Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Personally, I dislike the Bolt Action mechanic for aforementioned reasons, hence why I proposed a resource mechanic. Tangentially though, I am more amused by how Bolt Action plays out like Epic in that many of the orders are a combination of smaller atomic actions. Move and shoot, move twice and shoot without penalty, move three times, shoot twice, etc.

40k in earlier editions is similar though phaselocked. 2nd ed let Marines move twice (and melee), shooy twice, move&shoot, or Overwatch

So I personally went for "2 atomic actions" instead of "pick an order." You can do 2 full actions, 2 moves+rapid actions, or a combination thereof. I imagine certain things might warrant Double Action costs, but another option is just lowering the overall rate of dakka.

Finally, instead of "failed Initiative" orders, I am imagining certain effects might either dump "junk" actions on units, raise the cost to activate/interrupt with them, or lower the cost of interrupting versus them.

Playtesting has been pretty fun so far, since the use of stack-based interrupts and a resource mechanic to control activation/interrupt/turn order means you win or lose more on priorities and planning, vs a hurfdurf alphastrike of dead.

 MagicJuggler wrote:
Personally, I dislike the Bolt Action mechanic for aforementioned reasons, hence why I proposed a resource mechanic. Tangentially though, I am more amused by how Bolt Action plays out like Epic in that many of the orders are a combination of smaller atomic actions. Move and shoot, move twice and shoot without penalty, move three times, shoot twice, etc.

40k in earlier editions is similar though phaselocked. 2nd ed let Marines move twice (and melee), shooy twice, move&shoot, or Overwatch

So I personally went for "2 atomic actions" instead of "pick an order." You can do 2 full actions, 2 moves+rapid actions, or a combination thereof. I imagine certain things might warrant Double Action costs, but another option is just lowering the overall rate of dakka.

Finally, instead of "failed Initiative" orders, I am imagining certain effects might either dump "junk" actions on units, raise the cost to activate/interrupt with them, or lower the cost of interrupting versus them.

Playtesting has been pretty fun so far, since the use of stack-based interrupts and a resource mechanic to control activation/interrupt/turn order means you win or lose more on priorities and planning, vs a hurfdurf alphastrike of dead.

They are very similar systems because of rick presley. The mind behind bolt action and its other similar games used to be one of the key designers for gw.

 MagicJuggler wrote:
Personally, I dislike the Bolt Action mechanic for aforementioned reasons, hence why I proposed a resource mechanic. Tangentially though, I am more amused by how Bolt Action plays out like Epic in that many of the orders are a combination of smaller atomic actions. Move and shoot, move twice and shoot without penalty, move three times, shoot twice, etc.

40k in earlier editions is similar though phaselocked. 2nd ed let Marines move twice (and melee), shooy twice, move&shoot, or Overwatch

So I personally went for "2 atomic actions" instead of "pick an order." You can do 2 full actions, 2 moves+rapid actions, or a combination thereof. I imagine certain things might warrant Double Action costs, but another option is just lowering the overall rate of dakka.

Finally, instead of "failed Initiative" orders, I am imagining certain effects might either dump "junk" actions on units, raise the cost to activate/interrupt with them, or lower the cost of interrupting versus them.

Playtesting has been pretty fun so far, since the use of stack-based interrupts and a resource mechanic to control activation/interrupt/turn order means you win or lose more on priorities and planning, vs a hurfdurf alphastrike of dead.

The concept of you have what amounts to a number of action points and a range of things you can do with them works very nicely, especially if you expand it a bit - Bolt Actions main issue was picking a D6 for the orders dice, a D8 or D10 would have been better - the current six then just two or four numbered faces for faction or unit specific orders to allow for some expansion.

Most of the TFL games have a system of atomic actions and are much better for it.