N18 Charge and Engaged core rules improvements.

[JawRippa]

I think that these would give melee some desired quality of life improvement without breaking the flow of the game too much:

1. Charge has a length of a Double Move on 3D boards. On 2D boards charge stays as is, a Move + D3. (Lore explanation would be that it is harder to move freely in tunnels with cramped spaces, debris, dangling cables and such).
2. You can move a fighter into base to base with an enemy (thus becoming engaged) using a fighter's normal move during it's activation. However you do not get the bonus of +1A or any skill bonuses that usually apply to a charge. (This allows pinned models to stand up and tie up if someone is too close)
3. You may end up your movement within 1" of an enemy.* If an unengaged fighter activates while having an enemy within 1", he has to pass a disengage check to act normally, otherwise he has to engage an enemy within 1" using a charge. Fighters can't shoot if they are within 1" of an enemy.
4. Charge can be declared using any route, if the shortest route goes through difficult/dangerous terrain, gaps that can be safely avoided, traps other avoidable obstructions (except enemy fighters!).
5. If you have at least 1" of movement after being put into base to base as a result of a charge, you may immedeately move both fighters up to 1" as if an enemy was hit with a knockback weapon immedeately after making base to base contact. If there is not enough space to move an enemy model, then assume that fighters are engaged base to base using Wobbly model syndrome rule. (this allows charging enemies who are blocking ladders)

*unless you are making a Double move in Zone Mortalis in which case stop slightly further than 1" away from an enemy.

I was wondering if anyone else thinks that melee got the shorter end of a stick in Necromunda. It seems as if they've designed charge's length purely for 2D game, since it feels more or less fair on Zone Mortalis board, but on Sector Mechanicus it is really, really hard to actually get into melee. Charging something on a second floor of normal GW ruins is next to impossible as you have to start your move right next to a climbable surface while being unpinned. And good luck with that when someone keeps spraying at you.

 

[Bilbostomper]

I think it should work as in Warmachine:
- you can move into combat using your normal movement, but you then don't get any charge bonuses. This allows you to get into combat with models that are out of sight, or where you'd need some advanced moving to get there
- charge moves have to be in a straight line against someone you can see, but don't have to be the most direct path

I don't think you should be able to push models from just having extra movement, but instead it could work like a slam in Warmachine, where you roll off using Strength values, and you can push models away if you win. This would be instead of making any melee attacks.

 

[JawRippa]

- charge moves have to be in a straight line against someone you can see, but don't have to be the most direct path

This one seems rather contradictory.

Strength roll-off for pushing could work, although I think that blocking climbing points with your base should be easier to punish if you make the charge.

 

[GraaEminense]

Being allowed to use base M to get into contact seems like one obvious solution. I'd reintroduce getting to use consolidation to engage new opponents as well.

I don't think I would allow double-M charges. My favourite Goliath ploy is pulling off the 16" charge (2xM advance, Stimms, Tactics card) and having that sort of thing become trivial would change the game too much. Melee has got the short straw compared to shooting, but it is also a lot deadlier once you get there.

Moving twice and engaging would have some of the same effect: Taking a Fight action against a melee fighter is risky for non-specialists, and using Disengage is not trivial either.

 

[JawRippa]

Being allowed to use base M to get into contact seems like one obvious solution. I'd reintroduce getting to use consolidation to engage new opponents as well.

I've reread the movement 1" restriction and have just realised that nowhere it says that consolidation can get you into base to base with an enemy. Our entire group has been playing this wrong then. Why is this is not a thing I have no idea, all GW games has consolidation into HtH as norm.

Tactics card is a one-use item after all, and you have to draw into it if you have it random, and if you charge with 1 model very far away using combo you've described, you will get mobbed by overwhelming numbers of enemy fighters right after that.

 

[Thorgor]

I've reread the movement 1" restriction and have just realised that nowhere it says that consolidation can get you into base to base with an enemy. Our entire group has been playing this wrong then. Why is this is not a thing I have no idea, all GW games has consolidation into HtH as norm.

In N17, consolidation explicitly allowed for the fighter to move in b2b with an enemy fighter. It's really strange they removed that in N18 (and, from what I heard, they confirmed somewhere that it was indeed removed and not merely forgotten).

 

[Bilbostomper]

What I meant is that you don't have to go towards the center of their base, which would be the most direct path - you could go to contact the left or right side of their base instead. It would be mostly the same path, but you'd have some leeway.

 

[GraaEminense]

It's no longer in the rules, so we'll have to assume it's no longer allowed. It's one thing I would houserule back.

And regarding the tactical validity of the long-distance charge: My point was that it's a very powerful move when pulled off correctly. Currently it requires a card, and removing that limitation will significantly change the game -too much, in my opinion. I think allowing double-moves to engage (but not with a free Fight at the end) would give some of the effects you want without being too much. But it's your game, houserule it how you want of course.

 

[JawRippa]

It's no longer in the rules, so we'll have to assume it's no longer allowed. It's one thing I would houserule back.

And regarding the tactical validity of the long-distance charge: My point was that it's a very powerful move when pulled off correctly. Currently it requires a card, and removing that limitation will significantly change the game -too much, in my opinion. I think allowing double-moves to engage (but not with a free Fight at the end) would give some of the effects you want without being too much. But it's your game, houserule it how you want of course.

Do you think that without Tactics card double move charge would be fair? Our group has been thinking about playing without cards.

 

[GraaEminense]

Do you think that without Tactics card double move charge would be fair? Our group has been thinking about playing without cards.

As stated, I think it's too much of a change. Double-move to engage, yes (so allow someone to use their Move to get into base contact, but not getting a free Fight action). Double-move to charge, no.

 

[Jacob Dryearth]

How about a, in keeping with the action mechanics, adding the following action.

Engage (Basic): Move this fighter up to their Move characteristic. This move is treated as if it is a Charge. The fighter does not get a free close combat attack after this move like they would had they charged.

In this way you can engage people, forcing them to break off, but you're not going to actually be able to attack without extra action shenanigans, them failing to disengage, activation order of the next round, etc...