DW 2.0 Rules Discussion

[Ruckdog]

So, I already started a DW 2.0 thread in the news section, but I wanted to make another to focus discussion on the changes that may be coming to the game. So far, all we have to go on is this:

The key focus for the 2.0 book has been improved clarity of the rules, the speeding up of overall game play and to give gamers the ability to field, and therefore play, with larger forces on the tabletop. Our design team have worked to keep the game the 'same' for our customers, whilst simultaneously looking to improve on all aspects of the rules engine.

That all sounds pretty good...I'm wondering how Spartan is going to accomplish it. This seems to point to an overhaul to the LOS/height level system; in my experience that is the most time consuming and (at times) challenging aspects of DW. Thoughts?

[Landlubber]

Would be nice to get some LOS clarification...I think right now it's not reciprocal, right?  Big ships can see over little ships, but little ships can't see over other little ships to shoot at big ships.

Or maybe that's been resolved already, and I'm just behind the times.

I did hear that Prussian armor is now doubly vulnerable to FSA gunnery....

[Ruckdog]

Would be nice to get some LOS clarification...I think right now it's not reciprocal, right?  Big ships can see over little ships, but little ships can't see over other little ships to shoot at big ships.

Or maybe that's been resolved already, and I'm just behind the times.

I did hear that Prussian armor is now doubly vulnerable to FSA gunnery....

Nope you are right on the LOS. There is even a specific call out box in the 1.1 rule book that explicitly says so...probably one of the clearest things in the book! The non-reciprocal LOS rule has always struck me as odd too. Not sure if they will touch it though, as it ties in with the fundamental model size system DW uses.

[CDR-G]

The one way LoS kinda makes sense to me. I imagine the gun director (read "look out") at the top of the highest mast, on a massive ship can see over things a large cannot. The example breaks down quickly with apparent model sizes, fairly precise LoS for some weapons in DW, and the abstractions used in other situations, but I buy the general idea.

[Ruckdog]

I suppose...but to me the way that smaller models do not have RB 3/4 shooting captures this element better. I agree though, it is an abstraction that mostly works within the mechanics of the game.

How about TFTs? As I mentioned in the other thread, the fact that they are putting out those movement trays suggests they aren't going to alter the rules too much. I just hope they make them faster! As it is, they are pretty much one-shot weapons; by the time they get back to a carrier, airfield, or other landing site, rearm, and launch again, your typical game would be over. Come to think of it, the launch and recovery rules are almost superfluous, for all that I've seen them used. If my TFTs could move 24" a turn, I think those rules would come into play more.

[Last Rites]

This was put out by one of the developers of 2.0:

"Changes to Sub Systems:
 
Pre-Game - Massive changes to Fleet Selection, Tabletop Engagement, Tactical Action Card Use, Flanking/Reserve/Advance Forces
 
Movement - Collisions Table is added and all Collisions [including Rams] have been tidies up. The principle of the Path of Least Advantage has been added to stop gamey-prats from trying to cheat movement out of models, an additional Heigh Level has been added - Deep Diving...where only the largest behemoths dwell. The creation of Low Speed Manourvres and Evasive Manourvres have been added to allow models to exist in the game in a more realistic fashion.
 
Firing - The creation of the Linking Pool System [something I made for Firestorm] has VASTLY improved the speed with which Attacks are calculated. In the new game Models don't Link - Weapons do..... this means that a player able to fire 4 weapons from a squadron at an enemy target no longer links with themselves to link later.
 
eg. 3x Augusta Frigates are at RB1 firing at a EoBS Battleship with DR6 and CR11
 
One August has suffered -1HP. The process works this this..
 
Choose 1 WEAPON to be the Lead Weapon [presumably one of the weapons on an undamaged vessel] = 4AD
 
Then build the Linking Pool by adding up all the other weapons firing, reducing EACH WEAPON that has suffered damage by the appropriate amount...... 4+   4+4+    3+3 = 18 AD..... now half the Linking Pool rounding up! and add it to the Lead Weapon 4+9=13AD.
 
Its fast and errs on the side of the Firer in terms of AD levels. This means more stuff gets blatted too!
 
There are a number of other changes regarding Indirect Fire, Munitions Types, the Linking of Mines, various special rules surrounding the esoteric weapons of each nation...... but its the Linking Mechanic that has revolutionised the DW2 gameplay.
 
 
Boarding - Boarding has been separated into two types : Aggressive and Firendly Boarding.
 
Friendly Boarding allows certain vessels to repair others, and also allows ALL vessels to board memebrs of their own squadron to re-crew after a bad critical hit, or violent boarding action.
 
Aggressive Boarding is as the name implies a slug fest! Assault Marines jetting through the air with murder in their hearts...etc
 
The Core Mechanics of Boarding have not changed, but we have made pains to ensure that the system is far clearer and better explained.
 
However there ARE a number of critical areas to be aware of. Victory Points no longer translate immediately so Boarding Players can no longer simply end a game in this phase...they have to keep a Prize until the End Phase. This proves problematic for many Boarding Rush fleets as the enemy has time to re-board the model, and take it as a Salvage instead.
 
Prizes are worth DOUBLE VP in the End Phase
but..... Salvaged vessels are worth only HALF VP in the End Phase
 
Boarding Players need to be more clever in how they Board, isolating a target, and waitng until towards the end of the Activations before swinging in for the kill......all this gives the target player more time to respond and react.
 
 
End Phase - In this phase the changes are most important. Game Effects like Fire and Corrosion tear apart vessels from the inside, Disordered [the new Broken Mechanic] Squadrons suffer AP or HP damage depending on their circumstances
 
Derelict Model lose HP as they break apart....
 
And of course Victory Points are announced. Both players must keep a running total of the VPs they have Lost and announce to their Opponent at this point.....and if the Opponent has achieved their Field Orders, the game is won....or lost depending on your point of view!
 
 
 
Support Aircraft Squadrons
Support Aircraft Squadrons [SAS] are a replacement for TFTs. Their mechanics have changes so profoundly that I'll wait before diving into the whole why+what of it. Suffice it to say the focus we had on SAS was to ensure they found their place in the game and given the feedback from our Betas I'm very pleased with the result.
 
Terrain
Terrain has had a complete re-do so allow us to build an actually system on top of it. With the game expanding at a frightening rate, the Terrain Rules were a real problem in 1.1..... so we rebuilt them...we have the technology.
 
Infantry
<sigh>   We were over-ruled on our original rules for Infantry long ago..... but stubborn as we are, we replaced the 6-page old rules for infantry with a single page of rules that clears out all the silly stuff that previous designers insisted on putting in.
1 - They are models. 2 - They are cheaper. 3 - They are able to form into larger battalions and regiments as desired.
 
Expanded Model Functions
This section allows us to introduce 'weird stuff' that previously would have been a MAR, but COULD have been expanded to allow more flexibility - Wave Lurker for example"

[Fracas]

Great info there

[Ruckdog]

Thanks for the re-post Last Rites! Like Fracas said, good info.

After reading through that, two things jump out at me immediately. First of all, the new linking pool does sound a lot easier! I'm sure it will save quite a bit of time (although I'm not sure that is where the game really bogged down before). Second, it sounds like there are more changes to TFTs than I suspected there would be! Pretty exciting. I'm curious to see how their new rules work. Oh, and infantry...I never played with the old rules, so I didn't know there were so many issues with them.

Really excited to get my hands on the new book now!

[Last Rites]

The new linking system does sound rather interesting. Lots more dice rolling! I always felt like the movement phase was the longest. Yet, i can understand why that would take a while, as you want to be sure things land just right for your next move, or to line up a shot. At one point we used a 3 min sand timer to help speed this up. Dice needed to start rolling by the time the last gain fell. No real penalty for going longer. You were just pressured to hurry things up a bit.

Color coding the TFT (SAW/SAS) squads was something we had already adapted to (blue die for fighters/recon, and green for dive/torp). However, using torp only against submerged should prove rather interesting.

The "battle groups" and fleet construction seem rather interesting as well.

OH, and the addition of 2 more height levels!! So much new to learn!!!

[Ruckdog]

 The 2 new height levels do sound interesting...I wonder if they will improve the survivability of flying models some. Large/massive ones do OK thanks to their sheer ability to absorb damage, but every time I've run my PE or FSA medium air ships they seem to get chewed up at range.

[CDR-G]

I agree with Ruckdog on the small and medium flyers. You can pretty much count on those getting killed. I have seen posts stating that squadrons of Lees terrify opponents with their boarding threat. Not my experience. It will be interesting to see if version 2. makes them somehow hater to kill., I suspect not.

[Cave Johnson]

I understand the bombing rules have changed too.  Apparently they can be dropped anywhere within 2" of the attacking model, as opposed to directly behind the model.  If this holds true, then bombers suddenly become a lot more useful.........

[Ruckdog]

Not just bombers, but any model equipped with the weapon. Makes sense, really, given the scale of the game and the inherent uncertainties about a model's exact position! Of course, seeing as we are talking about flying models, that 2" will most likely be measured from the base, which makes a pretty good threat footprint for a large flyer!

[MadDrB]

Got my commodore's edition today!

Will chime in with details as I turn through the pages....

[Ruckdog]

Jealous! I just got an email saying mine shipped today!

You might have to do the honors on the initial blog post .