LaserStorm. 6mm grand warfare. - First play and review

I love new rule sets.  I can't help it.  They always get me excited.  Then I read them and they aren't quite as exciting as I had hoped.

I got a copy of LaserStorm. 6mm grand Warfare from Nordic Weasel Games because I was excited by them.

The author's goals:

• Game play that is simple, without too many fringe cases.
• Play quickly, even with a lot of troops on the table.
• Allow very large amounts of diverse figures on the table at the same time.
• Core mechanics can be condensed to a few pages.
• No markers, counters, templates or other indicators needed.
• No record keeping needed other than your army lists.
• "Blasters and jet Packs" scifi, rather than hard military realism.

This sounded like my kind of game.  Where could I sign up?  When could I get my copy?  

Well the rules were released on WargameVault.com a few days ago, and I went and downloaded a copy right away.  I've been reading through the 92 page book and I was still excited.  The rules seem to hold up to the author's goals.  

Rules Overview

The rules break out each force into 3 battle groups.  All the models in each battle group activate together, one unit at a time.  Activations are handled by a card draw system, so it isn't a strictly IGOUGO, system.  There are some opportunities for reactionary fire/movement, as well.  Movement, fire, and necessary moral is all resolved immediately so there is very little record keeping.

The rules offer a limited selection of pre-made troops and vehicles, but does include information on creating your own units with lots of options.

The rules provide a basic rule set for 6mm combat between reasonably sized forces, but most chapters also provide some variant ideas for different rules so you can tweak the game to your taste and play-style.

As I stated previously, overall, I am impressed with the rules.

Playing a Game

The next step is to try the rules out on the table top.  The author was nice enough to include a training/introductory scenario in the rule book.  The scenario calls for identical forces to face off against each other.  They are trying to acquire 4 points by holding objectives at the end of each turn.  I pulled out my Space Marines and Eldar and selected some models.  

The forces.

2 units of mechanized infantry (4 stands and 2 APC)

2 units of tanks (3 tanks per unit)

2 units of heavy infantry (5 stands per unit)

For the marines, I used regular marines and Rhinos for the mechanized infantry, predators for the tank units, terminators for the heavy infantry units, and Land Raiders and a infantry base with a Rhino for the command vehicles.

Marine Force

For the Eldar, I used Guardians and Falcons for the mechanized infantry, Fire Prisms and Fire Storms for the tank units, Wraithguard and Wraithlords for the heavy infantry, and Wave Serpents for the command vehicles.

Eldar Force

Deployment

Turn 1

The Eldar Fire Prisms and Fire Storms got the first activation of the game.  They advanced and shot at the Marine Predators and killed 1 tank.  The Marines pass their moral.

Fire Storms move up to claim an objective.

Predator destroyed by Fire Storm.

Next the Eldar Wraithguard moved forward.

Next up, the Marine Terminators advanced.

The Eldar got a snap action and used it to move one of the infantry units forward in their Falcons.

The Marines move their infantry forward in their Rhinos, 1 unit disembarks and moves into the building to take the objective.  The other unit fires at the Eldar Falcons and destroys 1.  The 2 Eldar infantry failed their saves and are destroyed.  The unit fails its moral and is moved to reserve.

Next up the Eldar Guardians activates.  The Guardians disembark around the ruins and open fire on the Marines in the ruins.  2 Marine stands are killed, but they pass their moral.

The Eldar get 2 snap actions and use the opportunity to move both Wraithguard units forward.

Finally, the Marine Predators move forward and fire on the Eldar tanks and Guardians.  1 Guardian is kill and 1 tank is destroyed.  The infantry fail moral and are moved to reserve.

At the end of turn 1 the Marines have 1 victory point and the Eldar have 1 victory point.

The Guardians deploy from the Falcons and open fire on the Marines.

The table at the end of Turn 1.

Turn 2

The Eldar tanks get the first activation and move into position around the objective.  They open fire on the Terminators and Predators.  3 Terminator stands and 2 tanks were killed, but both units pass moral.

Next up, the Guardians commander actives, but fails to regroup any units so it moves into the cover of some trees.

The Predators move into the trees to gain some cover and fire on the Eldar tanks.  Both units lose a tank and one of the tank units fails its moral.

The Rhinos deploy the 2 Marine unit into the ruins to strengthen the hold of the objective.  The Rhinos and infantry open fire on the Eldar Wraithguard and kill 3 stands.  The Wraithguard fail their moral.

The Terminators snap fire on the Eldar tanks, but fail to do any damage, but push the tank back 9".

The Wraithguard advance and attack Terminators and kill 1 stand.

The Wraithguard get another snap action and move onto the objective.

The Terminators move forward and open fire on the Wraithguard and kill 2 units and push 2 units back.

At the end of Turn 2 both the Eldar and Marines have 2 victory points.

End of Turn 2

Turn 3

The Predators snap fire on the Wraithguard and kill 1 stand, but they pass their moral.

The Guardians command activates and fail again to regroup anyone.  It takes a shot on the marine infantry, but fail to hit.

The Eldar Tank command unit fails to regroup and its fire is only able to push a Terminator unit back.

The Marine infantry open fire on the Eldar Command vehicles and destroy 1.



The Predators kill another Fire Storm and another Wraithguard stand.  In addition to the destroyed unit, the remaining Wraithguard are pushed back off o the objective.



The Terminators advance onto the objective and open fire on the Eldar command vehicle that is contesting the objective.  They fail to destroy it, but push it back out of range of the objective.

The Marines push the Eldar off the objective and claim it for the win.

End of Turn 3

The game ended at the end of Turn 3 with the Marines earning 4 victory points to the Eldar's 2 victory points.  The Marines got lucky with their Moral rolls and the Eldar were unlucky with theirs.

I think I only made one major mistake during the game, but I made it a couple of times.  When activating a battlegroup, I didn't always roll for regrouping reserves.  I only rolled when the card for the battlegroup that lost the units was activated.  This might have changed the results if the Eldar had been able to get some troops back into the fight, but the way they were rolling, I'm not sure it would have mattered.

Summary

I had a lot of fun with this game.  It played quickly and I only had to look up a few rules during the game.  These forces were identical, but it was still fun.  Using larger forces will add more interesting options to the game.  One core mechanic of the game is your force is divided into 3 parts.  I'm not sure how I feel about this.  I am tempted to add a card for each unit and activate the units 1 at a time.  I don't know if this will adversely effect the game, but I think I would like it better.  It could require more moral rolls so that might be something to consider before making the change. 

I look forward to playing a few more games with some more varied army lists.

The only thing that I think is missing is a summary sheet.  There is a summary sheet, but it is missing some of the pertinent info that should be included.