4e Mechanics & Rules Discussion

[Raellus]

Originally Posted by Ursus Maior

This might, of course, offer new chances to role-play, e. g. a surrender scene or a flight etc.

Agreed. I don't have a ton of experience playing T2k, but in the 10 or so campaigns that I've been a part of, both as a Ref and as a player, I've never been a part of a mass surrender (and very few hasty retreats).

Originally Posted by Ursus Maior

However, this might not be an enjoyable part of the game as it's quite literally forced upon the players as much as their characters.

As it is, IRL. If one expects a high degree of realism in one's military-themed RPG's, then surrender or flight should be more than just a theoretical possibility. CUF ups the ante.

Originally Posted by Ursus Maior

However, since I decided to use the Bravo Zulu rules option from the Discord server, which basically introduces a limited amount of "dramatic change tokens" for enhanced player agency, I will allow the use of one of these Bravo Zulu points to immediately break out of suppression. It gives the players a choice to trade a rare resource and regain agency for their character.

I found these rules on the Discord server.

This "dramatic change token" option is interesting. It sounds a bit like D&D 5e's Inspiration Points mechanic (which I was thinking of porting to 4e if I ever run it). Would you be able to post the pertinent Bravo Zulu rules here? Or post a link, at least?

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[Ursus Maior]

@Raellus
It's linked in the Discord oriented towards 4E under the resource library. The link that pops up there leads here: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...ional_Rule.pdf

Contact me, if it doesn't work. I'm reluctant to share it openly in another form, since it's not my work, but was uploaded by a user by the handle "Abulia".

[Raellus]

The link works. The PDF looks like an official 4e product. Very cool.

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[unipus]

That's from their template for Workshop publications.

[kcdusk]

I'm late to the discussion guys, but i've been reading up reviews on the new 4E rules by Free Legion. Most of the reviews i've been able to find focus on two things, only one of which is helpful.

They focus on the time line (not helpful, I'll make my own up if i don't like it thanks).

they focus on the quality of the product. Great sketches, great quality, all reasonably helpful feedback.

What they don't really get around to is if the game is any good. It sounds like a whole new rule set, and it sounds like its a reasonably good one. Are you guys enjoying the new game?

[Adm.Lee]

Originally Posted by kcdusk

What they don't really get around to is if the game is any good. It sounds like a whole new rule set, and it sounds like its a reasonably good one. Are you guys enjoying the new game?

It's fine. I only ran 2 sessions (plus chargen), without vehicles and light on the foraging & survival, so that's the grain of salt to take it with.

I'm also in an intermittent v2.2 game online, so the main comparison I will make is that v4 is faster to play. The few firefights I ran were over pretty quickly, getting shot is pretty harsh.

I think there's a bit to be uncovered (I think I mentioned this above): a GM can-- without any real work-- run NPCs in squad-like batches, further simplifying the mental paperwork for themselves. A lot of suppression of groups can happen, vice trying to pick off individual opposition.

Both combat and the rest of the rules are aimed at simplicity and speed of play. I hear it's more gritty and crunchy than Free League's other games, but it's not as heavy as GDW's rules.

[unipus]

I'd agree with all of that. I've been running a narrative-heavy game for about the last year (30 sessions or so), starting from the alpha rules. So there have been some changes in that time, some of them suggested by me! But overall the rules are pretty focused on speed but not completely at the expense of depth, and the overall results (in combat anyway) seem as plausible as any I've seen. It still takes half a session to run a decent-sized combat, which is not my favorite thing -- but at least it's not a full session!