The Grand Illusion - Episode III

Movement is factored by base size - I know that seems weird, but it’s that way for a reason. People like to base miniatures in different ways. My style is different to my friend Simon Quinton, who bases differently to my other mate Tony Yates.

Even though basing and movement are tied in together, it’s done in such a way that basing is a "range" of sizes - so actual basing has no real effect on the rules or game play – although it is recommended that all the players in a group base their S.D.Z.A. miniatures in the same way, as it can affect line of sight and cover. So it’s better if everyone is on the same footing.

By Base Size – up to 30mm Base – 2” Basic Move Small and Medium Miniatures – Human Sized or Smaller (Men, Raptors, Morlocks, Carrion and the like), smaller Dinosaurs such as Velociraptors.

By Base Size – up to 40mm Base – 3” Basic Move Medium Large sized Miniatures – Ogre Sized Mutants, Tigers and other Big Cats, Ranger Bikes, Utah-Raptors and other Deinonychus sized Dinosaurs.       

By Base Size – up to 50mm Base – 4” Basic Move Large Sized Miniatures – Mechs and Walkers, Dinosaurs such as the Parasaurolophus and the Ceratosaurus.

               

By Base Size – up to 60mm Base – 5” Basic Move Bigger Sized animals such as - Adolescent Dinosaurs, and Larger Carnivores such as the Allosaurus.

By Base Size – up to 80mm Base – 6” Basic Move The bigger Carnivores and Herbivores - Tyranosaurs, Tricerotops, Styracosaurus etc., Smaller Vehicles (Land Rovers etc.)

By Base Size – anything bigger than an 80mm Base – 8” Basic Move Everything Else - Spinosaurus, Brontosaurus, etc - When a Model or Miniature is too big to be based - its base size is considered to be the LONGEST EDGE in MM.

Vigour - how much do things cost

It "depends" is the actual answer, but lets look at some individual Vg point costs.

The cost of any given action, is on the S.D.Z.A. Actions Table – note, as specified in Episode I of the Grand Illusion these actions may be performed in any order – however an exception to this is when a Miniature is locked in close combat it may NOT fire a weapon.

Movement Actions generally cost 1 Vg point to move your "basic move", meaning faster/larger creatures cover ground really fast (watch out for Raptors and Primes with the Speed Power Trait).

Attacking in Close Combat with a Weapon is dependent on Base Size - to the Base Size Cost, the Weapon Grade is generally added to the Vg Point cost to attack.

Attacking in Close Combat 'unarmed' has a higher base cost, generally 1 point more than the Base Cost when using a Weapon - but the Grade of the Attack is not "added in" so it is cheaper.

The way the system works is that bigger creatures generally have fewer attacks but do a lot more damage per attack - representing the fact they are generally slower, but more powerful.

Shooting weapons Vg Points cost is factored in, so you only ever pay the "Grade" of the attack.

Active Traits - such as Prime (Super) Powers have specific Vg Point costs attached to them.

The R.R.T. (Retro Resistance Table)

Old School RPG'ers and Wargamers will find this familiar - a good old fashioned resistance table. As I mentioned in Episode I - all Tasks are resolved with a 2D6 Roll.

 Completing an Action is referred to as a "test" - tests are initiated by a player when activating one of their Miniatures, in which case they pay the Vg Points cost to attempt the action - these points are expended whether the action is successful or not. 

Once the controlling player has declared the action and spent the Vg points - look up the two opposing Numbers on the resistance table (see below) – and the number that tells you what the controlling player needs to roll (equal to or more) on 2D6 in order to successfully complete the action.  If you roll lower than the Target Number - the Action Fails, and even in the Event of a Failed Action - the Vg Points are still spent.

Combat & the R.R.T.

When making a Close Combat Attack - Cross reference the attackers & defenders Alacrity on the Resistance Table. If the defender is prone, the attackers Alacrity is considered 2 points higher.

Roll 2D6 vs. the number generated by the Resistance Table.

Simples really.

Ranged combat follows a similar pattern - Choose your Attack type, and spend your Vigour Points to attempt an attack.

Cross reference the attackers & defenders Alacrity on the Resistance Table. If you are within 12” and shooting at a prone miniature, your Alacrity is considered 2 points higher. If you are over 12” and shooting at a prone miniature, the miniature is considered to be in cover.

Roll 2D6 vs. the number generated by the Resistance Table.

If some of the Miniatures body being fired upon is behind cover (arms, legs, and heads don’t count) and it is mounted on a Base sized 40mm or smaller, then it is considered to be in cover there’s a +2 Penalty to the Target Number.

It's also important to note that Large Miniatures – those based on 50mm or larger bases may never claim cover - they are too big/slow/cumbersome to do so.

There’s a little more detail to shooting - but I shan't go into excessive detail in the Grand Illusion, as it’s meant to be a "taste" rather than the actual ruleset.

In the next Grand Illusion - Traits, what the cover and what they don’t!