QUARTERMASS, I wasn't running the game but as a player this edition played faster and cleaner
They seemed less complex, with fewer contradictions
Momentum chits are replaced at the end of each turn; two points for each functioning unit, one for a Pinned unit and none for routing/destroyed units. Rallying or lifting pins require expending a Momentum chit so you are left with he decision to attempting to recover them or pressing on with your units that are still in steady morale.
I have always been of two minds regarding blast templates. Using them rewards proper tactic (don't bunch up under fire!) but also leads to shenanigans in unit positioning and often slows the game down as the firing player wiggles the template around to try to capture the most minis under it. In this game the lack of templates didn't lead to any odd or tactically silly results so I would say that I view it favorably. Fire is from Unit to unit and the scale of the game (one man is one man, and ground scale and mini scale are identical) is such that ranges are of much less consequence than they would be at a higher level of resolution.
I think that the Momentum chits are the real core to the game. They make the player focus on getting the Important Things done and then trying to tidy up the rest of your issues. Not mentioned in the game report is the fact that troops that have higher levels of training are MUCH more capable (my troops were all raw militia) they can perform more functions and are FAR better at everything that they do. This would allow a tiny force of truly elite troops to engage and defeat much more numerous opponents.
There is a points system but I would be far more interested in playing historical scenarios (Raid on Entebbe, a Seal Team Operation) to get a real feel as to how well the system works with an extreme divergence in quality.
Situational awareness is critical, the units are on the table but you have to spot them to react and fire. During the game I thought my one squad was toast when the APC showed up right next to them but I was hiding in the brush and AFVs are nearly blind (as they really are).
I look forward to playing this game again, I found my position as Rebel leader challenging; trying to coax performance out of my poorly trained and equipped troops while not exposing them too much while managing the supply of Momentum chits kept me on my toes throughout the game.
takes another stab at building a more perfect flight stand.
