 - 3 of Spades (Intent to Harm) - If there is no enemy figure within the distance indicated by the card the figure will default to a Move action. The figure will move as close to the nearest enemy as it can. The figure will end its move in the best cover it can reach given its objective of closing with the enemy, this means it can end up in the open if no cover is available.

Red 4 - Move - 6,5,1,2 - Moved 3 Squares

My go... Not many places I can go without triggering Opp Fire. Going to go for a move action with Blue 1.

Blue 1 - Move - 1,1,4,4

Actually checking cover rules I'm pretty sure he can hit me... (edit: Actually think I got this wrong but hey ho)

Okay, so, checking the Opportunity Fire rule card.

Red 3 - Opportunity Fire @ Blue 1 - 1,6 - One TARGET

Blue 1 has already rolled two Dodge's though so TARGET is negated.

A question arose: I'm not sure if one of my Move Action Dice had been a TARGET could I have Opp Fired back ? I, at that point, did not have a Turn Done marker... Hopefully one of the writers will let me know :)

Blue 2 (Emeritas Hughes no less) - Move & Fire @ Red 3 - 1,4,2 - Moves 2

I changed to mini numbers here so I could place them on the squares with the character and also replaced the Turn Done on Blue 4 and reduced the Dice Pool, just in case you were wandering why it's different.

Blue 3 - Move - 6,6,5,4 - Moved four squares

Decided to risk it and stick him in the open as hitting is hard. Fingers crossed...

Removed all status tokens and tokens showing Opp Fire squares for AI and made # tokens for red smaller too.

Turn Two

Initiative - Red 4 - Blue 2 - Red's Win

Event: No Event

Roll D4 to select which red to actiuvate, re-roll on a 2

Red 1 - Queen of Hearts (Measured Approach) - If drawn as an action card, a picture card indicates the figure will fire at the closest enemy in LOS and within weapon range regardless of distance or chance to hit. Suit will indicate the specific action used to make the attack. A figure drawing hearts will use a Move and Fire action. Any movement from this action will only be used if the figure can end its move in soft or better cover.

Red 1 - Move & Fire @ Blue 3 - 3,1,5 - Moves 2, No TARGETS

B3  has to activate next as survived attack.

Red 1 in Hard Cover from Blue 3's viewpoint.

Blue 3 - Aimed Fire @ R1 - 5,2,2 - One TARGET

Red 1 - Is Turn Done so can only use Tactical Response: Armour

Response: Armour - 1,2

DODGE negates TARGET

Red 3 - 6 of Diamonds (Discretion) - A figure that is already behind the furthest available cover on the battleground will Stay Frosty instead of Moving, firing on the first enemy to spend a General dice within LOS and weapon range.

Wow, Red 3 has a massive view of the battlefield. I've put translucent 3's to show the squares that trigger Opp Fire again.

Red 4 - 7 of Hearts - (Measured Approach) - A figure drawing hearts will use a Move and Fire action if an enemy figure is in LOS within the distance indicated by the card. Any movement from this action will only be used if the figure can end its move in soft or better cover.

Red 4 - Move & Fire @ Blue 4 - 1,3,4 - Moves 2 squares - No TARGETs

Blue 4 has to activate next as survived attack.

Blue 4 - Aimed Fire @ Red 1 - 3,6,2 - One TARGET !

Red 1 - Is Turn Done so can only use Tactical Response: Armour

Response: Armour - 1,6

DODGE negates TARGET

Blue 2 is going to Aim as that doesn't use a GENERAL dice so won't trigger Opp Fire (I think)

Blue 1 - Aimed Fire @ Red 3 - 4,2,4 - No TARGETS

Blue 1 - Move (nothing in LOS so no choice) - 6,2,5,6 - Moves into a Red 3 Opp Fire Square

Red 3 - Opportunity Fire @ Blue 1 - 2,5,5 - No effect

End of Turn Two !

Turn Three

Initiative: Reds 5, Blue 3 - Red Wins

Event: Queen of Spades: Artillery Barrage!
There is no such thing as “friendly fire”. One side or the other has mistakenly landed a barrage in your battle ground. Roll 1d6 for each figure in play, friend and enemy both. Any figures rolling a 6 are killed and removed from play. Roll 1d6 for each terrain item in play. Any terrain item rolling a 6 is destroyed just as if it had failed to dodge a hit from a heavy weapon. All figures are now marked “Turn Done” and play proceeds to the following turn’s Random Event phase. 

R1 - 6 - DEAD!

B1 - 1

B2 - 6 - DEAD! 

R3 - 6 - DEAD!

B3 - 3

R4 - 3

B4 - 4

All terrain is fine.

Bugger me. That was an eventfull turn.Emeritas Hughes (being the hero of the piece) has been stablised and rushed to hospital... He will live to fight another day! Faceless Red dudes not so lucky.

Turn Four

Initiative: R5, B4 - Re-roll

Initiative: R3, B5 - Blue goes first!

Event: 9s - No Event

Blue 1 - Aimed Fire @ Red 4 - 1,4,2 - Missed

Red 4 has to activate next as survived attack.

Red 4 - Queen of Hearts (Measured Approach) - If drawn as an action card, a picture card indicates the figure will fire at the closest enemy in LOS and within weapon range regardless of distance or chance to hit. Suit will indicate the specific action used to make the attack.A figure drawing hearts will use a Move and Fire action if an enemy figure.

Red 4 - Move & Fire @ Blue 1 - 1,6,2 - One TARGET, One DODGE

Blue 1 - Is Turn Done so can only use Tactical Response: Armour

Response: Armour - 2,4

No DODGEs - Dead!

Blue 4 - Assault Fire (as cannot see R4, don't fancy my chances as need two TARGETS to hit but might as well give it a go) @ R4 - 4,5,5 - No TARGETs

Time to close the net, no point assaulting as it's really hard with so few dice and no re-rolls. Next turn one or the other should get a clear shot. Might even win initiative next turn..

Blue 3 - Move - 1,6,5,3 - Moves three squares.

End of Turn

Turn Five

Initiative: R4, B3

Argh ! Red's going to get a shot in (although it depends on thier action card.) Is there an event...

Event: 8 of Clubs - No Event

Whew!

Red 4 - 6 of Clubs (Willingness to Wait) - A figure drawing clubs will use a Move and Fire action if an enemy figure is in LOS within the distance indicated by the card. Any movement from this action will only be used if the figure can end its move in hard or better cover.

Red 4 - Move & Fire @ Blue 4 - 2,3,6 - One TARGET

Blue 4 - Tactical Response: Running for Cover - 2,3,5,6 - No DODGEs ! Dead !

Blue 3 - His squad decimated tries to end it...

Blue 3 - Aimed Fire @ Red 4 - 2,2,5 - One TARGET

Red 4 - Is Turn Done so can only use Tactical Response: Armour

Response: Armour - 4,2

No DODGEs - Dead!

GAME OVER MAN! GAME OVER!

I really enjoyed the game. The solo mechanics work really well, it was pretty close. I am crap at anything tactical but it felt like the opponent was reacting to my actions.

That random event took me a bit by surprise, Bloody hell, wiping out three characters, including Emeritas Hughes! It's so long since I uploaded the article onto Barking Irons I'd pretty much forgotten how powerful some of them are. It made the start of every turn after really tense, just in case something else cataclysmic happened. The solo rules would work for a number of Sci Fi skirmish wargames. I'm thinking about compiling a list of event cards for different settings for use in FF2.0 (jungle, underwater, spaceship etc). A quick web search shows most of the work has been done already, just a case of finding twelve I like the sound of for each setting and jotting down the game effects.

Modesty can jog on, my Action Cards performed brilliantly! Every turn was really smooth with no referencing the rulebook required at all. No melee was forthcoming, but that's because I think it's really hard to actually hit someone as a preliminary 'focus' roll is needed before rolling to hit. More powerful characters with higher dice totals and re-rolls wouldn't have as much difficulty.

I will definitely be playing FF2.0 again in the near future, I can't stress how smooth the mechanics felt as I played the scenario.

C.

Firefight 2.1 - Learning to Play

FF2.0 is one of those games that I have always wanted to play but like many wargames (and even some of the larger box board games) I find the rule book a bit unwieldy. I'd really like it if it were available in a 'big box' edition like Space Crusade or the soon to be released Sedition Wars: Battle for Alabaster (which I am very excited about, so much so I forked up £100+ during it's Kick Starter campaign). Imagine if you could crack open the box, match the miniatures up with their stat cards and get playing an introductory mission within ten minutes. Well that's what I'm going to do, I'm going to go through the motions as if FF2.0 came complete in a box, imaginatively called Firefight 2.1. Obviously things will take a little longer as all I have at the moment is a collection of disparate elements and no 'fast play' cards or mechanics and it is actually my first time playing a full game. Luckily I've been tinkering with the rules booklet for ages...

I started, as I so often do these days with printed rulebooks, by cutting the spine off my original with a craft knife and scanning it all in, giving me a document I could chop and change to suit my needs (and also take everywhere with me on my trusty Transformer Prime).

Whilst I was sorting through the rules, making my own QRS of sorts I got to thinking about Action Cards. After a bit of re-reading and tweaking I realised FF2.0 would really benefit from these. Each turn, when it comes to move your figures you sort through a small pile of Action Cards, each with a different available option on it along with a summary of the rules and perhaps a page reference or two to the full rules in the book. FF2.0's Tactical Options and Defensive Responses lend themselves really really well to this idea. I'm not going to get tied up in making pretty cards in GIMP straight off, I'll do that if the idea works. For the mo, I've jotted down the Tactical Options and Responses onto torn up bits of paper.

I also had another thought, imagine, if you will, an initial mission with a bit of background fluff that works in such a way that it only introduces one card at a time, split into paragraphs like a 'Fighting Fantasy' story keeping surprises in store. So, that's what I'm going to do. I don't want to spend to much time on plot and I do want to introduce some civilians characters for my planned campaign later on so I'm going to write it as I go. I'm also going to play the game out using the Battleground VTT software (http://battlegroundsgames.com/) as that way I've not got any setup time or anything to worry about, and once again I can take the game with me.

Right then, first up lets pick a suitable map from my digital terrain directory... I want something sci-fi themed with interiors, so I can use automated turrets and the insides of buildings to introduce some of the cards... I think a Heroclix map as they're nicely detailed for games that use squares for movement... Found one! Smuggler Base by Josh Derksen (just do a Google search and you'll find it too). It's got some overprinted blurb on it but I can ignore or keep that as whim takes me. So then a sprinkling of fluff...

FF2.1 - Episode 1 - "Rust"

A Prydian Muster Fire-Team, consisting of four newly qualified Privates and their Emeritas intercept a distress signal coming from a nearby moon. They land  their ship and the Muster are ordered to check out the source of the signal whilst the Emeritas stays on the ship. 

Job done. The map already has a space craft on it, so I've just deployed my four mustermen armed with Moth VI's right by it. I've jotted all the important details for each marine down onto little bits of paper (Muster Infantry Private - Move 4 - Ranged 1 to 8 = 3 - Ranged 9+ = 2 - Melee 2 - Armour 2 - Moth VI - ST 1 - P) so I now have character cards !

Technically it's turn one, but we don't need to bog down the new player (me) with that. There's also no initiative at the mo as there are no enemies present. Now I need the first entry in my mini- gamebook to 'teach' people the first Tactical Option. How's about something like this:

Entry 001 - Tactical Option: Move

As you step off the shuttle your earpieces crackles to life. You realise it's Emeritas Kane back in the cockpit.

"Listen up grunts. The signal's coming from one of those buildings to the east of this complex. Get your green backsides over there and let me know what you find."

- Take the Tactical Option: Move card.

- Work though it for each of your marines moving them through the central corridor to the East.

- Place TURN DONE tokens as specified. You remove them from your marines at the start of each turn.

- Play through three turns, then turn to Entry 002.

- Note that surrounded highlighted in green count as Low Obstacles (see the bottom of the Tactical Option: Move card for details).

First Move Over

Entry 002 - Tactical Option: Move & Fire

"Hold it right there men. I'm picking up some old issue air mines in the field up ahead, hell, they're practically ancient. I've hacked them so they can't move, but they can explode. You're going to have to shoot them from a distance. Be careful, they are live. Also this'll let anything within five clicks know we're here so keep it tight people.!

- Drop the eight mine markers from a height of 15cm onto the map (could have starred locations on the map perhaps, or even include a mini map in the entry with where to place mines)

- Take the Tactical Option: Move & Fire card

- Working through each of your Muster in turn, select one of the two available option cards. Note that to go within one square of a mine would mean certain death. Even green Muster ain't that stupid.

- Each mine has ONE hit. As soon as a hit is scored remove the mine.

- Note: pay attention to the burst fire breakdown on the bottom of the card to understand how to target the same mine twice with the same action.

- Once all the mines have been removed, go to Entry 003.

Mines Placed

Entry 003 - Tactical Option: Aimed Fire

"Crap! Everybody freeze, don't move an inch! We've got a problem rookies. I'm picking up a new air mine rising up from the grass, it's a bit more advanced and even though I've hacked it I can't stop it fully. If any of you move, you're dead. You're going to have to take it out using aimed fire."

- Place an air mine marker in sight of at least two of your Muster but ideally three or four.

- Take the Tactical Option: Aimed Fire card.

- Play through some turns, using only the new Tactical Option until the mine is destroyed, it has ten hits.

- Then turn to Entry 004.

- Note: The burst fire penalty does not affect aimed fire as shown on the bottom of the card, in fact all dice must be assigned to the same target.

(Wow! I hit the mine for six hits in one turn! Huzzah! I felt this needed a picture)

Entry 004 - Actions: Operating Equipment

"Well done rookies. You might actually have listened to some of what I taught yah. Who'd have thought it eh. Right then. Check out those two outbuildings."

- Use any of your Tactical Otions to move and investigate the two outbuildings.

- Take the Action: Operating Equipment card. Note that this is not a Tactical Option. To operate equipment you make a Tactical Option as normal and if you are next to the equipment (in this case, the door) you discard one General dice to operate the equipment.

- When you open the door to the Barracks (Southern outbuilding) immediately turn to Entry 005.

- When  you open the door to the Armoury (Northern outbuilding) immediately turn to Entry 009.

Entry 005 - Tactical Option: Assault Fire

"Careful men. Now you've cracked the door open I'm picking up a reading from inside that building. Some kind of damned intereference means I can't get a bead on it. It could be a hostile. you're going to have to go in firing on this one."

- Place a token between the two beds, this is your target.

- Take the Tactical Option: Assualt Fire card.

- Read through it a few times. This card allows you to target something you do not have line of sight to when your character activates.

- Reset all your charactesr (remove tokens) and play through the Tactical Option: Assault Fire card with the Muster who opened the door.

- If your first Muster does not manage to get into line of sight then select Tactical Options for your squad from your four cards but note that you MUST follow the sarge's orders and use an Assault Fire option to enter the building.

- After you have line of sight to the target, and possibly fired. Record how many hits you scored and turn to Entry 006. 

About to enter, route marked out. Token for potential hostile placed.

Entry 006

You burst round the corner, finger tensed on the trigger, as adrenaline floods your system you see the potential hostile. It's just a droid, about a foot high, designed like a cat but with bigger ears. Despite it's mechanical nature it somehow looks scared as hell huddled up against the far wall.

- If you scored at least two TARGETS (6's) as per the Assault Fire card, turn to Entry 007.

- If you choose not to shoot, or if you did not score the required two TARGETS (6's), turn to Entry 010.

Entry 007

You unleash the full might of your military spec Moth VI rifle on the defenceless automaton against the far wall. Amazingly the creature seems to sense your intent and milliseconds before the rounds should take it apart it darts off under the bed, disappearing into the sub-structure, your bullets slamming into the far wall.

You hear Emeritas Kane laughing through your earpiece. "Nice one rookie. Valuable ammo spent on scaring off a kids toy. That might not make it onto your record but it sure as hell will be making the rounds in the mess when we get back!"

- Note down the code letter ( V ). It may be referenced later on.

- Turn to Entry 008

Entry 008

"Come on people, hustle! We ain't on holiday and have to get back to HQ!"

- If you have explored both outbuildings turn to Entry [Not Yet Written].

- If not, use any Tactical Otions to move and investigate the remaining outbuilding.

- If you have not yet explored the Northern outbuilding, turn to Entry 009 immediately when you open it's door.

- If you have not yet opened the door to the Southern outbuilding, make your way there and immediately turn to Entry 005 when you open it's door.

Entry 009 - Tactical Option: Move & Melee

As the door slides open you hear a mechanical whirring and flash of rusted metal flies past your eyes as you back up. Before you stands a robot, it's design is familiar but it looks so old. It's wide metal chassis is bolted to the floor

"Gods! We've got a hostile. My panel says it's just a servo-droid but the readings are well off. It's gone crazy. I've disabled it for now, but you've go to take it down quick. Firing ain't an option either, the rooms too small and full of munitions. Rebound could kill yah straight off or even ignite the ammo. You're going to do this the old fashioned way."

- Place a token against the far wall of the armoury to represent the servo-droid.

- Take the Tactical Option: Move & Melee card and read through it, Melee is a bit different to Ranged combat.

- You must first pass a Readyness Roll, as detailed on the card.

- If you pass then move on to the Melee Combat section in the lower half of the card.

- The servo-droid has four hits and no armour.

Entry 010

The small robot looks at you, and for a second you think you actually see understanding in it's eyes. A noise from one of your squad mates startles it and it darts off under the bed, disappearing down through gaps in the foundations of the building.

"Good call private. No point wasting ammo on kids toys."

- Turn to Entry 008

***

And that's all I have for now. 

I wanted to get it online to see what people thought. I'll be carrying on the game tomorrow. I really liked the "Choose Your Own" idea, not mine originally, Oliver Johnson and Dave Morris used proper miniatures combat in their brilliant Blood Sword gamebooks set in the same world as their Dragon Warriors RPG. I think it lends itself really well to a square based movement miniatures game. You could have set events happening on set tiles and all sorts. Definetly something I'm going to expand on in the future. 

I also really liked the Tactical Option cards. Gaemplay was fast and the rule book was barley referenced as I wanted. I'm going to do all the Actions as well as the Tactical Response cards for my 'boxed' version of FF2.1

So, tell me what you think :)

Keep The Flag Flying !

Craig