Some basic questions

[gregx999]

Hi all,

I've only recently found out about this game and from what I can tell so far, it looks very cool! It seems like the closest thing to Star Wars without actual being Star Wars.

I had a few questions about it before I went and ordered it though.

1. I see it comes with a number of "standard" alien races. What do the different races "do" in game terms? Is it possible to create your own races for any figures you may have? Can you create giant creatures (like Tyranids or a Rancor (from Return of the Jedi))?

2. How much variety is there in terms of equipment (like weapons, robots, huge power armor (dreadnaughts or landmates), and vehicles)?

3. Any special rules for droids or AI?

4. Is it mainly a campaign oriented game or a one-off battle/scenario game? Can two people "quickly" create a small force each (that are balanced) and play a single game without expecting that those exact forces will be used again?

5. And lastly... what is "Over the Wire"? An expansion book? For AEB or AEWWII?

Thanks!
Greg

[macnam]

Aug 23, 2010 9:49:58 GMT -5 gregx999 said:

1. I see it comes with a number of "standard" alien races. What do the different races "do" in game terms?

Different things, usually a minor stat modifier or two, sometimes special rules like psychic powers, extra gear, or various traits that modify combat performance. Generally speaking, a race will have one beneficial thing for free, and if it has more than one, it pays for it with negatives.

Is it possible to create your own races for any figures you may have?

Officially, no, but it's a fairly trivial exercise to make your own that will follow the pattern above, and there's enough variety of races that finding something suitable to proxy shouldn't be a stretch - eg Wookies are pretty cose to Nikkar in game terms.

Can you create giant creatures (like Tyranids or a Rancor (from Return of the Jedi))?

Nope, no rules for it yet. I'd be surprised if they don't show up eventually, though.

2. How much variety is there in terms of equipment (like weapons, robots, huge power armor (dreadnaughts or landmates), and vehicles)?

Plenty of gear and weapons, not so many robots yet (two types, actually), and no vehicle rules (walker or otherwise). AE WW2 has vehicle rules that could probably serve as a frame for house rules, and again, I'd be amazed if we don't see more robots and some basic vehicular rules in the near future.

3. Any special rules for droids or AI?

Not really, there are only two robot types at the moment, one of which is specific to Bounty Hunters and the other is part of a hero choice's upgrades. They have said there will be more types, but no date set for them.

4. Is it mainly a campaign oriented game or a one-off battle/scenario game?

It does both, and there's a fairly solid scenario generator that produces a mix of planned and "random" encounters - planned being "pick your force after you know your victory conditions" while random fights you make your crew beforehand. Gameplay is focused on small actions with one crew on each side, each consisting of somewhere from 1-18 models. The norm is probably somewhere around 4-8 figures. The campaign rules have experience mechanics for models improving over time if they survive.

It's likely that they intend to expand the game beyond this level, and there's already been some discussion of multiple-crew games.

Can two people "quickly" create a small force each (that are balanced) and play a single game without expecting that those exact forces will be used again?

Making a crew is a pretty quick process (20 minutes or so, tops) once you get used to it, although some people seem to find the selection system confusing at first. Making a GOOD crew is a bit more difficult, and almost any build has some combination of stuff that will give it a hard time. Balance seems to rely more on tactics than selection for the most part, though. There are (at least) three victory conditions to be fulfilled in each game, two random and one decided by your crew type - the winner is the person who achieves more of them than his opponent. In most scenarios keeping that in mind can let you win a game even when you take more casualties than the enemy.

5. And lastly... what is "Over the Wire"? An expansion book? For AEB or AEWWII?

Online e-zine supporting Darkson games. You should be able to link to it from their home page.

[xGIxJOKERx]

Check this out:
darksondesigns.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=bountyinfo&action=display&thread=2514
It has a lot of ideas on different ways of representing stuff like Star Wars, etc. For me, I am going to use the different alien races in my Deathwatch kill team for different types of Marine. For example: the Logicans are natural psychics and so my Librarian would use that template. Arges are CC fiends and so my Space Wolf or Blood Angel would fit nicely.
There are two levels of Power armor also, sort of the same idea as regular power armor vs Terminator armor. I also have it on good authority that there will be vehicles soon.

[gregx999]

Thanks Macnam! That sounds pretty good - I just ordered the rulebook. I hope some huge-creature rules and more droid rules come out soon! Those sound like good ideas for the different types of Space Marines too.

[abbysdad]

Aug 23, 2010 21:03:52 GMT -5 gregx999 said:

Thanks Macnam! That sounds pretty good - I just ordered the rulebook. I hope some huge-creature rules and more droid rules come out soon! Those sound like good ideas for the different types of Space Marines too.

Droid type options and big creatures are coming soon. The big creatures will be out in February 2011. The vehicles and droids may be out sooner than you think ;D

[dijit80]

The Bounty hunters in this game are pretty much all in powered armour and the different races give different bonuses:
darksondesigns.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=bountyinfo&action=display&thread=2539

And great news regarding vehicles, droids and big bad boys!