GAME RULES 2.0 MERCS is designed with the idea that a miniatures combat game should look and feel, on a table, like real combat. It is logical in its associations and what it chooses to make important in combat. It places a premium on good, sound tactics. This is not a game where players sit back and shoot at each other from across the tabletop. Victory has everything to do with the choices you make on the table. Learn to think tactic ally. Suppress and move. Maintain squad discipline, but control the table. Create firing lanes, and punish those who move through them. Combat begins and ends with movement. Everyone can shoot; survivors know when to shoot and when to relocate. Each MegaCon plays extremely differently, having intrinsic strengths and weaknesses. Learn them, then create tactics and adapt in the flow of battle to take advantage of the MegaCon you play. If you learn to marry solid tactics with MegaCon strengths, you will become a formidable player in the world of MERCS.
WHAT YOU NEED To play any tabletop miniature game, players need stuff. With some games, lots, and lots, and lots of stuff. MERCS tries to limit the stuff players n eed. Players need some MERCS miniatures, reference cards, d10s, and the rules. From the beginning, MERCS was created so that players could pick it up and play it at any table with minimum investment. That does not mean we don’t like terrain, and counters, and books, and dice, and all that other cool stuff. On the contrary, we love miniature gaming and everything that goes along with it. MERCS can be played with 3D terrain as easily as it can be played on one of our 2D mats.
MINIATURES
REFERENCE CARDS
MERCS miniatures are d ynamic, highly detailed, and award-winning. MERCS was originally, and will always be, detailed miniatures with a cool factor that
MERCS uses reference cards to provide players with stats and abilities for
is off the charts. Our miniatures come in a variety of poses, sizes, styles,
the MERCS they are using in a skirmish. The reference cards are used in all
and genders.
aspects of the game. Reference cards include: •
MERC stats
•
Movement
•
Rule reference
•
Range measurement
•
Keyword explanation
•
Templates
•
Modifier reference
The corporate trait card has a unique shape. Around the border of the card are four die-cut semi-circles. These circles are the same circumference as the 30mm bases on which all MERCS miniatures stand. These circles are used to measure the movement of the miniatures across the tabletop. For a comprehensive breakdown of the reference card, see page 26.
DICE MERCS uses 10-sided dice, referred to as d10s. MERCS requires players to MERCS miniatures are categorized as 28mm heroic scale miniatures. Any
use one d10 p er MERC. If players use MERCS dice, the 10 is represented by
terrain compatible with this scale can be used without issue.
the MERCS helmet icon. If players use generic d10s, the 10 is represented by a zero in most cases.
Your FLGS (friendly local game store) probably carries MERCS already. already. If they don’t, tell them to. You You can also find a plethora of cool MERCS goodness on our website www.megacongames.com. www.megacongames.com.
CHOOSING YOUR TEAM A MERCS team includes includes five members. Each faction faction has 10 distinct archetypes players choose from to crea te their team. Players select their MERCS team based on play style, terrain, opposing faction, and fun. There are no right answers, but there is one restriction. A team can field only one of any particular particular archetype. For For example, a CCC CCC player cannot take two Medics or two Incinerators. However, However, this is the only restriction, and there are no team requirements. Players can, for example, choose to not take a Leader.
In MERCS, success is always defined as rolling equal to or greater than the required target number.
WHAT YOU NEED To play any tabletop miniature game, players need stuff. With some games, lots, and lots, and lots of stuff. MERCS tries to limit the stuff players n eed. Players need some MERCS miniatures, reference cards, d10s, and the rules. From the beginning, MERCS was created so that players could pick it up and play it at any table with minimum investment. That does not mean we don’t like terrain, and counters, and books, and dice, and all that other cool stuff. On the contrary, we love miniature gaming and everything that goes along with it. MERCS can be played with 3D terrain as easily as it can be played on one of our 2D mats.
MINIATURES
REFERENCE CARDS
MERCS miniatures are d ynamic, highly detailed, and award-winning. MERCS was originally, and will always be, detailed miniatures with a cool factor that
MERCS uses reference cards to provide players with stats and abilities for
is off the charts. Our miniatures come in a variety of poses, sizes, styles,
the MERCS they are using in a skirmish. The reference cards are used in all
and genders.
aspects of the game. Reference cards include: •
MERC stats
•
Movement
•
Rule reference
•
Range measurement
•
Keyword explanation
•
Templates
•
Modifier reference
The corporate trait card has a unique shape. Around the border of the card are four die-cut semi-circles. These circles are the same circumference as the 30mm bases on which all MERCS miniatures stand. These circles are used to measure the movement of the miniatures across the tabletop. For a comprehensive breakdown of the reference card, see page 26.
DICE MERCS uses 10-sided dice, referred to as d10s. MERCS requires players to MERCS miniatures are categorized as 28mm heroic scale miniatures. Any
use one d10 p er MERC. If players use MERCS dice, the 10 is represented by
terrain compatible with this scale can be used without issue.
the MERCS helmet icon. If players use generic d10s, the 10 is represented by a zero in most cases.
Your FLGS (friendly local game store) probably carries MERCS already. already. If they don’t, tell them to. You You can also find a plethora of cool MERCS goodness on our website www.megacongames.com. www.megacongames.com.
CHOOSING YOUR TEAM A MERCS team includes includes five members. Each faction faction has 10 distinct archetypes players choose from to crea te their team. Players select their MERCS team based on play style, terrain, opposing faction, and fun. There are no right answers, but there is one restriction. A team can field only one of any particular particular archetype. For For example, a CCC CCC player cannot take two Medics or two Incinerators. However, However, this is the only restriction, and there are no team requirements. Players can, for example, choose to not take a Leader.
In MERCS, success is always defined as rolling equal to or greater than the required target number.
COUNTERS Counters are used to track status effects. This rule book comes with a full sheet of counter tokens. These tokens have icons on them tha t represent various status effects.
Blood
Grenade
Bounding
Toxin
2 Blood
Move
Armor Failure
+2
Pinned
Action
Aim
+1
Burning
Attack
Load
Trap
Breach
Suppression
1 Credit
No Trap
Stun
Suppression Off
2 Credits
Tech
Smoke
Overwatch
Repulsor Tag
Trident
Frozen
Overwatch Off
Hack
Boosted, ETA, Hold, Act
Counters are placed either on the play area or on the card of the MERC. For example, every blood a MERC suffers in damage is marked with a counter either next to the miniature in the playing area (and must be moved every time the MERC relocates), or on the MERC’s reference card.
D E E N U O Y T A H W
PLAYING AREA The size of the MERCS tabletop can vary, but a 2’ x 3’ area or smaller is suggested. The size of the playing area dictates how quickly players get to the action and how violent the action can become. MERCS is a skirmish game intended to be played in a more confined area. If the area is too large, MERCS can take a long time to engage.
A MERCS playing area requires obstacles: buildings, bunkers, hills, and walls. MERCS weapons can fire the length of the playing area, which requires terrain to obscure line of sight and encourage clever tactical play. MERCS units represent special five-person security and reconnaissance teams suited to close-quarters combat.
Many of these terrain elements can be purchased from The Miniature Building Authority. Used with permission.
CREATING A COMPETITIVE TABLE Terrain placement should be based on the battlefield and should not give an advantage to a single player, unless the scenario requires it. That does not mean the play area should be symmetrical. Terrain placement relies on the first turn. It usually makes sense to place a large building or similar structure in the middle of the playing area, because MERCS will be able to fire on targets in line-of-sight, even on the first turn. MERCS waiting to be placed into the playing area should have options to be placed out of line-of-sight. There are several large-format playing areas p re-created on the MegaCon Games website. These files are free to download and can be taken to a local printer to produce highly transportable, instant playing areas.
GOAL The goal of MERCS is to win. However, the condition of victory isn’t necessarily as straightforward as killing every MERC on the opposing team. The most straightforward way to play MERCS, and the easiest way to learn to play, is to setup a table and play a skirmish. Victory is achieved by eliminating all the opposing player’s MERCS. However, MERCS truly shines in scenario play and the campaign environment. There are several structured missions in this rulebook and on the MegaCon Games website: www.megacongames. com. The victory conditions for scenarios are myriad. The goal in these circumstances is usually highlighted within the scenario.
D E E N U O Y T A H W
GAME RULES MERCS rules are separated into two difficulty levels: basic and advanced. Players new to miniature gaming should read and play with the basic rules until play comes easily. Experienced players should have no trouble understanding any of the concepts in the basic rules and can incorporate advanced rules as they see fit.
WHAT’S NEW IN 2.0? There are numerous tweaks to the MERCS rules and some rules tha t have been altered drastically. New players can just dive into the rulebook. For returning players, we’ve listed the areas that have changed, briefly described the change, and provide a page nu mber for quick reference.
REFERENCE CARDS
CCC LEADER PERSONAL ABILITIES
0
The reference cards are significantly different in appearance and
Leadership: All members of this team in short range, including this MERC, increase their dice rolls by 1.
7
function. They are the biggest and most important change in 2.0.
Lucky: This MERC may negate 1 attack dice roll against himself per skirmish.
See page 26.
3 KIT
Attack & Move: This MERC may choose to attack and move in any order. This decreases his movement points by 1 and decreases the attack roll by 2.
2
CCC
LEADER KIT Semi Auto
2
B
2
6
EMP
-
EMP: If a target is affected by an EMP grenade their armor is automatically broken.
3
1
-
M
S
M
Template: Each target caught within the Template diagram receives all attacks.
L
Attack & Move B
-
S
2
Throw 1 (Consumable): This MERC places a grenade token within 1 card length. Discard 1 EMP Grenade after use.
L
Throw 1; EMP; Template
2
5
INITIATIVE MODIFIER
. .
. .
2
:
:
The initiative modifier is s a new modification stat. It provides the players with more flexibility when planning and forces players to make important choices even in the first phase. See page 27.
MOVING WITHIN THE CARD
ER RATING
This represents a slight modification from the first edition rules. The change isn’t
In an attempt to streamline terminology between 2D and 3D terrain,
difficult to implement or understand, but it does allow the player more freedom in
the true measurement of elevation ra tings has been altered. See
moving. See page 28.
page 44.
ER2
ER1
MOVING UP OR DOWN ELEVATION RATINGS The biggest change in the ER number is how MERCS move up and down terrain. The new rule is more limiting compared to the first ed ition. See page 33.
FIRING NUMBERS
FLANK
First edition players will notice right away that the firing numbers are all a bit
This is an important
lower. The balance and the modifier system still feel the same, but combat is
change. To receive
more deadly and games are a bit quicker.
flank bonuses for an attack, the attacker
Semi Auto
B
S
M
need only be in a side arc to the target. The required melee
2
2
6
Attack &
component from the first edition has been removed. See page 41.
KEYWORDS MERCS now uses keywords, which is important when referencing the cards. Any keyword associated with a card is explained in detail on tha t MERC’s page in the MegaCon section. The concepts behind the keywords are n ot new to MERCS--only how those concepts are communicated to the player. See page 46.
Semi Auto
ATTACK & MOVE This MERC may choose to attack and move in any order. This reduces his base movement by 1 and increases his firing number by 2. MERCS can normally only perform one thing during an activation. When a MERC chooses to use Attack & Move, then neither the move nor the attack are as effective as
B
, .
2 .
they could be if performed separately.
2
6
’
S
M
L
’
’
Attack & Move
.
.
MEDIUM RANGE .
MELEE COMBAT
, . the two card length We have added an official term for
Melee combat makes more sense now. Moving and attacking in melee is now standard
.
distance. This range has. a -1 modifier to attacks.
.
practice, though a penalty . is applied. See page 36.
,
,
.
,
0 . 2 N I W E N S ’ T A H W
.
.
SUPPRESSION AND OVERWATCH These advanced combat maneuvers are treated a bit more realistically and have a built-in downtime limitation. See page 49.
:
