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.

Hiya

I've always had more interest in playing 40k on a skirmish level with detailed rules. I'm talking 20 or so models and a handful of vehicles per side. I'm planning on writing up a ruleset and looking for good source rules to work off, or even just pull ideas from.

I'm looking to create something reasonably detailed, that still runs smoothly. Features:
-D10 or D20 based system. Rough translation of 40k unit stats to that system.
-hit modifiers, including specific modifiers for each weapon, Wound / damage tables.
-Emphasis on realistic tactical elements -gaining higher ground, outflanking enemies in cover, supressing enemies to cover a squad advancing or charging, etc.
-exp bonuses and levelling up for characters. Stat increases, perks and specialisations for levelling up
-Leaders would have vaulable abilities but not be astronimically harder to kill than regular squadies
-Gear optimisation, e.g. having a scoped bolter would give a bonus to hit at longer ranges, a carbine bolter would have less range but a bonus to hit at close range. Large capacity magazines would reduce the need to reload, etc...

Inspirations include XCom as well as older systems like 2nd ed and Necromunda.

If anyone can reccoment any existing rulesets that would be useful to work off please let me know. I'm considering picking up a copy of Dark Heresy and/or Rogue Trader, but I'm not looking for something quite as detailed as role playing game scale, it'd be too slow. It needs to be Smooth enough that I can play at the skirmish level. Any advice much appreciated.

Thanks

Sean

I'm working on skirmish 40k for now.
A huge update will be released soon and I'm think I will make a custom armylists for each 40k faction with exclusive formations and other stuff.

I would look up Heralds of Ruin; it does a lot of what you're looking for.

I have wanted to play a game that is a mix of Infinity and 40k killteam. Might cook up some rules myslef one day. Some things I think are pretty obvious. Other things are hard to decide which system to use.

You can check up my Strike Force Extremis

For Inquisitor style games with a handful of figures on each side, I've seen people use the Pulp Alley and 7TV rules. Both cover larger than life characters with special powers or abilities pretty well, and both are designed for playing differnet genres. You can probably knock together character profiles with a 40K feel from the rules as they stand.

For bigger games, Stargrunt II and Tomorrow's War are fine systems are about the right scale but very realistic - deadly, and you will spend time hauling screaming casualties and prisoners off the board... You could certainly get some interesting rules mechanics from them.

The RPG Savage Worlds works well at the skirmish scale - again it's a game that is designed for multiple genres, has grunts and heroes, and has a system of "Powers" that covers everything from psykers to kitbashing mad inventions. Core rules are free from Pinnacle's website, fast to play and streamlined, and there's a free download called Showdown which streamlines the game even further for minis (so powers activate on a dice roll - no tracking power points) .

There's a setting book for Savage Worlds called Necropolis 2350, which is set at the time of Humanity's last stand against extra-dimensional undead/demons. It's basically 40k with the serial numbers filed off, and covers a ton of weapons, armour and vehicles.

Bolt Action is about the scale you're looking for, but doesn't really cover armour well. There's a little fan supplement called Bolter Action that gives broad rules, or you could look at Beyond the Gates of Antares which is a more detailed version of the same system.

Second Edition 40k?

I'd avoid the 40k RPGs - far too detailed and the rules systems are not particularly great.

Thanks for the replies folks.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 MagicJuggler wrote:
I would look up Heralds of Ruin; it does a lot of what you're looking for.

I'm reading the rules to this at the moment, thanks for the pointer -in spite of following 40k for 15 years, I somehow wasn't aware of this game's existence. Might well pull some ideas from it.

I love Zone Mortalis for smaller pt games.

I revisited the Rogue Trader rulebook recently and I reckon that's definitely worth a look if you can get your hands on it.

 Nazrak wrote:
I revisited the Rogue Trader rulebook recently and I reckon that's definitely worth a look if you can get your hands on it.

As in the RPG Rogue Trader or the 1st edition of 40k aka rogue trader?