Action | Reaction System
An example of a well known Action/Reaction system is basically a IGO-UGO activation with reaction response built into it. The Active Player activates their units, one at a time and does their actions. The Reactive Player responds usually when one of the Active Players models cross line of sight. They resolve rolls. This continues until the Active Player can no longer activate anymore models. Then they switch roles. The Reactive Player role although interacting is more of a “sit and wait”. There is also no limitation on the amount of times a unit can be activated in a turn.
It is a great game, solid system but still has the issue at points where suspending disbelief becomes harder. We wanted to do things a bit different to create some interesting and unique opportunities in a battle. We felt this simulated cinematic action movie sequences better as well as providing more opportunities for players.
In Code Zero activation is not IGO-UGO, it is an alternate activation. That means during a game turn the roles will switch back and forth. We also wanted there to be a method for the Reactive Player to respond to an action without it requiring the Active Player to cross line of sight. Although we don’t put a hard limit on the amount of times a unit can be activated, there is a soft limit. If you wanted to run a unit from one side of the board, spending all your activations points, to the other side you could but it comes at a cost… they get tired and gain fatigue from being overworked.
Standard Activation - 2 Short Actions
1| Active Player: The Active Player spends 1 Activation Point choosing to activate a unit declaring their first action.
Example: “I’m going to activate this fireteam and do a move action”.
1A| Trigger Point: This is a priority window that opens up allowing the Reactive Player to respond the Active Player’s actions.
2| Reactive Player: The Reactive Player can declare to respond if the activating unit is within line of sight of one of the Reactive Player’s units. Since this is the first action of that unit, this is a special opportunity that they can choose to Steal Initiative. They would spend 1AP and choose a unit to activate. This swaps the Active|Reactive roles temporarily as the Reactive Player’s unit will resolve their actions first. They could also choose to do nothing and pass.
Example: “I don’t have a response, pass”
3| Active Player: The Active Player now moves his unit that he chose to activate to where he is going to end up.
Example: “I am using a Short Move Action to move my movement of 4” to here”
3A| Trigger Point: If the Active Player’s unit crosses line of sight with any Reactive Player’s units this creates a trigger to allow the Reactive Player to respond.
Example: In this case he doesn’t cross any line of sight with any units.
4| Active Player: The Active Player now declares his 2nd short action.
4A| Trigger Point: This is a priority window that opens up allowing the Reactive Player to respond to the Active Player’s actions. Unlike the first priority window that opened up, only players in Line of Sight can respond.
Activation and Steal Initiative
1| Active Player: The Active Player spends 1 Activation Point choosing to activate a unit declaring their first action.
Example: “I’m going to activate this fireteam and do a move action”.
1A| Trigger Point: This is a priority window that opens up allowing the Reactive Player to respond the Active Player’s actions..
2| Reactive Player: The Reactive Player can declare to respond if the activating unit is within line of sight of one of the Reactive Player’s units. Since this is the first action of that unit, this is a special opportunity that they can choose to Steal Initiative. They would spend 1AP and choose a unit to activate. This swaps the Active|Reactive roles temporarily as the Reactive Player’s unit will resolve their actions first. They could also choose to do nothing and pass.
Example: “In response I’m going to activate this fireteam and do a move action.” The Reactive Player now temporarily takes over the Active Player role, while the Active Player becomes the Reactive Player. They would declare and do their 2 actions. If it triggered any reactions from the Reactive Player those would be handled normally. Once those actions are complete, roles get returned to normal.
Example: In this example there were no units who could react to Player-B moving their units.
3| Active Player: The Active Player now moves his unit that he chose to activate to where he is going to end up.
Example: “I am using a Short Move Action to move my movement of 4” to here”
3A| Trigger Point: If the Active Player’s unit crosses line of sight with any Reactive Player’s units this creates a trigger to allow the Reactive Player to respond.
Example: In this case he doesn’t cross any line of sight with any units.
4| Active Player: The Active Player now declares his 2nd short action.
4A| Trigger Point: This is a priority window that opens up allowing the Reactive Player to respond to the Active Player’s actions. Unlike the first priority window that opened up, only players in Line of Sight can respond.
Activation and Chain Reaction
1| Active Player: The Active Player spends 1 Activation Point choosing to activate a unit declaring their first action.
Example: “I’m going to activate this fireteam and do a move action”.
1A| Trigger Point: This is a priority window that opens up allowing the Reactive Player to respond the Active Player’s actions.
2| Reactive Player: The Reactive Player declares he is going to Steal Initiative and activate one of his fireteams to do a move action. Unlike before the Active Player didn’t have any other units that could have benefited her doing a response. However in this example she does have Sergeant who Steal Initiative back.
3| Active Player: The Active Player spends 1AP and chooses to activate her Sergeant. This creates a Chain Reaction. The Reactive Player could also Steal Initiative again BUT it would come at a cost, that unit would gain “Fatigue” status. In this example he chooses to not respond.
4| Active Player: Uses the units special ability to use a jump pack, allowing her to have her unit leap putting it on top of the building and gaining high ground.
Now the Reactive Player would then resolve their actions, then finally the Active Player would resolve the first units actions.
Resources Are Valuable
Activation Points are your resources and resource management is an important part of the game. Some people might be asking, "Why would someone want to do that?". I hope that becomes more clear in the game play run-through. I apologize for the animated gifs, hopefully they didn't confuse things. I have never worked with them before but I was trying to find a way to demonstrate without having 50 pictures for the examples. Hopefully that worked a bit.
On paper it can sound complex and complicated. If you are familiar with a certain
TCG then it should be easier to grasp and understand.
Decisions become important. However bad decisions don't necessarily cause a cascade effect that a player can't bounce back from. They can but at a cost, move a unit out of danger providing you can predict that was where the player was going to go. Keep in mind you don't know what their secondary objective is. The only information you have at that time is the unit they are activating and what that action is (move, combat or special action). If it was a move action, you don't have the information of where they will move yet. When you choose to move or not to move can become important.
A Reactive Player can only Steal Initiative once per round in the Player Phase, unless they want to give the activated unit Fatigue status. One round in the Player Phase is when the Active Player has activated 1-2 units, then the Active Player and Reactive Player switch roles. This alternating activation happens until they are both out of Activation Points.
Part 3 will cover a battle report for a game going through the whole game, bringing everything we have covered together.
