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While looking for ways to simplify gameplay and stumbled across a hex based system. How do hex based movement games change game play? I was hoping for some pros and cons, and comparisons to other gaming systems.

Thank you ahead of time!

Max

They definitely simplify things in that ranges, facing, and movemet are easy to determine. However, my personal bias is that unless you're dealing with 3D terrain hexes, hexes move the game from being a tabletop wargame to a board wargame.

When you say 3D terrain hexes, do you mean elevation and the like?

Yep, Sort of like Heroscape tiles. There are a few other companies that do 3d terrain hexes, usually out of styrofoam.

Which companies are these that you speak of? I'd love some hexes to make Battletech maps.

Your most affordable option might be to buy heroscape tiles. I know that some folks have made great looking Battletech maps out of them.

I was trying to find other links for you, but it looks like Geohex is out of business! Here's two that do make the stuff.

http://www.tridentebologna.it/esagoni_E.php
An itallian company that seems quite reasonable, but a bit DIY

http://www.kallistra.co.uk/
Kallistra is a bit more expensive, but are plastic and clipable.

Best of luck whichever way you decide to go.

The reason i mention the 3D maps is this:
http://www.terragenesis.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7454

I previously avoided hexes because i felt the system limits creativity, but this is amazing work.

Damn! There's terrain, and then there's art!

The main thing I have against hex games is that you can not make a 90 degree turn and move forward. You end up making a 45 degree turn and zigzag along the line you want to go.

I dunno...



I see some straight lines there. In 6 different direction, in fact!

Yes 6. Not 8. Like I said, you cannot make a 90 degree turn (although I said you can only make 45 when I meant 60 degree turns).

If you are facing north on the map you have, you can not go directly east. You face NE and serpentine along.

Does the system speed games up at all? Im a little naive because ive only played 40k.

It depends on the system. Battletech, for example. If you're using basic (ha, irony) rules, a lance on lance fight will easily take you the same amount of time a 2000 pt game of 40k can. In fact, my first few games of Battletech with a friend were played over a series of weekends. Thought I probably should have started with a couple of mechs each.

The Quickstrike rules for Battletech, however, allow you to play a company on company game (12 mechs) with added infantry, tanks, and air support in the same amount of time, since it's much more abstracted.

Personally I think it depends on the game. A game with plenty of models like 40k would probably bog down even more with hexes, whereas a few units per side (Killteams, aforementioned Battletech, spaceship games like Silent Death, etc.) really benefit from it. I find a lot of non-hex movement to be too "loose" for my tastes, in the sense that players have a tendency to give or take an inch. Even if it's unintentional it's still annoying and lacks the exactness that some tactical games require. But yeah, definitely faster to count distances and ensure uniform movement is used.