Firefight 3rd edition: here we go again!

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**pancakeonions**

By which I mean, I've preordered the rules just like first edition and second edition... But I never played those two.

Will this be the one that sticks? I hope so.

What is the typical battlesize? To those of you who have played, how many models per faction are you seeing on the table, with your standard sized battles? I'm particularly interested as it seems vehicles will have greater prominence, since there didn't really seem to be many of them in second edition.

What do y'all think? Did you like Firefight? Think this edition will be even better?

Edit: in a recent post, there's quite a few changes shown. I would definitely call this a new edition as these changes look more substantial than many edition changes in its big brother, 40K. Haven't played yet, but hope to get it to the table soon! https://www.manticgames.com/news/rules-changes-in-firefight-command-protocols/

**amazingturtles**

Is it 3rd edition or 2.5? I'm looking forward to checking out at least a couple of the new vehicles.

**Boss Salvage**

Me, a person who has never read the rules for FF and really only knows it uses D8s, just ordered the Asterian starter and box o' dice. Even if just me and my brother mess with it once a year, that's enough of an excuse to speedpaint through a 1k army while slipping Mantic some cash in the process.

**amazingturtles**

I’d like to try out the asterians. Don’t really know much about how they play in the game now though.

**Danny76**

Getting into this ed for sure.
Have plenty of Forge Fathers to use.
Never got to actually playing 1 originally. Backed the KS way back. So now time to paint up and put to use.

Started painting them up for 3rd Ed Deadzone and just went larger (Deadzone I played 1st Ed, missed 2nd, so ready to jump back in on its 3rd)

Automatically Appended Next Post:
But also, this is more just a major expansion right, not a new edition as such?

**kodos**

Not really a new Edition but lot of small changes and Mantic decided to just print a new rulebook with Errata/FAQ/Balance-Changes included instead of doing a standalone Errata/FAQ/Balance-Changes book (though the Errata might come as pdf as well, as it was the case with the latest KoW update)

And the rules get updated in the Companion anyway so all the unit balance changes are there as well

**pancakeonions**

Yea, they're calling it "new", and have added a bunch of content - but I don't know how different the rules will be. Almost undoubtedly changed, and if GW can call it a "new edition"...

Well. It's "new" anyway.

**kodos**

already heard (as there are 2 podcasts with them) some of the changes, and it is still the same game with the same core rules (stuff that changed is threat range for melee units in transports, Anti-Tank weapons are made sure to be better against tanks and worse against infantry etc.)

comparing to GW, what they call a new Edition, is what other companies call a new game and their "FAQ" are what others call major changes to the game

in this case, I would rate it on a similar level as Chapter Approved

PS: the Podcasts:
https://deadzonegame.podbean.com/
https://www.ohiohammer.com/counter-chargeccx/647

**Danny76**

I believe you can play against someone who has the current 2nd Ed book still basically right. More a tightening etc.
the person with the old book would need the various faqs.

Unlike 1st to 2nd.
Or Deadzone 1-2-3.
Which were new Editions.

**amazingturtles**

I'm very interested to see how things work with all the new tanks. I can't afford any of them, but I've definitely got plenty of proxies to try out.

**Shrapnelsmile**

Did any of you see their request about voicing interest in epic scale firefight / warpath?

**kodos**

yeah, voted for a full plastic release is this is were I see biggest potential for players

rules look promising although a little to close to old epic for my liking

**amazingturtles**

Does anyone here have a copy of the new firefight rules yet?

**The_Real_Chris**

There are new rules? I got the re-release box set a while ago, was that second edition?

**kodos**

yes that was 2nd
in September we get the FAQ/Errata/Balance Update including a new Faction (Mazon Labs) in the book
Companion will be updated sonn as well

https://www.manticgames.com/news/rules-changes-in-firefight-command-protocols/

RULES CHANGES:

Exceptional rolls: max 8 required to hit. No half dice now.
Game sizes: smaller games (to 1250pts) on 48” x 48”, and standard games of around 1500pts on 72” x 48”
Player with initiative chooses to go first or second in the Round.
Extra Activation cannot be used on the very first Turn of a Round.
Faction orders can each only be used once per Round.
Updated terrain heights and clarified Flyers and Obstacles. Added fortified terrain.
Added reference tables for unit types and terrain interaction.
Added Overwatch and Steady Aim actions.
Change Big targets to 4 height levels difference.
In assault, a charging unit with no LOS to the target gets -1 to hit.
Updated the rules on reserves and how they enter play.
Updated the rules for buildings and transports (including disembarking and assaults) and clarified how commanders work inside them.
A big overhaul of keywords, including some new ones and rewording/clarifications on many others.
Added the concept of Trademark weapons for factions, which interact with faction orders.
General rules edits for clarity and incorporation of previous FAQs.

MISSION CHANGES:

Updated the guidelines on the amount of terrain to use in games, and added example photos.
Replaced all eight battle missions with new ones.

ARMY BUILDING CHANGES:

Added Mazon Labs
Changed the strike force selection rules:
For each Troop you can take 1 Specialist or 1 command.
For every two Troop units, you can take 1 Support unit.
Troops with the Auxiliary Keyword cannot be used to unlock other units.
Duplicates of Command, Specialist and Support units are restricted based on the game size being played.
All faction orders rewritten or replaced.
Every faction now has six faction orders to choose from.
Lots of adjustments to all the profiles and lists, including new options, units and vehicles.

**The_Real_Chris**

Thanks! I must remember to order the third ed book then...

Is this the beast?

https://www.manticgames.com/firefight/command-protocols-book-counters/

**kodos**

yes
also be aware that the Marauder VS Enforcer 2 player set that has the new book has the #MGFFM106

**pancakeonions**

It's apparently in the mail, arriving here on Friday. Can't wait to try it out.

**pancakeonions**

Looks like there are a fair number of rules changes. This ain't no dust-off, version 2.5 folks!

https://www.manticgames.com/news/rules-changes-in-firefight-command-protocols/

If this were GW, this would be going from second edition to seventh!

**kodos**

If this were GW, it would be the 3 months Core Rules Errata

**Johanxp**

Started Asterians and played a couple of games. Great game!

**pancakeonions**

Ya, since I've posted this, my group has gotten in a good handful of games (5 or 6?) and we've had a blast with it.

It's got a similar learning curve to 40K (with special rules, and special conditions when you can do X, Y, or Z) but with alternating activations it is SO. MUCH. MORE. INTERESTING. The roll to hit, then roll to wound flows much faster, and I really enjoy the command dice and spending those resources to activate special rules. These special rules often require very specific circumstances, and you can only activate them mostly once per turn, but we still found lots of interesting decisions on when to do what.

It's a keeper.

**JNAProductions**

I had 2nd Edition, played a few games.
I bought the PDF of 3rd-it seems largely similar in the core rules (not identical, but pretty similar) though the factions have had significant changes.

For $40, it's more than I initially wanted to spend... And then I thought "How much does a 40k Codex cost?"
Considering a single faction's rules in 40k is $50+ while Mantic has every faction (including a new one) available with the core rules for less than that, I'm pretty pleased.

**Johanxp**

Yeah, I bought game essentials, dices and a striker force and I was able to play. Obviously game hooked me and I also bought Khalisies and Matsudan ream but game is quite cheap to begin with.