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I have seen a gap in my wargames collection. I don't have any Superhero based games! I have been watching a lot of animated superhero shows lately, and that has really raised my interest in this category.

I have primarily heard of two systems. The first is West Winds Supersystem. This system seems like it uses d6 dice pools and opposed skill tests. There are several well known categories like Bricks, Blasters, Gadgeteers, etc. Pretty straight forward.

The second is Pulp City. I don;t know much about this system. This one uses action points and alternate activations. It is also set in the 1980s.

Finally, I could just use TSR's good old Marvel SuperHeroes RPG as a base. It used cardboard counters and had rules for maps that would easily translate to minis. However, it uses a percentage system vs. a success graph. However, it was designed as an RPG that uses minis and not a true TTG.

Have any of you used these systems? I'm curious about what some of hte players of these games think. Thanks for your help.

Feelings on Heroclix? I think the amount of memorizing for competitive play is asinine, but like it as a light weight skirmish game.

I've heard good things about pulp city, sadly no one plays in my area.

Heroclix is a nifty little game and enjoy it, but struggle to remember all the abilities and them changing frequently when they change as they take clix of damage. Guess for people who have played for years become second nature. Around here HC is only played competitively so I don't enjoy it. I like scenarios and campaigns. HC can be played that way, but not in my area.

Didnt one of the monster rampage books have superhero rules? You could probably use them as a good base (generate attomic power every turn, use it to fuel your superpowers/godzilla like fire blast)

There is also the Batman Miniatures Game by knight models, the rules can be downloaded from their site for free they also have other DC characters in the game.

 Easy E wrote:

I have primarily heard of two systems. The first is West Winds Supersystem. This system seems like it uses d6 dice pools and opposed skill tests. There are several well known categories like Bricks, Blasters, Gadgeteers, etc. Pretty straight forward.

I can heartily recommend SuperSystem. You can create any type of superhero, villain, military unit, giant alien robot, etc. that you can think of. Opposed dice rolls means that players are involved most of the time, even when it is not specifically their turn. Alternating activation, combat maneuvers, power modifiers, vehicle rules are some of the highlights off the top of my head. Really easy to generate characters. Rules are simple to learn, and still have lots of tactical options.

The SuperSystem Annex site has lots of resources, including stats for many, many Marvel and DC characters, and a character sheet generator.

Hope that helps.

~Eric

Thanks Taarnak, any thought son 1st edition vs. 2nd edition? I also heard a 3rd editon maybe coming out.

I enjoy Heroclix just as its a quick game you can pick up and play and unless you are looking to collect them all its not too bad on the wallet, less so if a couple of boosters a release will do you and you get what you get.

The Batman game looks amazing, but buy in costs have put me off, plus the lack of preferred UK outlet.

If a Marvel based game of that standard turned up.. I'd be lost to it tbh.

 Easy E wrote:
Thanks Taarnak, any thought son 1st edition vs. 2nd edition? I also heard a 3rd editon maybe coming out.

3rd Edition has been out for some time now. I would start there.

If you want vehicle rules that are more chunky, then look for a copy of the three 1st Edition books. Starting with 2nd Edition the vehicle rules were streamlined quite a bit. They are better for Superhero games, in my opinion, but the 1st Edition rules work excellently for a Mad Max or GorkaMorka style vehicle-based game. Just depends upon what type of game you want to play.

On a related note, the core of the system (Goalsystem) is really good and adaptable to just about any genre.

Confusing enough?

~Eric

I have considered the Batman Miniature game, but using sourced and rebased Heroclix figs.

Seems to be the best of the "cheap" methodology.. free rules and cheap figs..

-P

I've not played supersystem yet (our club has plans to play it later this year) but I've played "Blasters and Bulkheads" which is the not-star-wars game that uses the same "Goalsystem" game engine.

It's a really neat system that gives emphasis to heroes, villains and characters while making mooks, cops and henchmen easy to control by putting them in groups that function together.

I have played Pulp City and Supersystem 3rd ed.

I have to say Supersystem is the cleaner ruleset. It also lets you build your own supers, so it has a low level campaign ability as you grow your characters. It is activation based, but each hero generates his own pool of points and only activates once. this lets you move shoot move for example vs pulp city one combine action per activation like move and shoot or shoot and move.


Pulp City is in the midst of completely revising the rules and cards for the characters.

Current rules is points pool activation. you pick a team size, all your heroes generate points, then players go back and forth activating characters. It is heavy on resource management and all heroes wont be able to participate in a turn so you need to weigh out who can do the most. Our group played it for about 6 months and then gave up on it. A brick character can almost always throw things further than a blaster character can shoot. Certain cards are broken and there are gaps in the rules. After a great deal of pleading there is an FAQ on thier forum but in 3 or 4 games you will probably stumble on something that makes no sense.

Ive played three games of Batman now. Its really really good. Very solid game but there is a lot of ambiguity with some of the translations.

I recomend giving it a try and please play it with someone you trust with rules and will play nice.