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ROGUE PLANET is now available for purchase on Wargame Vault for just $9.99! Get your power fist, gravity hammer, over-sized great sword, and laser carbine ready for action, and meet me planetside!

Hmm, looks interesting, though I wish there was a more in-depth preview. I am always looking for a ruleset that would be accessible for my group of friends, something similar to what I hear Song of Blades and Heroes is like.

NO BOOKKEEPING OR MEASURING!

There are no hit point boxes, extensive tables, or detailed stat tracking on ROGUE PLANET™. Not only that, but there are no chits, tokens, spell, psionic, or effect markers littering the table either. The focus is always on the miniatures, terrain, and action on the table.

There are no measuring sticks, grids, rulers, centimeters, or inches used for the game. Measurements are based on the relative position of units, line-of-sight [LOS], terrain, and the in-game FX Physics Engine™.

I bought these. Unusual/ unconventional systems. I have a number of questions, bu cannot find a contact email. Ranges for weapons all the same?, using three fingers side by side as a measuring increment? ( Fat fingered person playing thin skinny fingered person?)and others. Could i have a contact email please?

So...there are no "rulers" used in the game, but you 'measure' with three fingers... So you merely substitute a consistent, objective measurement system for a system with random variables that are extrinsic to the game and literally not in the control of the players?

So...there are no "rulers" used in the game, but you 'measure' with three fingers... So you merely substitute a consistent, objective measurement system for a system with random variables that are extrinsic to the game and literally not in the control of the players?

Not quite.

Rules for things like movement, charges, and ranged attacks [with a single exception] don't use any form of measure at all. Generally speaking, movement is anywhere in line-of-sight and in a straight line between scenic elements on the battlefield. However, enemies can counter those movements with opportunity fire, intercept moves, and counter charges if they have action points available. Ranged attacks are similar, but you have to target the closest unengaged enemy unit that is a valid target unless you have an upgrade on your weapon [like a scope or an extended range mod]. An opponent can counter a ranged attack by dodging out of the way or returning fire assuming they have the action points available.

Where using your fingers to get an approximate range comes into play is for resolving things like collisions, throws, and staggers. You don't need an extremely precise measurement due to the way that normal movement and ranged attacks work. It's more about the relative position of the unit and where it ends up. For players that have trouble with the abstraction or feel that they need to use a precise measure, the option for using something like movement sticks is always there [i jokingly mention it in the FAQ], but it isn't needed due to the game's mechanics.

What about miniatures?

 Malika2 wrote:
What about miniatures?

You can use any miniatures that you like! Since it sci-fantasy, you're fee to mix-and-match whatever you want.

The game features a point based unit builder that allows you to stat up any model in your collection.

How do you have action points and not require bookkeeping or tokens?

 lord_blackfang wrote:
How do you have action points and not require bookkeeping or tokens?

'There are no hit point boxes, extensive tables, or detailed stat tracking on ROGUE PLANET™. Not only that, but there are no chits, tokens, spell, psionic, or effect markers littering the table either.'

The most action points that you can have at any one time is six. The average on any give turn will be around three. So you can use a standard 6-sided die to track your action points. I suppose that could technically be considered bookkeeping by the strictest definition so I'll adjust the description to make sure that there isn't any confusion.

No tokens, chits, spell, or psionic effect markers are ever needed on the playing surface. Only miniatures and terrain are needed in the play area.

Not quite.

Rules for things like movement, charges, and ranged attacks [with a single exception] don't use any form of measure at all. Generally speaking, movement is anywhere in line-of-sight and in a straight line between scenic elements on the battlefield. However, enemies can counter those movements with opportunity fire, intercept moves, and counter charges if they have action points available. Ranged attacks are similar, but you have to target the closest unengaged enemy unit that is a valid target unless you have an upgrade on your weapon [like a scope or an extended range mod]. An opponent can counter a ranged attack by dodging out of the way or returning fire assuming they have the action points available.

Where using your fingers to get an approximate range comes into play is for resolving things like collisions, throws, and staggers. You don't need an extremely precise measurement due to the way that normal movement and ranged attacks work. It's more about the relative position of the unit and where it ends up. For players that have trouble with the abstraction or feel that they need to use a precise measure, the option for using something like movement sticks is always there [i jokingly mention it in the FAQ], but it isn't needed due to the game's mechanics.

I guess I never really though about the requirements for really precise measuring when dealing with small skirmish-level games. I know some games that use a set of different measuring sticks (like Song of Blades and Heroes) but due to my not having experience reading those rulesets, I kinda wondered that is range was strictly upheld to certain exact lengths, it would become limiting.

In a modern space-opera setting, only pistols, grenades, and template weapons need to have a range to worry about if you are working with the size of tabletop that many skirmish/warband games use. Other than that it's going to essentially be rifle and larger weapons having line-of-sight, and melee-contact weapons. I always liked the ability in 40K 2nd edition to give a close-range bonus to weapons, but after 3rd doing away with anything other than a static long range limit to those weapons, ever since then there has been little value to being close other than shooting several times with a shooting action.

If you are using lots of cinematic terrain on a board that is 4x4 or smaller, odds are if you have line of sight, to are in the extreme range for a weapon, regardless whether it's a boltgun or an autocannon.

I'm guessing it would definitely be one of those things that has to be seen in action to really grasp whether it is a great concept or not.

This looks neat. I'm interested in anyone's feedback on the rules. Could be a fun way to play small, skirmish level 40k.

After reading through the rules, I would confidently recommend Rogue Planet as a good skirmish game. The weapons in the game are admittedly a bit bland as they are broad generic categories like "Blaster", "Powered Weapon", "Heavy Machine gun" or "Carbine" (but... that is a big part of what lets you use any minis you want, which is very cool), but everything else makes me genuinely surprised that there is so much meat in the game for only being 24 pages of rules- with most of the back pages being character/warband creation and scenarios.

I am much more confident of the "no measuring" system for ranged fire and movement, now that I have seen the rules. It seems breakable at first glance, but then you soon see that the game has some hard-counters built in that stop it from being "my figure super-moves 24 inches unopposed, and then fires at something way across the board". It's something unique, but not just for the sake of being unique.

I will most likely use it for Skirmish 40K, but I could also see it as a reason to finally do something with my Sedition Wars figures that have been unopened since the Kickstarter.

Just bought the PDF and have read through about half of it. Tons of potentially cinematic/hilarious situations keep playing through my mind as I'm reading it, which is a Very Good Thing. Really looking forward to trying it out. Has anyone played it and can-give us some impressions? I would also love it if someone has stat:ed out a few 40K minis, since that's what I'll likely be using most of the time. My only concern at this point would be that the +3/-3 hard limit on skill checks could potentially be too small a window to differentiate between, say, a weak, normal dude and a huge Terminator-like guy in awesome cyber armor. Then again, 40K uses D6 and manages ok... and I'm guessing the rest of the rules add up to provide enough variety.

 AegisGrimm wrote:
After reading through the rules, I would confidently recommend Rogue Planet as a good skirmish game. The weapons in the game are admittedly a bit bland as they are broad generic categories like "Blaster", "Powered Weapon", "Heavy Machine gun" or "Carbine" (but... that is a big part of what lets you use any minis you want, which is very cool), but everything else makes me genuinely surprised that there is so much meat in the game for only being 24 pages of rules- with most of the back pages being character/warband creation and scenarios.

I am much more confident of the "no measuring" system for ranged fire and movement, now that I have seen the rules. It seems breakable at first glance, but then you soon see that the game has some hard-counters built in that stop it from being "my figure super-moves 24 inches unopposed, and then fires at something way across the board". It's something unique, but not just for the sake of being unique.

I will most likely use it for Skirmish 40K, but I could also see it as a reason to finally do something with my Sedition Wars figures that have been unopened since the Kickstarter.

No measureing system? Can you go into details on this?

Is there a hardcopy version?

 judgedoug wrote:
Is there a hardcopy version?

I'd like to second this ^

From the bombshell-games website:

ROGUE PLANET is available now on Wargame Vault for only $9.99! Print editions to follow in the near future.

"Near future" is not very specific, but apparently a print version is planned. It appears to be black and white, so printing you own would be almost as good, I would think.

Albino Squirrel wrote:

"Near future" is not very specific, but apparently a print version is planned. It appears to be black and white, so printing you own would be almost as good, I would think.

Sure, but if I have the opportunity to support a small business directly, even if my purchase just pays for their diet coke and pork rinds, I'd rather do that

str00dles1 wrote:

 AegisGrimm wrote:
After reading through the rules, I would confidently recommend Rogue Planet as a good skirmish game. The weapons in the game are admittedly a bit bland as they are broad generic categories like "Blaster", "Powered Weapon", "Heavy Machine gun" or "Carbine" (but... that is a big part of what lets you use any minis you want, which is very cool), but everything else makes me genuinely surprised that there is so much meat in the game for only being 24 pages of rules- with most of the back pages being character/warband creation and scenarios.

I am much more confident of the "no measuring" system for ranged fire and movement, now that I have seen the rules. It seems breakable at first glance, but then you soon see that the game has some hard-counters built in that stop it from being "my figure super-moves 24 inches unopposed, and then fires at something way across the board". It's something unique, but not just for the sake of being unique.

I will most likely use it for Skirmish 40K, but I could also see it as a reason to finally do something with my Sedition Wars figures that have been unopened since the Kickstarter.

No measureing system? Can you go into details on this?

As far as I can tell from the rules, movement is simply a straight line that goes until you hit a different form of area terrain than you are currently in, and ranged weapons is basically line of sight, with some modifiers, like if models are in cover.

Yep. Although there are "counter-actions" you can do in response to enemy actions: counter-charge or interceptor against charging models, dodge or return fire against shooting attacks, counter cast against psychic powers, and opportunity fire (essentially overwatch) against moving models. So you can't simply skate around the battlefield unhindered. It makes a lot of sense when you read the complete rule set, and like I said, evokes some very cinematic imagery.

I'm also loving the ROGUE die mechanic. It allows you to roll an additional die when you or the opponent make a 2d6 skill check, and if your rogue die matches either of the dice in the skill check, something cool happens. For example, to dodge, you roll a rogue die, and if matches any of the opponents shooting dice, then that shooting die is ignored. If this causes them to fail their skill check, you get to move your dodging model to represent your awesome dodging skills.

Also you can throw people, and if you make a perfect throw, you can throw in a not-straight line to sort of ping-pong the dude you're throwing between his pals. Yep.

In kind of a weird way, it seems like Infinity-lite. Im getting more sold on it the more I read about it, but not quite convinced. Not that 10$ is any huge ammount, but its 10$ that could go to something else.

Can anyone provide a combat example/damage example?

And how is the customizeing to build your guys? Enough unique guns and melee weapons or is it bland?

The most action points that you can have at any one time is six. The average on any give turn will be around three.

So does activating a guy cost an action? And does that action do just one thing or two? For example can I move and then shoot for 1 of the 6 per turn? I am guessing you can save extra actions to reactive shoot back. This mean weapons when in active mode shoot more times?

No, movement, ranged attacks and melee each cost 1 AP. Yes, you have to save AP to make counteractions. Also, counteractions can only be made by the second player in a turn, during the first players turn. (the player who rolls the most actions points 1-6 in a turn gets to go first, players can also choose to play it safe and get 3 guaranteed action points).

I kinda wondered that is range was strictly upheld to certain exact lengths, it would become limiting.

How is the customization? Some said it was bland weapon wise?

I'm intrigued, but would like to see independent reviews and confirmation on a physical copy.

Yea, im not saying spoil the whole book, but I want to know on the customization aspect, how the weapons are. How combat works. This may be a way for me to play infinity-lite with the GF as he doesn't do tape measurers but I want to know if id enjoy it too.

So far sounds great. One question though - how do the rules allow for models that can move faster than others using the point to point system? (I am assuming they can be allocated multiple actions to moving or something along those lines.)

A special skill allows for two moves as one action point. The book specifically says this is to represent mounted models, etc.

About the only thing I would like to see is more skills (the list in Rogue Planet is very minimal), and a ranged weapon that best represents the ubiquitous squad special weapons that are not grenade launchers or flamers (rules for those already exist). Basically, if I am playing with 40k models, I want to be able to use my plasmaguns/meltaguns. The basic trooper weapon is a 'carbine', but then the next step other than flamers/grenade launchers is full-on heavy weapons.

I really like the game for it's non-standard approach to skirmish forces. Sometimes it's fun to play with rules that are different from the norm, and these have the added benefit of being really simple to learn, so the time investment is minimal to get right to gaming with something new.

I really want to see some demo games. I'm very interested in this.

It sounds like an Infinity-lite with area terrain... perfect?