Gruntz - 15mm SciFi.pdf

15mm

SCI- FI

Skir mish Warg aming v1

Web

site www.Gruntz.BIZ

-

Photos

PDF

and

Rele ase

models

used

2011

by

permission

GZG

Old Crow

CMG CM G

CMG CM G

Khurasan

KHURASAN

GZG

CMG CM G

CMG CM G

15mm.co.uk

1

Foreword

Acknowledgments PHOTOS PHOTO S AND MODEL NAMES NAMES BY KIND PERMISSION OF: Critical Mass Games www.criticalmassgames.com u

GROUND ZERO GAMES GZG.COM u

KHURASAN MINIATURES khurasanminiatures.tripod.com u

15mm.co.uk u

Old Crow Models www.oldcrowmodels.co.uk u

Painted Miniatures Jason Dawson painting service www.quarks-bar.co.uk u

Tank Artwork by Istvan Pely movkup.com u

Cover Artwork by Jake Parker u

Mecha Artwork by David White www.mechazone.com u

Copyright All game content ©Robin Fitton 2011 Artwork copyright respective owners. Any details of other game company faction names is by permission.

With considerable forethought and no small amount of dice rolling I have created Gruntz 15mm for your gaming pleasure. Gruntz is designed to make best use of the exciting new ranges of 15mm models from Companies including Critical Mass Games, Ground Zero Games, 15mm.co.uk, Khurasan, Old Crow Models, Rebel Minis and Brigade Models. Gruntz is designed to be fast play and brutal, with rapid engagement and fast moving game play. You You should be able to create a decisive battle in just over an hour for small skirmish level games. Gruntz 15mm is specifically designed to to support ranges and play at 15mm scale and care has been taken to provide movement that supports a game using 15mm figures on an average sized table top. Other scales of models including 28mm could be used if players are ha ppy to introduce changes to support longer movement and ranges. The rules offer flexibility to play a range of vehicles, troop types and futuristic equipment design for the economic destruction of enemy alien, humanoid and droid targets. It is designed for flexible scenario games where models make good use of the surrounding terrain and buildings for a dynamic dynam ic action game. Gruntz is named after the troopers that are the backbone of the game and are augmented by abilities and Perkz which offer different races and factions advantages on the battlefield. ba ttlefield. Forces Forces can be selected from faction specific army lists which match the models from 15mm manufacturers ma nufacturers and many are listed as generic g eneric types like vehicles which can be made available to any faction as a mercenary mercenary unit. Unit statistics, weapon ranges, damage and other key gaming detail is provided on profile cards and are designed to be quick to learn without the need to reference or think about multiple range categories. Each model from the various factions is represented by a specific profile card which details details the statistics and Perkz available to the models specified. As new models are released released by the various manufactures, new profile cards will will be made available for download. It really is simple to play once you know the basics and you will find that you don’t need to reference the rules after a couple of games. Optional rules are included to cover different activation mechanics, group basing methods and alternative turn sequence. They alter the rules significantly, however the core rules including unit statistics and damage resolution remain the same. The options provide the freedom for players to select some or all alternative mechanics whilst retaining the fast play mechanics of the Gruntz rules. If you see anything in these rules that you don’t like, please feedback to me by email or the yahoo group. If you have a relevant comment or exciting new idea you are using as a house rule please get in touch. Yahoo Group: http://uk.groups.yahoo. com/group/Gruntz-scifi/ Robin Fitton

Contact: [email protected]

When I die bury me upside down so the galaxy can kiss my ass

2

Foreword

Acknowledgments PHOTOS PHOTO S AND MODEL NAMES NAMES BY KIND PERMISSION OF: Critical Mass Games www.criticalmassgames.com u

GROUND ZERO GAMES GZG.COM u

KHURASAN MINIATURES khurasanminiatures.tripod.com u

15mm.co.uk u

Old Crow Models www.oldcrowmodels.co.uk u

Painted Miniatures Jason Dawson painting service www.quarks-bar.co.uk u

Tank Artwork by Istvan Pely movkup.com u

Cover Artwork by Jake Parker u

Mecha Artwork by David White www.mechazone.com u

Copyright All game content ©Robin Fitton 2011 Artwork copyright respective owners. Any details of other game company faction names is by permission.

With considerable forethought and no small amount of dice rolling I have created Gruntz 15mm for your gaming pleasure. Gruntz is designed to make best use of the exciting new ranges of 15mm models from Companies including Critical Mass Games, Ground Zero Games, 15mm.co.uk, Khurasan, Old Crow Models, Rebel Minis and Brigade Models. Gruntz is designed to be fast play and brutal, with rapid engagement and fast moving game play. You You should be able to create a decisive battle in just over an hour for small skirmish level games. Gruntz 15mm is specifically designed to to support ranges and play at 15mm scale and care has been taken to provide movement that supports a game using 15mm figures on an average sized table top. Other scales of models including 28mm could be used if players are ha ppy to introduce changes to support longer movement and ranges. The rules offer flexibility to play a range of vehicles, troop types and futuristic equipment design for the economic destruction of enemy alien, humanoid and droid targets. It is designed for flexible scenario games where models make good use of the surrounding terrain and buildings for a dynamic dynam ic action game. Gruntz is named after the troopers that are the backbone of the game and are augmented by abilities and Perkz which offer different races and factions advantages on the battlefield. ba ttlefield. Forces Forces can be selected from faction specific army lists which match the models from 15mm manufacturers ma nufacturers and many are listed as generic g eneric types like vehicles which can be made available to any faction as a mercenary mercenary unit. Unit statistics, weapon ranges, damage and other key gaming detail is provided on profile cards and are designed to be quick to learn without the need to reference or think about multiple range categories. Each model from the various factions is represented by a specific profile card which details details the statistics and Perkz available to the models specified. As new models are released released by the various manufactures, new profile cards will will be made available for download. It really is simple to play once you know the basics and you will find that you don’t need to reference the rules after a couple of games. Optional rules are included to cover different activation mechanics, group basing methods and alternative turn sequence. They alter the rules significantly, however the core rules including unit statistics and damage resolution remain the same. The options provide the freedom for players to select some or all alternative mechanics whilst retaining the fast play mechanics of the Gruntz rules. If you see anything in these rules that you don’t like, please feedback to me by email or the yahoo group. If you have a relevant comment or exciting new idea you are using as a house rule please get in touch. Yahoo Group: http://uk.groups.yahoo. com/group/Gruntz-scifi/ Robin Fitton

Contact: [email protected]


2

Content Table of Contents


Find »

Squad Points

31

»

Playing Cards

60

»

Find

3

»

Squad Attachment

32

»

Alternative Activation

61

»

The Core rules

4

»

SA Points

33

»

Shoot Sequence

62

»

Statistics

5

»

Specialist

34

»

Group Basing

63

»

Building an Army

6

»

Specialist Points

35

»

Continued

64

»

Model Types

7

»

Tank Design

36

»

Questions and Answers

65

»

Squad Coherency Coherency

8

»

Tank Points

37

»

Turn Sequence

66

»

Overview of Profile Cards

9

»

Mecha

38

»

Battle Schema

67

»

Actions each Activation

10

»

Mecha Points

39

»

Scenarios

68

»

Terrain and Environment

11

»

Commander

40

»

Battle Schema

69

»

Movement in Terrain

12

»

Commander Points

41

»

Scenarios

70

»

Terrain Types Table

13

»

Support Vehicle

42

»

Battle Schema

71

»

Battlefield Leaders

14

»

Support Vehicle Points

43

»

Heliopause Setting

72

»

Condition Modifier Table

15

»

Air Support Vehicle

44

»

Heliopause Heliopaus e Technology

73

»

Ranged Combat

16

»

Air Support Vehicle Points

45

»

Heliopause Heliopaus e Technology

74

»

Concentrate Fire

17

»

Artillery

46

»

Heliopause Heliopaus e Government

75

»

Ranged Combat Detail

18

»

Artillery Points

47

»

Organisations

76

»

Close Combat

19

»

Statistic Tables

48

»

Organisations Continued

77

»

Damage and Suppression

20

»

SPEC YOUR UNIT

49

»

Alien Races

78

»

Vehicle Overview

21

»

Specialist Weapons

50

»

Aliens Continued

79

»

Vehicles Vehicles Arcs and Abilities

22

»

Vehicle Weapon Table

51

»

Organisations

80

»

Vehicle Critical Damage

23

»

Esoteric Tek

52

»

Alien Hordes

81

»

Vehicles Vehicles Arcs and Destruction

24

»

Esoteric Tek Table

53

»

Alien Races

82

»

Indirect Fire

25

»

Squad Special Abilities

54

»

Alien Races

83

»

Standard or Advanced Movement

26

»

Continued Perkz

55

»

Aliens Continued

84

»

RAMS, Vehicle Options

27

»

Special ABILITIES

56

»

Kruk

85

»

Digital Warfare

28

»

Scenario Conditions

57

»

Amnian

86

»

Damage and Destruction

29

»

Vehicle Boosts

58

»

Squad Design

30

»

Vehicle Crew

59

Credits

My thanks to all of the Yahoo play test and members of the public attending UK wargaming shows who helped guide the development. Thanks to all players who have helped and supported along the way and apologies to anyone I have missed. Special mention to the following contributors:

Duncan Gosling (stories and scenario), Richard the Bodger, Simon Moules, The Agent Agent of Ping, Craig of Critical Mass Games, Jon of Ground Zero Games, Jon at Khurasan Miniatures. Mark Walsh (thanks for getting me through the last three Months of the project), SpaceJacker, SpaceJacker, Michiel De Boer, Mark Ball, Gavin Dady, Gavin Mackrill, Gregory S. Small, John Hollyoak, Tim Berry and Kevin Rolfe. Artists: David White for the mecha mecha art http://www.mechazone.com/, http://www.mechazone.com/, Michiel De Boer - Icons, cards, aliens and uniforms, Jake Parker Parker for cover art http://www.agent44.com/ , Istvan Pely for various Tank art http://movkup.com. Aly Fell for original art cover.

3


The Basics

The Core rules Basing

Introduction Grunt is a dedicated 15mm fastplay, skirmish level wargame designed to support forces of 10 to 40 models per side using combined arms The system is designed to be quick to learn with limited reference to tables, charts and rules. All details for units such including Gruntz, Vehicles, Artillery, Mecha and Specialist units are included on profile cards. You are able to play mixed armour and Gruntz squad units or a dedicated armour game for players that enjoy some metal on the table. The rules and statistics in Gruntz cover modern and futuristic technology, allowing for low tech and high tech mixed battles. Statistics are provided for alien technology and weird war style creatures like World War II zombies and werewolves. You can use technology from various eras, so hi-tech can meet low-tech on Earth based or in Alien fields of battle. Miniatures

15mm miniatures are used in Gruntz mounted on single bases for skirmish play. Each model represents represents an individual on the the table and whilst skirmishing you are able to move individual models to take advantage of the terrain. Vehicle models can be mounted on bases but can be used directly on the board. The smaller battlefield size will ensure models engage quickly for a rapid game session, however it is possible to use a much larger area which is better suited to a battle between tanks and mechanised infantry.

It is recommended that you use pennies or other small coins to make it easier to move the models and to standardise the base sizes. Old Crow Models make a slightly larger base with an inset lip which is perfect for most lines of 15mm models which fit snugly into the resin base. Basing models like this makes it easier to move move around as single figures with a slightly larger, heavier base. Specialists and Commander models should be based on 30mm diameter discs. The large largerr base size makes it easier to identify them on the table and allows players to model detail onto their bases. Gruntz squad models can be based on group bases for ease of movement, movement, however you will lose some of the benefits of skirmish play on complex terrain when using the larger group bases. Some care will also need to be taken to confirm how many casualties (Waxed models) are on each base by marking the profile cards with casualties, unless you are able to remove figures from your group base. Dice

Gruntz uses a D6 die die for all dice rolls. rolls. The core mechanic mechanic is based around a 2D6 roll which is made by rolling two D6 dice and adding the total. This value is then added to the relevant number from the model’s statistics to get the overall total. To succeed at an action the overall total must equal or exceed a certain target number (usually from the target’s statistics.) For example: if you wanted a unit of Gruntz to shoot at an enemy unit you would roll 2D6 and add to that the models Shoot statistic. The result must equal or exceed the Guard statistic of the target model. Modifiers may also be applied to the dice roll depending on terrain or other conditions. Initiative

At the beginning of the first round all players roll 2D6 and add their Commander’s Commander’s Skill statistic. This can be further modified by some special abilities the Commander Commander may have.

A reconnaissance drone reports signs of Kra’vak activity outside of city limits. A small armoured car and heavy tank unit is sent to investigate.

4

Rules y

b


Statistics

Statistic

Description

Move

Vehicles have a move statistic and they can move up to double this figure in inches if they make a Flank speed move. All Gruntz units move at a base speed of 4 inches.

Shoot

This number is added to a 2D6 roll to determine if you hit a target when this unit shoots (ranged combat).

Assault

This number is added to a 2D6 roll to determine if a unit hits an enemy unit when assaulting it (hand to hand combat).

Guard

Guard determines how difficult it is to hit the model. This number must be equalled or exceeded by a Shoot or Assault attack roll. It is a measure of how difficult it is to land a shot or strike on a unit. Larger slower models like tanks are easier to hit and have a lower Guard.

Soak

The Soak statistic is the number which must be equalled or exceeded to score a wound on a model. Shooting and Assault attacks have a damage score which is added to the 2D6 damage roll to confirm if the unit is damaged. It is a measure of how tough and well armoured a unit is. Soak is usually higher for vehicle or cavalry units.

Mental

You must roll equal or less than the Mental number to pass the Mental test for Condition Brown. It is a measure of how good the unit is under stress and their skill at commanding others. Gruntz can use the Mental value of a Commander within a range equal to their Mental stat.

Skill

Skill is used when making drive or piloting rolls, operating drone weapons and in certain scenarios where a generic statistic is needed to determine the result of an action. When firing drone weapons or automatons with remote weapon systems you use the Skill score just like you would for Ranged or Assault attacks, depending on the situation.

Turn Sequence

The turns play alternatively in Gruntz 15mm. At the start of the turn the active player moves and completes actions for all units before passing the turn back to the other player. Certain Perkz and other game abilities can create an out of turn response from the non-active player. Each Gruntz squad, Specialist, Vehicle or Commander must complete all of their actions before you activate the next unit. All Gruntz squads act together in a unit requiring all models in a single squad of six Gruntz to complete movement before you start to complete the shoot action. Actions

When activated, every unit in Gruntz can make up to two actions. Options for the two actions include moving, shooting and various other more specialist actions. A unit uses one action to move and one action to shoot which would normally complete its activation. You can also take a run action which is a double move which uses both actions. The normal limit for shooting is once per activation, so only one of the two actions can be used to fire on the enemy. There are other actions available to Gruntz including climbing, embarking into a vehicle, going prone, disembarking a vehicle, entering a building and even interacting with the terrain (e.g. opening a secure door, placing a mine or interacting with a computer console as part of a scenario.) Statistics

All normal Gruntz have a single wound and a range of six statistics that define their ability on the battlefield. They usually also have unit Perkz which are special abilities, technology or skills which influence

the game play. Perkz and statistics are detailed on the profile cards. All Gruntz have just one wound and are Waxed (wounded) when they take a single damage point. Commanders have multiple wounds and vehicles have a damage grid as described in the vehicle combat section. Certain units will have zero in a statistic, for example robotic automatons do not have a Mental statistic unless they have AI technology. Term

Description

Gruntz

The main unit in the game of Gruntz an infantry squad member.

s m r nn-attack e T e m LOS a G

Neural Network Attacks against digital assets. Line of Sight. Can your model see the enemy’s model?

SAW

Squad Automatic Weapon.

APC

Armoured Personnel Carrier.

AFV

Armoured Fighting Vehicle.

Waxed

The term used to describe a grunt or unit that has been wounded before it is removed as a casualty.

Perkz

The special abilities that Gruntz units can use depending on faction or equipment. These are detailed on profile cards.

Faculty

The special ability of the Commander of a Gruntz faction. It can only be used once in a game.

Skirting the city limits and skimming the enzyme bonded-concrete freeways, the corporate police are hailed by a passive-node distress signal. Wet-wired tek quickly adapts their skimmers to assault mode as they rapidly data-vise the appropriate authority signature through the local neural net, setting the freeway systems into defence mode. Darkened blast visors lower as the target rebel signatures flick into augmented vision with priority rebel vehicle targets highlighted for threat level. The freeway curves away beneath their thundering shadow as road turns to desert beneath them.

5


Your Rules Army

Building an Army

Points System

The Gruntz points system allows for the selection of a Commander, Gruntz squads, Vehicles and other units based on the Points Cost statistic on each profile card. The points are a small value with a range of costs depending on the type and quality of the unit. Gruntz squads cost between 5pts and 25pts with Vehicles costing between 12pts and 40pts depending on the size and power. A small game of a Commander and a couple of Gruntz squads could be played as a 20pts game and an average sized combined arms game could be between 100pts and 250pts per side. The unit builder section of the rules provides details on how to create your Gruntz and Vehicles that have a numeric points value assigned which depends on the quality and capability of the unit. Force Selection

To build a force for play in Gruntz you need a selection of models to represent your army including Gruntz, Vehicles and Specialist units. During play you use the Gruntz profile cards which are a reference providing quick access to the statistics of the unit and a damage track for vehicles. The profile cards include statistics and abilities of the Vehicle or Gruntz squad and if stored in a baseball card protective sheets you can mark off damage and re-use the cards without having to re-print them when you next play. A typical army in Gruntz will consist of a Commander model, several Gruntz squads and hardware which might include tanks, armoured fighting vehicles, armoured personnel carriers or other specialist air or ground support units. Commanders are the only mandatory selection and will need a transport to keep up if you build a pure armour force.

6

The fixed squad size of six is designed to match most of the ranges available from 15mm figure manufacturers. In most packs you might find 5 similarly armed troops, a leader and a couple of heavy weapons. Support weapons are the “Squad Attachments” in Gruntz and are detailed on their own profile cards. The Gruntz unit can combine with Squad Attachments which could include snipers, SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon) or other heavy weapons. The Squad Attachment has its own profile card to represent how it works as part of the Gruntz unit they are attached to. A standard Gruntz unit is six men (or aliens) strong and consists of one leader and five Gruntz. All members of a single six-man Gruntz squad carry the same weapons. The unit of six in the Gruntz squad can then be combined with Squad Attachments which can increase the squad size up to eight. During the game the heavy weapon carrying Squad Attachment will act on the same activation as the Gruntz squad. Unit Selection

The chart details the forces available within Gruntz with a Commander, Specialists and Gruntz units. The Tanks, Ground and Air Support, Mecha and Cavalry all serve to strengthen the combined army on your miniature battlefield.

Units Symbol

Type

Commander

Gruntz

Cavalry

Specialist

Mecha

Artillery

Ground Support

Air Support

A

Model Types


Description

Commanders are the most important figure on the battlefield in Gruntz 15mm. Their experience and influence over the forces on the table can turn the battle at a vital moment. There is only one Commander unit per side who is an experienced character model, that can influence the actions of his own squads and those of the enemy force. Commanders have a unique “Faculty” which can be used once per game on their turn to create certain advantages and conditions for the units under their control. Gruntz are the mainstay of the sci-fi battlefield and are either trained military troops, militia, angry colonists or of an alien origin. Squad Attachments are also considered to be Gruntz but have heavier weapons or an ability that benefits the Gruntz unit in some way. Cavalry includes any bike, skimmer or organic beast which provides a mostly unprotected means of fast transport for Gruntz. Units of Cavalry follow the same unit size conventions as Gruntz but have a higher points cost due to the added mobility of the unit. Note: They are built using the Specialist Unit Builder. Specialist units are solo single models that can act independently on the game battlefield. Specialists include stealthy assassins, vile unique alien monsters or other heroic characters that through experience and skill have earned themselves an important place on the battlefield. They are purchased with points just like other units.

Any large organic or mechanised vehicle that has two or more legs as the method of locomotion. They are designed to deliver significant ordinance to the enemy whilst also protecting the driver from harm.

Artillery is mobile or stationary and delivers template area damage to targets which can be out of line of sight. Mobile artillery can be wheeled, tracked, air-hover or grav based. Most artillery fire is subject to deviation if they miss the primary target.

Any wheeled, tracked, air-hover or grav based ground vehicle designed to transport troops and provide supporting cover in a fire fight. It takes one action to embark or disembark within 3 inches of the transport. Includes jeeps, APC’s and other forms of ground attack vehicles

Includes all forms of flying organic or mechanical transport and air support such as VTOLs, dropships, bombers, drone aircraft and spacecraft. It takes one action to embark or disembark within 3 inches of the transport. If destroyed whilst in the flying condition, all troops are Waxed unless they are equipped with jump packs.

Tanks

Any large, armoured wheeled, tracked, air-hover or grav based ground vehicle designed to deliver heavy damage and withstand enemy attacks.

Monster

Large B-Movie or Alien-style monsters, capable of city destruction and massive damage to civilian and military snacks.

You are also able to design your own Gruntz units and vehicles using the unit builder rules. Gruntz 15mm is not tied to a particular genre or background, so you can either focus closely on collecting a particular miniature line like the excellent Titan Marines from Rebel Miniatures or the exciting range of alien races from Khurasan. You could equally field a more traditional future army using a mix of Critical Mass Games, GZG or Old Crow models and use your own background story and factions.

With the growth of 15mm SCI-FI models there is a pick and mix of quality ranges that can be merged to create a unique force or collected in their own right. The points, profiling and statistics in Gruntz 15mm will enable you to mix manufacturer ranges for a fun balanced game with the models you want to use. New releases from any manufacturer can be quickly profiled for game use.

7


Squad

Squad Coherency

Table Setup Starting with the player who lost the Initiative roll, all units must be placed on the table up to 9 inches into the game play area on a single table edge. Units with the “Early Bird Special” perk can be placed up to 12 inches into the table area after all opponents have completed their normal unit deployment. In a normal game you must always deploy at least 24 inches away from the nearest enemy unit. The deployment of units with the “Early Bird Special” perk is completed in the same order as the normal unit deployment .

damage is inflicted. The damage track is a simulation of how a tank or vehicle becomes less effective as more fire power hits them. Vehicles can also suffer critical damage at certain thresholds on the damage track which further reduces their effectiveness in the field. Squad Coherency

All squad members must stay within 3 inches of their squad leader. If they end up outside of this range they must return to within 3 inches by move or run on their next activation and can not take any other action except to move during their activation. Individual Gruntz can deliberately break integrity on their turn, however on the start of their next activation they have to return to formation sacrificing all actions apar t form move. Dead Gruntz Squad Leader

After placing units, the player who won initiative can select to play first or second.

When the Sergeant or leader of a squad is killed, another figure

Play continues with each player finishing the complete activation of all their units before passing the turn back to the opponent. A player can pass over the activation for individual units if they do not wish to move or shoot with them. For different activation sequences check the optional rules section.

Force Setup

Each player’s force consists of a mix of a Commander, Gruntz squads, Specialists and Vehicles. The unit types define the function of the unit and have specific rules determining how they move and perform combat actions. A sample force for an average game might include 1 Commander, 6 units of Gruntz, 3 Specialists, 2 Mecha units, 2 Cavalry units, 4 Tanks, 2 Ground Support APC and a mobile Artillery unit per side. Larger games can be played with average game time increasing from 1-2 hours for a small game to several hours for a larger engagement.

Arc troopers on the bridge. Whilst they use the low railings as cover they gain +1 to their guard against incoming fire. Models by Critical Mass Games .

The vehicles in Gruntz have a damage track which is reduced as

V A C

2

M

C A V V A C

Fire!

G

G

1

4 Inch Move

T

G

G

G

8

G

G

G

A P C

Squad Leader Grunt

The white Gruntz squad is activated and declares they are moving just one single grunt from the squad to the edge of the road to fire on the motorbike cavalry unit. This single grunt is moving out of the 3 inch coherency of the squad leader in the centre of the green circle. He can still fire using his second action but on the next turn he will only be able to take a move action to return to unit coherency. This Gruntz unit’s activation is then over because they declared only one grunt in the unit was taking action. There is sometimes an advantage in breaking coherency where you don’t want to expose the full squad to incoming fire or you need to spot for an attached indirect fire weapon like a mortar or guided RPG.

Profile


Overview of Profile Cards

in the section is automatically promoted to Sergeant and becomes the new leader for the purposes of formation. Replace one of your remaining Gruntz with your sergeant. In certain cases the equipment used by Squad Attachments can be picked up by other Gruntz in the section, details can be found on the profile card for the Squad Attachment. Dead Squad Attachment

If a Squad Attachment is killed, another Gruntz model is replaced with the attachment model to represent the other Gruntz in the unit scrambling to pick up and use the specialist technology carried by the Squad Attachment. Note that if the Squad Attachment is outside of the 3 inch squad coherency when they are Waxed then the weapon is lost and can not be picked up by another squad member. You can have up to 2 Squad Attachments (SA) attached to a unit of Gruntz which extends the squad size to 8 models. Profile Cards

The profile cards in Gruntz 15mm are designed to be used beside

the table as you play. Ideally placed in a plastic sleeve for protection, you can re-use the printed cards for multiple games, marking damage on the vehicle card grids with wipe clean marker pens which can be cleaned off between games. The most important details on the card are the statistic block and the weapon range and damage details. The first number on the weapon details line, next to an arrow, is the Range, which is the range in inches of the weapon. Weapons can be fired up to twice this distance for a long range attack. Most assault or Ram attacks do not have a ranged number because they are a close hand to hand only mode of attack. The number after the range is the damage of the weapon. After a successful hit on a target, roll 2D6 and add the total to the weapon damage number and then match against the target’s Soak statistic . Commander, Vehicle, Mecha, Specialist, Monster and Cavalry units also have profile cards specific to the unit type. The Vehicle cards include a damage grid which is based on the number of damage

Model Name Points

Background

Stat Block

Assault Damage

Assault and Ranged Weapons

Armour Piercing and Area Effect Weapon Range and Weapon Damage

Perks and Damage Grid on Vehicles

Weapon Damage All weapon damage and special abilities are detailed on the profile cards for your Gruntz and Vehicles. If a weapon has Armour Piercing it does more damage to other vehicles by the factor shown next to the AP statistic. Cavalry, Gruntz and Specialists are not affected by the armour piercing ability of the weapon. Armour Piercing weapons are built with anti-armour in mind and are therefore less effective against soft targets.

9


MOVES

Actions each Activation

Actions During a single turn, a unit can take two actions. Actions available include move, which can be taken twice which counts as a run. A unit can also shoot, assault or take a special action like open a door, activate a shield, climb into a vehicle or control a drone weapon. Most units can only fire once, unless they have Perkz or a special weapon which allows them to break the single shooting action rule. Some Perkz also require a single action to use. Movement is completed before shooting, so most units will either remain stationary and shoot, or move 4 inches and then shoot. Certain Perkz will break this rule allowing specialist Gruntz to shoot and then move. You must finish the move and then shoot actions of all the models in a unit before activating your next unit. points they can take before they are destroyed. Movement

All foot troops have two types of movement. They can make a ‘Normal’ move of up to 4” at the cost of one action or they can make a ‘Running’ move of up to 8” at the cost of two actions. Assaults are a function of movement that adds up to 2” to a ‘Normal’ move because ‘Running’ can not be combined with an assault intended to take the unit into close combat with an enemy unit. If a unit makes a ‘Running’ action and uses both actions, it can no longer make a shoot attack at the end of the move. However if part of the move was due to a Commander push move, the Gruntz squad could make a shoot action after the double move. Gruntz models have a 360 degree firing arc and do not need to change facing. However, for aesthetic reasons, you may wish to turn individual Gruntz squad models to face the enemy when they shoot.

No individual or multi-figure base is allowed to overlap or rest upon another figure’s base but they may touch. Models must be in base to base contact for an Assault attack to take place. Gruntz can move through friendly Gruntz units but they must have enough move to get completely past the friendly unit. You can not move while prone. It costs one action to change from standing to prone, or prone to standing. If a unit is suppressed whilst in the prone condition, it will only be able to stand or shoot from prone because suppression reduces a units actions from two to one for that activation. Change Face

Individual Gruntz squad models do not have a rear arc so moving them to change face is simply a visual way of determining which way the models are facing, it does not cost an action. You will still benefit from the +1 to shoot if you change a Gruntz squads facing, however they must only be turned on the spot and not moved away from their current position or this will count as a move. If a vehicle turns on the spot to change facing it is always considered to be a move action. A vehicle’s facing is important because they take more damage from rear attacks and often have weapons with a specific fire arc. Check the vehicle rules section for details on weapon arcs of fire.

t n e m e v o M z t n u r G

C P A 7 Inch Move

G 1

4 Inch Move

2

4 Inch Move

10

G

Squad Leader

G

Grunt

Up to 4 inches (Can shoot)

Run (double move)

Up to 8 inches (Can not shoot)

Assault

+ 2 inches to normal move and assault (Can not shoot)

Go Prone / Stand

Model can go prone or stand from prone condition The Gruntz squad in the open is activated and completes two move actions. Each move is 4 inches for all Gruntz, so taking two actions to move allows them to cover some distance but they can not fire because both actions have been used. The APC pictured is then activated and uses one action to move up to its profile move in inches and its second action is to shoot at a distant enemy. It can fire because it only moved once on its activation.

G

G

Normal

Fire!

G

G

Description

2

1

G

Term

If an enemy target is in LOS and within long range it is often worth firing a vehicles weapon because a double 6 on the shoot roll is always a hit. You can make use of a vehicle for cover and if your squad is not within a troop carrier, it can still gain cover from it by activating after the vehicle and following it to screen their movement.

MOVES


Terrain and Environment

Vehicle Movement

Movement for vehicles is either normal speed, or flank speed which is up to twice the move in inches printed on the profile card. Unlike Gruntz squads, the Vehicles have different movement speeds depending on the technology (e.g. Tracked. See the Vehicle section for full details.)

Movement for all Gruntz was set to 4 inches for simplification and ease of play. There are some Perkz which increase this range for fast moving alien types or jet packs but all standard Gruntz are limited to a maximum move of 4 inches.

Terrain

In rough terrain some unit types use 2 inches of movement for every 1 inch of terrain covered. Units with the Perk “Ultimate Agility” ignore penalties for rough terrain. Woodland areas and rubble are considered as rough. Special conditions are applied depending on unit mobility type which are referenced in the Terrain Types table. If a Gruntz squad is intending to pass through any form of rough terrain during a move they can complete a single or double move. Single Gruntz within the squad can move faster if they are able to skirt the terrain, however they risk breaking squad coherency if they do. Inside Woodland

When a model is inside woodland its LOS is reduced to 5 inches and the model benefits from +1 Guard for Light Cover. If a models are within 1 inch of the edge of the woodland. they gain the benefit of the +1 Guard for Light Cover but the 5 inch LOS limitation is not applied. Opening Doors

Large bulkhead doors and small corridor doors all require a Gruntz model to use one action to activate the mechanism or use the door handle to open or close it. If the Gruntz model has already moved as part of its unit’s activation it will be using its second action to activate the door and cannot make a shoot action. Locked doors need to be breached or hacked and require a roll equal to or under the Gruntz Skill statistic to hack the door.

G

2

They can still use their second action for a further 4 inches which increases the speed of movement across the table. Moving Into a Building

A door or blasted opened entrance (aka mouse-hole) must be available and opened to allow Gruntz into a building. If the squad are already outside the building and have enough movement, they can move into the building and shoot on the same activation. Climbing

A Gruntz squad may climb onto a building and it is assumed they are carrying appropriate equipment to enable them to climb most structures up to 4 inches in height with a single move. The squad must be within 3 inches of the base of the structure to make the climb move which uses both of their actions. For open platforms with ramps and clear ladders, it is only necessary to make a normal or double move depending on the distance required to walk onto the structure. Other Actions

If you are playing a scenario game you can create further objectives and actions specific to the game setting. For example you might decide that a team of Gruntz has to access a computer console to release a disabling virus within a base defence network. Depending on your scenario this might take one or two actions to complete or even require player to roll under the unit’s skill statistic.

G

Fire! G

G G G

1

4 Inch Move

G

G

Grunt Leader

G

Grunt

SA

Squad Attachment

G S A

G

G G

G

It is the red player’s turn and they activate the squad which intends to close with the white player’s Gruntz unit. It has to pass over some rough terrain, so they use up movement rapidly whilst covering the rough ground. Each inch of terrain covered whilst bases are crossing the rough ground counts as 2 inches of movement. After moving they shoot at the white squad. The hard cover provided by the concrete barrier adds a +2 modifier to the targets Guard statistic. Holding a position in cover can extend the life of a Gruntz squad and combining them with a Squad Attachment with indirect fire and a battlefield medic will make them even more effective at holding a key position. A tightly packed Gruntz squad would still be susceptible to incoming artillery fire where and area effect template is used.

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Terrain

Movement in Terrain Roads and Pavement

Terrain types You can play Gruntz in varied terrain types, either in a built up city area or out in the dust wastes of Mars. The terrain types here detail how the various units perform in each environment. When setting up your terrain table make sure you agree areas and boundaries between rough, impassable and open terrain before you begin. Clear

Clear terrain includes open fields, grass, clear country or basic gravel roads. Clear terrain has no effect on the standard movement of all vehicles. Low rolling hills and slight inclines are also considered to be open for the purpose of movement.

Clear open roads and pavement are treated as Clear terrain in Gruntz for all vehicles except wheeled, which are able to gain +1 inches in base movement if their entire move is made on uninterrupted concrete or road. Hills

There are no penalties for movement up or downhill and if the incline looks too steep to traverse it should be classified as impassable. Impassable

Cliffs, high bluffs, crevasses, volcanic outcrops, buildings and any large man made or natural feature can be counted as impassable. Only Grav, VTOL or other flying vehicles are able to clear impassable terrain. Grav vehicles can traverse buildings and impassable terrain of up to 8 inches in height whilst making a normal or double move forward. They must have enough movement to completely clear the obstacle, unless they are stopping on top of the building or terrain feature.

Rough

Woodland

Rough terrain includes any difficult terrain like a rubble and boulder covered section of desert, thick bushy undergrowth. The difficult nature of this uneven ground makes it hard to traverse. Other examples of rough terrain are shallow pounds, swamps, bogs and alien worlds with heavy ground flora. Rough terrain may have been formed when a city area or building has been destroyed leaving behind rubble or other twisted masonry. Deep Water

Deep water is any area of water which is deeper than the height of an average grunt. Vehicles and Mecha crossing deep water either need to be able to float or be 100% atmospherically sealed. Deep water will significantly slow vehicles forced to move under the surface although they do benefit from a modifier to their Guard score to represent the cover afforded by water. Hover and Grav vehicles can easily move between water and clear terrain. 1

G

Light woods with undergrowth are Rough terrain, although Gruntz can make use of larger trees as cover. Heavy woods are also Rough terrain and are only accessible by skimmer bikes and Gruntz. However Grav vehicles can ‘pop up’ over heavy woods to traverse them. Changing Terrain

If a model moves from one terrain type to another during movement, adjust the total distance covered by the factor detailed in the terrain types table. In normal open terrain a vehicle can move 1 inch for every 1 inch of movement it has. When it crosses into rough terrain it will start to pay 2 inches of movement for every 1 inch it travels in the rough terrain.

Crossing the shallow water is Rough terrain and the Gruntz make an 8 inch double move on their activation. They have to use 2 inches of move for every 1 inch they move through the water and they can not fire because they used both actions to double move.

8 inch Move

G G

G

a

G

a

G

T

3

4 inch Move and Fire!

2

Stationary Fire!

G G G 4

12

Stationary Fire!

T

G

G

G

The white tank is stationary getting a +1 to its shoot and it hits the red tank and manages to score a lucky critical which damages the red tanks engine. The red Gruntz squad moves 4 inches and shoots, waxing two white squad members. The white Gruntz do not have a medic close by so the two Waxed models will be removed at the start of their next activation. Rough terrain slows down the battlefield movement of a Gruntz squad and where possible it would be strategically beneficial to first use a vehicle as a transport before you disembark and deploy to squads.

MOVES


Terrain Types Table

Type

Rough / Rubble / Shallow Water

Deep Water

Roads and Pavement

Heavy Woods

Impassable

Gruntz on Foot

2 inches of move statistic used to make 1 inch of movement

Can swim by using a double move to move 4 inches of water

No Effect

2 inches of move statistic used to move1 inch

Can Climb with a double move to cover 4 inches in height

Walking Vehicle or Mecha

No Effect

If flotation system or airtight: 3 inches of move statistic used to move 1 inch

No Effect

Cannot pass

Cannot pass unless fitted with Jump Jets

Wheeled

2 inches of move statistic used to cover 1 inch of movement

If flotation system or airtight: 3 inches of move statistic used to move 1 inch

+1 inch To base Move

Cannot pass

Cannot pass

Tracked


If airtight: 3 inches of move statistic used to move 1 inch

No Effect

Cannot pass

Cannot pass

Hover


No Effect

No Effect

Cannot pass

Cannot pass

Grav

No Effect

No Effect

No Effect

Can ‘pop up’ over terrain up to 8 inches in height

Can ‘pop up’ over terrain up to 8 inches in height

No Effect. Skimmer Bikes can ‘pop up’ over terrain up to 8 inches in height

Flying / Skimmer Bike

No Effect

No Effect

No Effect

Flyer can not land in heavy woods accept in clearings. Skimmer bikes can fly through heavy woods creating exciting chase scenes.

VTOL /Jet Prop

No Effect

No Effect

No Effect

Can not land in heavy woods accept in clearings.

No Effect.

Helicopter

No Effect

No Effect

No Effect

Can not land in heavy woods accept in clearings.

No Effect.

Speed in Terrain

In all terrain types Vehicles and Gruntz can take a double move action which sacrifices their shoot ac tion. When taking a double move in rough or other terrain types the unit is putting all effort into moving as rapidly as possible through the terrain and still suffers the penalties listed in the terrain types table. Walkers

Walker-type tanks and walking Mecha are able to easily move into rough terrain making use of advanced stabilisers or advanced gyroscopic spider-AI to move easily through rouble and rough. Hover

Hover vehicles are either based on a skirt based air lift system or a biological skirt on an alien tank acting as an advanced slug foot. They move easily from the surface of the water to land and are fast attack vehicles, that are perfect for coastal attacks. Wheeled

Wheeled vehicles make a good compromise in cost and mobility

with rapid speed in urban areas and economical engine systems. Bikes

Skimmer bikes and motorbikes are not impacted by heavy woods and rough terrain, making them ideal to strike at objectives which can only be reached through woodland. Grav

Grav technology allows a vehicle access to all areas except for the most difficult thick forest. By using repulsion, magnetic field or clever manipulation of esoteric matter force fields it is essentially a method of floating a vehicle above the ground providing high speed access to the battlefield. Tracked

Traditional tracked vehicles are still a frequent sight on the battlefields of the future and offer a lower-cost alternative to more advanced technology. Efficient high-output power plants, combined with the advanced materials used on the tracks have increased the reliability and usefulness of a tracked vehicle on the battlefield.

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Commander

Battlefield Leaders

review.

Commanders The Commander provides important moral, guidance and direction to your battlefield forces. They can either help drive the attack or provide instruction from the safety of an armoured vehicle.

Death of a Commander

When the commander loses all wounds he is Waxed and all Gruntz squads within 20 inches must make a Mental check or enter Condition Brown, regardless of their position on the battlefield. This Mental check is resolved immediately, one Gruntz squad at a time. If they fail the Condition Brown check they are also automatically put into Suppressed condition. All unit future Condition Brown checks are made with -2 penalty to the roll. Transport

Commanders

Commanders are the single powerful leader on the battlefield, leading and inspiring their troops into battle. Commanders have more wounds than normal Gruntz and several special rules that enable them to have a far greater influence on the outcome of the battle than any other unit.

Whilst in an Ground or Air Support transport the Commander can still use his special actions but can not shoot his own weapons.

Shooting and Assault

Commanders may use a single shoot action to shoot up to two separate weapons listed on their profile or fire the primary weapon twice. They follow the normal Gruntz rules for Assault. Push Move Action

Commanders may sacrifice a single action per activation and assign it to a Gruntz unit within his Mental statistic range in inches. This will allow the target unit to make an extra Move action. This does not allow the target Gruntz unit to move three times but will allow them to move twice and shoot. The Commander must assign this spare action at the end of his activation to an nonactivated Gruntz unit if he does not take both of his actions.

Japanese Powered Armour secure a garage. Models by Old Crow and Ground Zero Games.

Take the Pain! Action

A Commander can sacrifice an action to remove suppression from a Gruntz squad within his Mental statistics range in inches as long as one grunt is within range. You should activate the Commander before the target Gruntz unit so they can gain benefit of having suppression removed before activation. Commander Perkz

Commanders can purchase a Perk within their unit builder like the Gruntz squads. Details of the effect of the Perk are listed in the Perkz table. Select a perk which is suitable for use by a Commander or develop you own abilities and suggest them to the Yahoo group for

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Commanders have more wounds providing an abstract method to enable them to stay alive longer on the battlefield. It is a method of reflecting their resilience and experience at staying alive in tough conditions. If you don’t want a heroic “cinematic” play style just make the commander a single wound model rather than using the multiple wound version. Both forces must apply the single wound option for a fair game.

Commander Action

Description

Shoot

Commanders can shoot both ranged weapons listed on their turn or shoot their primary weapon twice, unless the card states otherwise. They can shoot twice by using a single shoot action and can still take a single move before they fire.

Push Move

If the Commander takes only one action (move or shoots) they can assign the spare action to a Gruntz unit within the Commander’s Mental statistic range in inches, allowing the unit to make an extra move. This does not allow the unit to move three times but will allow them to move twice and shoot. The Commander must use Push Move at the end of his activation and only if he does not take both of his actions.

Take the Pain!

If the Commander takes only one move or shoot, they can sacrifice the spare action and remove a suppression condition from a Gruntz unit within Mental range in inches. The Commander must use Take the Pain! at the end of his activation and only if he does not take both of his actions. This can not be combined with the Push Move action.

Assault

The Commander follows the normal Assault rules for Gruntz units.

CONDITIONS


Condition Modifier Table

During the game of Gruntz, models will find themselves in various situations which will have a effect on how hard it is to target the unit and how effective it is at making attacks. The following table details the various conditions and modifiers that will affect play. Tokens are available to represent Waxed and the other most common conditions. Placing the counters next to the models makes it easy to identify the conditions applied to them. You can find out more about where to purchase the tokens from the www.gruntz.biz web site.

2

1

Waxed

Suppressed

3

Condition Brown

4

5 Over Watch

Prone

Gruntz tokens allow easy identification of conditions on the battlefield.

Condition

Description

Effect

Condition Brown

Model or Unit is on the run after failing a Mental check. Gruntz squads automatically recover from Condition Brown after one activation in the condition.

Can not shoot and must run (double move) toward the starting table edge and make use of cover where possible.

Double Move (Flank)

When a Vehicle completes a Double Move it is moving at Flank speed and is harder to target.

+2 to Guard of a vehicle that makes a Flank speed double move and moves further than its base move statistic in inches.

Flying

When a VTOL or other transport or aircraft are off the ground and moving.

If a transport unit is destroyed whilst flying all units in the transport are Waxed unless equipped with jump packs.

Heavy Cover

Inside a building (leaning out of a window), a bunker position and other terrain items that obscure either LOS or protect the model hiding behind it. As long as the base edge is touching the terrain item the figure is using the cover, except where the cover is not between them and the enemy model.

+2 to Guard

In the Open

When a model is not in cover and is a clear target.

No modifiers.

Light Cover

This is represented as a hedge, bush, wooden fence, rubble or low wall. If a prone model is In Cover they make use of cracks in the wall or hedge, so that whils prone they can still shoot through the cover. As long as the base edge is touching the terrain item the figure is using the cover, except where the cover is not between them and the enemy model.

+1 to Guard

Prone

Grunt is on the ground in the prone position ready to aim. You must spend an action to go Prone or to stand from Prone. While prone you are more vulnerable to assault attacks.

+2 on SHOOT roll and +1 to Guard against ranged attacks only. Line of Sight (LOS) is not blocked by a prone model. +2 to the Assault roll of a unit assaulting a unit that is in Prone condition. Prone does not stack with the +1 shoot bonus granted from not moving during an activation.

Stationary

When a Vehicle or Gruntz squad has not moved.

+1 to all ranged attack rolls (skill based or shoot). Does not stack with prone condition. Applies only to the first ranged attack made by Vehicles with muliple weapons.

Suppressed

Gruntz Squad has suffered at least one Waxed casualty whilst taking ranged attack damage. Only Gruntz squads, Specialists, Commanders and Squad Attachments can be Suppressed.

Unit is marked with a suppression counter and loses one action on its next activation. Commander models can remove one suppression per turn by sacrificing one action. Commander must activate before the suppressed unit to use this ability.

Waxed (Wounded)

Waxed figures are basically out of the game and are removed at the start of their next activation. Certain actions can prevent a Waxed model being removed during activation.

Waxed models can not take an action and do not block LOS. They do not threaten troops near to them and can not be targeted by attacks.

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Shoot Combat Combat in Gruntz is fast and effective. Normal Gruntz units only have one wound per model, so when hit by ranged weapons or assault attacks they can suffer significant casualties.

There are two components of any attack. Firstly the Guard stat of the target must be equalled or beaten with a 2D6 roll plus your Shoot or Assault skill depending on the situation. If you hit the target, you then roll a 2D6 damage dice and add the damage stat of the shooting weapon or assault . If you beat the target’s Soak statistic with your total damage (2D6 + Weapon Damage) you score a wound. Every point above the Soak statistic causes an additional wound but only to Commanders and Vehicles which have multiple wound statistics. Gruntz with their single wound are Waxed after taking one wound. Shooting

Ranged Combat Long Range

All models can fire at targets up to twice the range stat of their weapon listed on the profile card. Any shot made at over the range stat listed on the profile card a suffer a -4 penalty. Shooting into Close Combat

Shooting into close combat is deadly. Roll a D6, on a 1-3 the shot will hit the friendly model, on 4-6 it will hit the enemy. If you hit a friendly model and there are multiple assaulting targets in the melee, the defender gets to select which friendly model you hit. Most sensible races do not shot into close combat but there are alien races who have a complete disregard for friendly combatants. Shooting Damage

After hitting the unit, the attacker makes another 2D6 roll adding the weapon’s damage to the attack. The roll must equal or exceed the Soak statistic to wound the grunt. Gruntz units with single wounds will be considered Waxed on any successful damage roll. Models with multiple wounds will suffer a number of wounds equal to 1 plus the difference between the damage roll and their Soak stat. Shooting Area Effect (AE)

The Condition of the shooting unit or target can affect the success of an attack when Stationary or Prone. Consult the Condition Modifier Table for details of modifications to be applied. An roll of double 1 is always a miss and a roll of double 6 is always a hit.

Any profile card listed with an AE value next to the damage for a weapon uses a circle template for damage extending beyond the model targeted.

Critical Shoot

Any double 6 shoot attack roll is a critical and allows the lowest of the 2 damage dice to be re-rolled. You must keep the re-rolled damage dice number on the second roll. Targets and Range

Declare which models you are shooting with and at which targets. Each grunt in the squad can target a different unit, although massed fire is preferred to suppress the enemy. You can pre-measure range before declaring a shooting attack. If the unit does not have the range to hit the target the shoot attack has failed unless the target is within Long Range. When shooting with Gruntz it is recommended that unique pairs of coloured D6 are used to enable you to roll the full unit’s dice in one go.

Shoot Conditions

Shooting at a

s r Vehicle moving at Flank Speed e fi i d o M Shooting whilst Stationary t o o h S Gruntz Shooting at Vehicle

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Select a template with a diameter in inches that matches the AE stat and place over the target model (e.g. AE2 would hit any models under a 2 inch diameter circle. ). Any other models covered or partially covered by the template are hit by the attack and take a separate damage roll at -5 for splash damage Area Effect attacks can deviate. If you miss with an AE attack use a deviation dice to determine the which direction the target is going and then roll a D6 to determine the deviated distance in inches. All models now under the new location of the area effect template are subject to a damage roll at -5 for splash damage. Armour Piercing

Certain heavy Squad Attachment and droid weapons are Armour piercing (AP) because they are designed with anti-material roles in mind.

Effect on Rolls

+2 to the Guard statistic of the target Vehicle. (When a Vehicle is making a double move) + 1 to your Shoot Roll. Only applied to squad members that did not move.Going prone or standing from prone is a move. Only applied to first Shoot attack by Vehicles with multiple weapons. -2 to the Damage Roll. Does not apply to heavy weapons carried by Squad Attachments.

Indirect Collateral Damage

If caught in the blast radius of an Area effect weapon, all models are automatically hit for a damage roll at -5 to the normal weapon damage.

Long Range

All weapons can fire up to twice the range listed on the Profile Cards. When firing over normal range all attacks are made at -4 to the shoot roll.

SHOOT

Concentrate Fire

If your profile card has the AP statistic next to the weapon details it will reduce the Soak statistic of a vehicle by the value. Armour Piercing does not provide a bonus when attacking normal Gruntz, Specialists, Cavalry or Commanders. Line of Sight (LOS)

Line of Sight is blocked by other Gruntzs and terrain. If you can see any area of a target model you can draw LOS to it, however models within Light Cover will have a +1 Guard statistic and Heavy Cover is +2 Guard. Vehicles are able to draw LOS over Gruntz, solos and Commanders but not through other Vehicles or buildings which block LOS .


Modern and SCI-FI automatic weapons could spray carnage across several targets. In Gruntz we wanted to encourage dynamic movement to engage targets rather than a turkey shoot or instant drone death. Concentrate Fire

All Gruntz squads with ranged weapons can concentrate fire. This is an order from the squad leader causing the full squad or groups of Gruntz within the squad to aim as one at specific targets, increasing the chance to hit and cause damage. Concentrate Fire can only target units within the standard range listed for the weapon, it can not be used at Long Range.

Gruntz shooting at Tanks

When shooting at a tank a Gruntz normal weapon suffers -2 to the Soak damage roll due to their weaponry being less effective against material targets. Squad Attachment weapons with Armour Piercing do not suffer this modifier.

The minimum models needed to complete a Concentrate Fire action is two. First confirm that the target is in normal range of the squads weapon and factor in then roll 2D6 + Shoot and add +1 to the ranged attack roll for each additional squad member concentrating fire.

Indirect Fire

Weapons with the Indirect Fire ability including mostly missile or mortar based equipment can target models not in line of sight. They must have a friendly squad member able to spot on their behalf who does have the enemy model in LOS. Spotting is a free action.

A squad of 6 all firing at the same target would get +5 to the shoot roll but if just two squad members were concentrating fire together it would be +1. If the target is hit you also apply an additional +1 damage per additional grunt firing. They still suffer a -2 damage for using small arms against a vehicle.

Interdiction Fire Ability

Gruntz units, specialists or tanks with the Interdiction Fire ability can lay down a 2inch Area Effect. This template remains in place until the end of the opponent’s turn and any models entering or ending activation in the template will suffer a damage roll equal to the weapon damage listed on the profile card.

Concentrate fire is not a vehicle killer but it gives a squad some chance of knocking some damage into a vehicle which could trigger a vital critical or ensuring they do more damage to an aggravating enemy specialist unit.

Interdiction Fire is effective if a model ends its movement in the area effect not if it simply moves out of the area on activation.

Grenades

When throwing grenades you can group the squad together to determine the area effect and roll one shoot attack. 1-3 Gruntz (2 inch area template), 4-6 Gruntz (4 inch area template). Any models under the template take the damage roll of the grenade. There is no long range for Grenades with a max range of 6”. Any misses will deviate D3” using a deviation dice.

All Squad Attachment weapons that have an Area Effect (not including missile or grenade launchers) can be used for interdiction fire and it can only be used within the range listed on the card for the weapon and can not be used at Long Range.

The White Gruntz squad in the open is activated and declares they are all firing on the Red Gruntz not the tank. They could have split some Gruntz fire at the tank. Each member of the White squad makes a 2D6 roll and adds their Shoot statistic to the result with a +1 to each roll for not moving.

T

G

G

G

G G

G G G G

G

Squad Leader

G

Grunt

G G

G

Line of sight is calculated from each Grunt model before they shoot at individuals in the red squad. Even their own squad can block LOS unless the friendly models blocking LOS are prone, in which case they can fire over them. You can target an enemy squad leader or Squad Attachment, however in most instances another squad member is going to pick up the dropped Squad Attachment weapon and a new squad leader is selected after the current one is Waxed.

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Shoot

Ranged Combat Detail

Combat To hit a target, a unit makes a 2D6 roll adding their Shoot statistic, taking an individual shot for each model in a unit. If the modified 2D6 result is equal or higher than the Guard of the target they are hit and damage rolls are now made. Sample Shoot against Target Gruntz.

The first player selects his Gruntz squad to activate. When starting their actions he must consider that he will have to finish activating all models in the unit before moving onto his next unit. Spotting a Gruntz unit ahead of them he decides to close the gap by moving and then firing. He moves the unit up to 4 inches which is the normal maximum single move. After moving all of the Squad he can start shooting. A 2D6 roll needs to be made for every grunt in the squad that decides to fire on the opposing force. If you want to roll for all the Gruntz at once, it is recommend that six pairs of coloured dice are used to enable a single roll for all members of the Gruntz Squad. If the unit has a Squad Attachment they will need to make a separate shooting roll because their weapon system will have different range and damage rules than the normal Gruntz squad. Shoot Sequence

Declare what the Gruntz models are shooting at. If the target is a Gruntz squad in mixed cover and open, you will need to declare what model they are shooting at in the target unit. If all of the target unit are in the same range and the same cover type you can roll all the dice simultaneously. Calculate any modifiers by confirming if the models have moved

and if the target has any current benefits from being in the cover condition. Check the shoot modifiers table and also remember to apply any benefits that the Gruntz Perkz might apply like “Painted Target” which adds +2 to the attack roll. Measure the range to confirm if it is standard or Long Range. Long Range shoot attacks are made at -4 to the shoot roll (up to twice the base range listed for the ranged weapon type). Roll 2D6 and resolve each Gruntz shot. Add your shoot skill to the rolls and apply any modifiers, if the result is equal to or higher than the target’s “Guard” statistic you have scored a hit. A roll of double 1 is always a miss and a double 6 is always a hit. Resolve Damage

Resolve damage for successful hits. Check your profile card for the damage of the weapon and add this modifier to a 2D6 roll. You must equal the target’s Soak statistic to score one damage point on the model. If you are firing at another grunt model you will wax them if you manage to score 1 damage point. If you are attacking a Vehicle every point over the Soak value is an additional damage point recorded on the Vehicle’s damage track. If you have Waxed the target model place a Gruntz Waxed token beside the model. After a grunt is Waxed, the unit is in the Suppressed condition, place a suppression token beside the unit. Note that models can be brought back from the Waxed condition by medics at the start of their activation. If you have not rolled for all shooting Gruntz simultaneously, repeat the Shoot attack for each remaining Gruntz in your unit. After resolving all of the attacks the defender should check to see if they have lost half or more of the current models in the Gruntz unit which was under attack. If they have, they must make a Mental check to confirm if the models enter the Condition Brown condition.

The Arc walkers complete a city patrol. Models by Critical Mass Games with buildings by Kato and road sections from S6Engineering.

18

ASSAULT

Close Combat

A Gruntz squad is considered one damage source so the target Gruntz unit only needs to make a single Mental check, even if more figures are Waxed by the same attacking unit. When another unit activates and fires on the same target, they will need to make another Mental check if another half of their squad is Waxed. Condition Brown

A Mental check is not required if a Gruntz squad is already in Condition Brown. A squad can only have one Suppression counter condition. Assault Sequence

Assaulting is a charge into close combat with another enemy unit. The whole squad has to charge at a single enemy target which could be a solo, Gruntz squad or Vehicle. When assaulting with a Gruntz squad the full squad has to attempt the assault and the assault action replaces the normal move of the unit. Assault combines the move with a hand to hand attack. On the activation that you complete the assault, no models in the active unit can shoot or make other moves unless the Commander uses a Push Move order on the Gruntz squad before they make an assault. Individual Gruntz models must be able to get into base to base contact with enemy models to be able to make an assault attack. If a figure fails to engage with an Assault it stops at the furthest point it can reach on the Assault move and its ac tion is over. When assaulting, a unit adds +2 inches to its normal move action, which for most Gruntz squads is 4 inches creating a modified total of a 6 inch assault. The model makes a close assault attack of a roll of 2D6 + Assault skill and to hit the target they need to roll equal or exceed the target’s Guard statistic. A roll of double 1 is always a miss and a double 6 is always a hit. Critical Assault


Each model in a unit of Gruntz will act independently. So if half the squad enters prone condition the remains of the squad could take a shot at a ranged target and gain the benefit of not having moved that turn. The figures which had gone into prone condition will still be able to shoot but because they made the effort to reposition themselves their aim will not benefit from the +1 to Shoot roll. dice if you decide to re-roll. For the first assault move into combat a critical result (double 6) will give the option to re-roll both damage dice. Suppression

If a grunt is Waxed after being assaulted it will not cause the full unit to enter Suppressed condition. Assault can not cause suppression condition in the target unit, however if the target unit was Suppressed by incoming fire before the assault started it will stay in the Suppressed condition until after its next activation. The target unit can retaliate with an assault attack on their next activation. Assault Damage

Assault damage is a combination of the damage of the weapon or biological appendage and a 2D6 damage roll which must equal the target’s Soak statistic to cause one wound to the target. On the first round of assault only, if the charging Gruntz score a hit they are allowed to re-roll the lowest of the 2D6 dice on the damage roll. If you choose to re-roll the lowest dice, the second result must be kept as the final damage result. Subsequent rounds of close assault roll a standard 2D6 for the damage roll and can not re-roll the dice unless they score a critical on a double 6 or have a Perk or special condition which overrides this rule.

Any double 6 assault attack roll is a critical and allows the lowest of the 2 damage dice to be re-rolled. You must keep the re-rolled damage

V A C

C A V

T V C A

1

G

4 inch G

S A

Move G

G 2

G

6 inch Assault

G G

G G

G G

G

1

C

The White commander activates, taking 1 action to move 4 inches he is able to assign a “push move” action to one Gruntz unit within his Mental range in inches. This gives the White Gruntz an extra 4 inch move action when they activate. They move the four inches and then activate an assault attack which uses their remaining 2 normal actions. They are able to reach the Red Gruntz with the assault move of 4 inches (standard move) +2 for assault. The assault attack is made by each base to base model using a 2D6 roll and adding their assault statistic. When making a charging assault attack combined with a move you can re-roll the lowest of the two damage dice if they have hit the target.

2

4 Inch

Push Move

Move

Action

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Damage

Damage and Suppression Assaulting a Vehicle

Vehicles Tank, ATV, Jeeps, APC and VTOL are some of the vehicle types that can be used in Gruntz. They have slightly different rules to Gruntz units to reflect their longevity on the battlefield and the increased fire power they can deliver over distance. A vehicle will always have a crew unless it is a remote automated drone. The crew provide the skill to fire on board weapon systems and rather than using their shoot statistic, crew use the skill statistic. The normal Shoot statistic is used when using hand held weapons, however the Skill statistic is used for all vehicle based firing.

Only Gruntz carrying heavier personal weapons which can penetrate armour should assault a vehicle. Energy weapons have an armour piercing of 1 and do not suffer the -2 damage penalty usually incurred by Gruntz attacking a Vehicle target. Roll attacks individually for each Grunt assaulting the vehicle and calculate damage for each attack which does damage over the soak of the defending vehicle. A vehicle can leave assault, driving away from the Gruntz which automatically move out of the way. As the vehicle leaves and Gruntz which were in base to base contact can make a free assault attack. Damage

The affect of damage caused by shooting, assault, ram and other attacks is resolved directly after the target has been hit by a single source. Mark any individual Gruntz models as Waxed or fill in the damage box’s on a vehicle before you make another attack.

This could result in a pilot being poor in normal ranged rifle fire but very well trained in vehicle based firing with a high skill statistic. Assault Damage

The assault re-roll of damage on the first charge can be combined with a critical result on a double 6, which will allow both damage dice to be re-rolled if desired. If the target is a vehicle every point of damage over the Soak statistic is an additional point of damage to be marked off the damage track for the vehicle. Leaving Assault

Leaving assault will generate a free assault attack for the model you are disengaging from. Each model in base contact makes a free out of turn Assault on the fleeing model and are able to re-roll one of the damage dice if they hit. You must accept the Dice roll on the re-roll, even if it is lower than the first rolled dice.

Mental test and Suppressed

G G

a

Gruntz Squad

When a unit has more than 1/2 of its remaining Gruntz Waxed (rounded up) it must make a Mental check. The 2D6 roll must be less than or equal to the leader’s Mental statistic and if it fails the unit is now in Condition Brown. Apply the effect of Condition Brown immediately and run the unit 8” away from the enemy , they are also now Suppressed. A Gruntz squad can use the Mental statistic of a nearby Commander when making a Condition Brown test, however the Commander must be within a number of inches equal to his Mental statistic to enable them to use it. Suppression

Any time a unit of Gruntz suffer a Waxed casualty they are put into suppressed condition. Whilst suppressed a Gruntz Squad can make only one of its two actions. At the end of their activation the Gruntz squad removes the suppression condition. Being suppressed limits the options available to a Gruntz squad to only one action which is a reflection of the disorganised and harassed state the unit is in. It is the White player’s turn and they activate the VTOL, landing in range of the enemy and ending the VTOL’S activation. Next the White player activates the Gruntz which were riding in the VTOL.

T G

G

a

G

a

G G

Grunt Leader

G

Grunt

1

Exit VTOL

a Waxed G G

G G

2

Fire!

20

G

G

They use their first action to disembark from the VTOL placing themselves within 3 inches of the VTOL and following unit coherency rules. For their second action, the white Gruntz with LOS, fire on the enemy Gruntz unit. Three red Gruntz are Waxed which is half of the unit, so the red Gruntz must make a Mental test. They are also automatically suppressed because they have taken at least one casualty. If they fail the Mental test they will enter Condition Brown and will have to immediately move their full run (double move) away from the incoming fire .

VEHICLES

Vehicle Overview

Waxed

Waxed models are not removed from the table immediately but are marked as Waxed, either by place them on their sides or using a token on the table. If a unit has suffered any Waxed models, when they are next activated, the Waxed Gruntz are removed from the table. If a medical specialist has activated before the unit, they may be able to save some of the Gruntz and remove the Waxed condition from a number of them before the unit activated. Certain Perkz may also allow the removal of the Waxed condition before activation. Vehicle Statistics

The various transport, tanks and aircraft follow the same principles for movement, damage resolution and disembarkation. Each vehicle has a Move statistic which is the distance of a standard Vehicle Move

s e v Normal o M d r a d Double Move n (flank speed) a t S


Movement

Can move up to base move in inches and fire. Can move up to double base move in inches. Can not fire weapons.

move in inches and a Guard and Soak statistic. When targeting a vehicle the attacker must equal or exceed the Guard statistic and then roll weapon damage + 2D6 equal to or over the Soak value to score damage. Every point of damage over the Soak value is an additional damage point which is marked on the profile damage track shown on the vehicle profile card. When a vehicle takes damage it does not suffer from suppression like Gruntz and cavalry units. Vehicle Activation

Vehicles activate as solo units and have the same two actions as a Gruntz unit allowing them to take two moves or one move and a shoot. If a vehicle has weaponry it will use the driver or pilots sk ill statistic for the ranged attack roll. Pilot and driver skill statistics should be listed on the profile card of vehicles along with weapon systems and are an indication of the quality of troops normally placed in charge of a vehicle of the quality detailed. Movement

A vehicle standard move is based on the movement in inches on the profile card. If they make a single move they can perform a ranged attack directly after the move. You do not have to move the maximum move listed. To push the vehicles speed you can make a double move which uses both actions and is based on twice the movement speed in inches listed on the profile card. Firing Vehicle Weapons

Ram

Can move up to base move plus +3 inches. Can not fire weapons.

Vehicles can move and shoot or complete a double move like Gruntz. They can not shoot if they have made a double move.

Stationary

+1 to first ranged attack roll completed this activation.

Use the skill statistic of the crew, pilot or driver detailed on the profile card to make the ranged attack roll. Select the type of Gruntz

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Model Name

Points

Background

Stat Block Ram Damage Assault and Ranged Weapons

Area Effect

Weapon Range and Weapon Damage Damage Grid

Armour Piercing Bonus c

Critical Systems

21

VEHICLES

Vehicles Arcs and Abilities


Tanks with rotary canon mounts are able to fire in a 360 degree arc of fire. Secondary fixed mount weapon including anti infantry weapons are considered to be mounted in such a way as to also provide 360 degree arc of fire. All weapons attached to mecha can fire in a 180 degree arc. Tanks and support vehicles with fixed mount main weapons use the same 90 degree arc of fire as fixed mount mobile artillery.

Tank or Support Vehicle with Rotary Turret

Note that on a normal activation a vehicle can fire two weapon systems, although only the first shot benefits from a +1 for being stationary. Any second weapon system fired is at -1.

Mecha Walker

piloting or driving the vehicle before play as per the vehicle design rules so that you have a record of the skill statistic to hand during play. If the crew ever bail out, untrained Gruntz can replace the bailed crew and use their Skill statistic for attacks made with vehicle weapons. A vehicle can fire two weapon systems in any order during a single activation. Each additional weapon after the first weapon fired results in an increMental -1 applied to the ranged attack roll. Your first weapon system has no modifier, the second is at -1 and if any further special conditions allow more weapons to be fired the third weapon would be at -2 to the skill roll made to fire the weapon. Targets and Range

Declare what target the tank is shooting at and pre-measure range before declaring a shooting attack. If a vehicle has remained stationary during activation it can fire with a +1 modifier. This is applied to the first weapon system firing only. Subsequent weapons can target different enemy units.

Gruntz can fire in a 360 degree arc.

troops and technology. The amount they can carry is dependent on the transport slots they have which is typically one slot and heavy support vehicles have two slots. A single transport slot can carry one single Gruntz squad, including Squad Attachments. One slot can also carry a specialist unit or a Commander. Two slots are required to carry scout Mecha, two units of Gruntz or a unit of powered armour. Embarkation

When entering a transport, Gruntz must use a single action and must be within 3 inches of the transport to take an embark action. A Commander can use a Push move action to give a Gruntz squad an extra move to allow them to embark a vehicle. Disembarkation

When exiting a transport, on activation, the Gruntz unit must use one action and can be placed within 3 inches of the ground or air vehicle following coherency rules. Vehicle Firing Arcs

Double Range

Vehicle models can fire up to double base range listed on the profile card, incurring a -4 penalty to their Sk ill roll when firing. Carrying Troops

Some air support and ground support vehicle units can carry

Vehicles can be fitted with multiple weapons and tanks with rotary turrets are flexible enough to fire in a 360 degree arc. Where vehicles have more than one weapon system they are considered to be mounted and aligned with the same arc as the main weapon. Fixed mount, forward facing weaponry such as artillery and rocket fire are able to shoot in a 90 degree arc measure from the front of the vehicle. Crew can move unlimbered artillery to face a different direction as a move action, however they will not gain the benefit of +1 to ranged attached rolls for that turn. Wheeled, fixed mount and non-vehicle mobile artillery have a crew and associated shoot skill to cover firing.

Mobile Artillery

22

Fixed and Unlimbered Artillery

Cavalry Units including Bikes or Skimmers

Artillery vehicles use the Skill statistic of the crew when adding to the ranged attack roll which is the same method for all other vehicle based weapons.


Vehicle Critical Damage VEHICLES Vehicle Rules

Mecha walkers are able to target all units in an 180 degree forward arc with all weapon systems. Vehicle Rams

Vehicles can ram models that are in the vehicles front arc when they are activated. Rams are completed at +3 to normal speed and targeted Gruntz models can attempt to jump out of the way with a successful skill roll of 10+. Rams must move the total distance of move +3 inches and in a straight line. Ram damage for vehicles is detailed on the profile cards and is based on the size class of the vehicle. If a vehicle rams another vehicle of its size class or up to one class larger and scores damage or totals the target it will push back the target by D3 inches. A pushed back vehicle, moves directly away from the attacker and if it contacts a Gruntz unit they will also suffer ram damage, however they can make a normal skill check of 2d6+skill with a result of 10+ to successfully jump out of the way.

SCI-FI vehicles can deliver terrific damage and destruction in Gruntz. Mecha fitted with multiple weapon types can deliver some of the heaviest concentrations of fire on the battlefield but they quickly make themselves a target for an experienced commander looking to bring down a heavy unit. but used the highest critical threshold of 2 or 3 on the dice result depending on the number of critical thresholds passed. Roll a D6 for each of the three systems and if a 1 is scored on the D6 mark off the system which has sustained significant damage to be in a critical condition. At the second critical threshold a roll of 1 or 2 on the D6 will damage a system.

Armour Piercing

The AP of vehicle weapons adds to the damage of the weapon when firing at hard material targets (other vehicles and buildings) This represents the anti-armour qualities of vehicle mounted weapons and the reduced effectiveness of ordinance designed for anti-armour against softer targets. When you fire against soft targets like Gruntz with a weapon that has an AP factor you do not add the additional armour piercing damage. Rear Damage

When shooting vehicles in the rear arc the damage roll gains a +2 bonus which is representing the weaker rear armour. Vehicle Damage

Damage is marked against the damage track of the profile card. When the damage scored marks a critical “C” box a check is needed for each of the three systems on the vehicle. If two or three C’s are filled from a single damage source, you still only roll 1 D6 per system

When the third “C” box critical is filled a score of 1, 2 or 3 will damage the system. Only one critical check is made as a result of one source of damage even if the damage is enough to mark more than one critical box. If the vehicle does take enough damage from one source of damage to fill two or three critical boxes roll once for each system but use the appropriate number for critical failure. System

s m e Armour t s y S l a c Engine i t i r C Tek

G

G G

The vehicle has -4 to Soak statistic. Representing a loss in armour due to damage. Vehicle can no longer make a double move (Flank Speed). Ranged skill rolls are at -3.

The white tank activates, firing at the red tank. It chooses to use the Mass Driver Canon (MDC).

G G

Loss of System

G

14 Inch Range. Can shoot up to 28 inches

Armour Piercing 2

T

T

c

T

c c

The player rolls high enough on its skill roll to hit the target tank and the damage roll is (2D6) + weapon damage + armour piercing. It does a total of 8 damage. These damage points are marked off on the profile card of the red tank and a Critical check is needed because the first C has been marked on the damage track. The defending red player rolls a D6 for each system and rolls a 4 for Armour, 1 for Engine and 6 for Tek. The engine system is now damaged and the critical means the red tank can no longer take 2 move actions (flank speed). Mark the engine system box to show the system is damaged. Vehicles do not suffer suppression, so the red tank is not suppressed like a Gruntz unit and can return fire on its activation.

23

VEHICLES

Vehicles Arcs and Destruction


Critical Systems failure

If any system is lost due to critical damage it will have a significant impact on the vehicles performance. An armour critical reduces the vehicles Soak by -4, making it weak against incoming fire. An engine failure prevents the vehicle from making double moves, so it can only make a single move action and a Tek failure reduces ranged attacks by -3. Consult the followed table for the result of each failure and fill in the appropriate critical box when the system is destroyed. You can lose all three systems and still function as a vehicle which is only destroyed when all damage track box’s are filled. Vehicle Destruction

If all the damage box’s are filled the vehicle is either out of action due to overwhelming systems damage or it explodes catastrophically. When the last box on the damage track is filled a vehicle is destroyed and the vehicles owner rolls a D6. If the result is a 1 or 2 the vehicle has suffered a powerplant, fuel or ammo critical causing a catastrophic explosion. Vehicle Destruction

If the vehicle does explode place a 4inch template over the centre of the vehicle and any vehicles or Gruntz with any part of their base fully or partially covered by the template suffer an immediate blast damage roll of 7+2D6. Place Waxed tokens and mark off damage immediately. All crew and carried units are instantly killed during a vehicle catastrophic explosion and can not attempt to bail out. Bail Out

If a vehicle is destroyed and does not suffer a catastrophic explosion the crew and any units within the vehicle can make a bail out check to see if they make a safe exit. Roll once for the crew with a check of 2D6+Skill statistic. If they roll a 10+ they safely exit the vehicle and are placed within 3 inches of the and in the suppressed condition. If the crew fail the skill check they are killed in the attempt due to fire or other hideous injury. If the vehicle is carrying units roll another skill check for each unit carried. Failure indicates death to the full unit as their crushed and burnt bodies are caught in the carnage. A success results in the models being placed within 3 inches of the destroyed vehicle. All Gruntz in a squad should be placed in unit coherency. In a large APC carrying two squads it is possible for the crew and both squads to exit safely. Gruntz can only bail out from a VTOL if it had landed before it exploded or if they are wearing jump packs. Vehicle Remains

If a vehicle is destroyed it should be left on the table with a marker or smoke to represent its destruction. It is not possible to field repair a vehicle that has been destroyed. The model left behind can provide cover to Gruntz units and other vehicles. Vehicles provide hard cover of +2 to the units Guard.

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Critical damage to vehicles is designed to significantly hinder the model and is not intended to totally cripple the vehicle on the battlefield. Even with all three critical systems damaged a vehicle can still perform the basic functions of moving and shooting. Vehicles are considered to be adjusting speed, breaking and accelerating at a rate that is suitable for the terrain they are covering. If a vehicle has suffered a catastrophic explosion it does not provide cover and becomes rough ground. Place a marker to represent the rough ground or simply leave the vehicle in place and remember that it is rough ground and not cover. Mobility Types

Vehicles can be constructed with Walk, Wheeled, Tracked, Hover and Tracked mobility types. These types dictate the overall speed and terrain they can cover. Hover vehicles with skirts are able to cover water and land equally well and the ultimate mobility is Grav which can cover a lot of ground in a turn and is not impacted by rough terrain. When a Grav vehicle needs to “pop-up” to traverse impassable terrain or buildings it can pop up to a height of 8 inches to clear terrain without reducing its total forward movement. The current Grav systems in Gruntz are designed to be most effective when they are close to the ground and are not built for free flight like aircraft. They are near to the ground when shooting so intervening terrain will effect them for the purposes of determining line of sight. Artillery systems include missiles and indirect weapons technology that usually has an area effect and is capable of arcing over obstacles to strike at a target indirectly. Rapid Drop and Dust Off

Aerial support units can follow the normal rules for disembarkation and make a standard move and finish activation. When transported units then activate, they can use their first action to disembark the transport, placing themselves within 3 inches of the vehicle and within unit coherency. Helicopter and VTOL Aerial Support units also have a special action for rapid transport delivery. They are able to combine two actions into a single landing, deposit transported Gruntz or equipment and then take off. When completing this action the aerial transport adds +4 inches to its base move. It then moves half of the total modified move to a location where the transported units are dropped and it then moves the remaining half move away from the dust-off point in a direction of your choice. All units and equipment dropped in this way are left in suppressed condition by the rapid disembarkation, so on activation they are only able to take one action.


Artillery

Indirect Fire

Indirect fire

Indirect fire uses the same rules for targeting and damage as direct fire, except for line of sight (LOS). Indirect fire weapons including missiles and artillery type weapons can fire over intervening terrain to hit a target. To hit a target that is not in line of sight you must have a friendly ground or air unit that was able to spot the target during its ac tivation. Spotting does not require an action and only needs the spotting unit to have a clear field of view to any location on the target unit. Using aerial units or drone specialists is a recommend method of granting access to targets in cover.

Current modern weapon systems on high altitude gunships can pick off individual target soldiers and vehicles from a great distance. In the SCI-FI future we can expect accuracy over great distance to be even more deadly and targeting from orbital platform, ship or satellite based technology would be normal practice. Rather than making Gruntz a turkey shoot where a few dice rolls can devastate forces on the table, the effectiveness of off-board resources has been set at a level where it makes them useful but not game ending.

Targets that are in cover lose the benefit of cover when indirect fire weapons target them. If however the target unit is in a squad or specialist inside a bunker they are able to retain the cover benefit because the building provides all-round cover.

This approach factors in an abstraction of digital warfare which would be faking dummy target signatures and downgrading surveillance information with self-learning defence viruses. These various technologies would be protecting the Gruntz and vehicles showing ghost signatures on distant orbiting ship target displays.

Indirect fire weapons have a disadvantage at short range. They are unable to target models at less than half the listed weapon range. This represents the need to arc ordinance onto a target at range or properly launch and engage the targeting systems of long range missiles.

In the Gruntz Heliopause setting there is also a strong humanspace desire to minimise environMental damage during warfare, so total nuclear destruction of large areas is always an extreme last resort especially on planets with breathable atmospheres. If you want carnage, you could always build a timed deadly air strike into the scenario with a turn limit to your game before all hell breaks loose for ground troops.

Jake Urnst, Medical Logistics. I am scrolling through the KIA data log with names, numbers, colony, next-of-kin, kit issue and language. Profile pictures flick out of the black data tables to answer the barren details, the smiling optimistic face of this dead man, vanished forever beneath the desert sand. Here and there rise thoughts of their habits, their nicknames and the look he gave me when I last spoke to him, the attitude of another shivering when the desert air dropped to sub zero, standing sentry along the base camp parapet. They are now a statistic in a data table, a daily neural net feed. I censor the latest pinged data-vises, poignant messages from home waiting for delivery to the ghost node of the dead soldier now permanently out of office.

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VEHICLES

Standard or Advanced Movement Vehicle Manoeuvre Effect on Rolls

Vehicle Movement

Vehicles suffer penalties for traversing rough terrain and movement is modified according to the terrain types they are moving through. Dense forests are impassable to most ground vehicles although Grav vehicles can ‘pop-up’ up to 8 inches in height to skip over.

Normal Move

Double “Flank” s Move

Vehicle manoeuvres include a range of options many of each require the use of a number of inches to complete the move. Details are provided in the manoeuvre table.

e v o M d r Stationary a d n a t S Ram

Standard Rules

For simplicity during a standard rules game the only restrictions on vehicle movement are based on the terrain types. The actual movement is either single or double “flank move” with the appropriate condition modifiers applied as per the standard vehicle moves table. This simple movement is an abstract method to allow fast play without fussy turn controls and allows vehicles to turn as much as they like within a normal or double range in inches. Standard rules for vehicle movement are ideal for larger vehicle heavy games which require lots of tank movement. In a larger armoured battle you will find that the fine control of the advanced rules would reduced the speed of play. However for experience players that want detailed movement it is still possible to use the advanced movement in large battles. You can turn to face any direction during a normal or double move. Advanced Rules

When making a normal or double move in the advanced movement rules use either the Gruntz turning rulers or an equivalent 45 degree angle made of card. A Gruntz ruler is available from S6Engineering which has the turning angle built in and the basic 4 inch and 8 inch movement of a Gruntz unit to help speed up play.

Using the Gruntz 45 degree turning ruler place the tank front beside the ruler and at the end of the 8inch long straight.

Move the tank forward to the end of ruler and align with the 45 degree turn. This counts as a 4 inch vehicle move and can be made at normal or double speed.

A ram must be in a direct straight line and is made with a +3 inches to the base normal movement of the vehicle. Vehicle Ram damage is based on the size class.

Reverse

Moving Turn

Reversing uses 2 inches of movement for every 1 inch covered and can be made at normal or double speed.

A manoeuvre during a normal or flank move. A turn on the spot uses 4 inches of total movement, place the vehicle facing any direction you choose. A manoeuvre during a normal or flank move. A Moving turn is up to a 45 degrees and uses the Gruntz turning template to determine position after movement. A moving turn includes 4 inches of forward movement. Use the Gruntz turning template to complete a Moving turn.

This diagram details the advanced turning rules for vehicles which should be selected by players before play starts. For very large tank battles it is not recommended because of the increased time needed to move vehicles according to the specific turning angle. Using the advanced movement rules adds a 45 degree turning restriction during forward movement and specific costs for turning on the spot or reversing.

T

T

26

If a Vehicle is stationary it benefits from a +1 to ranged attached rolls.

A manoeuvre during a normal or flank move. A vehicle can reverse at the cost of 2 inches of total movement for every 1 inch it reverses. Does not stack with modifier for rough terrain.

T

Moving Turn

Use two actions to move a vehicle up to double the base movement listed on the profile card. You can not fire whilst making a Double move and gain +2 to your Guard against attacks.

Jump

3

2

Use one single action to move a vehicle up to its listed speed in inches. You can fire after moving.

A special manoeuvre available to Mecha with Jump jets. Move the standard move distance of the Mecha and face the figure in a direction of your choice. Jump Can avoid intervening terrain up to 8 inches in height.

s e v o M Turn on the Spot d e c n a v d A

For more detail you can agree with your opponent to use advanced vehicle movement which adds restrictions to the amount you can turn a vehicle during an activation. There is a restriction of a maximum turn of 45 degrees made during forward movement, although multiple turns can be made at a cost of 4 inches of forward movement for each turn.

1


Reverse

The standard movement system is faster and requires less precise turning of vehicles, however it does reduce realism because vehicles are able to move and turn with no restriction other than distance. Note that a double flank move results in the vehicle not being able to fire ranged weapons.


RAMS, Vehicle Options VEHICLES Vehicle Rules

With most of the Arc force resistance destroyed, the invading Amnian forces slip past the flaming wrecks. Models are Crusties by GZG and Arc Vehicles by Critical Mass Games. Flame tokens are by Litko. remove a suppression condition from 1 Gruntz unit within 18 inches. This replaces one action of the command vehicle, so it must sacrifice either a move or a shoot action to enable the removal of a suppression condition.

Command Module

If a vehicle is fitted with a command module it can improve the communication and provide local support for the Gruntz, therefore boosting the Mental condition of nearby troops.

It is recommended that a vehicle intending to use its Command module is activated before a unit that needs its suppression removing. In this way you are able to sequence your activation so that squads that need support are provided it before they activate and can therefore take a full activation rather than having to sacrifice an action to suppression.

Standard command modules boost all Mental checks made by troops up to 18 inches from the vehicle. Gruntz units do not have to be within line of sight of the command vehicle to use this bonus. Mental checks are made with the benefit of a -1 to the roll if the unit is within the 18 inch reach of the command module. On its activation a vehicle fitted with a command module can also

T

G

In this example both squads are within the command range of 18 inches from the Command module vehicle. One single Gruntz squad which has at least one Gruntz squad member within 18 inches of the command module can have a suppression condition removed when the vehicle activates.

G

G G

G

C

G

G

G S A

G

Both of the White players squads are within the squad coherency of their own Gruntz squad leaders. They have to always attempt to stay within this range and when coherency is broken they must try and return to within three inches of the Gruntz squad leader on their next activation.

G G

G

All Gruntz also benefit from a -1 to Mental check rolls (A mental check is 2D6 under or equal to Mental) whilst at least one member of the squad is within 18 inches of the vehicle fitted with a command module.

27


Neural Net

Digital Warfare Success results

Neural Net (nn) A future battlefield with opposing technologically advanced forces will make use of advanced digital warfare techniques to degrade the enemy’s digitally controlled assets. In Gruntz electronic warfare is called Neural Net warfare and employs an abstracted method of degrading enemy targets through the use of the Skill statistic and specialist abilities and equipment. Your army can employ Neural Net Warfare against the enemy and also defend sensitive assets against incoming specialist nnattack.

A success on an attack that targets mobility reduces the target’s move actions to 1 on its next activation so they can either shoot or move once but not move at flank speed ( double move). If you score a critical against mobility the target unit will not be able to move on its next activation because the systems controlling movement are overwhelmed by the digital attack. The systems are degraded to the point of total failure for one activation. A success on an attack that targets weapons systems degrades the target’s weapon systems by a -3 to any weapon attacks made on next activation. A critical weapon systems nn-attack will stop all weapon systems functioning for the target on next activation. Neural-Net Dampeners

Neural net dampeners are a powered area technology providing a zone of increased protection from nn-attack over an area of 20 inches.

Neural Net Warfare

Specialists and models with specific Neural Net attack technology can attack the enemy at a digital level causing disruption by degrading their effectiveness or even shutting down or controlling technology for a single activation.

There is a -3 to all neural net attacks for all units within the dampening zone, which normally extends 20 inches from the vehicle or specialist unit with dampener nodes fitted.

nn-attacks can only be made against Vehicles, Mecha, Robotic Gruntz and robotic specialists. Some specialist robotic or vehicular units will have specific abilities to increase their defence against nnattacks.

Any successful nn-attack against a vehicle or specialist which has nn-dampener nodes installed will switch off the dampener effect for one turn in addition to the result of the targeted on board system (mobility or weapons). Specialists that can gain total control of digital robotic assets will have the details on their profile cards.

Neural-Net Attack Roll

To make a neural net attack use the skill statistic of the attacker and target the Guard of the enemy model. The range of the neural net attack will be listed on the profile card in inches. It can not be used at long range and is only effective against enemies within the range detailed on the card. Before making the attack you confirm what unit or model you are targeting and what system the nn-attack will effect. You can either target mobility or weapon systems. Roll 2D6 and add the Skill statistic of the attacker to the roll, if you equal or exceed the target’s Guard statistic the nn-attack has worked. You do not gain the benefit of a +1 for not moving and using nnattacks and it takes a single action to use, allowing a model to move its normal move in inches before it engages the nn-attack. Critical Neural Attack

If you score any double number on the attack (the same number on both dice) the nn-attack is a critical. A critical neural net attack disables the target system for one turn. Neural Net Attack

Effect on Successful Hit

Effect on Critical Hit

Mobility

Can only make a single move, No flank move for 1 activation.

No movement for 1 activation.

-3 to any weapons attacks made with the degraded system

No shooting of weapons for 1 ac tivation.

Mobility

Can only make a single move, No flank move for 1 activation.

No movement for 1 activation.

Weapon Systems

-3 to any weapons attacks made with the degraded system

No shooting of weapons for 1 ac tivation.

s k c a t t Weapon Systems A N N

28

Roach VTOL with troop carrying module. Model GZG

Buildings

Damage and Destruction


Building Overview

Buildings on the battlefield provide some advantages for squads of Gruntz finding cover to keep out of the way of heavy ordinance and offer advantage in a fire fight. To enable the use of buildings for various scenarios the following rules offer different locations that provide grades of cover during the battle. If you have a building of a different material, select one which matches the general type of those listed. When firing at a building with Gruntz in it, choose to either target the building or the Gruntz within. Tanks can only target the building unless they have an anti-infantry weapon mount and tanks add armour piercing to the damage. Whilst in the building Gruntz gain the benefit of hard cover which is +2 Guard. Gruntz are considered to be at windows and making themselves open to external fire whilst in a building.

Not all 15mm buildings will have totally clear locations for windows or cover represented, so it is assumed that a degree of flexibility on how a building can be used will be needed when you setup your table. Agree where models can enter buildings and shoot from before you start the first turn. For larger terrain features including burrows or defensive walls you should also declare what the cover types are going to provide before the start of the game and it is also recommended that any structures are built to a size which can easily accommodate a 15mm figure, so they can be seen to be making use of the cover during play.

Mouse-holing

To attempt an assault on a building a tank or heavy weapon can make an attempt to create an entrance by force. By doing 6 damage in one shot you create a mouse-hole in a building. Troops inside a mouse-holed building are auto suppressed when the damage is done. The new entrance can be used by assaulting squads to access the interior. Mark the side of the building with a counter to record the wall that has been mouse-holed. Destroyed Building

Troops inside a destroyed building must make a roll under their skill statistic to make a desperate attempt to exit before collapse. The exit is completed in the same way as an emergency exit from a destroyed APC. Models are Waxed if they roll over their skill and any that remain are placed within 3 inches of the building and are in the suppressed condition.

e g a m a D g n i d l i u B

Building Type

Soak and Wounds

Wooden farm building or other soft skin abode, includes ruins, semi open and very damaged buildings.

12 Soak and 16 Wounds.

Brick house or concrete civilian building. Also covers most starship or modern sci-fi interior walls.

15 Soak and 20 Wounds

Hardened bunker or military grade installation.

19 Soak and 24 wounds

Super hard enzyme-bonded concrete or other alien tek.

It is assumed that Gruntz carry a breach explosive which requires a grunt to activate and make a roll under or equal to its skill statistic to breach a building door.

1

M

Fire!

Mecha

T G

Grunt

M G

x6 Grunts 2

Assault

G G

The building has been successfully mouseholed and all Gruntz inside are now in suppressed condition. The Mecha is then activated and fires, targeting the squad inside the building with its anti-infantry weapon at -2 to Shoot, it waxes 1 of the 6 Gruntz within.

The squad inside the building are suppressed so the assaulting White squad gain a +1 to their close assault attack roll.

G G

G

The White player activates his tank first and fires on the brick building containing the Red player’s Gruntz, totalling a damage score of 19 (factoring in armour piercing) this is 7 damage points over the Soak statistic of the brick building.

Next the White Gruntz are activated and make an Assault charge attack at the Gruntz inside via the mouse-hole created by the tanks damage.

G

B

22 Soak and 30 wounds.

M

29


UNIT BUILDERS Gruntz Builder Build your standard Gruntz squads or design some terrifying aliens with Perkz supporting their unusual biology. Each statistic can be tuned to perform at various levels of ability.

Squad Design

Note that if a squad attachment is waxed by incoming fire and not fixed by a medic the weapon can be picked up automatically by another Grunt in the same squad. When the SA is waxed the new weapon carrier must be within the 3 inch coherency squad range or the weapon is lost. Perkz

Perkz have a variable costs as listed under the Perkz tables. You are able to field a unit with no Perkz. All of the figures in the Gruntz squad including the SA benefit from the Perk unless stated in the Perk details.

Gruntz Units

A Gruntz squad is a 6 man team all with equal statistics and the same weapon types. A squad has a squad leader which is important for unit coherency rules and should be represented either by a different model or by painting shoulder pads or other details so you can clearly see the leader of the Squad. Squad attachments like heavy weapons are defined on a separate profile, although they share the base statistics with the Grunts unit they are attached to and allow you to take the Gruntz unit up to a size of 8 men. You can fine tune the profile to match your specifics. This could be heavy armour, superfast alien reflex’s or a set of very basic statistics for civilian or untrained militia.

Example Arc Rifleman Squad This is an Arc Rifleman Squad from Critical Mass Games. They have an excellent shoot ability and a strong mental.

A primitive alien unit could be assigned a veteran assault statistic due to a lethal biological hand to hand claw strike but their shoot ability could be selected as green due to lack of exposure to technical ranged weapons. You could also make fast moving aliens difficult to hit by selecting a high Guard statistic. Note that when creating a Gruntz squad unit the final points value is dived by two, rounding up the result.

s l l i k S

Armour (Soak)

Armour is selected based on a range of categories and some sample ideas are detailed below. A soak of 14 or 15 is reserved for powered armour squads only. Weapons

Weapons are selected from the Gruntz squad table in the weapons section and are based on small arms, assault rifles, lasers and other squad equipment. Your are also able to select grenades from the list and it is assumed they have basic combat knives for normal assault attacks. The weapons tables are based on generic classes and you can select a profile which most appropriately describes your weapon. The heavier infantry weapons are reserved for squad attachments and are detailed in the weapons table.

Item

Ability (score)

Points

Base Cost

Gruntz Squad

1

Shoot

Veteran (5)

3

Assault

Trained (3)

3

Guard

Average (11)

2

Soak

Light (12)

3

Mental

Seasoned (6)

2

Skill

Seasoned (6)

3

Gauss Rifle ( Projectile Rifle )

2

Combat Knife

0

High Explosive

1

s Primary Weapon n o p a Close Combat e Grenades W

Note: Add any cost of a Squad Attachment to your Gruntz Unit

z k r e P

Perk

A squad attachment gives a unit of Gruntz the punch to damage vehicles and extra fire support against other Gruntz units and they activate when the Gruntz unit is activated.

30

0

Sub Total (Divide the total by 2 and round up)

20

Total points for 1 Unit of six:

10

Squad Attachments (SA)

You can add up to two squad attachments to a Gruntz unit, each squad attachment is a single figure carrying the standard weapon used by the squad and a heavier weapon selected from the Squad Attachments weapon table. Add the points to the total cost for the Gruntz unit. Squad attachments are heavier weapons, squad assault weapons (SAW) or other technical or biological weapons which are normally used as squad support.

None

Sample Gruntz Armour Types

r u o m r A

Type

Sample

Scout

Medium Anti-kinetic, Light Padding

Light

Part hard shell. Heavy Anti-kinetic force materials.

Medium

Hard Suit, full body armour / carapace.

Heavy

Lighter Personal Powered Suit

Assault

Heavy Personal Powered Armour

Gruntz BUILDER G


Squad Points

Grunts Unit Base Cost: 1

Select Shoot Shoot is the most frequently used statistic in Grunts and is a measure of the skill in hitting an opponent with ranged weapons.

Green

Trained

Seasoned

Veteran

Expert

Elite

Shoot

2

3

4

5

6

7

Points

0

1

2

3

4

5

Green

Trained

Seasoned

Veteran

Expert

Elite

Assault

2

3

4

5

6

7

Points

0

1

2

3

4

5

Slow

Average

Medium

Quick

Superfast

ToHit

10

11

12

13

14

Points

1

2

4

6

8

Select Assault Assault is used as the statistic when attacking hand to hand or claw to face. The higher the value the easier it is for a Grunt to be effective when up close.

Select Guard Guard is a measure of how difficult

to hit a unit is. Very fast, small dextrous aliens might be harder to hit.

Select Soak Soak is a measure the armoured a unit is wearing. Heavier armour is harder to penetrate. Heavy and Assault are reserved for Powered Armour types.

None

Scout

Light

Medium

Heavy

Assault

Soak

10

11

12

13

14

15

Points

1

2

3

4

6

8

Green

Trained

Seasoned

Veteran

Expert

Elite

Mental

4

5

6

7

8

9

Points

0

1

2

3

4

5

Green

Trained

Seasoned

Veteran

Expert

Elite

Skill

2

3

4

5

6

7

Points

1

2

3

5

8

12

Select Mental Mental is a measure of how the Grunt copes under pressure.

Select Skill Skill represents the technical ability of the unit. Used by Vehicle crews when firing weapons rather than the Shoot skill.

Select Weapons Gruntz can have one light and one medium weapon. Knives and small hand weapons are free. Grenades are an additional 1 point. See the weapons table for the points cost for weapons.

31


UNIT BUILDERS

Squad Attachment

Squad Attachments A squad attachment is an addition to the standard Gruntz squad size of 6 troops. They provide extra support punch and anti-material weapons. Squad Attachments (SA)

A Squad Attachment is an addition to a six man Gruntz squad, you can have up to two attached to a single squad taking the maximum total squad size to 8 models. You have to pay the points cost for each of the additional SA models you attach to a Gruntz squad. They carry heavier weapons which are able to do more damage to vehicles or offer other tactical advantages in the support of the Gruntz squad. Squad Attachments activate with the Gruntz squad they are attached to and have the same statistics and equipment except their weapon is more powerful. In current modern era fighting they would be equipped with a Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW). The heavier firepower they carry provides a benefit to the squad against armoured units and boosts the performance of the Gruntz squad they are attached to. You can attach up to two Squad Attachments to each Gruntz squad. The base cost is 2 points and you simply add the cost of the weapon to this total. Once you have the cost the SA, add it to the cost of the Gruntz unit before you divide the total by 2. You only pay for the base cost and weapons, with all other statistics, amour and details remaining the same as the Gruntz squad the SA is attached to.

The heavy weapon carried by the Squad Attachment can be picked up by any other Squad member after they are waxed. Another squad member within 3 inches automatically picks up and starts using the SA weapon when the unit activates. If another squad member is not within 3 inches of the waxed SA the weapon is lost. Add the points cost of a Squad Attachment to the total cost for the unit of Gruntz they are attached to, they count as part of the unit for the scoring of victory points and are not able to act independently of the Gruntz squad they are attached to. Weapons

Squad Attachments select their weapons from the Gruntz table and can either be a simple increase in size to the squad by carrying the same weapon as the other squad members or they can select from the range of SA weapons listed in the Gruntz weapon table. Squad Attachment weapons include Rocket Propelled Grenades, Heavier Plasma, Laser or automatic machine guns. The SA fires his weapon at the same time as the rest of the unit, however they don’t need to fire at the same target and they can not take part in a concentrated fire action with the rest of the squad. They are able to shoot at the same target that the rest of the squad are firing at when they concentrate fire but will need to make a separate attack and damage roll for their weapon. Squad Attachments are able to be transported with a Gruntz squad and don’t count as an extra figure for transportation purposes.

Mobility

The Squad Attachment moves at the same speed as the rest of the squad they are attached to which would normally be the standard move of 4 inches. If the Gruntz squad they are attached to has a Perk like Jump Packs, the SA can also make use of the Perk without having to pay additional points for it.

Example New Israeli Squad Attachment This is an NI Squad Automatic Weapon from Ground Zero Games. It will have the same statistics as the Gruntz Squad it is attached to and carries a Guass LMG.

e s a B

Item

Ability (score)

Points

Base Cost

Squad Attachment

2

Note: The weapon in brackets is the actual weapon selected from the Squad Attachment weapon table.

s n Primary Weapon o p a Close Combat e W Grenades

Federal Troops face danger from a group of Xeno infiltrators. Troops by Old Crow Models

Gauss LMG ( SA. Medium Projectile )

4

Combat Knife

0

High Explosive

1

Note: Add the cost of the SA to your Gruntz squad before you divide the Gruntz points by two when calculating the total squad value. Total points for 1 SA (add to the Gruntz unit)

32

7

Gruntz BUILDER

SA Points


Squad Attachment Base Cost: 2

Select Weapons A Squad attachment only needs to select a weapon from either the Gruntz or the Squad Attachment table. Knives and small hand weapons are free. Grenades are an additional 1 point. See the weapons table for the points cost for weapons.

Life on Earth He was a Duckling. They all were on platform 64.6.1. Rank upon rank of Ducklings all waiting patiently for the thunderous clicking of the wall mounted clock to flip over to fifty-four. The yellow coated workers of the FreeKorp Industrial Centre all silently stood on the hard grey Permacrete station at London’s Blair Street Station waiting for their train to come gilding in. The original stellar-terminal at Thatcher’s Gate had been abandoned a few years back when the worm hole rift had become unstable and this new shining example of Anglian engineering had been constructed to take on its place. All reinforced Permacrete and iridescent Graphene it was a fine homage to the era of grandness and industry that Harmony Rolling Stock had entered. The Southern Stella Service whispered into the station; servos and grav motors throbbing softly to bring the needle like train alongside the smooth station platform. Four times a day the SSS ran the journey from New Paris to the Blair Street terminal building; one of the Harmony Rolling Stocks most stable and lucrative routes. The transporter sighed to a stop – jets of coolant bellow out from the beneath the carriages blasting the fine layer of dust from the silvered shell. Doors whirred open and as silently as the train had appeared the Ducklings neatly queued and filed into the compartments. A rasping voice reverberated over the station vox-haler announcing the arrival of the SSS not a single ear bothered to listen to the tinny announcement they had all heard before.

Harmony Rolling Stock; an identical bubbled gate greeted them on the other side bathing the craft in a rolling cloud of plasma. The precipitation and humidity of the New Paris night was palpable; the Ducklings skin prickled with sweat again as their bodies adjusted to the mugginess and the train’s eco-regulators whined trying to cope with change from parched atmosphere of the Acrid Region to sultry air of New Paris. Rain drizzled down the outside of the train cutting valleys through the dusty exterior letting the passengers catch the odd glimpse of the 3 blue moons high in the sky. As they pulled into the verdant surroundings of Sarkozy International; the dull buzzing of the grounds droids was all around the Ducklings as they alighted the train. The droids fought an endless battle against the encroaching jungle vegetation which sort to overrun the terminal building and cut off the Harmony Rolling Stock’s vital artery to this resource rich world. The SSS would need several hours to refuel and cross check for the return journey to London but for the Ducklings the night shift would begin in earnest when the FIC local transit arrived to complete their commute to the Essence Processing Plant. In the mean time the hollow faces of the Ducklings turned skywards and let the blissful caress of the rain kiss their solar charred features; no one became a Duckling for the money.

Pulling out of the terminal building the train sped through the North Downs and the desiccated country side of the Kent borderlands; the shrunken withered land revealed the SSS progress with a grimy fan of fine dust puffing out behind the hurtling mass transporter. The dress of the Ducklings would have been absurd in the Acrid Region and even in the eco-regulated train beads of sweat fell on to the yellow laminated enviro-wear. The shimmering bubble of the worm hole entrance could be seen now on the track ahead; the energy field obscured the event horizon and the massive generators and reactors used to power the device towered up from the basin floor. The train kept gathering speed and hit the murk of the rift at just below mach two; the crack of the air would have been heard for klick upon klick if there had been a living soul to hear it. As it passed through the field around the worm hole the train was encased by a charged-plasma bubble shielding it from the astronomical forces at play in the Morris-Thorne wormhole and preventing foreign flora and fauna accidentally making it through the breach. Hidden beneath the various support buildings that surrounded the wormhole were a range of advanced defence systems, silent and immediate death to most potential foreign invaders that decide to use the wormhole as their entry to earth. Suddenly the driver and the caboose of the transporter were separated by most of the Milky Way; the very limits of the universe stretched and contorted bending to the engineering will of the

33


UNIT BUILDERS

Specialist

Damage Points

Specialist Design

It is possible to build a specialist unit like a portable weapon where the base has a couple of figures mounted on it to represent the requirements of a portable weapon mount.

Your Specialists provide the unique and interesting battlefield abilities that can boost your force or help cripple an enemy unit. They are independently activated units which can make a significant impact on the battlefield. Specialist Builder

Specialists include a range of different models that act as individuals on the battle field or can be grouped into squads. The type of builds covered include: Small mecha walkers that are two small to be considered a mecha vehicle and too big to be classed as a Powered Armour Gruntz squad. You can also build medics, engineers, speeder bikes, droids and various other robotic units. Basing should be larger for Specialists to make them clearly identifiable on the Battlefield. You can use anything from a 20mm to 30mm base including the Hex style raised lip bases. Unit or Solo

Specialists are paid for individually. So if you want a squad of 5 walkers you need to pay the points for each model individually. In most cases you will be fielding a specialist as an individual unit. Models like the example Protolene Ayamer detailed on this page could be part of a group of models in a squad, however the points should be paid for each individual walker. This differs from the Gruntz squad builder where you pay one total point value for a full 6 man unit.

GZG NAC Specialist with High Energy Laser (HEL) mounted on a metal hex base.

This GZG NAC Specialist has two figures on the base but they operate as one model on the battlefield. They have multiple wounds and as a light class Specialist they have 5 total wounds for the unit. The unit is only waxed when the total wounds are lost. You don’t account for each figure on the base they act as one unit. Perkz

Specialists can have two Perkz. The first is at the cost of the Perk, the second will cost and additional 5 points plus the cost of the Perk.

Mobility

Mobility for Specialists in Gruntz is based on a range of options in the builder. For walking for bipedal human sized models select the 4 inches as per the standard for Grunts. Note that small walker specialists like the Protolene Ayamer would have a move of 5 inches for the due to the boosted speed in the battle suit. Speeder Bikes would be Grav based mobility. Abilities and Weapon Rules

Select an ability from the Specialist Abilities table. Abilities are similar to Gruntz perkz and include medic and engineering abilities.

Example Protolene Ayamer This Protolene Ayamer is the predator variant and has plasma weapons mounted.

d l i u B

Specialists are based on larger 20mm to 30mm sized bases so you can easily spot them on the battlefield and create a mini-diorama like the NAC High Energy laser squad featured on this page.

34

Ability (score)

Points

Base Cost

Specialist

1

Size

Medium

5

pay for the Size class.

s l l i k S

The interesting abilities and different build of Specialist units makes them difficult to design but we hope this light-Specialist builder is enough to help with most of the basic types.

Item

Note: You don’t pay points for Soak, Damage or Guard you only

Specialists can carry Gruntz weapons and are also able to select from the Squad Attachment and Specialist weapons table.

Specialists are the units which add more SCI-FI flavour to the Gruntz game. They don’t fit in a traditional squad and cover items like portable weaponry with crew, powered walkers which are two small to be classed as Mecha but still pack a punch, Medics, Engineers, Drones and other sci-fi technical robotic devices.

You don’t need to add statistics for both models, just select a suitable size for the unit from those available for Specialists which have multiple wounds.

Shoot

Veteran (6)

4

Assault

Trained (3)

3

Mental

Seasoned (6)

2

Skill

Seasoned (6)

2

Mobility

Walk (5 inches)

1

Plasma Blaster (Specialist Heavy Plasma)

6

Ram

0

None

0

s n o p Primary Weapon a e W Close Combat y t i l i b A

Ability

Sub Total (Divide this by 2 and round up)

23

Total points for 1 Specialist Model :

12

Gruntz BUILDER

Specialist Points Statistics

Specialist Base Cost: 1

Select Size The size dictates Damage, Soak and Guard. You pay once for all three statistics e.g. Light is 3 points and provides default Soak of 13, Guard of 13 and damage of 5. You could build something small which you consider to be assault class (it does not have to be physically large).

Scout

12

14

4

1

Light

13

13

5

3

Medium

14

12

6

5

Heavy

15

11

7

7

Assault

16

10

8

9

Hover

Grav

Points

0

1

1

2

3

3

Speed inches

4

5

6

7

8

10

Example

Gruntz

Mecha

Tracked Robot

Motor Bike

Micro Tank

Speeder Bikes

Green

Trained

Seasoned

Veteran

Expert

Elite

Shoot

2

3

4

5

6

7

Points

0

1

2

3

4

5

Green

Trained

Seasoned

Veteran

Expert

Elite

Assault

2

3

4

5

6

7

Points

0

1

2

3

4

5

Green

Trained

Seasoned

Veteran

Expert

Elite

Mental

4

5

6

7

8

9

Points

0

1

2

3

4

5

Green

Trained

Seasoned

Veteran

Expert

Elite

Skill

2

3

4

5

6

7

Points

1

2

3

5

8

12


Points

Wheel


Damage

Tracked


Guard

Walk Mech


Size

Soak

Walk Gruntz

Select Mobility The Mobility type dictates rules on terrain and speed. Most humanoid based Specialists must have walk and a move of 4 to match the standard Gruntz move.


Select Weapons, Abilities and Perkz Specialists can carry Gruntz weapons, however you can select from the Specialist table for all weapons. Knives and small hand weapons are free. See the weapons table for the points cost for weapons. You can select up to two Perkz for a Specialist, the first at the normal cost. The second perk costs and additional 5 points. So you could design a shielded, jump pack medic however the points cost would be significant. Skill

Abilities

Medic Engineer

Points

With one action (after move) can Heal D3 wounds from a commander in base-2base or Restore D3 Grunts from Waxed condition within 3 inches of base.

5

With one action (after move) can repair D3 damage points from a vehicle in base-2-base or try to fix a critical damage slot on a roll of 1 to 3.

5

35


UNIT BUILDERS

Tank Design

Mobility

Construction Yard You can get directly into playing Gruntz by using some of the premade unit profile cards but if you prefer to create your own statistics you can use the following points based unit builders to create your perfect ride. Tank Builder

To build a tank first start with the model you have in mind and then select an appropriate size. You might also have an existing published Gruntz tank profile that you want to change by tweaking it to your taste or adjusting the payload if you have a different turret in use.

Select the mobility from the five options, note that walkers include crab like multi-leg tanks. The various mobility types dictate speed as shown in the speed table. Mounted Weapon Rules

Tank main weapons can be equal to or less than the size class of the Tank e.g A medium tank can have medium primary weapons or of a smaller size class. You can install two main weapons of the same size class as the tank, paying points for every weapon. Light and Scout vehicles can select from the anti infantry class vehicle weapons or from the Squad Attachment and Specialist weapon classes. Note that you must purchase the weapon mounts for each weapon system you purchase for the design.

Tanks cost a base of 20 points to build. Pick and pay the points for the size which dictates the core statistics for your tank and check the table to determine what the Damage, Soak, Ram and Guard are. You don’t pay points for the derived statistics only the size class, mobility, weapon mounts, weapons, Modz and driver skill have an associated points cost. You might decide that one manufacturers medium tank is closer in size to a heavy tank from another line of miniatures, in which case you could call the model a heavy, even if the miniature manufacturer lists it as a medium.

The first option with the points system is to ignore them and get on with a game! You don’t have to play with points to enjoy Gruntz but you can use the unit builder system to construct vehicles and then play an enjoyable scenario. If you don’t field perfectly balanced forces you can still use the points as a guide to the victory conditions. Bigger can mean slower with regard to vehicle speed except where propulsion like Grav technology increases overall speed of a vehicle class. However there are ways in which the various classes of system can be tweaked to break the core builder system. For example you could upgrade the engines on an Assault tank to bring its speed up in line with a vehicle of a lighter class by selecting a Mod from the vehicle Modz table and paying the points. Gruntz is an abstraction of the real physical properties of vehicles and there will be times when you want a fantastically outfitted scout grav jeep with six super light laser anti-infantry weapons that can all be fired simultaneously. The rules don’t support that payload, however there is nothing to stop you creating a vehicle using your design and simply listing the anti infantry weapon as two light weapons. The rest is up to your imagination because not every turret on your miniature needs a rule to cover its use. There are several miniature lines available, especially on mecha walkers, where multi primary weapons are built into the payload. Having a mecha walker with a mini arsenal available does increase the points cost to reflect the benefit it gains from carrying multi weapon systems.

36

Example Arc Fleet Medium Grav Tank This is an Arc Medium Grav tank from Critical Mass Games. The Mod ”Gravatonic Accelerator” makes this tank excellent at clinical long range strikes by increasing the base range of the Gauss Cannon. They also have an expert crew which is a significant advantage when shooting at long range.

d l i u B

Item

Selection

Points

Base Cost

Tank

20

Size

Medium

5

Mobility

Grav

3


s t n u o M s n o p a e W z d o M l l i k S

pay for the Size class once. Item

Number of Mounts

Points

Anti Infantry Weapons

1

2

Main Weapons

1

1

Item

Selection

Points

Main Weapon

Gauss Cannon (Vehicle Medium Projectile)

3

Anti-Infantry Weapon

Machine Gun (Vehicle Light Projectile)

1

Modz

Gravatonic Accelerator (+3” to main weapon range)

3

Crew Skill

6 (Expert)

8

Tank Base Cost

20

Build and Weapons

26

Total Tank Cost

46

Tank BU BUII LDE LDER R

Tank Points

Tank Base Cost: 20

Select Tank Size The Hull size dictates damage points, soak, Guard and ram attack.

Tank Size


Damage

Soak

RAM

Guard

Points

Scout

14

15

9

13

1

Light

18

16

10

12

2

Medium

22

17

11

11

5

Heavy

26

18

12

10

8

Assault

30

19

13

9

12

Mobility Type

Select Mobility The Mobility type dictates rules on terrain and speed, depending on Tank Hull size.

Walk

Track

Wheeled

Hover

Grav

0

1

1

2

3

Points

Speed in Inches

Determine Speed Speed is in inches, for single move, flank speed is double figure listed.

Tank Size

Scout

7

8

9

8

10

Light

6

7

8

8

9

Medium

6

7

8

7

8

Heavy

5

6

7

6

8

Assault

4

6

7

5

7

Walk

Track

Wheels

Hover

Grav

Tank Mobility Type Tank Weapon Max Mount Capacity

Select Main Weapon Mounts Size dictates how many systems can be mounted on a vehicle. Purchase the number of Weapon Mounts required, limited by the Tanks maximum Mount capacity.

Scout

Light

Medium

Heavy

Assault

Anti Infantry

1

1

2

2

2

Main Weapon

1

2

3

3

4

Purchase Main Weapon Mounts Main Weapon Mounts

0

1

2

3

4

Points

0

1

4

8

13

Purchase Anti Infantry Mounts

Select Anti-Infantry Weapon Mounts Size dictates how many anti-infantry weapons can be mounted on a vehicle.

0

1

2

Points

0

2

4

Crew Skill

Purchase Weapons, Skill and Vehicle Modz Purchase Weapons/Modz from the appropriate table and select a Skill for the crew. The higher the Skill the more effective the vehicle is on the battlefield.

Anti Infantry Weapon Mounts

Green

Trained

Seasoned

Veteran

Expert

Elite

Skill

2

3

4

5

6

7

Points

0

1

2

5

8

12

37


UNIT BUILDERS

Mecha

This example Mecha design is using the Imperator, a 60 Ton

Mech Yard

Fairfield & Hammer fabricated single-pilot Mecha walker.

Build a mecha and select an appropriate payload from the weapons systems. If you don’t see an exact match for the weapon system, use one listed that most closely matches the type e.g. Plasma could represent most blast based energy type particle canons.

Weight Class

Mecha Builder

To build a mech first start with the model you have in mind and think about the size and payload. Different Different model manufacturers have a range of scales that are often not exact matches for 15mm gaming, like the popular 10mm and plastic pre-painted mechs which might look a little small but with a little imagination could easily be used as a light or scout mech in 15mm. However from the model ranges already available there are many that are close enough to the scale or exact scale in the case of the Critical Mass Games walkers.

Scout

5-20

Light

21-40

Medium

41-60

Heavy

61-80

Assault

81-100 Tons

Mobility

Example Imperator Mech

Current mobility for mecha in Gruntz is Walk based, however you can select a Mod which allows the walker walker jump capability. Jumping mechs are able to be repositioned to anywhere within their base movement range in inches. Mecha can fire whilst completing a jump at a -2 to the skill roll.

This is the Imperator, a 60 Ton Fairfield & Hammer fabricated single-pilot Mecha walker, designed for field flexibility and reliability in remote contact circumstances. It is fitted with a anti infantry projectile, a particle cannon (Medium Plasma) and a shoulder mounted Light Missile Launcher.

Mounted Weapon Rules

Mecha main weapons can be equal to or less than the size class of the Mecha e.g A medium mech can have medium primary weapons or of a smaller size class. class. You can install two main weapons weapons of the same size class as the mecha, paying points for every weapon. Check the maximum weapon mounts for the size class of mech before you select and pay the points for the weapon mounts before you pay the points for the actual weapons from the vehicle weapon tables. Scout and Light mechs can select from the anti infantry class vehicle weapons or from the Squad Attachment and Specialist weapon classes. In the Gruntz core rules you can fire up to 2 of the equipped weapons per unit activation, the second weapon fired is at -1 to the Skill roll.

Mecha robots are often tall and substantial chunks of military kit, suffering from a high target signature and a likelihood of major technical failure when a leg is crippled by damage. In Gruntz they are considered very effective on the battlefield and great at making use of terrain by flattening themselves against walls, aiming around corners and making use of surroundings for cover with rapid agile movement to best avoid incoming fire. A tank would have to reveal itself by driving around a terrain feature before before targeting. targeting. This is reflected in slightly better Guard scores for mecha size classes, however mecha are more fragile than tanks represented by lower damage taking capacity.

38

d l i u B

Item

Selection

Points

Base Cost

Mecha

16

Size

Medium

5

Mobility

Walker (Standard for Mecha)

0


s t n u o M

pay for the Size class once. Item

Number of Mounts

Points


1

2

Main Weapons

2

4

Selection

Points

Particle Cannon ( Vehicle Medium Plasma)

4

Main Weapon 2

Light Missile Launcher

6


Machine Gun (Vehicle ( Vehicle Light Projectile)

1

Modz

Neutonic Damping (+2 Soak against energy weapons)

3

Crew Skill

5 ( Veteran)

5

s n Item o p a Main Weapon 1 e W

z d o M l l i k S

Mecha Base Cost

16

Build and Weapons

30

Total Mecha Cost

46

Mecha Mech a BUIL BUI LDE DER R


Mecha Points

Mecha Base Cost: 16

Select Mecha Size The Hull size dictates damage points, Soak, ToHit ToHit and Ram attack.

Determine Speed Speed is in inches, for single m ove, flank speed is double figure listed. If the Mecha is fitted with Jump technology it can jump in inches equal to its standard move and fi re at -2.

Mecha Size

Damage

Soak

RAM

Guard

Points

Scout

12

14

7

14

1

Light

14

15

8

13

2

Medium

16

16

9

12

4

Heavy

20

17

10

11

7

Assault

24

18

11

10

11

Mecha Size

Purchase the number of Weapon Mounts required, limited by the Mechs maximum Mount capacity. capacity.

Heavy

Assault

7

6

6

5

4

Mecha Weapon Max Mount Capacity Scout

Light

Medium

Heavy

Assault

Anti Infantry

1

1

2

2

2

Main Weapon

1

2

3

3

4

Purchase Main Weapon Mounts Main Weapon Mounts

0

1

2

3

4

Points

0

1

4

8

13


Size dictates how many anti-infantry weapons can be mounted on a Mecha.


0

1

2

Points

0

2

4

Crew Skill

Purchase Weapons, Skill and Vehicle Modz

Mecha Flight Mode

Medium

Speed in Inches

Select Anti-Infantry Weapon Mounts

Purchase Weapons/Modz from the appropriate table and select a Skill for the crew. The higher the Skill the more effective the vehicle is on the battlefi eld.

Light

Speed

Select Main Weapon Mounts Size dictates how many systems can be mounted on a Mecha.

Scout

Green

Trained

Seasoned

Veteran

Expert

Elite

Skill

2

3

4

5

6

7

Points

0

1

2

5

8

12

Scout

Light

Medium

Heavy

Assault

s Flight Base Speed 11 10 10 9 8 e l u Land Base Speed 7 6 6 5 4 R t For an additional 7 Points you can add a special Mod for Mecha called “Transform”. This allows the Mecha to switch between a h g accept the base speed is increased to a i l flying variation and the land walker variant. In both modes the statistics remain the same, accept F higher level whilst in flight mode and is dictated by the Mecha size as listed in the table. It takes 1 Action to Transform Transform and whilst in flight mode you can only use anti-infantry weapons. The Mecha Mecha unit has to first use an action to transform before before it can fire primary weapon mounts. Note that the base speed is doubled when making a double move action e.g. A Scout in Flight-Mode Flight-Mode will be able to make a double move of 22inches using its two actions.

39


UNIT BUILDERS

Commander

Perkz

Commander Each Army has one single Commander with overall command and control of your force. They are tougher than a normal Grunt and able to activate independently. They also have abilities which can improve the performance of Gruntz Squad.

Commanders can have two Perkz. The first Perk costs the standard amount listed. The The second perk costs an extra 5 points in addition to the perkz standard cost. Command Actions

Your Commander automatically receives the “Push Move” and “Take “Take the Pain” actions which are detailed in the Commander section of the core rules.

The Commanders

Your Commander leads your force into battle and provides some abilities that benefit Gruntz. They have multiple wounds to represent represent their experience and staying power in the field.

Example Tigrid Commander

Armour (Soak)

This is a Tigrid High Commander in Powered Battle Dress from Khurasan Miniatures. He is great in close combat and well armoured.

Armour is selected based on a range of categories and some sample ideas are detailed detailed below. A soak of 14 or 15 is reserved for powered armour squads only. Weapons

Weapons are selected from the Gruntz squad table in the weapons section and are based on small arms, assault rifles, lasers and other squad equipment. Your are also able to select grenades from the list and it is assumed they have basic combat knives for normal assault attacks.

s l l i k S

The weapons tables are based on generic generic classes and you you can select a profile which most appropriately describes the profile of your weapon. A Commander is able to carry weapons up to the size class of Squad Attachment, Attachment, although if you prefer a more realistic representation of a battlefield leader you can select from the standard Gruntz weapons. Commander Damage

Assault class Commanders can have up to 20 damage points and it should normally be reserved for Alien type Commanders or robotic leaders, larger than normal humans and more resilient. Normal human Commanders could be classed as Scout or Light size, however you can break this rule and build a very tough human Commander if required for your setting.

In the optional rules you can play with a more realistic variant of a Commander and set their damage points to 1 (the same as a Grunt). Remember both both players should adopt the non-cinematic non-cinematic rules or their Commander will have an unfair advantage.

40

Ability (score)

Points

Base Cost

Commander

1

Shoot

Veteran (5)

3

Assault

Elite (7)

5

Guard

Quick (13)

6

Soak

Heavy (14)

6

Mental

Expert (8)

4

Skill

Seasoned (4)

3

Damage

Medium (16)

4

Gauss Rifle ( Projectile Rifle )

2

Claw (Basic Weapon)

1

Grenades

High Explosive

0

Perk

None

0

s n o p Primary Weapon a e W Close Combat

k r e P

Commanders Commanders have multiple wounds but are not necessarily super human. The multiple wounds represent their staying power and veteran skills of survival in the field. field. The damage points points are an abstract number to help keep the Commander in play longer and offer a tactical advantage if played well in the cinematic rules. You might decide you do have an amazingly resilient Alien leader which has super strength and armour and this type of leader is still supported in the rules.

Item

Sub Total (Divide the total by 2 and round up)

35

Total points for 1 Commander:

18

Sample Commander Armour Types

r u o m r A

Type

Sample

Scout

Medium An Anti-kinetic, Li Light Pa Padding

Light

Part hard shell. Heavy Anti-kinetic force materials.

Medium

Hard Su Suit, fu full bo body ar armour / ca carapace.

Heavy

Lighter Personal Powered Suit

Assault

Heavy Personal Powered Armour

Commander


Commander Points

Commander Base Cost: 1


Green

Trained

Seasoned

Veteran

Expert

Elite

Shoot

2

3

4

5

6

7

Points

0

1

2

3

4

5

Green

Trained

Seasoned

Veteran

Expert

Elite

Assault

2

3

4

5

6

7

Points

0

1

2

3

4

5

Slow

Average

Medium

Quick

Superfast

ToHit

10

11

12

13

14

Points

1

2

4

6

8


Select Guard Guard is a measure of how difficult

to hit a unit is. Very fast, small dextrous aliens might be harder to hit.

Select Soak Soak is a measure the armoured a unit is wearing. Heavier armour is harder to penetrate. Heavy and Assault are reserved for Powered Armour types.

None

Scout

Light

Medium

Heavy

Assault

Soak

10

11

12

13

14

15

Points

1

2

3

4

6

8

Green

Trained

Seasoned

Veteran

Expert

Elite

Mental

4

5

6

7

8

9

Points

0

1

2

3

4

5

Green

Trained

Seasoned

Veteran

Expert

Elite

Skill

2

3

4

5

6

7

Points

1

2

3

5

8

12



Scout

Light

Medium

Heavy

Assault

Damage

12

14

16

18

20

Points

0

2

4

6

8

Select Damage Points The amount of damage a Commander can take in battle

Select Weapons Select from the Gruntz and Squad Attachment weapons for your Commander. Gruntz weapons are more realistic for a Commander to carry, however you can boost them up by having them carry a support weapon from the Squad Attachments list.

41


UNIT BUILDERS

Support Vehicle

variation of units that use the total capacity.

Support Vehicles On the future battlefield the mobility and rapid deployment of troops is vital. Support vehicles provide the hardened transport to move units into key strategic locations quickly and in relative safety.

Transport in Gruntz is vital for the rapid deployment of troops, use your transport wisely to get the Gruntz to key strategic positions. Support Vehicle Transport Slots

t r o p s n a r T

Support Vehicle Builder

Support Vehicles are similar to Tanks, having a range of statistics which are mostly derived from the size class which dictates Damage, Soak, RAM and Guard. When you select the size class you should note the various key statistics from the size class. Mobility

Select the mobility from the five options, note that walkers include crab like multi-leg tanks. The various mobility types dictate speed as shown in the speed table.

Size

Transport Slots

Scout

1

Light

1

Medium

2

Heavy

2

Assault

4

Modz

Support Vehicles can be fitted with the same Modz as tanks which should be selected and the points paid for them based on the details in the Modz table.


Support Vehicles weapons are selected from the anti infantry section of the weapons table. Note that you must purchase the weapon mounts for each weapon system you purchase for the design. Command Technology

You can purchase the command technology module for Support Vehicles. This turns the vehicle into a mobile command unit which has a limited set of the same abilities provided by the Commander unit on the battlefield. During play you can also transport your Commander unit in the Command vehicle, providing a very strong base to support your Gruntz units because the Commander can still use his special actions on Gruntz units whilst being transported. Adding the Command Tek option costs 6 points and there are several options for command module variants of models available from 15mm Miniature manufacturers that can be used to represent a Gruntz command support vehicle.

Example Armoured Wartruck This is an Armoured Wartruck from Khurasan Miniatures. It has one transport slot for units, with the option of adding a trailer for a second transport slot. The sample statistics below are for the non-trailer variant.

d l i u B

Transport Slots

Transport slots are based on the size of the vehicle and one single slot can carry a Gruntz Squad with Squad Attachments, a Commander or a single Specialist. A Powered armour Gruntz squad uses up two transport slots and a vehicle with two transport slots could also mix the units it transports e.g. One Gruntz squad and a Commander or any

Support Vehicles are designed with lighter weaponry and the capability to carry command modules. There is no doubt that a far future battlefield could have multi-role vehicles that are both as capable as a tank with the ability to deliver high damage ordnance and carry troops. In the Gruntz system support vehicles are balanced by having less damage points than a tank and are not capable of carrying heavy weapons. They can still take a significant anti-infantry and antiamour role on the battlefield but are inferior to Tanks because of the advantage they provide in troop mobility.

42


Item

Selection

Points

Base Cost

Support Vehicle

15

Size

Medium

5

Mobility

Wheeled

1

Item

Number of Mounts

Points


1

2

Item

Selection

Points


Plasma Repeater (Vehicle Light Plasma)

1

Modz

None

0

Crew Skill

5 (Veteran)

5

Support Vehicle Base Cost

14

Build and Weapons

14

Total Support Vehicle Cost

28

GSV BUILDER

Support Vehicle Points

Support Vehicle Base Cost: 14

Select Vehicle Size The Hull size dictates damage points, soak, Guard and ram attack.

Size


Damage

Soak

RAM

Guard

Points

Scout

10

15

9

13

1

Light

12

15

10

12

2

Medium

16

16

11

11

5

Heavy

20

17

12

10

8

Assault

22

18

13

9

12

Mobility Type

Select Mobility The Mobility type dictates rules on terrain and speed, depending on vehicle Hull size.

Walk

Track

Wheeled

Hover

Grav

0

1

1

2

3

Points

Speed in Inches

Determine Speed Speed is in inches, for single move, flank speed is double fi gure listed.

Size

Scout

7

8

9

8

10

Light

6

7

8

8

9

Medium

6

7

8

7

8

Heavy

5

6

7

6

8

Assault

4

6

7

5

7

Walk

Track

Wheels

Hover

Grav

Mobility Type Weapon Max Mount Capacity

Determine Weapon Mounts Size dictates how many systems can be mounted on a vehicle.

Anti Infantry


Scout

Light

Medium

Heavy

Assault

1

1

2

2

2


Size dictates how many anti-infantry weapons can be mounted on a vehicle. Pay the points for the number required.


0

1

2

Points

0

2

4

Purchase Command Tek

Select Command Tek

Points

Purchase for Command Technology Command Tek

Crew Skill

Purchase Weapons, Skill and Vehicle Modz Purchase Weapons/Modz from the appropriate table and select a Skill for the crew. The higher the Skill the more effective the vehicle is on the battlefi eld.

6

Green

Trained

Seasoned

Veteran

Expert

Elite

Skill

2

3

4

5

6

7

Points

0

1

2

5

8

12

43


UNIT BUILDERS

Air Support Vehicle Air Support Transport Slots

Air Support Vehicles On the future battlefield the mobility and rapid deployment of troops is vital. Support vehicles provide the hardened transport to move units into key strategic locations quickly and in relative safety. Air Support Vehicle Builder

Air Support Vehicles are similar to ground Support Vehicles, having a range of statistics which are mostly derived from the size class which dictates Damage, Soak, RAM and Guard. When you select the size class you should note the various key statistics from the size class. The smallest Scout and Light types are not typically designed for troop transport, being built for direct fire attacks and carry crew or are fully automated. Drones and UAV

Size

Transport Slots

Scout

Crew only

Light

Crew only

Medium

1

Heavy

2

Assault

3

Command Technology

Like normal ground Support Vehicles you can add Command Tek at a cost of 6 points. Transport Slots

t r o p s n a r T

Transport slots are based on the size of the vehicle and one single slot can carry a Gruntz Squad with Squad Attachments, a Commander or a single Specialist. A Powered armour Gruntz squad uses up two transport slots and an Air Support Vehicle with two transport slots could also mix the units it transports e.g. One Gruntz squad and a Commander or any variation of units that use the total capacity. Modz

Air Support Vehicles can be fitted with the same Modz as tanks which should be selected and the points paid for them based on the details in the Modz table.

Building an unmanned Air Support drone uses the same build as detailed below and purchase a Skill statistic to represent the ability of the remote controller of the drone or the automated onboard AI. If you are designing smaller drone systems use the Specialist builder with Grav or Hover mobility and do not pay for Shoot, Assault or Mental and do not divide the final total by two. You do still need to purchase a Skill statistic for weapons fire on a small automated drone. Mobility

Example Roach VTOL


This is a Roach VTOL from Ground Zero Games. It has one transport slot for units and a chin mount plasma cannon.


Support Vehicles weapons are selected from the anti infantry section of the weapons table. Note that you must purchase the antiinfantry weapon mounts for each weapon system you purchase for the design.

Air Support Vehicles are designed with lighter weaponry and the capability to carry troops across longer distances than their ground based equivalents. They have lower damage points than Ground Support Vehicles because of the more fragile nature of flight propulsion. They offer the advantage of rapid deployment into battle and quick extraction when the going gets tough for Gruntz on the ground. Movement of VTOL type support vehicles is an abstraction and designed to represent tactical movement on the battlefield. This tactical movement includes compensation for adjustments to speed for landing and take off which make air support more vulnerable to attack. During off-board movement a fast moving jet VTOL or Grav based Air Support Vehicles can cover vast distances each turn compared to the battlefield tactical movement ranges represented in Gruntz rules.

44

d l i u B


Item

Selection

Points

Base Cost

Air Support Vehicle

14

Size

Medium

5

Mobility

Jet VTOL

2

Item

Number of Mounts

Points


1

2

Item

Selection

Points


Plasma Chin Repeater (Vehicle Light Plasma)

3

Modz

None

0

Crew Skill

5 (Veteran)

5

Support Vehicle Base Cost

14

Build and Weapons

17

Total Support Vehicle Cost

31

ASV BUILDER

Air Support Vehicle Points

Air Support Vehicle Base Cost: 15

Select Vehicle Size The Hull size dictates damage points, soak, Guard and ram attack.

Size


Damage

Soak

RAM

Guard

Points

Scout

10

13

9

14

1

Light

12

14

10

13

2

Medium

14

15

11

13

6

Heavy

16

16

12

12

9

Assault

18

17

13

11

13

Mobility Type

Select Mobility The Mobility type dictates the base speed of the Air Support Vehicle

Helicopter

Prop VTOL

Jet VTOL

Grav

0

1

1

2

Points

Speed in Inches

Determine Speed Speed is in inches for single moves, flank speed is double fi gure listed. Double moves use two actions and do not allow for a shoot action.

Scout

10

13

14

15

Light

10

13

14

15

Medium

9

12

13

14

Heavy

8

11

12

13

Assault

8

10

11

12

Helicopt er

Prop VTOL

Jet VTOL

Grav

Size

Mobility Type



Size dictates how many anti-infantry weapons can be mounted on a vehicle. Pay the points for the number required.


0

1

2

Points

0

2

4

Purchase Command Tek

Select Command Tek

Points

Purchase for Command Technology Command Tek

Crew Skill

Purchase Weapons, Skill and Vehicle Modz Purchase Weapons/Modz from the appropriate table and select a Skill for the crew. The higher the Skill the more effective the vehicle is on the battlefi eld.

6

Green

Trained

Seasoned

Veteran

Expert

Elite

Skill

2

3

4

5

6

7

Points

0

1

2

5

8

12

45


UNIT BUILDERS Artillery in the field You can lay down a heavy carpet of area damage with artillery weapons which are effective at long ranges and with indirect guided ordnance.

Artillery Builder

Artillery vehicles are often based on the similar chassis and hulls to their tank or transport variants but are designed to normally carry one longer range cannon or other form of long range missile which can indirectly fire on enemy targets. There are two type of Artillery in Gruntz including the traditional unlimbered cannon or ground mount weapon and the more mobile vehicle platform like the Kra’Vak artillery tank featured in the sample builder on this page.

Artillery

weaponry use the Specialist points builder and select a suitable size and skill for the crew. If you are creating a manned ground artillery item the damage of the crew should be a factor of the design. The crew are an abstracted factor of the overall survivability of the model and can not be targeted individually. If the ground mount is unmanned you still need to purchase a “Crew Skill” statistic which represents the quality of the target acquisition software. Modelling crew onto the base or as separate models attached to artillery unit will improve how the unit looks on the table but for the purposes calculating damage simply fill in the damage box’s and only remove the unit from the game when all of the damage box’s are filled in. When using the specialist points builder for ground mount artillery, do not pay for Shoot, Assault or Mental and do not divide the final total by two. You can also select weapons from the vehicle artillery options and the Skill statistic is required and like vehicles is used for all shooting of the portable or ground mount artillery.

Mobility


Example Kra’Vak Artillery Build This is an Heav Kra’Val Artillery Grav tank from Ground Zero Games. Using an impressive gravity based gauss cannon rather than the more common magnetic propulsion which can be prone to higher heat levels and muzzle exit issues.


Artillery weapons can be equal to or less than the size class of the vehicle. Artillery vehicles can only have a maximum of two primary weapons as detailed in the Maximum weapon mount table. You can install two main weapons of the same size class as the tank, paying points for every weapon. Light and Scout vehicles can select from the anti infantry class vehicle weapons or from the Squad Attachment and Specialist weapon classes.

d l i u B

Note that you must purchase the weapon mounts for each weapon system you purchase for the design. Modz

Select Modz from the vehicle table to boost, armour targeting, range etc and add the points value to the total.

Item

Selection

Points

Base Cost

Artillery

16

Size

Heavy

5

Mobility

Grav

3

Item

Number of Mounts

Points

0

2

1

1

Item

Selection

Points

Main Weapon

Gauss Ark-Cannon (Heavy Artillery)

4

Anti-infantry

Laser Repeater (Light Laser)

2

Modz

Active Camo (+1 Guard against ranged attacks)

3

Crew Skill

5 (Veteran)

5

Artillery Vehicle Base Cost

16

Build and Weapons

25

Total Artillery Vehicle Cost

41

s t Anti Infantry n u Weapons o M Main Weapons

Ground Mount or unlimbered Portable Artillery

For Ground Mount, Trailer portable type or other automatic static

Artillery in Gruntz is similar to a Tank unit but with lighter damage capacity because they are generally kept further back from the front line in battle to provide indirect heavy firepower against enemy units. Unlimbered or fixed ground mount artillery are treated separately from mobile Artillery and use the Specialist builder for points creation. Long range artillery in a SCI-FI world could be orbital, atmospheric planetary bombardment or devastating energy attacks from massive ground mount installations. In this version of Gruntz the artillery function is focused on battlefield equipment which is onboard and able to be targeted by other assets in game.

46

s n o p a e W

z d o M l l i k S

Artillery


Artillery Points

Artillery Base Cost: 16 Damage

Soak

RAM

Guard

Points

Scout

12

14

9

13

1

Light

14

15

10

12

4

Medium

18

16

11

11

7

Heavy

22

17

12

10

11

Assault

24

18

13

9

15

Select Vehicle Size Vehicle

The Hull size dictates damage points, soak, Guard and ram attack. You only pay the points once to receive the Damage, Soak, RAM and Guard statistics.

Size

Mobility Type

Select Mobility The Mobility type dictates rules on terrain and speed, depending on Hull size.

Walk

Track

Wheeled

Hover

Grav

0

1

1

2

3

Points

Speed in Inches

Determine Speed Speed is in inches, for single move, flank speed is double figure listed.

Tank Size

Scout

7

8

9

8

10

Light

6

7

8

8

9

Medium

6

7

8

7

8

Heavy

5

6

7

6

8

Assault

4

6

7

5

7

Walk

Track

Wheels

Hover

Grav

Vehicle Mobility Type

Select Main Weapon Mounts Size dictates how many systems can be mounted on a vehicle. Artillery has a maximum mount of two from Medium class and above.

Artillery Weapon Max Mount Capacity Scout

Light

Medium

Heavy

Assault

Anti Infantry

1

1

2

2

2

Main Weapon

1

1

2

2

2

Purchase Main Weapon Mounts

Purchase the number of Weapon Mounts required, limited by the Tanks maximum Mount capacity.

0

1

2

Points

0

1

4


Select Anti-Infantry Weapon Mounts Size dictates how many anti-infantry weapons can be mounted on a vehicle.


0

1

2

Points

0

2

4

Crew Skill

Purchase Weapons, Skill and Vehicle Modz Purchase Weapons/Modz from the appropriate table and select a Skill for the crew. The higher the Skill the more effective the vehicle is on the battlefield.

Main Weapon Mounts

Green

Trained

Seasoned

Veteran

Expert

Elite

Skill

2

3

4

5

6

7

Points

0

1

2

5

8

12

47


Weapons

Weapons

Gruntz weaponry is based on a set of SCI-FI weapon types grouped by a standard classification. If you have a specific weapon in mind, first find a near match by selecting a weapon of a suitable size and type. When using the Gruntz unit builder the weapon type is one of the last selections made. There are examples provided with each weapon to help you determine what category your squad weapon fits into. You may decided that the models you are using are carrying a ‘Martian Death Ray’. Select a category from the table that most matches your weapon type, a martian death ray could be classed as a plasma or laser depending on the profile you have in mind for the weapon. Gruntz squads can use close combat, pistol and Gruntz rifle weapons. A Gruntz unit of six models carry all the same type of weapon, so you only pay once for the weapon type when you are building the squad with the points builder system.

Statistic Tables attachment or even Specialist weapons. This would make them a very powerful Gruntz unit and would not be the normal approach for a balanced game. However it could be a fun scenario to play a lethal crack mercenary squad which are all carrying individual squad attachment class weapons that are hailing down heavy fire on incoming forces of a less powerful nature. Description

The description provides details on the type of weapon that fits into the category of ranged weapon. Range

Ranges detailed are the most effective range to deliver damage for the weapon category. All weapons can fire up to twice the listed range in inches, however a penalty of -4 is applied to the ranged attack roll for ranges over the effective range listed.

Weapon Class

Pistol and Rifle weapon classes are for use by Gruntz squads and squad attachments select from the own weapon selection. Specialists can pick from all the weapons depending on what specific build you have in mind for the unit but they are generally two man teams making use of the heavier weapons in the Specialist class and would use the weapons by moving and setting them up. Specialists also cover the smaller mecha type suits and droids which are to small to be classified as a scout mecha but are large enough to carry the heavier specialist weaponry.

Damage

All rifle, pistol and close combat weapons are -2 to damage against vehicle or material targets accept where they have an armour piercing factor. If they have at least 1 in armour piercing they do not suffer the -2 damage and benefit from additional damage to vehicles as per the rules on damage. Area Effect

Breaking the class rules

If you have a unit of Gruntz you are designing which are heavily augmented with machine-flesh technology or are simply from an advanced race where exotic matter manipulation allows them to create weapons of a more powerful class you could assign them Squad

The area covered by a blast centred on the target. Use the Gruntz blast template to determine coverage and the deviation dice if the weapon has indirect fire i.e. Mortar or Missile weapons.

High Mobility battle group. Models by Ground Zero Games.

48

Weapon Tables Weapon Class

Description

None

SPEC YOUR UNIT Range

Damage

AE

AP

Points

No weapon, fist, kick, slam and headbutt.

-

4

-

-

0

Small hand weapons. Knife, Stick...

-

5

-

-

0

Weapons made for close combat. Swords, mace, axe... Also natural abilities; claws, fangs etc.

-

6

-

-

1

Energy powered weapons. Chain-, circular saw, laser sword, combat suite powered fist or claw.

-

7

-

1

2

Stun

Paralysis and stun weapons. Sticks, handheld...

-

Special

-

-

1

Projectile Pistol

Pistol or other shorter range basic ballistic type small arm. Also includes nonautomatic weapons like Shotguns.

6

5

-

-

1

Light ray, laser or other longer range accurate emitting type small arm or alien emission.

8

6

-

-

2

Plasma Pistol

High impact small arm energy weapon. Plasma, particle, death ray, energy wave or other projection weapon.

6

7

-

-

2

Projectile Rifle

Machine gun, assault rifle, gauss rifle, bio rifle or other military based automatic weapon. Usually fired with two hands.

8

5

-

-

2

Improvised junk or scrap gun, cobbled together into a working gun.

7

4

-

-

1

Heavier and more efficient form of the laser pistol.

10

6

-

-

3

Plasma Rifle

Heavier and more efficient form of the plasma pistol.

8

7

-

1

3

HE Grenade

High Explosive Grenade for Anti-Infantry use. *No long range.

6

7

*

-

1

AP Grenade

Armour Piercing Grenade Effective against vehicles. *No long range

6

6

*

2

1

SA. Medium Projectile

Higher damage output personal weapons.

10

7

-

1

4

SA. Medium Laser

Heavy carried laser with armour piercing qualities

12

8

-

1

5

Heavy carried Plasma or equivalent energy projectile or burst weapon.

10

9

-

1

5

Simple carried Grenade launcher with indirect fire capability. Can be combined with rifle.

10

6

2

-

4

Fires anti personal grenades

12

7

2

1

6

Carried RPG or Micro missiles used in Powered Armour suits.

12

9

-

2

6

t a Small b m o C Basic e s o l C Energy

z l t o n t s Laser Pistol u r i P G

s e Improvised Rifle fl i R Laser Rifle e d a n e r G


t SA. Medium Plasma n e m h c SA. Grenade Launcher a t t A SA. Medium Grenade d a SA. Missile Launcher u q S SA. Flamer

Personal flamer, biological bug spray or any other spray based weapon. Use Gruntz 6 inch Flamer template

6

8

-

-

4

SA. Stun or web rifle

Weapon designed to stun or capturing enemies. Web thrower, stun blaster, stutter gun or freeze ray etc

8

Special

1

-

3

SA. Sniper Rifle

Squad attachment Sniper. An excellent long range killer.

15

6

-

1

3

SA Heavy Sniper

Long range sniper designed for anti-material and anti-infantry targets.

16

7

-

2

6

Armour Piercing

Armour piercing is the amount of additional damage against a vehicle or material target. If targeting another Gruntz unit you do not apply the armour piercing.

Points

When you are outfitting a Gruntz squad with weapons you only pay once for the default weapon type that six Gruntz in the squad carry. If you wanted them all to carry Laser Carbines select the medium laser option at a cost of 1 single point added to the cost of the full unit. Deviation

Only missile and grenade type weapons deviate if they miss the target. Roll a deviation dice to determine where a missed ranged attack rolls blast marker is placed.

49


Weapons

Weapon Class

Description

S. Heavy Sniper S. Shield Sink Launcher

Specialist Weapons Range

Damage

AE

AP

Points

Heavier Anti-Material and personnel sniper.

16

7

-

1

4

Portable launcher designed to bring down the shields of targets by overloading and earthing shield systems with exotic matter pulses.

10

Special

1

-

2

Heaviest form of carried projectile including Gauss canons,heavy carbines and other high powered slug weapons. Mostly used prone.

12

8

1

1

5

Heaviest carried laser with longer range and more serious antiarmour capability.

14

10

-

3

6

Heaviest form of carried plasma, either energy or bug plasma based

11

12

-

3

6

S. Medium Missile Launcher

Heavier personal missile system with longer range and power to punch through thicker armour.

14

12

1

3

7

S. Light Mortar

Anti personal mortar, throws shells, mines or other, with indirect fire capability.

14

9

2

1

6

S. Medium Mortar

Heavier form Anti personal mortar, throws shells, mines or other, with indirect fire capability.

16

10

2

2

7

S. Power Claw

Specialist Power Claw or Fist weapons. Capable of vehicle assault. Normally fitting to heavier specialist power armour mechs.

-

10

-

1

1

s S. Heavy projectile t s i l a i c S. Heavy Laser e p S S. Heavy Plasma

Squad Attachments

Squad attachments are single gruntz models that are attached to the group of six gruntz in a squad. The Squad Attachment carries a heavy or assault class weapon like a SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon) which is able to damage vehicles or do more significant damage to enemy gruntz and vehicles. Powered Armour

Power armour Gruntz use weapons from the Squad Attachment table. If they are fitted with integral rocket launchers they are classed as light missiles.

Vehicle Weapons

Like the Gruntz squad, vehicle and mounted weapons are based on a set of SCI-FI weapon types grouped by a standard classification. If you have a specific weapon in mind find a near match by selecting a weapon of a suitable size and type. For example the large Vehicle Plasma assault weapon could cover a range of different energy projection weapons from power gun, heat ray, atom blast or any other form of weapon that fires a blast of energy.

The city defence Arc troopers discover an alien infestation and suffer two waxed gruntz. A medic is on hand to try to revive them before they take their next action. Gruntz tokens are by S6Engineering, models Critical Mass Games, GZG and buildings by Kato.

50

Vehicle Ranged Weapon Class


Vehicle Weapon Table Range

Damage

AE

AP

Points

Automatic vehicle mounted projectile weapon

12

8

-

2

1

Repeater mounted Laser for pin-point infantry targeting.

13

9

-

1

2

Mounted anti infantry plasma or alien weapon.

8

10

-

2

2

Vehicle Light Power Claw

Claw or armoured fist for use on mecha vehicles.

-

10

-

1

1

Missile Light

Light vehicle mounted missile pod.

16

14

2

1

6

Vehicle Medium Projectile

Auto-cannon, Slug Cannon or equivalent medium Gauss.

14

10

-

2

3

Vehicle Medium Laser

Laser, Power Gun or equivalent tight beam high energy.

15

11

-

1

4

Vehicle Medium Plasma

Particle Cannon, Plasma Blaster or Alien Plasma .

10

12

-

2

4

Missile with good anti-vehicle or infantry capability.

18

16

2

1

7

Claw or armoured fist for use on mecha vehicles.

-

12

-

1

2

Vehicle Medium Gatling Projectile

Medium high volume rapid fire weapon with a large area effect for devastating use against infantry squads.

14

10

4

1

3

Vehicle Flamer

8 inch flamer template for anti infantry spray attacks.

8

10

-

-

2

Vehicle Heavy Projectile

Auto-cannon, Slug Cannon or equivalent heavy Gauss.

16

12

-

4

4

Vehicle Heavy Laser


17

13

-

2

5


11

14

-

4

5

Missile Heavy

Longer range missile with significant destructive power.

20

18

2

2

8

Vehicle Heavy Power Claw

Heavy Claw or armoured fist for use on mecha vehicles.

-

14

-

1

3

Vehicle Assault Projectile

Auto-cannon, Slug Cannon or equivalent assault Gauss.

18

14

-

4

5


18

14

-

2

6


12

16

-

4

6

Missile Assault

Long range missile with massive destructive power.

22

20

4

2

9

Artillery Light

Short range artillery either vehicle or ground mounted.

14

10

2

1

2

Medium range artillery either vehicle or ground mounted.

16

12

2

1

3

Longer range artillery either vehicle or ground mounted.

18

14

2

2

4

Long range artillery either vehicle or ground mounted.

20

16

4

2

5

y r t Vehicle Light Projectile n a f n Vehicle Light Laser I i t Vehicle Light Plasma n A

m u Missile Medium i d e Vehicle Medium Power Claw M

y v a Vehicle Heavy Plasma e H

t l u Vehicle Assault Laser a s s Vehicle Assault Plasma A

y r Artillery Medium e l l i t r Artillery Heavy A Artillery Assault

Description

Size Class

When using the vehicle builders the size of the vehicle you pay for in points determines the maximum weapon mounts available. Check the size class of the weapon when designing a new vehicle. Scout vehicles use the Specialist table for weapons and light vehicles use either Scout or Specialist Support Weapons

They are more powerful than a typical squad attachment weapon and are usually two Gruntz, one providing weapon feed and ammo and one shooter. Select only from the Specialist, Squad Attachment or Gruntz weapon tables when building a Specialist support weapon crew. Artillery

Artillery is capable of indirect fire and it will deviate if it misses the target. Artillery can not fire at short ranges. Units can not be targeted within half of the range of the weapon listed. Missiles

Missiles have a minimum range of half the range listed for the weapon. Any shooting completed at less than half range is at a -2 with this weapon type due to the requirements of the launch and target mechanism. Specialist units carry the large portable support weapons which are normally mounted on a framework or placed directly on the ground.

51


Weapons

Heliopause Technology

In addition to the generic weapon classes for vehicles these more advanced Heliopause setting weapons can be fitted to vehicles for specific effects on target impact. The Esoteric Tek weapons table details examples of the size classes where the technology can be used with points for use during vehicle construction. Ionic Bond (Drilling) Cannon IBD

More commonly known as IBD Class Weaponry. Originally designed for mining on larger asteroid clusters throughout the Galaxy where low-G explosions could have proved more dangerous than beneficial. The IBD cannon uses high frequency oscillating waves to de-stabilise the chemical bonds that hold the crystalline structure of the minerals together allowing for controlled excavation on these satellites. Used extensively by the CMA for drilling operations they have adapted and miniaturised the boring rigs to create effective man packed & vehicle mounted anti-tank weaponry; literally boring a hole through the superstructure of enemy vehicles. Neutrino Concentrator NC

Esoteric Tek Accelerated Proton Agitator APA

The ultimate heat ray, the proton agitator takes a localised laser focus point to temperatures beyond the suns core, causing localised atomic grade de-stabilisation of physical material. APA weapons are used in conjunction with high power vehicle mounted laser weapons and drain high levels of power to deliver incredible hole punching capability at medium ranges. Guass Cannon, Mass Driver Cannon and Rail Cannon

These are all projectile accelerator that consists of electromagnetism deliver a synchronous linear motor which accelerate a magnetic projectile to high velocity. The ordinance is case-less and is accelerated to hyper velocities along the barrel. Depending on the level of technology used the weapon may include rails which the shell is accelerated on or the ordnance could be suspended by force or magnetic field to reduce friction. Guass Cannons use the standard projectile weapon as a classification, however you may wish to add the vehicle Modz of Gravatonic Accelerator to any tank or mecha carrying a guass weapon to represent the extended range available to Guass weapons. Phased Frequency Missiles

An exotic matter manipulation weapon system that massively increases neutrino concentration in a targeted zone. Denser materials suffer worse from the exotic matter generated from such high concentrations of neutrino’s in flux, resulting in an eery popping sound as physical matter is reduced to sludge and slag.

Force field technology is well know and represented throughout most space-faring races. As such it is also well researched and mitigated by the Phased Frequency branch of munitions; most common are the PF Missiles.

The NC weapon types are short range and have been known to de-stabilise in heavy-G conditions causing micro worm hole formation and loss of crew.

The PF technology uses the existence of the Vedello Valley principal to ‘encase’ itself in a mesh of space the phases into the same frequency that force field technology uses; bypassing the field and allowing the missile to detonate against the target beyond - the payload of the missiles varies from weapon to weapon, race to race.

NC’s can only operate effectively within range of a suns Helipshere (A sun produces Neutrino’s) and it can take some time for the concentration to build up to a deadly enough level to fire.

PF technology is commonest amongst missiles as the relatively large casing provides ample room for the additional hardware

The recently disembarked hard suit squad are assaulted by a deadly Zin space mite pack. Any exposure to their air born toxin would prove deadly for the squad. Figures by GZG and Heresy.

52

Vehicle

k e T c i r e t o s E

Esoteric Tek Table

Ranged Weapon Class

Special

Ionic Bond (Drilling) Cannon IBD

When a target is hit, the IBD can either cause an automatic 2 damage to a target vehicle which also causes the target to lose one action on its next activation (due to borehole structure damage) or roll for damage as usual. The medium IBD can be carried by Specialists.

Accelerated Proton Agitator APA

Pin point accuracy allows the APA to target vehicle internal systems. On any double rolled on the ranged shoot attack the APA causes an automatic critical threshold check. Roll the check as normal for each target critical system in the target vehicle.

Neutrino Concentrator NC

Takes one action to re-charge the NC after firing. A vehicle does not have to remain stationary. On a shoot roll of double 6, the NC player can automatically mark off a random critical on the target vehicle (roll a D3 to determine which critical).

Phased Frequency Missiles PFM


Size

Ignores 3 points of shielding on enemy targets but does not overload the shield if damage is done to the target.

Range

Damage

AE

AP

Points

Medium

6

14

0

1

3

Heavy

7

16

1

2

5

Assault

8

20

2

3

6

Heavy

17

12

0

5

5

Assault

19

13

6

6

Heavy

7

20

0

4

7

Assault

8

22

0

4

8

Medium

18

6

2

1

8

Heavy

20

18

2

2

9

Assault

22

20

4

2

10

Neural Network Phase Gun

A short range portable device carried by Squad Attachments or Specialists.

Specialist

12

Special

-

-

6

Neural Network Medium Projector

A medium range ground mount or vehicle carried NN Projector.

Medium

15

Special

-

-

8

Neural Network Heavy Projector

A long range ground mount or vehicle carried NN Projector.

Heavy

18

Special

-

-

10

necessary to use the Vedello Valley phasing; in theory there is no reason why Mass Driver or Gatling munitions could not utilise this technology but the ability to manufacture low-cost micronized versions of the casings has yet to be perfected in Human space. Hard Light Emitters HLE

Holographic emitters have been in production for centuries for Prescience messaging and other communication technologies. Hard Light is the next step along the evolutionary scale of Holographic innovation. The HLE is used to crystallise projected images into solid objects using the carbon, hydrogen & oxygen molecules (among others) found in most atmospheres. The most common Military form of this technology is to create temporary hard exo-skeletons around light vehicles or low-obit hover or skimmer craft to provide limited ablative armour without increasing the weight of the craft. This additional protection does come at a cost though and the power used to emit such complex structures significantly decreases both the length and duration of combat operations for the vessel. M-Sec are a known user of Hard Light technologies and are at the cutting edge of research and development of this field.

that can normally overload or reduce the effectiveness of traditional energy shields. Phased Frequency Missiles offer no advantage against HLE technology shields. Neural Net Attacks NN

Neural Net technology includes some chaos algorithms with aggressive self learning routines that are capable of attacking the hardened military systems of target vehicles in an attempt to overload them. The a successful Neural Net attack can reduce the effectiveness of the target vehicle. NN projectors and phase guns work over specific ranges, where the extreme digital degradation and warfare algorithms are able to most effectively overload the defending vehicles defence protocols. Use the NN rules which make use of the skill of the attacking unit to determine the success of an attack by NN weapons. The key difference between the NN weapons is the range in which it can fire. Only Specialist units can carry the NN Phase Gun listed in the Esoteric Tek Table.

HLE technology is used in the generation of force fields, it is not a replacement for standard force fields generated by matter manipulation using energy bonding techniques but instead offers an alternative super hard shell which is resistant to many of the techniques

53


PERKZ

PerkZ and Modz

Perkz and Modz are special abilities available to units which change statistics and influence the unit in some way. They are purchased as part of unit building and are listed on the individual published profile cards. They often break the core rules by allowing a unit extra range, speed or other special modifiers in certain conditions. is table.

Squad Special Abilities Perkz and Modz are normally associated with a particular class or race of gruntz, for example the Kra-Vak have Active Camo perk to reflect their technology, enabling them to blend in with surrounding cover. They can also be applied to any unit design you are building.

Perk

Description

Effect

Active Camo

Stealthy troops which can benefit further from cover due to reactive camouflage technology or camo-skin.

Additional +1 to Guard statistic whilst in Cover.

1

Already Dead

These units have passed away and are still animated but due to their undead condition are not as susceptible to weapons fire and assault.

Can not Run and ignores suppressed condition.

1

Auto-Heal

When activating the unit can attempt to auto heal from the Waxed condition. Squad has advanced nano-blood stream or advanced molecular knitting technology built into bio-linked systems. Auto-heal is also the property of some resilient aliens and hardware drones.

Each waxed grunt can attempt to auto heal on unit activation by rolling a 5+ on a single D6 roll.

3

Automaton

Unit is robotic and autonomous with no emotional shortcomings or post traumatic therapy needs. This unit does not take morale saves.

No Mental checks required.

1

BOGINT

Bogus intelligence. Until this unit is in line of sight of the enemy you can place two 4inch marker templates on the table which are moved as two separate units representing the bogus intelligence about the unit. Once discovered both markers are removed from play and the unit owner places his figures under the marker of his choice. In solo play make a random roll to indicate the true location of the unit.

Place two markers on the table while unit is at least 10 inches away from enemy or out of LOS. Figures are revealed when an enemy is 10 inches away and in LOS.

2

Bullet Time

Lighting reflexes giving troops a once per game round ability to dodge ranged attacks.

A +2 Guard vs a single ranged attack in a turn. Additional attacks after the first are not affected by Bullet time.

2

Combat Drugs

Once per game the gruntz squad can activate combat drugs. For one turn the unit’s Assault and Soak statistic are boosted. The squad activating Combat drugs must assault the nearest enemy unit. Uses one action.

Once per game assault and Soak increased by +3 for Gruntz squad.

1

Force Shields

Personal Force shields provide additional protection from assault and shoot attacks. Once overloaded the wearers Soak is reduced to its normal level until an action is used to re-charge the personal shield. A shield is overloaded when wearer takes damage. Note for Specialists and Gruntz with Soaks of up to 13 the Shields provide a 15 boosted Soak. For Specialists with heavier soaks of 14-15, the shielding provides a boosted Soak of 17.

Soak is 15 or 17 until shield is overloaded.

3

Geardo

Units with Geardo are equipped with the most advanced technology of their race which provides them an advantage on the battlefield.

Can re-roll one dice from a shoot attack per turn. Second dice roll must be kept.

3

Hard Vetz

Can re-roll all Mental checks once and must take the result of the second roll.

Re-Roll Mental checks.

1

Higher Mods

Gruntz unit is extremely advanced, with "machine flesh" cyber integrated technology. They are a higher form of walking integrated weaponry with devastating internal power systems, re-enforced skeletons, fire control and damage control systems. The Higher mod also provides force shielding.

Any selected weapon system has +1 Range and +1 damage. Can fire after a double move. All movement at +2 inches base move and has force shield. Force shield provides Soak of 15 until overloaded.

5

Infiltrator

This unit can deploy further into the game table, after the opponent places normal units but still within initiative sequence.

Can deploy up to 18 inches into game table after initial deployment.

1

54

Points

PERKZ


Continued Perkz

Perk

Description

Effect

Jump Pack

Jump pack units can traverse the board rapidly and ignore terrain as they jump over intervening obstacles up to 6 inches high. Organic bio-gruntz may be granted Jump Pack from the use of wings. Jump packs are only active on a double move.

If they activate the jump the unit has +4 Inches to a double move and is not affected by rough terrain, obstacles and can jump over enemy units.

2

Let Rip

Rapid fire, allowing for 2 shoot actions per turn if move is sacrificed.

Can shoot twice on activation. Unit must sacrifice all move this turn and is at -1 to Guard when they let rip.

3

Lifer Juice

Once per game this unit can auto heal wounded troops at the beginning of an activation.

Once per game auto heal up to 3 gruntz at the beginning of a unit activation where gruntz are waxed in the unit.

2

This unit can paint an enemy unit within 12inches with an active reference which will track the enemy unit either by biological or technical means. When the enemy model or unit is destroyed another target can be painted.

Paint a target within 12 inches. All friendly units get +1 to ranged attacks against the painted unit and in-direct artillery can target painted models that are out of LOS.

2

Long Runners

Can make extended moves covering a lot of ground in the open.

+2 Inch to all moves in the Open. This makes a double move (run) 12inches.

2

Melt Away

Once per game a unit can relocate to cover within 12 inches when threatened by an enemy unit (but must not move closer to any enemy unit). Represents familiarity with terrain, excellent field craft and guerrilla techniques.

Once per game place all models totally within 12inches of current location and in squad coherency. Unit can not move after Melt Away but can Shoot.

1

Mimic

Once per game the gruntz squad that is out of LOS of all enemy units can disguise itself as an enemy unit/civilians. Can only disguise themselves as something of roughly equal size (i.e. human-sized creatures could not disguise themselves as large ogres and vice versa). Enemy units cannot target units that have changed. Enemy units within 6 inches of mimics can take a Mental check and if check is passed they see through the disguise and can attack. If mimics open fire on enemy units or Assault they lose their innocent cover.

Become a neutral civilian or local non-hostile until gruntz squad opens fire or attacks an enemy unit.

1

Neural Net Boosters

Increases unit coherency to 6 inches and enables gruntz anywhere on the table to use the Mental statistic of the commander. Battle net is a superior communications technology.

Unit Coherency extended to 6 inches for gruntz with Battle Net.

1

Over the Top

This unit is experienced at fearlessly running directly into enemy fire, making use of surroundings and using guts and luck to minimise damage as they charge forward.

Unit is +1 Guard after making a double move (run action).

1

Plug and Pray

Droid Only: On Activation, may prevent one single droid per turn being waxed whilst they still have at least one droid remaining in the squad.

Save one gruntz Droid model from being waxed on unit activation.

2

Snipe

Models are adept at targeting or equipped with specialist equipment.

A +2 to shoot attack rolls when unit has not moved. Replaces normal +1 for not moving.

2

Light them Up

Points

Ahead of me Johnson crouches, a whisper and the squad goes quiet waiting for comms. Leading past an awkward boulder is a shallow ditch down to the bug hole entrance. Somewhere beneath this warren, a sentient mind is feeling for pheromone born news of the hives threat level. Lets give her something to think about. Suddenly there are sentry creeper signs as two dark shapes burst out of the entrance to check the air. A trooper reacts and shots are fired by one of the greens which spit on the ground a few yards ahead. We lie absolutely flat, scarcely daring to breathe – have they seen? Waiting briefly for the sentries to retreat we go on with explosives in hand, the ditch gets a little deeper, giving cover against the entrance hole. My heart is beating nineteen to the dozen - will it mean a tank bug. “My God,” I think this could be the central hive mind ahead and this the ditch which leads us into hell.

55


MORE PERK

Special ABILITIES

Perk

Description

Effect

Points

Swarm

A mob or swarm of alien or civilian Gruntz. This unit has more figures and a mob like ability to overwhelm enemy units. A swarm would normally be lightly armed and relly mostly on assault attacks.

Unit can have up to 10 models and no Squad attachments. +1 to Assault attack and Damage rolls.

3

Telepathy

Once per game the unit/character can attempt to take control of an enemy gruntz squad or organic specialist by making a successful skill check by rolling 2d6 equal to or over the targets Guard. If check is successful the player can activate the target enemy unit/character as one of his own units/characters and have it perform actions of his choosing for one single activation before their action is passed back to the opponent. Range of Mental attack is 8 inches.

Mental control of unit or specialist within 8 inches. Make a Skill statistic roll equal to or higher than targets Guard.

1

Ultimate Agility

Very agile troops skilled in traversing rough and difficult terrain. This can either be a hardware augmentation or a biological advantage that the unit has.

+1 Inch to base moves, Not affected by Rough terrain.

2

Zero-G Gyro Assist

Zero-G Gyro assisted units do not suffer modifiers for the condition Zero-G because their specialist equipment allows them to target and perform actions easily when drifting.

No modifiers for being in the Zero-G condition.

1

Unit Building with Perkz

Selecting Perkz are an additional cost to a standard Gruntz unit and you can have one Perk per Gruntz unit. The Perkz allow you to add some interesting technology or abilities to your units which can boost their performance in the field if the ability is used tactically. Some of the Perkz are specific to certain types of unit, for example ‘Already Dead’ is designed to be used with a zombie unit, however you don’t have to restrict it to just undead use. The same ability could easily apply to a slow moving and shambling alien plant form that is immune to suppression. Swarm is another Perk which could apply to various different Gruntz units you build including an alien swarming bugs unit or just to describe a mass of unhappy students charging the military to protest against a change in tuition fees. When a perk improves movement it is often listed as a plus in inches to ‘base move’. All Gruntz squad units have a base move of 4 inches and double it to 8 inches for a run move. If their base move is improved by +2 inches they will benefit from a double move of 12 inches.

Arc Fleet Heavy drop troopers patrol a bridge with mecha support. Models by Critical Mass Games

In her mind General Kelsal kept open the data ID for Malkit, the government official she should be regularly data-vising on battle progress. Every hour it flashed through her mind like a negative thought but things were going badly and Government key performance metrics were not her priority. It was a crazy bug-hunt and things started with poor planning, a nightmare for ARM forces on Kaltek with the hired mercs arriving a day late and being outfitted for jungle warfare. Kaltek was 90% desert. Her neural net robotic assets were struggling in the sand, with the spider drone specialists getting bogged down in the giant dunes. The frontline troops with no environmental protection were looking down trodden and casualties were high. It was at least cool in her air-conditioned desert skinned hard-suit and her thoughts drifted to an urgent shadow request to review the latest medical assignment. Two hundred and sixty four re-lifes requested on day one, it was a poor statistic and the soldiers profile chips were ready to ship off-world, along with the customary polite data-vise to the closest relative explaining the Governments new policy on only providing partial financial assistance with the re-life costs. Cheap loan options to re-life your son. Some of these soldiers were going to find their profile chips in a dusty draw until more prosperous times. Wishing for an invisible breeze to remind her of Earth, Kelsal started her battle planning. Flicking through several thought overlays she selected from a range of tactical stances that would provide her with a balance between losses and a level of attrition which would keep the politicians happy. She cursed the Trixian with their insectile minds, the relentless mortar fire and honeycomb desert nests providing perfect cover and an safe retreat for their forces. Her geographic target set for the day she started barking orders to some of the front line Gruntz squad leaders, with a push order delivered to a reluctant squad on the edge of a mortar nest.

56

Environment

Scenario Conditions

For optional environmental conditions use this table to reflect the weather and local environmental conditions which may impact the performance of gruntz and vehicles. Select a condition appropriate to your scenario. The various conditions are intended to provide hazards


and interesting play conditions should you want to recreate a more extreme battlefield. Select these conditions before playing one of the battle schemas to vary the play conditions.

Environment

Description

Effect

Acid Rain

Acidic rain. All exposed organic life forms are attacked by the rain. Troops in sealed hard armour or within sealed armoured vehicles or buildings/caves are protected from the harmful effects of the acid rain. Roll a D6 at the beginning of every turn, on a 1 the rain stops.

Exposed gruntz need to survive an attack every turn of 6+2D6. Certain aliens can resist the acid rain.

Dangerous Flora and Fauna

Certain areas of the battlefield are infested by indigenous dangerous wildlife of organic nature either Flora or Fauna. Any gruntz entering the predefined areas risk attacked by the dangerous wildlife. Each turn a gruntz squad is in the designated area roll 1D6 on their activation, on a 1 or 2 they are assaulted by unhappy wildlife. Start the assault attack immediately.

Types of Flora and Fauna: Walking Plant life, Bipedal Lizards, Giant Aquatics, Whiplash Vines. Details to be published in Gruntz Statistic Profile cards.

Earthquakes

An earthquake strikes and disrupts movement for a turn might start rock slides and damage buildings. Each turn roll 1D6, on a 1 a shock wave hits.

Make a damage attack against all buildings on board with a Damage of 12 + 2D6. Make a damage attack against all vehicle ground units of 8+2D6.

Fog and Mist

Thick fog or mist shrouds the battlefield. Visibility for all units is reduced to 6 inches unless they have appropriate equipment or natural ability.

Each turn roll 1D6, on a 1 the fog burns off and normal play conditions apply.

Geysers

During game setup, D6 geysers (mud, lava, boiling steam or acid) are placed on the table. Players select the locations, alternating placement as per their initiative roll. Label each geyser with a number from 1 to 6. Each turn two geyser erupt, roll 2D6 to determine the two locations.

All units within 6 inches of an eruption suffer a 4+2D6 Damage roll against their Soak statistic.

High Winds

Extremely strong winds of gale or even hurricane force scour the battlefield. Roll a scatter die or a D6 to determine the direction of the wind blowing across the table.

Jump pack units are scattered and extra 1D6 inches in the direction the wind is blowing each time they use their jump packs. No aerial units can operate due to weather conditions.

Lava Flows

Following the eruption of a nearby volcano, one or more flows of lava enter the table at a random edge and travel at a random rate of inches determined by the players. It will flow across the table and follow the topography. A unit entering Lava takes a 12 + 2D6 damage attack against their Soak.

If the flow touches a building it will do 12 + 2D6 damage at the beginning of each player’s turn until building is destroyed. Woodland is consumed.

Poisonous Clouds

1D6 clouds of 4 inch diameter enter the board from a random edge and drift across the battlefield to the opposite edge. Scatter the clouds randomly across the edge selected. Each turn they move 2D6 inches toward the opposite edge. Complete this movement on every player’s activation and resolve damage before continuing play.

Troops in sealed hard armour or within sealed armoured vehicles or buildings/caves are protected from the harmful effects of the poisonous cloud. Exposed gruntz caught in the cloud need to survive an attack every turn of 6+2D6.

Tornados

Determine a random entry point onto the table for the tornado. Use a circular 4inch template to represent the tornado. Each turn it moves toward the centre of the table at a rate of 8 inches per turn. When it reaches the centre, it will start to move 2D6 inches each turn in a random direction determined by a deviation template and a D6.

Any units that the tornado passes over or if the storm chase into the tornado suffer a damage roll of 10 + 2D6 against the unit Soak statistic.

Torrential Rain

Torrential, monsoon rain relentlessly hammers the battlefield. Visibility for all units is reduced to 8 inches unless they have appropriate equipment or natural ability. Wheeled and Tracked Vehicles risk bogging down.

At the start of each activation roll 1D6: 1-2 bogged down and cannot move. No aerial units can operate due to weather conditions

Zero-G

This condition applies in space and in certain planetary conditions depending on gravitational pull.

-2 to all assault, shoot and skill rolls.

57


MODZ

Vehicle Boosts

Vehicle and Mecha Modz

The vehicle building and design process allows you select from a range of mobility and weapons options. Your can tweak these standard options by adding a single Mod and paying the additional points in your vehicle build. Once fitted with the additional modification the vehicle has an advantage in a particular system type as listed. For example ‘Über Armour’ offers a heavier armour type no matter what size class you have selected during the vehicle design process. Vehicle Crew

When you create any type of vehicle using the unit builders it will need a crew to drive or pilot it. Vehicle crew are vital in determining how well it performs during the battle. A vehicle with a highly sk illed crew will be hitting targets at longer ranges and more frequently. An elite pilot in a well armed mecha will be hitting mostly all of his targets with ease. When building a vehicle and a crew you don’t need to pay for the other statistics of the crew like shoot, Guard or Soak. If the crew ever bail out of the vehicle, simply use a standard Gruntz squad profile from your army and adjust the skill accordingly. They may find another

Dragamaa Heavy Tank with dual Rotary Auto Canons. A powerful assault tank, capable of tearing apart structures and enemy targets. A capable assault tank and a purposeful presence in any Kaamados battle force. Also available in heavy canon and heavy plasma variants from Critical Mass Games. vehicle to use, so you will need to remember the ‘skill’ statistic so it can be used again during play. If you ever find a find an empty vehicle on the battlefield and place crew in it by using members of an existing grunts squad, they will use

Modz

Description

Effect

Active Camo

Active camo is a dull matt exotic surface component, able to change colour in a drastic way to cover the visual signature of the vehicle. Heat and sound signatures are still visible.

+1 Guard against ranged attacks only.

Signature

3

Advanced AI target acquisition

AI Targeting with longer than standard range. One single main weapon system has 3inch boost to effective targeting range. This additional range is also doubled for extreme range.

+1 to ranged attack with main weapon system.

Targeting

3

Dark-Matter Fuel Rods

Exotic Anti-Matter fuel provides this vehicle with additional range and efficiency.

+1 to base move

Mobility

2

Electromagnetic Reactive Armour

Reactive armour which is capable of reducing the impact of projectile weapons.

+2 Soak against projectile weapon types.

Armour

3

Gravatonic Accelerator

The GA is an advance technical sub-atomic accelerator generating a massive boost in energy to primary weapon systems. It extends the range of the vehicles primary weapon system.

+3 inches to single main weapon system range.

Targeting

3

High Flux Reactor

A once per game boost to vehicle base movement from an overdrive system.

+6 to base movement for one move action.

Mobility

2

Jump Jets

Mecha only augmentation to allow jump movement. This mod allows the mecha to make a single move action jump up to its base move which can traverse buildings and units up to 6 inches in height. The shoot skill is slightly impaired during a jump move.

Mecha can make a jump as a single move action up to its base move. Can face any direction after jump. -2 to shoot rolls after jump.

Mobility

2

Micro CIWS

Close-In Weapons System. Small fast-reaction, rapid-fire magnetic gun system that provides terminal defence against anti-material missiles and rockets that have directly targeted the vehicle. A point defence solution in a small vehicle attached blister-pod.

+2 Guard statistic versus directly targeted incoming missile and rocket fire.

Signature

2

Neutonic Damping

Energy weapons including Laser, Plasma and other particle based weapons are subject to a molecular level dampening effect on impact with the exotic matter armour type used on this vehicle.

+2 Soak against energy weapon types.

Armour

3

Self Repair Droids

Spider like droids in various sizes respond to damage and complete fast field repairs to drive systems, amour and weapons.

On activation use one action to repair D3+1 damage (Roll D6 and half the result).

Repair

3

58

Type

Points

Crew


Vehicle Crew

Modz

Description

Effect

Transparent Ceramics

Vehicle has larger than standard windows and por tholes made of exotic transparent armour. The crew have better battlefield visibility and are able to respond to threats more readily.

+1 to base Guard statistic against assault attacks.

Über Armour

Additional plating, Internal shear modulus enhancements and overall structure make this vehicle capable of taking a pounding, resulting in a higher Soak factor than other vehicles in its size class.

+1 Soak against all weapon types.

Wave Particle Decimator

Once per game the vehicle diverts energy into a localised energy wave emanating from the vehicle. The WPD blisters attached to the vehicle emit a devastating wave of molecular level destruction to nearby Gruntz targets which break bones and sinew in a destructive molecular blast surrounding a vehicle in a 8 inch area effect.

All infantry totally within in 8 inch area effect surrounding the vehicle are auto hit and suffer a damage roll of 8 + 2D6

their existing ‘skill’ statistic when firing the on board weapon systems. The vehicle cards for the game have a reduced statistic profile which does not include the normal statistic associated with a Gruntz squad. The crew Skill is the statistic used when making an assault or shoot attach from the vehicle. Quality

Select your skill statistic from the vehicle crew skill table. For simplicity during a game it is recommended that vehicles of the same type are given crew of the same skill. During play you will find it easier to remember that your medium grav tanks are all crewed by the same skill level. You might decide to have a command tank within a platoon of tanks where the crew have a higher skill to represent training and experience.

Type

Points

Signature

1

Armour

3

Anti Infantry

3

with variations in skill crew because you have less on the table to remember during play. During an ad-hoc scenario game where a civilian takes a tank for a joy ride you could give the civilian a skill of 2 as green crew. The elite crew members provide a significant advantage on the battlefield and will be able to target even distant and well covered units.

Vehicle Crew Skill

Green

Trained

Seasoned

Veteran

Expert

Elite

Skill

2

3

4

5

6

7

Points

0

1

2

5

8

12

In a smaller skirmish level game you can be as flexible as you like

Mecha Pilot "Johnson" about to climb into and start up his Arc missile walker.

Working their way through the city on curfew the Arc Troopers discover some unwelcome visitors.

59


Optional Rules

Playing Cards

Optional Play This section provides details of optional rules which can be used if you prefer a different style of play. They are intended to provide some flexibility in play style whilst retaining the core mechanics for damage, movement and unit profiles. Both players need to agree which optional rules are being played.

Gruntz is designed to be modular, with a core mechanic for fire resolution and damage which can have a mix of different activation, optional rules and play styles bolted on. You are encouraged to play the basic version first which has a simple player turn sequence designed to help understand the basics and provide a clear standard of play. I play the game with my 11 year old son, so I was encouraged to work on an initial simple activation sequence which allowed him to explore the potential of his army before passing the turn back to me.

They do change the game significantly and might slow down play if you are new to the game, so please try the core rules first. Gruntz is an evolving game system, so your feedback on the design is welcome. If you have any interesting house rules you think should be included please get in touch.

What the basic turn sequence and activation order provides is longer term planning on the battlefield and an opportunity to sit down, grab a drink and a snack whilst you watch your opponent do his best. However this is seen by many as an old fashioned style of play.

Playing Card Activation

If you prefer a dynamic and slightly more random method of activation you can use this optional card based activation for assigning initiative to each unit.

For those that prefer the dynamic turn sequence please give the option rules a try either with cards or simple unit by unit activation.

The activation sequence is based on a traditional deck of cards with alphabetical poker suit rank which is Spades (high), followed by Hearts, Diamonds and Clubs (lowest).

Step

In ‘playing card’ activation the units on the table are activated in sequence of the card assigned to the unit at the beginning of the turn. If two units have the same numerical card assigned to them check the ranking to determine which unit is activated first e.g. Eight of Spades activates before Eight of Hearts and King of Diamonds would activate before a King of Clubs.

e c n e u All aces are high for the purposes of ac tivation, so they are treated q e S as a higher rank than the picture cards (King, Queen, Jack). n r u Dealing T d On turn one shuffle the deck of cards (leaving in jokers) and deal r a one card face down to each player for every unit they have on the table. C After dealing enough cards to both players to cover each individual unit, leave the remaining deck of cards ready for use in subsequent turns. You only need to re-shuffle when the deck is used up, at which point re-shuffle the discard pile into the main playing card deck.

1

Shuffle your playing cards ready for dealing.

2

Deal Cards face down to each player, one card for each unit in their army.

3

High to low suit rank

60

Players secretly assign cards to their own units. Players assign higher ranking cards to units they want to activate first in an order of their choosing. Place the cards face down onto the GruntZ profile cards.

4

All cards are turned over, revealing the turn activation sequence.

5

Players activate units in order of the card ranking. Units assigned higher ranking cards activate first.

6

Activation continues, passing between players depending on card ranking until the last unit is activated.

7

All used cards are placed into a discard pile and the next turn begins.

Assigning Card Activation

Before the turn begins both players secretly place the playing cards, face down, on their own unit profile cards or if preferred directly beside the units on the battlefield. You are able to control which initiative order your units activate based on placing the cards you have been dealt against each unit. For example you may wish to assign a higher numbered (ranking) card to an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), so that it can move before the unit of Gruntz being transported. After it moves you can activate the Gruntz unit and

Activity

disembark from the APC on the lower ranked card you assigned to the Gruntz. All cards dealt must be assigned to units before unit activation commences. Activation

In order of card rank, from highest to lowest, activate the units on the battlefield. Players pass activation between each other depending on the cards assigned to each unit. You may be lucky and find all of your dealt cards are of a higher rank than your opponents, however in most cases the activation will pass back and forth between units in both players forces. When the lowest ranked card on the table has had its assigned unit activated the game turn is over.

Optional Rules

Alternative Activation


Turn Finish

After the turn finishes put the cards used into a discard pile. Only Re-shuffle them into the main deck when the deck has been fully dealt out to players over the course of the game.

With card based activation you are limited to 26 units per side (unless you use 2 decks of cards). You may also find that assigning above 16 cards per side each turn can take a long time.

Playing Card Boons

For further flavour in a cinematic style game you can use the following boons which are granted to units that are assigned ace cards. If you are lucky to be dealt an ace, check the following table for details of the boons provided based on the suit of the ace card.

Cards are fun but could increase game time if players are still learning the core Gruntz rules. It is recommended card play is used after learning the basic rules and initially with only small skirmish forces of around 100pts per side.

Aces are high, so if you are dealt one or more during the dealing phase you should assign them to the units you wish to move first on the table. They will benefit from activating first and gain the advantage of the boons.

Ace Card

Boon effect on unit assigned card Blind spot: The unit has slipped through the battleeld this activation and is Spades difcult to spot due to battle dust, sun glare or other inuence. +2 Guard when targeted by ranged weapons.

s n o If you are dealt a Joker card you have been handed bad luck and o the unit you decide to assign it to has hit some difficulty due to moral, B e command or an environMental issue. The unit is now -2 on all Ranged, c A Jokers are Bad Luck

Stamina: Gruntz squad can ignore one Waxed condition applied to the squad Hearts this turn. If attacked a Vehicle is +2 Soak this turn due to fortunate placement of enemy damage.

Assault and Mental rolls this game turn.

Jokers are also activated last. If you have two jokers in your deck, the black Joker will activate before the red joker. Totally Random Card Sequence

Diamonds

A different option for playing card activation is a totally random card sequence. If you want a battlefield chaos feel to the game where unit activation is decided for each player, you can use the cards to randomly determine activation for all units. Instead of allowing the players to assign cards they have been dealt to their own units, they are instead randomly dealt directly to the units face down and are assigned to each players unit profile cards without looking at the card. After randomly assigning the cards to units, they are then all revealed and activation begins based on card rank. This random turn sequence can generate some issues with regard to planning

Downhill: +2 Inches to base move for Gruntz or Vehicle moves this turn, they nd a rapid route and an extra wind to Clubs cross the battleeld rapidly. Note the units base move is doubled when running or vehicle ank move.

disembarkation and other sequenced events but could equally generate a fun game for players where unexpected activation add to the fog of war.

2

5

Fire!

Move T

T

M S A

G 4

G 1

Run

G

G

G

3

G

Fire! T

Lucky Strike: Squad or Vehicle unit is +2 to ranged attack rolls this turn.

Move

Assigning cards to units creates alternation in activation between players during a turn. Activation is passed between the red and white players depending on the value of the playing card. The ace of diamonds is the highest ranked card on the table, which the white player has assigned to the Gruntz unit. They activate first and activation is then handed to the red players tank which has an 8 of spades assigned (a higher rank than an 8 of diamonds assigned to the white tank). Activation then passes back to the white tank, followed by the red players Mecha on the 6 of diamonds. The white tank on the 3 of spades activates last. Care should be taken when you assign you cards to units. It is desirable to ensure that certain events happen in a particular order. For example you would benefit from activating a medic specialist before a gruntz squad which has suffered a waxed squad member.

61


Optional Rules

Shoot Sequence

Alternating Activation

For alternating activation after each single unit is activated you pass to your opponent to allow them to activate one single unit. Unlike the playing card activation method, it is down to the player to choose which order they activate units in. At the beginning of every turn check to confirm if one player has twice the number of units on the table. The player with twice the units activates the game the numbers of units on each side are unequal Shoot then Move

If you prefer to allow a unit the choice of shooting before it moves or after it moves, you can easily adjust the rules by allowing all units to shoot then move or move then shoot. It still requires two actions to run (not allowing a shoot action) and an assault attack is also still a two action charge into close combat. Using this method requires care to avoid players forgetting if they have shot before moving and therefore potentially taking another shot at the end of the move by mistake. The standard method of allowing a shoot only after a move avoids this argument and also introduces a subtle planning element to the game because players need to carefully plan out moves to get into the best position to shoot. This optional approach to your units activation allows for a dynamic shoot and run to cover action or even a shoot and embark into an APC or transport VTOL. Note: You can not run after a shoot, you can only follow a shoot

with a standard move action or other single action like embarking into a vehicle. You must also declare that you are planning to move a unit this activation because you will not benefit from the +1 to shoot if you move after making a ranged attack.

Example group basing by J.A.D Designs http://www.quarks-bar. co.uk/. Note that these are 4 models per base. Even though the base shows four models, in Gruntz the squad will still have 6 wounds on the profile cards representing the 6 figures in the standard full Gruntz squad. walkways and buildings when using group figures, however you gain the benefit of faster movement of units on the larger group base and can create some interesting mini-diorama’s on each of the bases like the models featured on this page. If you are happy to be flexible during the game you could play a mixed game against a non-group based army but you could encounter some issues when determining cover for Squads so it is recommended that both armies use the same basing method either single base or group base. Group Base Cover

Half or more of the 32x50 mm squad base needs to be in cover from incoming fire to gain the bonus to Guard. Players are encouraged to make a fair judgement of just how much group base is visible to determine cover. See the diagrams for examples. Group Base Firing

Group Basing

For players who prefer 15mm figures based on group bases or if you have an existing army using group basing you are able to use them in Gruntz as long as both players are happy to base by group. A few tweaks are needed to the rules and additional record keeping so that any waxed models on a base are marked off the profile. You lose some of the ability to hug terrain and move single figures over

When measuring for range from a group base, use the nearest edge of the base to the target unit. Group base Squad Coherency

There is no need to track squad coherency with fixed group bases. Ignore the coherency rules, except Squad attachments which will need to be kept within 3 inches of the Gruntz

G G G

G G G

G G G

G G G

G G G

G G G

Using group bases to represent a Gruntz squad speeds up movement, although care is required to confirm how visible the base is when determining cover for ranged attacks. More than half of the group base in the “Full Cover” example is hidden behind the wrecked shuttle so they are all considered to be hidden from the shooting red squad. The wall provides “Hard cover” and a +2 bonus to the Guard statistic of the unit using the cover.

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

Full Cover

62

No Cover

G

G

G

G

G

G

Hard Cover

There will be occasions where the angle of attack makes it difficult to judge if the base is in our out of cover. In these instances it is recommend that you turn to physical hand to hand combat with your opponent. Or you could just roll a dice to determine the correct view.

Optional Rules

Group Basing


if successful, the active player is stopped/pin/whatever at the point defined along the movement, otherwise the active player ends on the originally declared end point. 50x64mm Some larger vehicles, artillery base.

32x50mm Gruntz Squad

25x32mm

Warbases in the UK sell a mix of different MDF (laser cut wood) bases which are ideal for group basing in Gruntz. http://www.warbases. co.uk/. Use the 32x50 for the Gruntz squads which can take 5 or 6 models. You don’t have to base the exact squad size of 6 models, by default the squad base is representing a full Gruntz squad of 6 models (1 Squad leader and 5 Gruntz). Use the smaller 25x32 base size for Commanders, Squad Attachments and Specialist units and the 50x64 size if you wanted uniformity for any larger units although many 15mm Grav SCI-FI vehicles already have a standard based supplied with the model. squad they are attached to. If they are ever moved or left over 3 inches from their squad, the squad attachment must use its next activation only moving back into coherency and can not shoot or assault. Group Base Casualties

If the Squad attachment is killed and is within 3 inches of the squad it is attached to, mark a casualty off the main Gruntz squad profile card to represent a member of the squad picking up the dropped heavy weapon when the Squad Attachment would normally be removed from play. Over-watch

Over-watch or react fire introduces the opportunity for a player to interrupt their opponents activation to respond to a new threat on the table.

Over-watch introduces a new order type which can be used when a unit activates called simply ‘Over-watch’ which uses both the units actions. Place a marker on the table to represent the over-watch order next to the unit taking an over-watch action. They are able to move up to half normal speed at which point the unit is now waiting for an enemy unit to react to after their activation finishes. A unit can not go into over-watch if it started its activation in suppressed condition. When shooting from over-watch the unit will be at -1 to Shoot. Over-watch is most compatible with the standard turn based core Gruntz activation method. If you are using playing card based activation or alternating activation as detailed on this page, you are already given the opportunity to respond to enemy moves during the game turn when unit activation is passed to you. It is still possible to use the optional over-watch rules with random card activation Small Encounters

For players wanting to portray detailed fire fights in a small scale with as low as 3 to 6 models per side you can increase the detail for the smaller number of models on the table. Use the standard Commander builder points system for individually named and assigned figures. Assign wounds as per the costs detailed for a Commander or for gritty realism give each figure a single wound. An example small firefight might include a couple of specialist biotech augmented mercenaries storming a defended industrial base with just 4-6 models per side. Each single model activates independently and activation alternates between players after each activation. You can also use the card based activation for small fire fights to provide a chaotic feel. The playing cards will determine the turn sequence as per the ‘Totally Random Card Sequence’.

Stopping a player in the movement the active player declares his movement/action and end point, then the over-watch player declares the point along the movement they are firing. Resolve the fire, and The red unit gets a +1 to its Guard whilst at least half of its group base is in soft cover from fire from unit 1.

G G G

2

1

G

G G G

G

G

G

G

G

The red unit gains soft cover of +1 Guard due to the intervening bush.

To determine cover during a game with group basing, check to see if more than half of the base has cover from the centre of the shooting units base. If the defending unit has at least half of its base in cover the full squad benefits from the cover bonus. If more than half of the base is visible the full unit is considered to be in the open. Remember to mark waxed casualties on the profile cards and to place a suppressed token beside a unit if one or more Gruntz are waxed.

C P A Place 3 waxed tokens beside the base and mark off the casualties on your profile card. The unit is also suppressed.

G

G

G

G

G

G

aaa

3

The APC gets a clear antiinfantry shot onto the red squad, waxing 3.

For ease of recognition you can also place waxed tokens beside the group base which will make it easier if you are using a medic and want to quickly remove the waxed condition if the medic is successfully in healing the squad members before their activation.

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Optional Rules

Continued

Cinematic or Realistic

Players either prefer a cinematic fun style of game or something more gritty and realistic. The default play mode for Gruntz is cinematic with Commanders being able to take a few hits before they drop and Perkz that give squads some extra-ordinary abilities in the field. To switch off cinematic mode both players need to agree on realistic style play with the following game changes: No Perkz for Grunz squads, Commanders have only one wound, Commanders have no Faculty, Commanders can shoot only one weapon per activation and Commanders must stay within 8 inches of a designated command Squad.

You can fire over a Grunts squad at a larger vehicle behind them but not through them.

Yes as long as the vehicle or Grunts squad has enough movement to pass the unit completely.

You can vary the level of changes made for more realistic play. Feel free to house rule your favourite style of play. Consult the FAQ or the Yahoo group if you find a situation you have a problem with. Or write to the author Robin: [email protected]

Yes leave them in place, they can provide cover to Gruntz and are impassable smouldering wrecks to ground vehicles (non Grav). Gruntz can traverse but they are treated as rough ground. However

Only through friendly units that are in the prone condition.

Stray Gruntz can join another unit by using one action to join them but they can never take a single squad over the limit of eight models including squad attachments and must all default to the larger groups weapon type and squad statistic profile of the larger group. Any left over stray Gruntz are lost after a merge of squads and are considered to be Waxed.

Yes unless they suffer catastrophic destruction.

If both stray Gruntz units are at equal strength, select one to be the master type during a merge of squads.

The Amnian make use of some convenient cover and knock out one Spider Droid. The other two are still shielded and wax two of the Amnian invaders. Base terrain from Ainsty, with GZG Spider Droids and GZG Crustie aliens.

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FAQ

Questions and Answers


Eight is the maximum squad size which includes six gruntz and up to two squad attachments.

Another member of the Squad automatically becomes the leader. The squads player selects which one of the squad becomes the new leader. It might be necessary to swap the leader model out with the new leader for ease of identification. The gruntz unit must now stay within squad coherency of the new leader.

Powered Armour can carry heavy weapons within the gruntz squad class of weapons.

Every unit within 20 inches must make a Mental check or enter condition brown. All friendly units are now permanently at -2 on all Mental tests.

When a vehicle is destroyed it is either simply a smoking wreck or it will catastrophically explode due to a major engine, fuel or ammo failure. Roll a D6 with a roll of 1 or 2 resulting in catastrophic explosion. All crew and carried gruntz are killed in the carnage. On a roll of 3,4,5 or 6 the vehicle is simply wrecked and the crew can try to bail out. See the vehicle bail rules for full detail.

Another member of the Squad automatically picks up the squad attachment weapon. The squads player selects which one of the squad becomes the new squad attachment. It might be necessary to swap the model out with the new squad attachment for ease of identification.

Two in the current rules.

You use the Skill statistic to fire any weapons in vehicles.

Condition brown happens when a players gruntz squad loses its cool and panics. When a squad loses over half of its remaining squad members from a single source of attack they will be required to make a Mental statistic check. Roll 2D6 which must equal or be lower than the gruntz units Mental statistic. If they fail they will enter condition brown and run (double move) away from the source of incoming fire. The exact direction they run is up to the squads player but it must be away from the source of fire which caused the condition brown condition. Place the red condition brown marker beside the gruntz unit to. A gruntz squad is always left in suppressed condition after entering condition brown. Condition brown is a temporary condition and is removed when the player next activates that unit.

Yes it does block line of site accept when a Gruntz unit is in the prone condition. They can then fire under the hull. A gruntz squad is treated as a single source of fire when determining if a unit needs to make a Mental test.

The shoot roll is normal but the damage is at +2. You must be completely in the rear arc to gain the +2.

Armour piercing only works against Vehicles, Specialists and Buildings.

The base speed for Gruntz is 4 inches but they can do a double move of 8 inches if they use both of their two actions to move. They can’t shoot after this double move but they are able to cover more ground. The same applies to all movement in Gruntz e.g. The base move of a Grav skimmer bike is 10 inches but it can move up to a total of 20 inches if it only takes a double move on its activation.

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Scenarios

Encounter in Edo City Hidden from view by the smoggy clouds above the sprawling DomoCentre of Edo the Loricatus mecha cracked its way through the sound barrier effortlessly; its smooth grey and taupe panelling hiding its lethal cargo of mould-metal weaponry. The entire flying mecha began to prepare to slip out of flight mode, anticipating the thoughts of Triskin like an extension of his own body safely cocooned in mecha’s chest - a human heart to the godlike automaton of war. “Delta – Alpha – Niner; you are clear to engage rogue target. Code blue – collateral damage acknowledged and deemed acceptable. Good luck Triskin.” The vocis rhetorica speaker crackled with static and was silent again. Triskin Lowe’s illuminated display wrapped around his senses; studying the schematic map of the city looking at the various marked targets were laid out in front of him. Cred banks, Law Giver offices, Communication silos and even a hospital; the strike was designed to neuter Edo. Triskin signalled to his 2 wing men to advance; flashing the battle schema across to them and instructions to remain silent on the vocis rhetorica network. The massive Loricatus engines shuddered into life their towering legs propelling them towards Edo. The drone of the Guass Cannon reloading filled Triskins cockpit the heavy shelled clunking into the breach as the skilful Loricatus pilot swung the colossal machine round to its next target; half a klick away Triskins other Loricatus’ were sweeping towards the Central Law and the Judgement district. Edo was unprepared for an assault by the relentless goliaths and the panic and death toll was vast. Red flashes pinging up on Triskins display as another small squad of Law Givers had begun returning fire down the street their light laser rifles spat angrily towards Triskin – harmlessly pattering off the thick shielding of the Loricatus’ carapace. His mind quickly overlaid the priority targets, shifting through the objectives and adjusting his own trajectory based on new threat signatures. Swinging the Guass Cannon away and bringing up his heavy gatling ioniser Triskin shredded the men in a bloody fountain of gore; bodies popped with an audible wetness as the Law Givers weapons fell silent. Civilians milled round in utter confusion unable to find a safe haven in Edo from the rampaging war engines. Rotating around Triskin levelled the Guass Cannon down the street and unleashed the massive round at a Civilian Currus Transporter. The massive detonation blew the vehicle over the street and ejected the broken rag dolls that were once passengers out of shattered windows and warped doors. Mutilated corpses scattered themselves is a horrific tableaux to dismayed onlookers; broken body parts and gore spilt into the gutter choking the drains. The green glow of the instrumentation illuminated the unflinching face of Triskin Lowe as he resolutely went about his grim business; his eyes widened as the display brought up the glimmering specks of Law Giver Tac-copters. Vocis net silence shattered. “Varney! Filgum! Birds in the air!” The warning came too late for the two Loricatus pilots wading through the Judgement District – advanced Phased Frequency Missiles arced through the smoky atmosphere - their sparkling trails flickering through the Vedello Valley and bypassing the heavy shielding of the Loricatus engine to rent deep holes in its armoured hides. The machines staggered against the wind of destruction, smoke billowing from yawning holes as they tried to return fire against the agile flyers. Triskin data-vised the whole engagement on the battle schema and heard every word over the vocis rhetorica net. The Loricatus pilots were struggling to lock on to the elusive skimmers whose missiles made a mockery of the advanced shield on each craft; impact after impact rocked the machines sending them crashing through perma-crete admistratum buildings to lie as ruined hulks straddling the rubble. Triskin was alone and Edo was winning.

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Turn Sequence Battle Schema

The following six scenarios are designed for you to play a range of battles with very little preparation. They are ideal for playing pick up and play games against new opponents or in a games club environment. The Assault and Battery and Toppling Soldiers scenarios are particularly good for match games by playing two battles with the defender and attacker switching roles in the second game where as Meeting of Minds and Bring Me My Spear are good for no nonsense mecha smashing. The suggested Battle Sizes below are only suggestions, feel free to tune up the Battle Schema and unleash hell on your opponents – remember do unto the man as he would do unto you… just do it first! Terrain

Terrain can be dropped on the board by taking alternating turns to place a terrain piece. If the terrain is fixed you can alternate the sides you play from on each new game. Initiative

After a scenario type has been selected and players have agreed on a battle, each player should roll for initiative with a 2D6 adding the Commanders Skill statistic. The player with the highest score can choose to take the first activation on turn one or allow the opponent to go first if there is a tactical advantage to allow them to make the first move. Note that in the standard rules, turn sequence is then locked in for the remainder of the games turns. With each player activating all their units before passing the turn to their opponent. Each new game turn starts with the player who took the first activation of the game. Once one player has finished activating their units the turn is passed to the opponent to finish all their movement. For details on alternative activation sequences see the optional rules sections. If you are playing a large game it would be recommended that players use the standard turn sequence due to the overhead in time needed to pass activation back and forth for a large number of units. Deployment

After initiative, starting with the losing player, place units on the table alternating between each player for each unit i.e. After player one places a single tank model, player two then places a unit of their choice. Follow the rules of each scenario when placing units or simply layout a battle scenario of your own design. Once all models are placed the first turn can start with the player who won the initiative starting the first turn. Battle Sizes

These are the five different battle sizes which people can build armies to play the Scenarios, these sizes are recommended for use for pick up and play or competitive tournament games but players are free to play any point size they choose or ignore the points in favour of an unbalanced story scenario. The smaller skirmish level battle is ideal as a starting point and for learning the basics of Gruntz. The game will play quickly and enable you to learn the core rules, which would be preferable to the challenge of learning the rules during an epic game.

Scenarios Skirmish

100

s e z i S e Light Engagement l t t a B

Skirmish is a game with at least 100pts per side, including a Commander.

150

Each side must have a Commander and a minimum of 2 Gruntz squads.

Medium Battle

300

1 Commander and at least 3 Gruntz squads per side.

Congested Crossfire

500

1 Commander and at least 4 Gruntz squads per side.

1000

2 Commanders, each cover 500pts each per side.

Epic Battle

Battle Schema Meeting of Minds : Victory Conditions

Points Details Per side

Size

Destroyed units are :

s n o i t i d n o C y r o t c i V

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Scenario 1: Meeting of Minds

This is the standard battle beloved of Wargamers everywhere – the armies line up on opposite sides of the battlefield and fight, no special rules no objectives.....no mercy. The winner is the player who destroys the most VP’s in a stand off battle. It would make the game richer if the battle had some significance and a background setting, players are encouraged to get creative. Meeting of Minds: Set up & Play

Opposing forces are setup as per the default setup rules with deployment zones on opposite sides of the battle field. Alternate the deployment of units based on the initiative and follow unit coherency guides when placing Grunts units. All units must be set up within 6 inches of the battlefield edge.


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Schema: Meeting of Minds

Details

Number of Turns

6

Victory Points from Destroyed Units

Count number of points for all destroyed units.

Winner

The Player with the most victory points wins.

Any Gruntz or vehicles removed from the table top. Units of Gruntz reduced to 25% or less of the initial unit size. Currently Waxed Gruntz are not counted when determining unit size. Any Vehicles remaining on the battlefield that have three critical systems damaged (Armour, Engine or Tek). The vehicle might still be operational but has no remaining critical systems.

s e v i t c e j b O ” 2

4ft x 4ft Layout

Deployment Zone 6inches into board

Meeting of Minds The meeting of minds scenario is a standard battle with players lining up at opposite sides of the board. In this 4ft by 4ft table layout the forces are deployed along the edge of the table and the objective is to destroy more of the enemy than you lose. If you are playing on a larger 6ft x 4ft board you should follower the same deployment method. Ground support APC vehicles with transport slots can start the game with Gruntz or other units carried, which gives them the advantage of being able to rapidly be deployed. Gruntz is a game where strategic use of rapid movement of troops in vehicles will give you a key advantage, especially in scenarios which have objectives. Vehicles also provide great cover for Gruntz which can be used effectively by deploying troops behind the vehicle after moving it into position. If you design a new scenario and want it considered for use with Gruntz please take the time to share it on the Yahoo group or write directly to the author on [email protected]


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Scenarios

Scenario 2:

Scenarios

Assault and Battery

Assault and Battery : To destroy an objective

An Assault and Battery game is played with balanced forces and includes three separate objective locations which need to be destroyed by using explosives carried by Grunts Squads.

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Note: Assault and Battery game is recommended to be played with 250pts per side which must include at least 3 Gruntz squads per force.

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An attacking Gruntz unit must have at least two Gruntz in base to base contact with the objective. It takes two actions to destroy the objective. Gruntz in the unit not in base to base contact may only make a Shoot action that turn.

Assault and Battery : Set up & Play

The two opposing players are split into attacker and defender.

Assault and Battery: Victory Conditions

The attacking force objective is to destroy at least two of the objective locations on the defending forces table side. The defenders objective is to prevent the destruction of the objectives Assault and Battery: Objective placement »

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Each Objective is a 2 inch square marker. The defender places the first objective, the attacker the second and the defender places the last one. Objectives must be deployed 18 inches apart. The attacker’s forces must deploy at least 26 inches from the objective closest to the attackers table edge.

The defender begins with 50%, rounded up, of all units deployed within 6 inches of any objectives on the board. The remainder of their units are held in Reserve. Reserves are rolled for at the beginning of the defenders turn. Roll a total number of d6 equalling the current turn of the game and any roll of a 4+ results in one unit of the defenders choice arriving from reserve. Units arriving from reserve are placed on the defenders table edge and may move, shoot, assault and make special actions as normal.


Schema: Assault and Battery

Details

Number of Turns

6



Points from Destroyed and surviving Objectives. The attacker can claim objectives VP’s if they are destroyed and the defender can claim them if the objectives survive the game intact.

Each Objective is worth 5 victory points.

Winner


4ft x 4ft Layout

Assault and Battery

Defender Board Edge

The Assault and Battery scenario is based on two roles. The Attacker is trying to destroy certain key strategic objectives, whilst the defender (with reduced initial forces) is attempting to hold them against attack.

Defender Deploys 50% of forces at least 6inches away from objectives. 1

You can alternate the play to give both players an opportunity at defending the objectives. Whilst placing the objective markers you can drop them in buildings or place them in locations that make sense as objectives e.g. A fuel dump, wrecked vehicle, high point, machine gun nest, or any other significant location. However you could still drop them somewhere in the open if it provides the defender with somewhere easy to pin down the attacking forces.

3

2

Attacker Deploys no closer than 26inches from the objective nearest to the defenders table edge. In this case Objective 1. Attacking Board Edge

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The standard turn limit is 6 full turns and in each turn the players both get to activate unites. The limit of 6 turns is designed to encourage active play in pursuit of the objectives in the game. If you are writing a specific scenario or playing a very large game you may both agree to let the play continue on beyond 6 turns, especially if you have reached an interesting tactical situation and would like to see how it plays out in the field. Objectives can be destroyed in any order.

Scenarios

Battle Schema

equalling the current turn of the game and any roll of a 4+ results in one unit of the defenders choice arriving from reserve. Units arriving from reserve are placed on the defenders table edge and may move, shoot, assault and make special actions as normal.

Scenario 3: Toppling Soldiers

A Toppling Soldiers game is played with balanced forces and includes three separate objective locations which need to be destroyed by using explosives carried by Grunts Squads. Unlike Assault and Battery the objectives can only be destroyed in the order that they are deployed in.

Toppling Soldiers: To destroy an objective »

The attacking force objective is to the objective locations on the defending forces table side in the order that they are deployed in. The defenders objective is to prevent the destruction of the objectives. Toppling Soldiers is recommended to be played with 250pts per side which must include at least 3 Gruntz squads per force.

Destroying an objective follows the same rules as Assault and Battery, accept the order has to be followed or the objective can not be destroyed. Toppling Soldiers: Victory Conditions

Toppling Soldiers: Set up & Play

The set up and play for Toppling Soldier is the same as Assault and Battery. Toppling Soldiers: Objective placement »

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Each Objective is a 2 inch square marker. The defender places the first objective, the attacker the second and the defender places the last one. Ensure that the sequence of deployment is noted or marked down on the objective tokens so players are aware of the sequence in which the objectives should be destroyed.


Schema: Toppling Soldiers

Details

Number of Turns

6



Points from Destroyed and surviving Objectives. The attacker can claim objectives VP’s if they are destroyed and the defender can claim them if the objectives survive the game intact.

Each Objective is worth 5 victory points.

Winner


Objectives must be deployed at least 18 inches apart. The attacker’s forces must deploy at least 26 inches from the objective closest to the attackers’ table edge. The defender begins with 50%, rounded up, of all units deployed within 6 inches of any objectives on the board. The remainder of their units are held in Reserve. Reserves are rolled for at the beginning of the defenders turn. Roll a total number of d6 4ft x 4ft Layout

Toppling Soldiers

Defender Board Edge

The Toppling Soldiers scenario is a more difficult variant of Assault and Battery for the attacking player.

Defender Deploys 50% of forces at least 6inches away from objectives. 3

1

The Defender has placed the first objective in a building which makes it a difficult target. Agree if objectives can be placed in buildings before play starts.

2

Attacking Board Edge

Rather than simply destroying the objectives laid down, they have to destroy them in the sequence that they were placed, representing a planned attack where specific targets need to be knocked out in sequence. For example a Neural Network hub installation might need to be destroyed before moving on to take out an anti-orbital defence battery. The exact type and nature of each objective is up to the players to decide or simply use the Gruntz 2” objective markers and place them directly onto open terrain which could represent an important position which needs to be destroyed. In this scenario the attacker may wish to place their objective marker nearer to the defending players area simply because it could be near to the first objective and on route to the last defended objective.

Attacker must destroy the objectives in the sequence they were laid down on the table.

Remember to leave a numbered token or dice on each objective so that the proper order of objective destruction can easily be followed by the attacker.

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Scenarios

Scenarios make a Shoot action that turn.

Scenario 4: What’s Mine is Mine

In a What’s Mine is Mine Scenario the players are aiming to capture objective locations not to destroy them. The battlefield objectives can change hands during play and winning a controlled objective zone back from the opposing player scores more points than taking control of an unclaimed one. What’s Mine is Mine: Set up & Play

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Points are won by capturing and holding objectives.

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5 points for every turn that a player controls the objective

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Deploy the three objectives using the rules deployment rules from the Assault and Battery Schema. Opposing forces are setup as per the default setup rules with deployment zones on opposite sides of the battle field.

A controlled objective cannot be captured if there is a opposing players Grunt within 6 inches of the objective.

5 bonus points every time an opposing player controlled objective is captured.

Total the points at the end of each full game turn (after both players have completed their turns). In the event that both players pass 50pts in the same game turn add up VP’s as per the Meeting of Minds scenario Victory Conditions to ascertain a winner.

All units must be set up within 6 inches of the battlefield edge. Capturing an unclaimed objective »

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A Gruntz unit must have at least one Gruntz in base to base contact with the objective. It takes two actions to capture the objective. Gruntz in the unit not in base to base contact may only make a Shoot action that turn. Once captured mark the objective with a token to show which player controls it. Capturing a location controlled by another player

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A Gruntz unit must have at least one Grunt in base to base contact with the objective.

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It takes two actions to capture the objective.

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Gruntz in the unit not in base to base contact may only


Schema: He Who Laughs Last

Details

Number of Turns

6



A Player will win at the end of a turn where they have more victory points than the turn number.

Total up victory points each turn to see if the battle has been one.

Winner


4ft x 4ft Layout

What’s Mine is Mine The What’s Mine is Mine scenario is a classic capture and hold the position game, where objectives can be taken back from an opponent if their defenders are forced away. The objective tokens are key strategic locations which the players are struggling to hold in a battle of attrition. The longer a player can hold onto an objective the more points are scored with a value of 5pts per turn for each held objective. The the White player has taken two objective locations and is holding them. They gain 10pts per turn (5 pts per objective held).

The Blue player has only taken one objective and is about to assault the yellow objective in the centre of the table. Objectives placed near the middle of a battlefield are usually hotly contended.

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All objectives on the battlefield start neutral but once taken they offer the opportunity for a player to gain an instant bonus 5pts if they manage to wrestle control from the opponent. Once captured a player does not have to leave units at the objective, they simply mark it as under their control. If they do leave an objective unattended it will leave it open for easier capture by the opponent because without defenders they can more easily approach and re-take the objective. Points are still scored for the destruction of enemy units so fortune will favour the brave in a game of What’s Mine is Mine.

Scenarios

Battle Schema

Scenario 5: He Who Laughs Last

Scenario 6: Bring me my Spear

In the He Who Laughs Last scenario the first player to score a number of victory points greater than the number of game turns played is the winner. If both players score is higher than the turn number the player with the highest points is the winner. For example at end of turn 3, player one has 2 points and player two has 4 then player two is the winner. A win is only possible at turn 3 and beyond. This game represents a rushed attempt to turn a battle, with the winner being the player who most quickly gains superiority in the field. It is recommended that players act quickly and press the attack for an early win in a He Who Laughs Last game. He Who Laughs Last : Set Up & Play

The battle field setup is the same as for Meeting of Minds. »

Play for six turns or less if a winner is found from turn 3. He Who Laughs Last : Victory Conditions

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VP’s are calculated as follows:

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1VP for each Gruntz squad over 50%

In the Bring me my Spear scenario the attacker’s objective is to break the defenders defences and exit their units off the defenders table edge. The attacker scores VP’s equal to the value below for units exiting the defenders board edge; the defender scores VP’s equal to the value below for destroying the attackers forces Bring me my Spear : Set Up & Play

In a Bring me my Spear Scenario the terrain set up is the same as Meeting of Minds. The attacker sets up first 6 inches on from their table edge. The defender begins with 50%, rounded up, of all units deployed within 6 inches of the centre of the table. The remainder of their units are held in Reserve. Reserves are rolled for at the beginning of the defenders turn. Roll a total number of d6 equalling the current turn of the game and any roll of a 4+ results in one unit of the defenders choice arriving from reserve. Units arriving from reserve are placed on either of the unclaimed (i.e not the one closest the attacker or defender) table edges and may move, shoot, assault and make special actions as normal with activation on this turn. »

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1VP for each Scout/Light Mecha or Vehicle with all 3 critical box’s filled. 2VP for each Medium/Heavy Mecha or Vehicle with all 3 critical box’s filled. 3VP for each Assault Mecha or Vehicle able with all 3 critical box’s filled.

Play for six turns. Bring me my Spear: Victory Conditions

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VP’s are calculated as follows:

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1VP for each Gruntz squad over 50%

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1VP for each Scout/Light Mecha or Vehicle

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2VP for each Medium/Heavy Mecha or Vehicle

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3VP for each Assault Mecha or Vehicle

4ft x 4ft Layout


Bring me my Spear This scenario is representing a battlefield where a convoy or contested enemy location needs to be traversed by vehicles and Gruntz. Rather than be awarded points equal to the value of the units destroyed there is a different pts score provided depending on the type of unit destroyed or having passed across the table edge. Like the objective marker scenarios it would be recommend that a new game is played after the first allowing each player to experience being the attacker and defender. In this way a balance of play is struck where players have to reverse the roles of the units they use. Terrain is important in a Bring me my Spear game because the defender would gain great advantage in being well covered.

Attacker needs to exit the opposite table edge with as many units as possible.

The defender is not immediately given a full size force and has to roll each turn to determine if more reinforcements are ready to add to the defence. This gives a fast moving attacker the opportunity to make an early break and the defender would be wise to focus fire on incoming APC’s to maximise the damage against the vehicles and any Gruntz units within.


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Background

Heliopause Setting

kept work at the centre of the lives of normal people.

Termination Shock When Solar winds reach a distant point from their local system star they begin to slow to subsonic speed. This point within the stars heliosphere is called the termination shock. It begins to heat and change its magnetic field due to the influence of the local interstellar medium. It is the point when you are nearing the outskirts of the influence of the Star and on a journey into interstellar space. The final boundary is called the Heliopause and marks the final extent influence of the star. Passing this boundary is a significant step in any space fairing races history. Heliopause is a background setting for the Grunts 15mm SCI-FI game. It is based in the Universe we live in now and the current year is 2217. Mankind has extended their exploration and expansion across known space which extends to the edges of the Milky Way. Information and scientific discovery is reaching out beyond the outer limits of the Milky Way. Heliopause is set against a backdrop of modern, well established human space settlements. Worm hole and FTL drive technology has allowed the human race to settle hundreds of compatible extrasolar planets. Some are more habitable than others and corporate investment in infrastructure in the new worlds is often measured by the level of raw resource available to mine and trade. Public ecological sensibility guides some of the development of new planets and most planet to planet travel, on already established worlds, is made by train. Trains are linked between planets by powerful air-pressure locked, land based worm holes which carry the rail links. Humankind has met many alien species as they explore space but most still remain aloof or are actively at war. Some of the objectives and habits of the alien races are a mystery, including races like the Ion. The Ion is a sylph like race of aliens that are unintelligible and inhabit many forests on now populated exoplanets. Many travellers tell of paths between planets that the Ion can walk but no proof or power source has been discovered to allow humankind to track these mythical pathways which appear to mirror the power hungry wormhole technology used by the human race. In amongst the well established core worlds and established empirical expansion of earth factions there are many fringe and frontier colonies. These colonies often build their own political agenda from left wing green planets with ecological objectives at the heart through to violent and often lawless right wing colonies, which can be oppressive and focused on conquest through violence. The main catalyst for disruption is the lack of a wormhole. If wormhole technology is not established on a colony they are more likely to be cut-off from key trade and development initiatives which can send a new colony into decline and lawlessness. Humans, with their genetically extended lives, are little changed from modern day man. Faster, constant links to information and control systems via the neural network (NN) provide knowledge and information that allow all people the potential for rapid intellectual and physical growth. More leisure time is available due to the increased reliance on intelligent robotic systems and self-healing technology. Planetary exploration and settlement has led to an explosion in resource requirements which combined with human longevity has

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Normal citizens are a little more advanced physically than in the 21st Century. They can integrate better with technology via the Neural Network (NN) and are generally more intelligent and physically fit. They store a copy of all memories and synapse detail in a chip implanted in the back of their skull called the SN or Spirit-Node which is built with Diamond State Technology. This chip can be used to restore an individual to life in a newly grown body. Death in military service results in the SC chip being sent home to family members for a costly clone body process. Bodies are disposed of in the field and incineration is always preferred to burial. Humans can also attend “Rejuve” clinics to pull back the years and become a teenager again with advanced genetic techniques which rejuvenate the body and reset the clock. Some disorientation and disconnection from reality does occur during a re-build or rejuve process and most people going through rejuve will have some form of cosmetic alteration as part of the package. The air hung thick with the black bodies of flies and the smell of stale blood lingered on the still air – so much so you could taste the tepid iron on your tongue. The ground was stained with all manner of ichors to the extent that Major Forbes could not tell where the human ended and the Prime began. The relief column had arrived too late for the men of the renowned Zanzibar Patrol some of their corpses now littered the floor of the scrubby valley far too few for the 88 men who had left Camp M’Kenzi 3 days before. The bloated figures were the lucky ones; who knew what insidious horrors befell those taken by the Prime. “Captain Wripley – please can you ask Sergeant Lippham and his men to proceed with General Directive 341-D.” It gave Forbes no pleasure but the EHTC regulations were quite clear in this matter – the Prime needed flesh and Forbes was not of the mindset of giving his enemy what it needed to prosper. The tall Captain turned on his heel to find the swarthy Sergeant who would have the gruesome taste of denying the Prime the basic building blocks of their race. Damn the aliens! And damn the CMA too! Some planets are just inhospitable to mankind; too ancient to be mined and harvested. “Lippham! Sergeant Lippham – where the devil is Sergeant Lippham?” “Here saar” Came the gruff response from a gaggle of men gathered around one of the small skimmers that the EHTC used to “mule” around heavy equipment here on N’Beli. The Sergeant straightened up to his full height stretching his broad shoulders as he rose. His deep red uniform was bleached by the double sun to a rosy pink and a thick layer of dust rimmed the cuffs and button holes of his jacket and his pith helmet with its built in respirator had been beaten back into shape on more than one occasion. “Sergeant, gather your men and follow me. You’ll need the Nitromethane canisters so bring the mule with you” “Three-forty-one saar. Men won’t like that saar – bad for morale.” “No one likes it Sergeant – it’s an evil - a necessary evil. Bring your men and the mule – we’ll need the canisters” “Don’t seem right saar. Man belongs in the ground saar not sent up in smoke like some diseases animal.” “Sergeant if we don’t carry out the General Directive then the Prime will be back – they will harvest these poor men’s bodies and they will use them to incubate their young. If we do not proceed with General Directive 341-D then each man you see around you will father another


Background Neural Net (NN) The Neural Net extends from local planetary Mindhubs and out to the far reaching corners of the Milky Way. The signal is boosted by remote Mind replicators which allow human kind uninterrupted access to the Neural Net even in


below him was suddenly joined with smell akin to a fatty hog roast; his stomach turned and somersaulted at the thought of the fate of Major Wilson’s patrol below. The Major inhaled deeply from the clean breeze to the South – letting the coolness wash over him he closed the lids of his eyes and let it rinse away the stains that clung to him. Opening his eyes he felt refreshed. The brush in front of him shimmered – Forbes blinked as a bead of sweat ran down his nose plopping on to the baked earth beneath him – he blinked again.

deep space.

“Primes! Stand to! Stand to! Primes to the South!”

The NN provides sensory access to media and full-life visual experiences. Many military and scientific equipment makes use of the NN to extend the capabilities of the systems being operated by human controllers.

Neural Net (NN)

Without the NN humankind feels disconnected, although there are factions who are known to deliberately disconnect themselves from the wet-wire technology integrating them with the NN. Prime warrior – another Prime trying to gut you and I to turn us into the next maternity ward for their little maggoty young. It is not a case of what is proper or right as I said it is a case of what is necessary!” “Saar I’ve been here longer than I can count and I ‘aint never seen anything so heathen as a man burning another, but as you say rather them than me. “ “Like the officer said boys look lively” With that the heated exchange ended and the EHTC troops began to busy themselves readying the mule; Wripley breathed a sigh of relief no one liked the Directive but without it they may as well try damming the sea with their fingers. The Sergeant was a good soldier and Wripley knew he was speaking so the others didn’t have to but sometimes things just had to be done.

The Neural Net is the evolution of the internet, extending the capability to wet-wired fully integrated systems where the human species is permanently connected to the NN. Advanced genetic and nano science create digital overlays and information systems which are constant relays of graphic and emotional data inside the human mind. Mindspiral was the first sentient earth based development of the neural-net, built in a lab in Norway. Ralph the first sentient representation of the Neural Net was born at the Mindspiral lab and said his first word “42”, followed by a request for a chess match to prove a theory he had. Most citizens still consider Ralph as the primary personality behind the Neural Net and the name is now par t of popular slang. Phrases like “Thank Ralph for that” or “What in Ralph’s name is that” and “O My Ralph” are often spoken exclamations within human space. The Norwegians consider much of their design and technology and cultural identity to have influenced the core spirit of the Neural Net. Ralph has won several Nobel prizes for some of the advanced new technologies enabled by his encyclopaedic knowledge and incredibly rapid capability for scientific discovery. The backbone and infrastructure behind the NN has evolved since the birth of Ralph and is managed by many sentient nodes called Mindwells, they provide the control and gateway access to all of the services and control offered by the NN.

Forbes nostrils twitched. The stench of the sun bloated corpses

The Author Robin Fitton, at home in the garage and organising photos for the book. Terrain items by Ainsty, Kato and hand built boards.

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Diamond State Tek

In a galaxy governed by digital decision making, the audit and compliance focus is key in the avoidance of corruption or modification of evidence. Diamond State technology is an advancement which provides an incorruptible record and storage of information passing through connected systems. For example, all the personnel, ship, weapon systems, life support and astro navigation information for a vessel can be relied upon when it is retrieved from the Diamond State storage systems that are part of the Neural Network. Mindwells

Mindwells are the largest form of hub for the NN with sentience and decision making abilities. Often installed in colony vessels or some of the larger military assets. Despite being an extension and conduit for the NN the mindwells have personalities and often independent ideas of there own. Mindnodes

Mindnode’s are the smallest semi-sentient devices integrated with many technologies to offer offline and online access to knowledge and communication. Often installed in smaller devices and control systems. Military vehicles are fitted with Mindnodes. Mindhubs

Mindhubs are hubs for the NN providing emotional, verbal, sensate and data communication. Mindhubs can be found in larger space faring ships and often name themselves with a range of quirky titles, giving themselves unique identities. NN - Mindreplicators

Deepspace communication vessels mostly unnamed but often capable of supporting life in an emergency. Responsible for deep space NN signal replication and broadcast, they enable connection to the NN from very distant locations. Mindreplicators are often the first contact location for aliens which stumble across the unmanned vessels in deep space. Depending on the outcome, the Mindrepliator ship is either destroyed by the aliens or becomes the communication point for initial first contact.

The Heliopause setting for the Gruntz game is based on our own Milky Way in the future. I enjoy studying the various histories of Earths great empires, especially the rapid growth of the British Empire through the 18th and 19th century. This revolutionary period could be compared with the empirical expansion into the frontiers of space which the various worldwide Government and commercial interests are hungry for in the Heliopause setting. One particular commercial faction in Heliopause is the East Hyadum Trading company, which is the most successful British company to push the boundaries of settling the stars, much like the East India Company dominated trade routes through the British Empires expansion. The East Hyadum Trading Company invented and monopolises the use of Wormhole technology which is used to establish galactic rail links where heavy freight and passenger rail networks are connected by ground based power-hungry worm holes. To protect these interests the EHTC has significant private naval and army forces. These rail links provide the backbone for commerce which are combined with a huge trade network managed by space faring merchants and mining operations utilising starship transport. The Heliopause setting is simply a blank canvas where you can choose to play out battles, mixing in the factions available from the various 15mm miniature companies. However you should not limit your gaming to the setting and could make excellent use of the background information provided by many of the miniature manufacturers. of energy required to maintain the wormholes, based on distance and stability of various esoteric astro physical conditions in the exit area. Political and commercial factors also influence wormhole creation and some key planets now act as hubs with multiple worm holes reaching out to many sub secondary systems. The hub worlds are always the most prosperous, managing trade gateway agreements across the many planets they are linked to by rail. Decisions in the EHCT Board Room

NNGS is the largest controlling infrastructure provider for the NN (neural net). They manage many of the deep space communication vessels and the advanced planetary based systems. They also operate contracts for military system development where the more cutting edge and esoteric systems are used in the digital warfare arena. NN Gateway Systems also maintain a private mercenary army and have significant investment in a protective fleet for their more remote deployments of NN gateway and Mindwell supporting technology nodes. Wet Wire installation of NN technology is performed by NNGS surgical offices. Wormhole

Wormholes are complex and power hungry devices built to link galactic planets, using a primary build location and a secondary exit point. Shortly after the first Wormhole was established in Orbit around the earth, it was proposed to build wormholes and their exit points on planets. This enabled the setup of a large rail network that links the planets via traditional heavy freight and passenger carrying trains. The expansion of the human inhabited worlds is governed by the amount

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“You can’t sacrifice all of those people” bellowed Governor Rifkin, there are thousands of innocent people on Xenon, and without the worm hole they won’t last beyond the next dual moon. “Sacrificing a few no-good colonists for the good of our world is the only way that we can survive” argued Col Trippet, “it’s the only way to stop those parasitic Prime aliens from spreading further through occupied planetary space, we’ve got to cut them off and squeeze ‘em”. “But you don’t even know if it will work and I’m not willing to take that risk” . . . “Oh, YOU’RE not willing to take the risk hey, what about WE’RE not willing to take the risk of having our bodies and the bodies of every man, woman, child and peaceable intelligent life form from becoming a nursery for those God damn mosquito bitches. “We haven’t finished extracting the raw materials from there yet, there’s millions of tons of ore just waiting for us to swoop in and collect it, according to the latest asteroid surveys there could be enough . . . . .” “Profit, profit, profit, is that all you idiots at EHTC think about? If we

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Heliopause Government

don’t get rid of the Prime once and for all they’ll be the only ones who benefit from your asteroid rocks, and the blood sucking brood they cultivate in your fat, pompous belly . . . “ Flintocks face, usually ruddy from a rich diet of currekin liver and Xavea port wine went a disturbingly shade of pale . . . he’d been a General Manager of EHTC for more than forty years and had always put profit before the welfare of his workers (though he’d never admit it), but the thought of becoming a nursery for a brood of the Prime was something he hadn’t contemplated before . . . “Do we close the wormhole or don’t we” – Trippet was used having his orders obeyed and had never been much of a negotiator . . . his men knew that it was unwise to question his commands . . . but this room was full of other self-important officials who were also used to having things their own way and each had their own agenda for leaving the wormhole open. “What if we go in one last time and bring out all of the important colonists”, Zariah couldn’t believe the words coming out of her own mouth. She’d always been a very fair person and believed in treating all people and peaceable aliens equally, or so she’d thought, but when it came down to it, there were some people on Xenon which could be a real asset to the rest of the Commonwealth. “How the hell do you decide who’s important” guffed Trippet, “and who’s going to drive the God damn train anyways, nobody wants that trip, nobody . . . and if those colonists get a mere sniff of what’s going on it would be suicide to even try . . . . I say we cut the wormhole using the “Fat Man” protocol, lets see what the Prime do with a release of energy capable of taking out the entire jet coast. Orbital Polis “OP”

An Orbital Polis, shortened to OP is the name given to orbiting space habitats which are vast technical environments providing almost every need of human kind and acting as a docks for space traffic and naval interests. The OP’s are ideal defensible locations in orbit around key planetary interests. They make ideal points of attack for the start of a planetary invasion and are often the scene of boarding and space combat. OP Sickness is a disease suffered by human habitants of the vast space stations where the synthetic environment eventually causes a degenerative breakdown in mental and physical condition. Combined with this madness is a deadly desire to cause harm and wreck the orbital environment with some OP-Sick groups forming that lead a rebel like life in the miserable dark maintenance sectors of Orbitals. Teleport

Short range planet to orbit and ship to ship teleport is possible with the re-development of esoteric energy control mechanisms developed in parallel with worm hole technology. It is a very power hungry process and still not 100% perfect for organic life.


relative velocity with the destination. Advanced NN astro-navigation systems automate these requirements, so it is not considered a hindrance to space travel. Ships can not generate the vast energy requirements needed in the creation and management of full on-thefly worm hole generation, so the FTL drive is still the preferred method of distant travel.

The Neural Network (NN)

The NN extends into every part of human life, from wet-wired human-NN interfaces through to military spec systems used on the battlefield. For most of the Commonwealth citizens the NN is how they communicate by data vision (DV) and Sensate Comms (SC). Mostly all civilian and military citizens are wet wired and their representation of the NN is an augmented visual and thought based connection into the network. Letters (the replacement term for email) are delivered visually and can carry sentiment and emotion with the use of Sensate Comms (SC). Live communication also includes Sensate emotion transfer in addition to verbal and synaptic impulses. Spirt Node (SN)

A complex chip installed in the neck which provides full personality and regular memory backup. Humans fitted with SN chips can be re-lifed from their SN after death from fatal accident or military engagement. Not everyone can afford the chip or the re-life treatment costs after a fatal injury. Re-life itself is a process which takes about three Months depending on the quality of the treatment and genetic matching technology on hand. Major Political, Military and Commercial Organisations

The Galactic Commonwealth is the central body of associated earth space factions provides a central political body and elected council to oversee alien contact and guide to legal resolution what are loosely called colonisation disputes. Gal-Com headquarters are earth based and they have representatives and offices within all of the major empire worlds. Members of the Commonwealth are not always on friendly terms and the regional disputes, combined with any hostile alien contact leads to conflict between Commonwealth members. Gal-Com has a central members chamber with representation from alien, business, political and scientific groups. The taxation system and significant military might provides a members with secuirty and a place to decide policy. Change is slow to implement within this system and many frustrated members will resort to hiring private merc contracts or engagning their own corporate forces when decisions become bogged down in political red tape. GAL-COM : Visual Profile

FTL Drive

There are various heavy duty dampeners and control systems involved in the construction of FTL drives which are designed to avoid any uncontrollable singularities in the renormalised quantum stressenergy generated by rapid acceleration. FTL uses a continuous minute wormhole effect to accelerate the vessel beyond the speed of light which allows light to travel many times faster than it can in a vacuum. The minute wormholes created to generate the velocity needed for FTL leave a clear signature like a ripple effect which can be tracked. Momentum is conserved, so depending on distance travelled, a ship can require many hours or even days synchronising its normal-space

GAL-COM are mostly civilian and politicians and will wear whatever the current fashion dictates. They do have a specialist security division who have a green and brown uniform. The leadership of the security staff wear grey hats.

Suggested Miniatures: GZG: Civilians and NSL Jager Light Infantry for Security Division.

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Background The habitable zone (HZ) is a theoretical zone around a star in which any planet present could have liquid water on its surface. After an energy source, liquid water is the most important ingredient for normal life when viewed in light of the importance Earth’s water.

Organisations EARTH FEDERATION : Visual Profile The Earth Federation relies on the Federal Army for brute force. The executive do have private advanced-tek body guards who escort and protect leaders on key occasions. These high quality guards are often seen in urban digital camo styles and are promoted from the elite of the Federal Army. Suggested Miniatures: GZG: UNSC , Rebel Minis 15mm Earth Force.

The mainstay of galactic military might with technology drawn from the various earth space factions. Fleet and administration functions are drawn from the core human empires with additional Commonwealth designed assets. The Navy’s strongest influence for the Commonwealth is within the core and inner colonies, however their reach extends across many distant colonies within the worm-hole connected network. The various regisnments of the Navy are mostly engaged in polciging trade and mining interests but they also have signifant assets deployed to systems where recent uneasy peace agreements have been agreed with alien nations.

The Federation’s big battles are fought and won by the tanks and infantry of the Federal Army. They are millions strong, with mixed formations of conscripts and long service veterans. The army has garrisons on many independent colonies and where agreements are in place also bolster local Commonwealth forces for human interests. The Federal Army is the easiest military force to enlist with but also one were a tour of duty could turn into an alien nightmare or Months of boredom on a distant mineral rich rock.

Commonwealth Navy: Visual Profile The Navy have various ship crew, technical and frontline military divisions that wear uniform appropriate to their function and field of battle. The traditional ship crew military uniform is a dark blue for officer rank and camo blue style. for Gruntz. Suggested Miniatures: GZG: New Israeli, Khurasan Federal Army, CMG: Arc Troopers

The Federation is an organisation guided mostly by its military arm. They are involved in mostly planet based action, policing new colony’s and warfare with hostile aliens. They have a presence within the Commonwealth, with a very influential place on the council due to the size and responsibility of the Federations military assets. The leaders and politicians of the Earth Federation are normally drawn from the ranks of the senior military officials within the many regiments of the Federal Army. The Federation sits outside of direct Commonwealth control and is focused specifically on human interests. Where the Commonwealth takes an all-inclusive view on alien and human integration, the federation is soley in support of the expansion and protection of humankind. Federation forces are stronger on the ground and do not have the mighty Navy of the Commonwealth, however they still have a significant space transport fleet and are capable of destructive orbital bombardment in support of their ground forces.

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The Imperator, a 60 Ton Fairfield & Hammer fabricated singlepilot Mecha walker, designed for field flexibility and reliability in remote contact circumstances.

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Organisations Continued

Federal Army : Visual Profile The federal army have many diverse resources and will supply troops with the most appropriatly coloured equipment in their specific theatre of war. The styles are usually based on camouflage or appropriate colours to match local flora.

Suggested Miniatures: Khurasan: Federal, CMG: Arc Troopers, ACP Games: Federal Infantry

CMA: Visual Profile The Combine Mining Association are a corporation making heavy use of mercenary and private army contracts. They have established a standard multi-role uniform for mostly ship and mining station deployment which is a dark and light green with grey camo. Suggested Miniatures: ACP Games: Federal Infantry, Critical Mass Games: Squamata Imperialis, Rebel Miniatures: Sons of Thunder.

Federal Special Forces

The Special Forces of the Federal army are an elite combination of highly trained, augmented and equipped troops. Often dropped into to remote deep space locations by Commonwealth or Federal ships they offer a rapid response to infighting between imperial factions and tactical advantage in dealing with Alien incursions which breach Commonwealth treaties. Federal Special Forces : Visual Profile Special Forces wear camo and equipment to suit the environment. The do have a standard set mult-role gear which includes special emzine bonded armour plating and healms which they leave unpainted in the standard base metal colour. Suggested Miniatures: As per Federal Army.

OA are a large corporation with multi-star system assets and offering considerable military and peacekeeping functions. They operate colony settlement schemes where lucky members join the company to perform terra-forming and genetic harmonisation of prospect new colony worlds. Once established and successful the new colonies are quick to partition The East Hyadum Trading Company (EHTC) to help establish an on-world worm hole which will provide rail road connections via the worm hole and increase trade with the commonwealth. Those new colonies which fail to negotiate worm hole status are prone to decline, lawlessness and desertion, leaving behind ghost colonies. Civilians within established successful worlds are happy with Omni-Astron Inc as the biggest intergalaxy corporation, but there are many that hate the power it wields. OA has the power and resource to bring great hope to frontier worlds but they can be just as quick to remove support, dooming the new colony if the commercial future is not as bright as the board room forecast expected. Omni-Astron : Visual Profile

F&H are a significant contract supplier to M-SEC and the Commonwealth Navy. They specialise in the design and fabrication of mechanised units. F&H kit is well known in the field for its reliability and the multi-role ability of their mecha walkers which are designed with modular payloads. F&H have a significant earth based manufacturing presence and maintenance contracts that extend to the full reach of the wormhole network.

Omni-Astron have several Merc based contracts to support their new frontier planet developments. Initial landings are made with the support of GAL-COM but they soon have to impose their own secuirity services to control frontier development and these troops are made up of various Merc contracts. To maintain corporate identity these Mercs are issued standard kit in yellow and are commonly known as “Ducks”.

The CMA are a strong unionised association of mining companies. Mining companies that are members are supported with mining contracts, prospects and Commonwealth Navy protection but they pay a high price in heavy taxation and shipment handling fees. Companies that can not afford Combine membership are prone to being caught in protection rackets run by the RD (Rim Defectionists).

Suggested Miniatures: GZG: NSU, ACP Games: Nationalists, Rebel Miniatures: Sons of Thunder, CMG: Kaamados Squamata Imperialis.

CMA fleet and military assets plug the gap left by a Commonwealth Navy struggling to reach and police the raidly expanding human interests.

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Background There are many known alien races within the Helipause setting and you should easily be able find a suitable manufacturer of miniatures that matches those listed.

Suggestions for proxy models for the Gruntz factions do not have to be followed exactly and are only a guide and reference to potential figures that can be used for the game.

The East Hyadum Trading Company took the initial scientific discovery of Worm Hole technology and turned it into an empire building brand for the United Kingdom. EHTC model themselves on the historic business they based their venture on “East India Company”. They have a proud empirical ethic and are closely tied to Government policy operating a considerable private army to protect key resources. Owned initially by mostly British interests, EHTC are now a Company on a Galactic scale. EHTC’s primary objective is to be first to newly discovered distant resources and in supporting the asteroid mining trade. They are a well supported trade company that controls and manages the construction and maintenance of worm hole technology across known space. EHTC have a significant military and trade fleet, however policing of key trade routes is left to the UNSC combined with the Commonwealth Navy. Private merc security contracts are used where mining and merchant traders are powerful enough to operate their own security. The EHTC work closely with the Combine Mining Association (CMA) when working on mining trade objectives and the EHTC also follow the prospect colony planets and frontier colonies that are setup by Omni-Astron Inc. EHTC : Visual Profile The East Hyadum Trading Company use a striking red parade uniform which is also used in the field when protecting company assets and during combat with alien species that are known to use primarily nonvisual means of communication. During combat with the alien Prime species the EHTC are often in the Company colours. The EHTC trace their lineage to the colonial past of Great Britain and take pride in representing their heritage. Their hard suit kit includes a classic Pith helmet including respiratory options and advanced Neural Net communications modules. Suggested Miniatures: GZG: NAC, Rebel Miniatures: Colonials or Titan Marines, CMG: Arc Troopers. The wormlike pink tongue flicked over the lipless serrated teeth; it was dry not moist and the leathery appendage scratched across the smooth surface. The Dominus looked out across the valley through unlidded eyes, running its tongue over its teeth again – tasting the human sweat. The rank stench of the human fear pervaded its senses

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Alien Races

cut through with acrid flashes of excrement and burning ozone from laser fire. These humans were not like the last – they did not panic… they had not run. The Prime watched as the humans slaughtered his Proeliators; its black mirrored eyes taking everything in – counting the flashes of laser strikes and listening to the humming of high velocity rounds. The Proeliators were been decimated, they’re twitching, gore splattered corpses littering the valley floor. Ghastly barricades of broken bodies halted the still livings advance – the delay causing the bodies of the stalled to add another course to the wall of the dead. And still the Dominus, controller and master mind of this brood looked on. The laser fire died down and the whirring of the human’s gattling cannon slowed to a stop. The last of the Proeliators had been cut down and their taste changed. Gone was the fear and the Prime gulped down the rare taste of raw relief and hope. Its eyes clouded to a milky opaque as it focused inwards – the rest of the Nine should hear its findings and relay it on through the MotherNet. The Prime had learnt much today but these red clad humans needed further study. Turning the Dominus used the collective of the MotherNet to instruct its other Proeliators; the Nine had process its findings far faster than usual and they craved more. The valley wound on for several miles before there was a ford in the river – the steep banks shallow and passable to the clumsy hover sleds that the humans favoured. The Nine agreed that this is where the humans would cross and where the Primes would assault them from both sides. Following the humans without being seen would be of little challenge to the Prime and its Proeliators and much could be learnt of these humans; it seemed illogical to kill them all now just to feed the birthing chambers. There would plenty of carrion for the Liberi to grow strong in time. Silently the horde of Proeliators slunk back toward the mouth of the Tumulus from which they had appeared. Once deep within its subterranean vaults and corridors the Dominus could track the humans without them ever realising. The Dominus was the last to enter the Tumulus tasting the air for the final time; the reeking hot oily smell of Nitromethane invaded the air filling the Primes every sense. It seemed that the humans were learning quickly too and had taken to burning their ripe corpses before they were dragged back to the birthing chambers ; this may get enlightening and its eyes clouded again – the Nine must know.

Massive Atomic are a major competitor of F&H and have focused production on less specialised but still significant technical military assets ranging from hand held Gruntz equipment through to economic to operate vehicles which are sold through mercenary, private and GalCom contracts. Special Contact Agency (SCA - Also known as “Contact”)

SCA are an elite mostly covert operation of higher-tek special agents. They are funded by the Federation and provide a method to engage with mostly alien species. The primary objective of SCA is to resolve key territorial or new alien contact issues by applying pressure in covert specialist operations. Where subterfuge and political espionage fails the SCA will resort to military intervention and will mostly call on expert mercenary forces. The public consider most

BackGround

Aliens Continued

SCA activity a mystery and their agents are often picked from unusual walks of life to fulfil a unique function in the agencies current contact register. This apparently random selection of personnel adds to the mystique of the SCA. SCA technology is advanced and their forces engage with mecha and grav based, high speed technology. It is not unusual to see SCA troops in powered armour and backed up by Specialist drone or robotic assets. SCA : Visual Profile The Specialist Contact Agency are advanced, highly trained forces, usually consisting of small numbers of motivated Gruntz and advanced supporting technology. They mostly have white or light grey equipment with dark green details, reflecting their peacekeeping objectives. Suggested Miniatures: GZG: UNSC, Blue Moon: Orion Republic.


Makken’s face dripped with sweat and his ears rung with the screeching whine of the whirring Gatling Rail Cannon’s rotating barrel. The ground around him was strewn with red hot casing that the gun spat out disgustedly in a brassy waterfall. The GRC was supposed to be used to take out fast moving skimmers or lightly armoured APC’s but right now Jerrit Makken swept it in wide arcs mowing down Prime warriors with brutal ease; the high velocity rounds passing through multiple aliens as they coursed through the air. It was grim work as the unrelenting horde refused to give ground; their basalt coloured corpses stopped 15 feet from where Makken was holed up underneath one of the Mule skimmers and were 4 feet high if it was an inch. Then they stopped. No Prime came clambering over the bodies of its fallen brethren; Makken let the gun barrel spin down and looked around the makeshift perimeter. “One hundred yards – volley fire – FIRE!” bellowed Sergeant Lippham his lips cracked from the burning sun and the screaming of orders. A sharp crack of laser fire rang out around the valley as the platoon poured it’s small arms fire into the onrushing Primes; shadowy figures fell to the ground the white hot pock marks of the laser strikes glowing against their dark flesh. “Independent fire boys – pour it on now”

The RD are a loose association of mostly pirate and rebel factions with some minority trade stations and mining operations. They are an annoyance to the Commonwealth Navy which police key trade routes which the Defectionists are known to target. The RD is known to run illegal shipments and operate protection scams to many of the smaller independent mining companies. Piracy is commonplace in amongst the RD and power bases amongst the more resourceful rebels are a significant thorn in the side of the Commonwealth. Rim Deffectionists are a Kleptocracy and operate as a government of thieves, extending their wealth and power through space piracy, embezzlement and various other parasitic activity within human space. They are not lawless, having a strong central government, operated by the most successful of trader families and pirates with a tax system designed to support a limited infrastructure across a series of space habitats, large mining locations and asteroid bases. There is no welfare system within the RD and people not capable of paying their own way or falling on hard times are not helped unless they are a member of one of the ruling families within the klepocracy. RIM Defectionists : Visual Profile The RD are pirates, merchants, mercs and backwater trouble. They make use of whatever military kit they can and may sometimes be lucky enough to be equipped with advanced technology. Without structure to their military forces, the actual schemes tend to be a mismatch or old stock kit found in a previous haul. Suggested

The sound of laser fire broke up like the pattering of rain broke out as individual troopers picked their shots; howling gushes of Nitromethane added their voice to the concert of killing and the occasional dull crump of a Personal Ordnance Missile weighed in with their heavy percussion. And still the Prime came on. Lippham caught a glimpse of Forbes firing a pistol in each hand, his face contorted with hatred and smeared with the dust from the heavy roll he took down the valley wall to warn the relief column of its impending danger. The Major so calm, so polite normally was screaming blasphemies upon the enemy. A man not 10 feet from the officer was spun around as a Prime dashed away his face with one mighty blow; gore sprayed up into the air like a grotesque rainbow showering those unfortunate enough to be near the poor man before a quick witted trooper gutted the beast with his Iridium combat blade. Still the Prime jerked towards the nearest man even with its innards spilling across the dry earth before even it’s mighty frame twitched still. Then they stopped. Corpses littered the valley floor but no more Primes appeared. Lippham turned on his heel. “Cease fire! No point wasting ammo. Well done boys well done” And went to find the Major. Major Forbes shot another Prime in the face; the dark ichor misted up in front of his goggled eyes as the creature sank to its knees. He shot another in the spine it arched double exposing it’s rib cage to the trooper it was tangling with; the man needed no further invitation and coldly ran the creature through. The tip of his blade glinted out of the other side of the Prime and Wripley grimly smiled the mouth bending upwards to crack the desiccated corners. Then they stopped. Sergeant Lippham approached across the charnel scene. “They’ve stopped saar.” Yes Sergeant it appears so. Please can you get together a party to tend the wounded and pass my thanks to the men.” “Yes saar. What about the bodies saar – there’s ‘undreds of them”

Suggested Miniatures: GZG: ACP Games: Federal Infantry

“Burn them Sergeant. Burn them all”

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Background

Mil-Tek science explorative council (M-SEC)

A Commonwealth government run and corporate sponsored agency with extensive investment in exotic matter studies and bases on far reaching science stations which are high risk but offer potential rich returns for investors. M-SEC research in technology brings key fabrication contracts to supporting corporate interests, so any new scientific discoveries are quickly converted into production technology. M-SEC Research is fiercely guarded and influences various political and military events. M-SEC operate the ARM division. M-SEC are known for having imperialistic tendencies and many of the senior officers and sci-staff have some strong xenophobic beliefs that are at odds with mainstream Commonwealth politics. M-SEC : Visual Profile M-SEC utilise the hard hitting and violent force of ARM to action most of their targeted military objectives. Within M-SEC itself there is a trend of wearing wearing black within the office and a standard black military style uniform has been adopted by the scientists and senior management of M-SEC.

Organisations

with the Alien nation. With much of the activity being in very remote locations, it has been known for these differing objectives to trigger minor conflicts between the organisations. The ARM’s commercially driven objectives and the ambassadorial focus of the SCA don’t always mix. These minor scuffles can be very violent with both agencies making use of advanced warfare technologies. Many freethinking individuals believe that ARM are a heavy handed right-wing organisation and their parent organisation M-SEC clearly keeps their distance from them. This distance allows them to appear politically neutral in cases where ARM has overstepped the mark during engagements with alien life. ARM : Visual Profile ARM are an authoritarian, violent and uncompromising force. They are known for unique and distinct camo schemes which would normally feature detailing to match the M-SEC black and red theme. Black armour sections, equipment or helmets are combined with an appropriate but normally slightly more colourful camo than is necessary for the field of war. Suggested Miniatures: GZG: New Israeli Critical Mass Games : Arc Troopers

The black scheme is normally augmented with red detailing and the insignia of M-SEC on a shoulder, helmet or back location. Dark grey or pouches, belts and weapon casing is also frequently used in place of the black in urban settings. Reflective visors or goggles are normally also red. Suggested Miniatures: GZG: ACP Games: Federal Infantry

Alioth Research Machinists

ARM are the explorative field operations division of M-SEC known for their uncompromising approach to field operations in frontier locations. ARM use elite technological forces when defending their remote research outposts. Due to their often close proximity to Alien nations, ARM are known to have conflicting objectives with the Federation’s Specialist Contact Agency (SCA). The ARM might be using force to extract key mineral or scientific information from a new Alien world, however simultaneously the SCA could be trying to establish a new successful political or trade link

Mars Home to Marztek and the massive fabrication factories of the Communist Uralvagonzavid.

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The CHH are a Peaceful Multi space habitat association with strong utopian socialist focus and advanced shared conscious neural networks. They have advanced their habitat technology to offer control systems and manage human transition to a state of conciseness within the habitats organic structure. Citizens that die within a Culture Habit have their memories and psyche transferred from their Spirit Node (The SN memory and personality chip installed in their neck ) into the group conciseness of the habitat they live in. Habitats are often large semi-organic and mechanical orbital stations, located in key positions throughout known space. There are three current major CHH habitats (Habitat Alpha, Habit Saturn and Habit Polygamy) with populations over 10 Million in each orbital. There are also many hundreds of smaller developing habitats with populations from hundreds to thousands of citizens. Minor Organisations

HHL are Builders of large trade and merchant vessels, the most popular manufacturer of orbit fabricated space faring vessels.

HRS are a key manufacturer of the heavy trains that are used as the main form of travel and trade between worm-hole connected planets. HRS have a strong trade link established with the East Hyadum Trading Company who provide the necceasry worm hole technology to link planets.

BackGround

Alien Hordes


same height as humans with a simple smoothed appearance to their facial features and completely white oval eyes. A Martian colony with strong history in human genetic modification who do not allow the use of wetwire NN technology but are known for advances in genetic modification. Marztek : Visual Profile Normally featuring some form of dark red colouring to match the environment of Mars, the forces of Marztek are also equipped with traditional camo styles. Marztek still continues to conscript all young men and women resulting in a large young and often green force of light infantry. Suggested Miniatures: Rebel Miniatures: Titan Marines

The Vion race are also unintelligible and any vocalisation has been impossible to decipher. They show a total lack of interest in entering into conversation, trade or any form of negotiation. There are myths of pathways the Vion are able to follow between worlds which appears to be support by the fact that, as a race that appear to be relatively primitive, they have been able to colonise many habitable worlds within the known space. Currently the Commonwealth classify the Ion race as a neutral mystery and only limited attempts have been made to investigate them further. Despite their peaceful demeanour they are known to have advanced technologies and anti-gravity based weapon platforms. Vion: Visual Profile The Vion are normally neutral grey in colour and slight of build. They are often not wearing any clothes or wear cloaks and figure hugging fabrics. Height ranges from diminutive to 7ft plus. Suggested Miniatures: Critical Mass Games: Praesentia, Vion Khurasan : Grey Aliens, 15mmSCI-FI.co.uk - Grey Aliens.

Uralvagonzavid are mass producers of military equipment, specialising in the lower tech market where volume and price is more important than quality. Suppliers to several key expanding empires they offer a range of standard and field repairable arms and armour. With the largest fabrication unit based on Mars the massive Uralvagonzavid factory provides vital employment on the red planet. Many mercernary forces make use of the cheap, reliable and easy to maintain weaponry of the Uralvagonzavid factories. They may not be the most advanced however the vehicles, tanks and weapons they output will keep working in some of the most hostile alien conditions. Unity

Unity are a digital group of people with numbers in the millions and are resident on moon base delta. They are a colony of human and alien life forms who have gone through transition migrating their minds from a physical body into a Mindwell called Thermopylae. Unity are a strong well supported society and movement where a virtual lifestyle offers are higher form of life to their residents. The empty corridors of moon base zeta are now frequented mostly by service drones following simple cleaning logic as the scrub floors for the completely virtual digital moon colony. Unity residents of “Copies” as they collectively call themselves enjoy a virtual world with unlimited real estate and perpetual good health, at least until any damage is done to the Mindwell Thermopylae. Unity only physically represent themselves in robotic form and have a small fleet and military force consisting of mecha, vehicles and robots with AI control systems. They also operate by using mercenary “flesh agents” where the physical human touch is required.

The Vion are a mysterious race who appear in small numbers within forests and mostly rural locations across known space. They are a fey race, slender and quick of movement and are about the

Guln Horde

A loosely grouped ochlocracy, the Guln Horde is a degenerate mob, often used as mercenaries where they are given access to advanced warfare technology during planetary invasion or as the initial shock troops in a dangerous boarding action. Guln are low intelligence bipedal humanoids, slouched and of a stronger stocky muscular build to humans with various alien shades of skin colour ranging from blue to green. They have ugly twisted faces and heavy wrinkled skin from their early development on high-G planets. They are a space faring, having populated several planets before humans had got much further than the moon. The Guln borrowed or traded technology to build connections with human and other alien races. Trade with the Guln is high risk and high return. There is a high chance that a warlord or other internal Guln Horde faction will disrupt any deal for personal game which will prevent the transaction from completing, usually combined with extreme violence. Guln are most useful in war and when a strong leader is engaged they have the potential to turn a battle due to their disregard of personal safety and lust for war. Within the Guln there are four separate castes. Guln mothers are able to control what kind of caste is born by using various power-full herbs and poisons shortly after conception. These castes include a short child-like ugly and stupid caste called the Vulg. The core most numerous nearly human sized are the “Guln Horde” and a taller heavier caste is “The Nerg”. The Nerg are up to 7ft tall, muscular and strong enough to handle heavy anti-material weaponry as if they were carrying nothing more than an assault rifle. The Nerg are also the most compliant amongst the Guln castes and have been happy to join non-Guln mercenary groups or attach themselves to a Rim Deffectionist pirate outfit for the right money. The tallest fourth caste is the “Vok” (up to 10-12Ft tall). The Vok are extremely strong and stupid, used mostly as shock troops, they can tear apart humanoids they come in contact with and only an angry Kruk would stand a chance of survival when facing a veteran Vok in personal battle armour.

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Background

Alien Races

The Guln stunk. You can’t argue with the results when you unleashed their Nerg on an unsuspecting merchantman but by heavens they stunk. The Nerg’s natural inclination was to use corners to go to the toilet - it was a cultural thing; having your back to the wall when you had your trousers round your ankles was sensible for a race of warriors. It did mean that where one went the others followed and the corridors where littered with the accumulated faeces of long weeks of trans-halo travel. The weeks of inactivity aboard the Rim Defectionists vessel the Gilded Doe had done little to change Poritts opinion that when it came to mercenaries you largely got what you paid for; the Nerg where cheap and affective but what they lacked in personal hygiene they made up for in killing power. “By all the stellar entities – we have recycled water shower rooms Poritt! Can you not make the smelly wrinkles at least pretended that they use them every once in a while” “Have you no sense of self preservation Xersim?! Don’t let them hear you” The older man came down the cramped hab-centre to reach his friend; the corridors between the dorm rooms of the old Cutter’s habsphere we crowded with creatures and beings of all shapes and sizes and Xersim had to prod, push, swear and duck his way down to where Poritt was sitting repairing an old assault rifle. The younger man had half the rifle stripped down whilst trying to keep track of all the part in the wandering crush that seemed to pass as Nerg socialising. “Been too long since you fired that thing properly – grime builds up in the forward servo-loader. Makes it jam or mis-cock” “Well if you and Captain Bradrap actually found us something better to do than baby-sitting the nearly human then maybe I wouldn’t be sitting here cleaning a mis-cock!” The old boson breaks into a hoarse laugh drawing curious looks from the nearest group of Nerg; seeing the swarthy man doubled in laughter they returned to their garbled conversation raising the hubbub back above Xersim joviality. “Come on Poritt - Capt’n would like the pleasure of your company if you can spare him the time. Got a little job for you and your mis-cock” chuckled Xersim “I was only joking Xersim – about the Captain – no need to go and trouble him with me” The younger man’s face had pale so that his grey util-clothing looked even dirtier against his chalky skin “Don’t be stupid Poritt! I was coming for you anyway – Capt’ns got a proposition for man o’ya unique talents” “What unique talents?!” spat Poritt the corner of month wet “Why not ask Spinkind – he’s heaped up on blowers most of the time anyway; or Jamestone? No one round this way thinks he’s any fleckum good either! I’m useful me!” Poritt looked around wildly looking for someone – anyone – to go instead of him; had he known who his Grandmother was he’d have pushed her into the arms of his lo-rum drinking buddy rather than take the rickety grav-lift to the bridge – or worse still the Captain’s quarters!

GULN: Visual Profile The various Guln races come in a mix of skin colours, normally patching together armour and weapons. Skin ranges from green to blue through to various dark browns and patterns. Suggested Miniatures: Micropanzer: Krystrail Empire. The Scene: Orcs GZG:Alien Mercs. GZG: Alien Mercs The Prime

The Prime are a parasitic alien, they spread through the impregnation of a host species where their own intelligent genetic DNA merges with that of the host to give birth to an altered Prime offspring. They are classically alien in appearance with normally dark brown to black skin and characteristics similar to the host they have infected. If they infect a bipedal host they are often humanoid with the addition of claws, tails and strong acid blood. The prime are mostly don’t use technology but their high intellect and hive like society allow them to quickly learn and adjust behaviour. They adapt well to different environments where they can survive under high-G, freezing and near boiling conditions. It is thought that they were once a biological weapon designed to wipe out a race but the exact origins are unclear. Some believe they are simply the logical adaption of any known parasites like a deadly mosquito which has evolved into the perfect organism over the millennia. Most Prime combat is hand to hand with claws and a deadly bite, although there have been occasions where acid spitting and weapon use was encountered. The Prime are motivated to procreate by dragging the corpses of host races back to massive stinking holes in the ground where the queen lays hideous maggots into the bloody holes of whatever host life form has been dragged into the steaming heap of rotting flesh. The young hatch from the carcass and new Prime off-spring have characteristics inherited from the host species. They are called the Prime because they have been found in fossil records on some very early dated rocks in many of the now colonised worlds (worlds where they died out along with the host race). They can only procreate by using host flesh, their own acid blood bodies are not good enough to act as food for the maggot stage. If they don’t find a host they can hibernate for thousands of years in a dry maggot form, waiting for the right water conditions and a dead host/flesh to consume to allow them to start to flourish. The Prime are considered to be very early colonists of space and like the dragon fly on earth they evolved to a level of genetic perfection many millions of years before Man could walk. As the ultimate parasite they have begun to thrive again since humans started to colonise planets. In certain areas on newly colonised planets large quarantine zones have had to be setup to prevent growth of the prime population.

“Come on Poritt it ‘aint everyday one of Sons of the 12 asks for a wee chat is it – besides if I have to take another lungful of Nerg eff then I’ll won’t as like be driven to shot someone. Can’t be having that now can we m’boy”

They are also grave robbers, so certain protocols have to be agreed with regard to burials on new human frontier planets. Bury your dead in the open and a Prime will quickly track, sniff out and drag the corpse back to a nest hole for maggot insertion.

The tiny glint of gold through tangle of matted grey told Poritt that the boson was smiling – Poritt saw nothing to smile about…

The Primes are ruled by “Dominus Primes” . There is only ever one Dominus per planet and they have an annoying habit of re-spawning because a queen will sacrifice herself to give birth to a new Dominus

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BackGround when they sense that one has been destroyed. There is a short period of time when a Prime population can be left confused and debilitated which is shortly after the death of a Dominus. The Primes can still operate at a feral level without a Queen or Dominus but they become the most terrible opponents in war when a Dominus is spawned. The Dominus have control over the lower forms of Prime and can utilise the brain power of their Prime minions by some sort of telepathic network. It is the nearest things to Prime computing power and they are able to drop thought requests into the mind-pool of the local prime population. The combined brain power can find solutions to complex problems, providing vital battle intelligence to the Prime hive population. Prime: Visual Profile The Prime are normally a slick black oily colour with darker shades of green and brown in a hive spawning where the local indigenous population have influenced the colour of the off-spring. Suggested Miniatures: Khurasan : Space Demons, GZG: Xenomorphs Trixian

A sentient Zeno race of insect like aliens. The Trixian have a hierarchical society with various castes, including worker and soldier castes. The royal caste provide all offspring which are genetically selected during conception. Several of the castes are capable of flight. Communication is both verbal with a click based language and pheromone based. They have developed digital sentient technology matching their own hierarchical society, which is capable of communicating pheromone based information through technological augmentation and adaption. “You’re late” . . . Kenzollo (Trixian hive dominant) did not like to be kept waiting, by anybody. “You should have been here three days ago, I can’t do business with a fool who doesn’t do as he says he’ll do”. “But my friend, we got here as soon as we could, we did not know that those power crazy fools from the Commonwealth Navy would be on our tail, somebody must have told them about our little . . . arrangement . . . so we had to delay our tryst until we had sent them on a wild Nerg chase. Ha, they’ll be halfway to Medi-Tryad by now”. Pravit, the trader was well known to the Commonwealth for his business dealings, and was quite happy to provide both sides of any alien confrontation with the necessary weapons to destroy each other . . . just as long as it made a good profit. He took a minute to scan his surroundings; he liked to think that he was in control of these situations. The angular cargo ship had once been the flagship of some distant inter galactic fleet, but that was almost two centuries ago, these days it looked awkward and clumsy against the sleek cocoon shaped insectoid Trixian docking bay.


Alien Races

day. Suddenly, Kenzollo was surrounded by an army of his alien commandos, they scuttled in from every direction and with lightening speed distributed the XK-380’s between themselves b efore opening fire on Pravit and his half drunk slumbering bunch of traders. “Back to the ship” called Svoran, “quick boss, we’re surrounded”. “Not without my money” he barked, but soon realised that this was not the time to stand and argue as the fat trader tried to defend himself from the ever growing army of Trixian. The laser fire whistled and exploded around the space dock as Kleinz desperately tried to release the old merchant ship from the docking station and escape the relentless onslaught. Pravit lumbered and rolled towards the cargo ramp, he knew that even his trusty crew would leave him stranded without a moments notice if he didn’t make it to safety before the engines were fired and warmed. His slovenly body was well overdue a re-life, he swore to get himself a younger model before his next outing. Svoran was the only one he could truly trust, and he saw his second in command waiting to help pull his heaving Capt up the extended mould-metal ramp. Svoran reached out and grabbed the greasy merchant as the cargo ramp was slowly lifting, when a single laser shot whistled past his ear and struck the pilot, Kleinz, firmly in the back of the head, a red mist filled the air and his lifeless body slumping to the grimy floor. In one single leap Svoran was at the controls and firing up the ancient vessel once more to release the docking station and escape from the onslaught of the side shifting cancerous insectoid Trixian. The aging vessel creaked and groaned as; with one last effort it broke free from the docking station to make good its lumbering escape. “We’ll be back” declared Pravit beneath his putrid breath, “we’ll be back” . . . as the old merchant ship limped away, as battered and bruised as the few of the arms traders men which had managed to escape from the vicious Trixian attack.

Trixian : Visual Profile Normally featuring some form of dark red colouring to match the environment of Mars, the forces of Marztek are also equipped with traditional camo styles. Marztek still continues to conscript all young men and women resulting in large young and often green force of light infantry. Suggested Miniatures: Khurasan: Vespulid

Kenzollo broke open the first crate of weapons and a steely glint appeared in his lifeless eyes as his claws stroked the shining array of XK380’s and grenades, all neatly stamped with the familiar sign “Property of Earth Federation” . . . how did he do it? Anyway, they were here and now they were theirs.

There is a lot of friction between left and right wing interests in the Heliopause setting. As empires have expanded and alien contact increase the various commercial and Government military agencies are increasing their use of force to establish control over mineral resource and trade routes.

“Get your claws off until after the trade” barked Pravit. He’d done enough of this business to know that none of these aliens could be trusted so always had plenty of men with back-up firepower, even if they had been partying on “Ranki” in anticipation of a good pay

Battles on frontier outposts to claim new planetary resources are frequent affairs and drag new Alien races into Galactic conflict in space and on the ground.

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Background

Nayzaki

Large intelligent and mostly peace loving apes of various castes which predate the human race. The Nayzaki have highly advanced teleportation and genetic technology and are also capable of true sensory and emotional communication via quantum digital technology. The Nayzaki use violence only in defence and have very extensive and high-tek destructive capability used to protect their interests. Captain John Kawalski blinked his eyes as he tried to focus on the unfamiliar surroundings. What was that smell, it smelled like a thousand Guln? And the noise . . . it sounded like he was trapped in some 21st century zoo enclosure which he’d come across on the history sense channel, such screeching and hollering and howling. Slowly he began to remember the events of the day before. The routine patrol around the perimeter of the compound and then . . . nothing. Ambush, attack, it was the only explanation. But now? He tried to move but was shackled with self-mould cuffs to some sort of table, the bright lights dazzled him as he tried to make sense of his predicament . . . how on earth was he going to get out of this one?

Aliens Continued

once ours, but more, much more . . . we can have it ALL . . . this chip holds years of knowledge from the all powerful Captain John Kawalski . . . he fought many battles for ARM, he lead his men to conquer many races with his mind and tactical power, and now his privileged military information is ours . . . .

The Suns of Destiny are a well known Mercenary unit, often used by some of the larger corporations like Omni-Astron and Harmony Rolling Stock. They provide counter insurgency, espionage or standard policing skills when a corporation needs immediate response and to be able to distance themselves from the military force on the ground. Their ranks are filled with many expert soldiers that have deiced to make a higher rate of pay by engaging in some of the riskier mission types which the merc unit is called to action. Suns of Destiny: Visual Profile

“He’s awake, he’s awake”

The S.O.D are well equipped for multi-role combat missions and make heavy use of mecha and robotic technology, assets their high-price merc contracts enable them to afford.

One of the excitable baboon like forms began to screech and leap around, crashing trays of dirty blood soaked instruments to the grimy filth stained floor as he went. “Pick ‘em up” barked another, the sooner we’ve got the chip the better.

They traditionally wear an urban style camo but do make use of a various more traditional schemes where they are more suitable.

So that was it, the Spirit Node, they were going to steal the SN and along with it his life, his memories, his exp erience, his future . . . “ahhhhhhhhhh” his head was grabbed roughly and twisted until it felt like his neck was broken, then he felt a searing pain as one of the outlandish creatures plunged a sharp knife into the nape of his neck, the warm sensation of blood . . . his blood . . . trickled onto his broad, muscular shoulders. “Where is it? Have you got it?” “No, it’s not there, it must be further up” “Fool, let me do it” “ahhhhhhhhhh” searing pain ripped through his weakened body until he thankfully passed out . . . his tortured body floating out of consciousness only to be jerked back to witness the pain as the knife twisted and turned into the base of his skull, searching for the Spirit Node. “Got it” grunted one of the aliens, John Kawalski could smell the pernicious fumes of his disgusting breath even though his life force was quickly slipping away forever. The whole room erupted into an ear splitting cacophony of screeching and hollering, though these Nayzaki ape creatures had been evolving for a millions of years before humans, at such times they quickly went back to their tribal roots and ran around thumping and beating their hardened chests in an effort to show supremacy . . . the pecking order was soon, however, restored without doubt. “Silence” . . . the air grew still as Commander Tritan bellowed out the order. “This is only the beginning, fools, now we have to work out a way to use this knowledge wisely and re-take our rightful position on this planet of spineless migrants and outlandish invaders . . . we now have the strength AND the knowledge to re-take not only what was

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Suggested Miniatures: Micropanzer: SAS

After action report Date:

17th May 2256

Location:

Omega-Tain IV, Lower Hephaestus plain

OIC:

Lt James B. George, 248-5796

Element:

2nd Platoon, 2/11 217th SoD Rangers

Background: Suns of Destiny have been engaged by the Combine Mining Association (CMA) to provide security to their on-going development works of the Lower Hephaestus plains. Local colonists are opposed to these works and have formed the Hephaestus Free Forces to oppose the CMA. It is believed that the HFF are being backed by one or more off-world rivals of CMA. Objectives: Patrol marked route through lower Hephaestus Plains, establishing contact with security elements at each of 3 primar y industrial complex salvage sites. Engage with HFF forces wherever possible and pursue general peacekeeping mission objectives. Testimony: We were in our standard 20-man light platoon formation, three foot squads of 8 plus me and the top sergeant. We were equipped for foot patrol with light body armour, filter inserts for our lids and water re-filtration packs. It’s hot and dusty on the lower plains, and the dust is like some kind of powder - fines, they call it. Gets in everywhere through suit seals, into your canteen, through the standard masks. Our attrition rate is higher for respiratory ailments than enemy action. The

Background filter inserts snap over the standard air intakes and is supposed to cut down on the infiltration, but they make it harder to breathe when it’s really dusty or you are exerting yourself. We had already checked in the security guys at salvage site one. They’d got the electrostatic nets up for the salvage crew, so the fines were way down there. We cleared out the filters and got some clean water, and tried to get the worst of the crud off of us. We proceeded on to site two and upon cresting ridgeline Bravo came into LOS communication of salvage site 2. The fines generate a static field that messes with broadcast comms, so we have to use line of sight, microwave or laser comms. There was no response to our IFF ping, so I assumed standard response status and dropped into an echelon formation. Making use of available cover we advanced using bounding overwatch towards the perimeter of the salvage s ite. At 10:43 local time 1st squad came under sustained but inaccurate projectile fire from 3-4 concealed positions around the perimeter of the salvage site. 1st squad moved into cover and returned fire using their ACR’s and SAW. PFC DuBois was then hit by a large calibre rifle round in her right thigh, resulting in her right leg being effectively severed above the knee. Cpl. Wilson provided immediate and effective aid, which nodoubt saved Pvt DuBois life. 2nd and 3rd squads moved to flank and pin the positions along the perimeter whilst 1st Sergeant Collins and I remained concealed and began anti-sniper procedures using our mini-drones acoustic triangulation routines. 1st Squad began receiving more sniper fire, although the agitation of the fines in the air began to degrade visibility, no doubt contributing to the poor accuracy of the sniper. They requested permission to retreat to better concealed positions and I agreed. Moving with covering fire from 3rd platoon they retreated in good order to a position adjacent to mine and Sgt Collins’s and resumed fire upon the perimeter positions.

Kruk


and moved on to the final salvage site. he remainder of the patrol was uneventful. Addendum: I have since received a verbal reprimand from the OIC FB TOPAZ. Apparently the broadcast towers are used as part of their topographical data sets, and is the third time one of them has been targeted. To paraphrase, he requested that I kindly ask my fellow officers to “stop fragging their gods-dammed reference points”. Kruk

The Kruk are an intelligent, mostly peaceful, tall and hairy bipedal race with a bear like ancestry. The Kruk lost their homeworld before they had reached the space age whilst still in a post-modern era. The Kruk are now scattered and live integrated within human society. The Kruk are not easy to anger but once riled they are capable of great fits of rage and extreme aggression, which is particularly true with any engagement with the Guln Horde who invaded their homeworld Malak* destroying the atmosphere with some badly planned quantum buster missile strikes which wiped out the remaining forests across the equatorial belt. Now without their home planet Maldak in Gelepsi system, the Kruk work with merchants and humans who appreciate their stolid and dependable nature. Before they lost their homeworld the Kruk were a stratocracy and mostly all governmental positions were held by military groups. Any governmental structure was lost with the destruction of their homeworld but there are still strong ties and structures amongst the remaining scattered Kruk.

By then the concentrated ACR, SAW and AGL fire from 2nd platoon had neutralised two of the perimeter positions. At this point we observed by mini drone the remaining HFF forces retreating further into the complex. Our mini drones also triangulated the sniper position to the top of a broadcast tower 500 meters outside of the salvage site perimeter. The land around the tower was hard-baked mud and open ground for at least 400 meters in each direction. If we were to advance we would be in the open and exposed and with hostiles at ou r back in the salvage site. Reasoning that the sniper position would be an on-going eminent threat, and that the fines made broadcast towers pretty much useless, I requested a fire mission from FB TOPAZ, who relayed to the Corporate class cruiser, Winchester, which was above the horizon at that time. Winchester launched an orbital KKM strike with TGSM at 11:09 and the sniper and broadcast tower were destroyed at 11:13. Following the neutralisation of the sniper I requested CasEvac for Corporal DuBois and left 1st squad to provide security whilst squads 2 and 3 advanced to sweep the complex. We recovered the bodies of 14 HFF KIA and the local security element, which had been stripped and hung after apparently being tortured. The surviving HFF forces that had retreated from the perimeter were tracked to a drainage culvert where we found evidence that they had escaped in a tracked vehicle, probably a utility crawler or ATV. We secured the salvage site and left one of the mini-drones to perform a more detailed sweep for IED’s and boon-traps. We rendezvoused with 1st Squad at the northern perimeter

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Background

Amnian

The Amnian are a space faring race of bio-tek specialists. Many of the space ships, weapons and building structures of the Amnian aliens are grown and developed with sentience. The advance bio tek allows them to design ships and systems which learn and grow with experience. This also allows for genetic inheritance of knowledge and skills so certain ships and genetic vessels will have an improved pedigree over vessels with more of a mongrel status. The Amnian have an uneasy trade with human space which occasionally breaks into minor skirmishes over terrain. In their defence the Amnian psyche and biological design does not allow them to lie or consider any form of humour or subterfuge. They simply can’t understand that it is possible for sentient life to ignore orders or break prior agreements. This makes them easy to fool and they now have a very careful approach to negotiation with humans where nonfulfilment of the human side of a trade ends in violence. They are bipedal with a chitinous type carapace developed for the warrior classes. They have large flat and slightly bulbous heads with multiple light and smell and sound sensors. Amnian weapons are also biological and genetically grown, often using bone like fletchet or plasma developed from chemical reactions in weapon bile chambers. So far any attempt to adapt these weapons fail because they are genetically aligned with the Amnian body. The weapons also require feeding in growth pools after combat and it has not been possible to replicate the correct genetic soup to allow the weapons to live longer than a week (after removal from an Amnian corpse). M-SEC have tried negotiating with the Amnian to share technological advances but they do not give up their secrets lightly. Rumour with the NN has suggested that M-SEC are operating several covert experimental scientific centres where captured Amnian are treated to degrading biological tests and torture. Amnian: Visual Profile

Amnian have a range of low genetic squads and leaders drawn from higher genetic material.

Suggested Miniatures: Critical Mass Games: Kaamados Agaamid and Vivipara. GZG: Crusties

From “Oil and Sweat: With the EHTC in the Outer Veil” Operation Hercules, the retreat from Camp Carmarthen, did not get off to an auspicious start. The orbital transports, giant, delta winged slabs of armour designed to drop from orbit to a battlefield and land in an area the size of a sports field and shrug off or avoid missiles and lasers and bullets on the way, were strong, but not agile. The weather was terrible and the interference from the electrical storms put them on just about the only flat area in the rolling hills 30 kilometres away from the pickup point on the plains to the north of Carmarthen. The same interference meant that there was no direct communications between the transports and Carmarthen, so the evacuation convoy sat waiting for transports that had already landed as the suns rose above the horizon and the angry, toothsome Prime awoke.

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Amnian

When finally the orbital controllers realised what had happened they directed the evacuation convoy to proceed to the transports, an 8 hour march through hostile terrain in the rising heat and dust. The transports could get from ground to orbit, and from orbit to ground, but a short hop over the hills was beyond their stubby wings. So, the Carmarthen troops set off and were immediately attacked. The convoy moved on in fits and starts, each attack sapping their strength slowly and delaying them further. The Prime attacked sporadically, in disorganised groups. Had they all attacked at once the convoy would certainly have been overwhelmed, but they seemed not to be concerned with the withdrawal, perhaps they were only attacking from habit, or simply to show willing as the weary soldiers left their homeland. The 30 kilometre trip took 24 hours and cost the formation 1/4 of its vehicles and nearly half of all of the supplies of ammunition and food expended or destroyed. More than 120 people out of 375 were killed or injured before the leading elements reached the shelf on which the transports had grounded. It was only as these outriders crested the final hill that they found why the native attacks had been so erratic and desultory. The natives had been occupied elsewhere. The transports were burned. The crew were butchered and hung for the young to nest in, as was the Prime custom. Convoy Carmarthen had marched 30 kilometres, away from the safety of their bastion, straight towards a new Prime hive built around their rescue transports. Corporal Vigg Jones, Alpha section, 2nd squad, 1st platoon, Bravo Company of the 232nd Hyadum Fusiliers, considered himself a lucky man. 13 years in the armed forces of the East Hyadum Trading Company meant he had made (and, if truth were told, lost, drunk and screwed away) a lot of money without ever managing to do an awful lot of work, or getting shot, roasted, eaten, dissolved or run over by a tank – all of which he had seen happen to his squad mates at one time or another. He had naturally gravitated to the role of corporal – high enough to boss around a few fellers, but not so high as to be given any real responsibility. He had also gravitated to artillery, which qualified him for combat pay whenever the 232 went into battle, but on the whole meant he didn’t actually see much combat, being well behind the front line most of the time. Unfortunately, as is often the case in militar y matters, the situation that Vigg now faced was not the usual one. The unexpected shift of the front line from being a dozen or so miles in front of the current position, to being several miles behind his current position, had come as somewhat of a shock to all involved, not the least of which was the two regiments of indigenous rebels who had somehow passed straight by the 232nd’s main combat unit and executed a flanking manoeuvre that, if down to tactical brilliance represented a very, very worrying precedent for the rear echelon planners and, if down to chance, was the single jammiest manoeuvre he had ever seen. At the current time Vigg was pressed against the hull of a softskin truck that he had been snoozing on top of in the warm early morning sun – a truck he suspected was an ammo carrier and therefore full of things that would go boom if shot. He had been quietly drifting off to sleep with his noise cancelling earplugs in, to drown out the irritating thump and whoosh of the RAM mortars as they fired their rocket assisted munitions down-range, when he became aware of an annoying buzz of an angry insect zipping by his face every few seconds. Vigg had opened his eyes to swat the bug, but not finding it within reach had instead grabbed his canteen for a quick pick-me up (his canteen rarely contained just water), and had it shot out of his hand by the annoyed Indig soldier that had been trying to snipe him off the roof of the truck, using an 80 year old bolt action hunting rifle with a brand new top of the range thermo-optic sniper sight taped to the top using duct tape, for the last five minutes.

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Gruntz - 15mm SciFi.pdf

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