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Hey guys and gals, I was wondering what free fully customizable scifi rulesets there are available for download these days. I haven't been keeping up with the latest stuff and the easiest one I can recall is the old Demonblade Shockforce ruleset that allowed you to build/stat out pretty much anything you wanted within reason. IIRC the defunct VOR: the maelstrom rules had a build a force option as well but those rules weren't obviously free. Are there newer rulesets out that allow you do pretty much take any 28mm scifi minis you want and create a skirmish to small platoon sized force (6-20 models per side)? i.e. You take warzone bauhaus versus space marines vs infinity nomads. If not free, are there any ruleset options of that type to buy?

Check out in The Emperor's Name. It's ostensibly a 40k skirmish ruleset, but the free online stat/roster builder allows you to cover basically anything from Star Wars to Firefly via Infinity and Warzone.
http://iten-game.org/

As you build the stats yourself, it's very easy to hit your own 'vision' of the setting, so you can make Movie Marines and know they'll be balanced against your cannon-fodder Ork boys ect.

I'm biased, but I think you should check out Rogue Planet. It would definitely allow you to do this:

warzone bauhaus versus space marines vs infinity nomads

Additionally, if you use the BattleScribe army list creator software [which is free BTW], there's even a free set of army builder files available to make creating and keeping track of your forces even easier. You can save and edit your rosters and add notes and upgrades to specific units when playing the Extended Ops campaign mode. There's a link to the files at the bottom of this page. The print-and-PDF combo is such a good deal that it's almost like getting the game for free!



You can checkout a preview of the 'Derelict Planet Edition' of the game that will allow you to read a small sample of the rules here.

Paradigm, thanks for the link. I remember seeing that mentioned years ago but haven't checked it out since. I guess I assumed incorrectly it was just a 28mm inquisimunda type conversion.

Bombshell, I'll have to see if I can get one of those previews big enough to read a page or two of the rules to get a feel of it. Is the amazon version a pamphlet printout of the pdf? Or is it bound in some way beyond a pair of staples? At 24 pages, it could be either. Also, is it eligible for free amazon prime shipping?

At its heart, it is an Inq28 ruleset, but once you have a play with the roster builder and the rules you should be able to approximate the various other minis you'd want to use easily enough. The only bit that could be a tiny issue would be the weapon list, but if you just decide on equivalents (Lasgun=Infinity Combi-Rifle=Warzone rifle) you should be fine.

In the bottom right hand corner of the 'Derelict Planet Edition' preview app there's an option to view full screen. That should do the trick. Keep in mind that standard edition doesn't feature the full color interior art you'll see there, but the content is the same.

The version found on Amazon is a perfect bound book and is eligible for Amazon Prime free shipping. The only way to get the PDF/print combo is on Wargame Vault.

Thanks for the update. I took a look at the preview and the rules seem simple enough although I'll admit that as a minis gamer I'm having a bit of a hard time theoretically not measuring or having any kind of a movement stat in the game. The idea of someone crossing the entire board in one turn if the enemy player is saving their reactions for something else seems odd to me personally.

@Paradigm: Yeah, i don't have an issue with lasguns becoming the stand in for any low power standard firearm in another scifi series.

I'll have to download the mod for battlescribe for Rogue Planet and register for the site for ITEN to toy around with the force creation for both.

Thanks for the update. I took a look at the preview and the rules seem simple enough although I'll admit that as a minis gamer I'm having a bit of a hard time theoretically not measuring or having any kind of a movement stat in the game. The idea of someone crossing the entire board in one turn if the enemy player is saving their reactions for something else seems odd to me personally.

I can see where it might be a bit of a shock at first glance. However, I think you'll find that in actual play that it has a very fluid and natural feel that opens up tactical and strategic play options that aren't possible in other games while at the same time greatly reducing player predictability. The complexion of the game can change with a single move, and it's possible to truly surprise an opponent with a single maneuver or reaction. Because of this, good game play requires you to be both intuitive and analytical [think Go versus Chess].

It's probably obvious, but Rogue Planet doesn’t have a fixed time or ground scale. It’s just not that kind of game [or genre for that matter]. An action takes exactly as long as is needed to complete it. Imagine a movie camera following a unit on it’s action. Speed, time, and distance aren’t important or constants but instead bend to what is needed for the shot. There is an in-game economy to actions, but it isn't measured in inches or seconds. Accordingly, heroes can take more actions than other units.

Here's some options. I've included a couple of games so cheap that they're almost free.

As for the options you've mentioned:
-I think the Shockforce rules are still a great choice. They are available for free as "WarEngine" from the Warengine yahoo group. Easy to use, tactical and lots of fun. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/WarEngine/info
-The Vor Rules can be bought really affordably online. I believe that "No Limits" is a fan adaption of VOR for any setting. It should be somewhere online still.

As for current rules
-ITEN is cool, but it's aimed at smaller warbands (7-12 minis) but if you go that way I recommend the previous edition which is complete unlike the current third edition. Second edition here: https://thegamesshed.wordpress.com/2011/07/02/in-the-emperors-name/
-Blasters and Bulkheads is a great option. Based on the "Supersystem" game, it's got a nice balance between squads of mooks and regulars and heroic characters.
http://www.wargamedownloads.com/item.php?item=1193&pics=
-Nuclear Renaissance is a post-apoc ruleset, but we've used it in sci-fi games also. It's quite fun. Free from "Ramshackle games"
-I've not played it, but the "Fubar" ruleset gets alot of respect from indie wargamers. They are free and have been adapted for many settings as well.
https://thegamesshed.wordpress.com/2010/06/17/fubar-one-page-sfmodern-rules/

I didn't know there was a battlescribe file for Rogue Planet!

 Eilif wrote:
Here's some options. I've included a couple of games so cheap that they're almost free.

As for the options you've mentioned:
-I think the Shockforce rules are still a great choice. They are available for free as "WarEngine" from the Warengine yahoo group. Easy to use, tactical and lots of fun. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/WarEngine/info
-The Vor Rules can be bought really affordably online. I believe that "No Limits" is a fan adaption of VOR for any setting. It should be somewhere online still.

As for current rules
-ITEN is cool, but it's aimed at smaller warbands (7-12 minis) but if you go that way I recommend the previous edition which is complete unlike the current third edition. Second edition here: https://thegamesshed.wordpress.com/2011/07/02/in-the-emperors-name/
-Blasters and Bulkheads is a great option. Based on the "Supersystem" game, it's got a nice balance between squads of mooks and regulars and heroic characters.
http://www.wargamedownloads.com/item.php?item=1193&pics=
-Nuclear Renaissance is a post-apoc ruleset, but we've used it in sci-fi games also. It's quite fun. Free from "Ramshackle games"
-I've not played it, but the "Fubar" ruleset gets alot of respect from indie wargamers. They are free and have been adapted for many settings as well.
https://thegamesshed.wordpress.com/2010/06/17/fubar-one-page-sfmodern-rules/

Yeah, I'm on that yahoogroup but I'd much rather have a physical copy of the rules which are hard to find generally at a reasonable price and I lost my copy long ago. What is actually missing from the ITEN 3rd edition rules compared with 2nd?

 warboss wrote:

Yeah, I'm on that yahoogroup but I'd much rather have a physical copy of the rules which are hard to find generally at a reasonable price and I lost my copy long ago?

It's not a terribly large PDF and easy to print. You were looking for free PDF's yes? You're right though that the Shockforce second edition book is more fun though. The fluff and most of the art is all missing from the Warengine PDF which is otherwise nearly identical to the printed Shockforce text.

 warboss wrote:

What is actually missing from the ITEN 3rd edition rules compared with 2nd?

Second Edition ITEN has a complete rulebook, Retinue book and Campaign book.

Third Edition ITEN has a complete rulebook and the Campaign book from 2nd edition is compatible. What it lacks is:
-A complete weapons list. The "official" weapons list strangely lacks any grit modifiers for any weapons that are alphabetically after "K".
-An Updated Retinue list. You either have to do the math for unit creation yourself or feed the stats from the second edition book into their online warband builder to get the new points values. I found the builder to be buggy.

Third Edition is playable it just takes more work to get to the battlefield. What Third edition has going for is a more attractive and professional looking rulebook and a nicer looking website but nothing has been added since 2013 and it doesn't look like anyone is going to finish it up anytime soon. I've thought many times about updating the Retinue lists myself, but we've mostly moved to other games and other projects.

 melkorthetonedeaf wrote:
I didn't know there was a battlescribe file for Rogue Planet!

There is indeed! Spread the word.

Bombshell Games wrote:

 melkorthetonedeaf wrote:
I didn't know there was a battlescribe file for Rogue Planet!

There is indeed! Spread the word.

It was a good idea to incorporate that for ease of use. Kudos!

Eilif wrote:

 warboss wrote:

Yeah, I'm on that yahoogroup but I'd much rather have a physical copy of the rules which are hard to find generally at a reasonable price and I lost my copy long ago?

It's not a terribly large PDF and easy to print. You were looking for free PDF's yes? You're right though that the Shockforce second edition book is more fun though. The fluff and most of the art is all missing from the Warengine PDF which is otherwise nearly identical to the printed Shockforce text.

 warboss wrote:

What is actually missing from the ITEN 3rd edition rules compared with 2nd?

Second Edition ITEN has a complete rulebook, Retinue book and Campaign book.

Third Edition ITEN has a complete rulebook and the Campaign book from 2nd edition is compatible. What it lacks is:
-A complete weapons list. The "official" weapons list strangely lacks any grit modifiers for any weapons that are alphabetically after "K".
-An Updated Retinue list. You either have to do the math for unit creation yourself or feed the stats from the second edition book into their online warband builder to get the new points values. I found the builder to be buggy.

Third Edition is playable it just takes more work to get to the battlefield. What Third edition has going for is a more attractive and professional looking rulebook and a nicer looking website but nothing has been added since 2013 and it doesn't look like anyone is going to finish it up anytime soon. I've thought many times about updating the Retinue lists myself, but we've mostly moved to other games and other projects.

So were the changes to 3rd ed ITEN largely cosmetic then to make the presentation slicker or was there a fair amount of crunch changes as well? Since I'd just be trying it out along with Rogue Planet and possibly the other two you mentioned in solo games first, I don't think I'd want to devote a large amount of time to rewriting or completing the rules if they're full of inadvertent holes. For Shock force, I wish I still had the small paperback sized rule book but sadly that is gone. I could, as you mentioned print out the yahoogroups version but I've probably still got my old gencon "alpha" version that they initially printed at kinkos with when they debuted the line with the female marines on the cover. If I'm going to use a fugly printed version, I'd likely fish out that classic! I'm pretty sure I've still got the army books but I'm not sure if the core VOR book (along with the custom creation rules) is still in my possession as I sold the starter box years ago.

I don't actually recall what the differences were between ITEN editions. I think they were minor, as we played both and I don't recall much of a difference.

I don't think either edition of the rules is particularly full of holes It's mostly a matter of how much effort you want to put into unit creation.

While my cartoony cover 2nd ed Shockforce rulebook is still lost in the warp, I did find these dusty old gems:



@Bombshell: I tried using the rules in a quickie solo demo from what I could see in the preview and the core rules do seem nice and clean. Maybe its my grognard showing but the abstracted movement does still feel odd for me though. I may give it another shot though with my potential opponent to gauge his interest as well.

Wow, is that the First Edition and preview edition?

I was just looking at my second edition set. Shockforce is a fairly abstract system in several respects, but that's pretty much what I look for now in a ruleset. I almost always prioritize ease-of-play over level-of-detail.

Yeah, I remembered incorrectly in my earlier post. The ork cover is the special gencon prerelease whereas the fem-marines are the 1st edition. I'll have to try and get access to the yahoogroups files (and my old yahoo login that I don't use) again to see how much changed with 2nd edition as well as try ITEN sometime this week or next in a solo game. My 1st edition shockforce is alot simpler than I remembered all those years ago. The squad options are practically nothing (just the skill training advantages/disadvantages like raw or veteran).

EDIT: I missed the 'free' in the topic title so my suggestions don't work. Sorry.

@Bombshell: I tried using the rules in a quickie solo demo from what I could see in the preview and the core rules do seem nice and clean. Maybe its my grognard showing but the abstracted movement does still feel odd for me though. I may give it another shot though with my potential opponent to gauge his interest as well.

Once you get into the full rules [with the counter actions, interactions due to partial successes/failures, and commands] with a live opponent, it'll all come together and it'll be hard to go back to using a tape measure. Keep me updated!

Do you mean "Free" rules sets?

Dirtside II is free, and is a rule set that allows for the creation of just about anything.

There are some rules sets that are not Free, but which contain weapon and vehicle building rules to cover anything imaginable.

But, alas... They are not "free."

MB