Suggestions for Sci-fi Skirmish game?

[thomasff]

So I am officially addicted to the skirmish-level with Malifaux now, but lately I have been trying to track down a sci-fi game with the same elements...primarily good game mechanics, fluff, excellent minis, and campaign/encounters. So far i have been mostly looking at Infinity, AE Bounty, and maybe Mercs but I know there is alot more out there. Thoughts?

[tenabrae]

Infinity lacks official scenarios (there are plenty of fan-made ones) but is a solid game, fast to play, and needs few models for most factions.

[mriverakc]

Looks to me like you need to invent one. Just like Wyrd created Malifaux.

[Mr_Smigs]

Infinity is one of the fastest playing and most dynamic games I've seen in a while.
but it's also the hardest on new players. it's possible to lose, and lose bad on the opening turn if you don't use cover and your reaction fire well...

Necromunda has a bajillion scenarios, fan and official, a campaign system, and you can use darn near any models for it...
but is GW, and not designed for "competition" but for fun....

Gorkamorka is arguably the best scifi skirmish level game out there, ever, but you gotta love orcs...


Savage Skirmish will do scifi, IIRC, they have a setting called "Last Night On Earth" or something akin to that that's a rockin zombie apocolypse... as well as a number of sci-fi settings (Mars and Slipstream are equally classic)

40k CAN do skirmish-ish with the Combat Patrol rules... but you're severely limited...



Urban War is solid at the skirmish level (even 750 is pretty small an army if you bring in CLAUs) but lots of shooting, little hitting... IIRC, you can even get the "light" rules (VOID 1.1) for free, it just doesn't have the Calibre system...


Monsterpocolypse is small army, large scale Kaiju battles... Collectible (means random minis) but great beer-and-pretzels fun...

i also seem to recall there's a new edition of Judge Dread on the way...


and I have seen skirmish rules for Cute-and-fuzzy-cockfighting-seizure-monsters... but that kinda speaks for itself...

[thomasff]

Thanks for all the info so far, we can keep this discussion more open as I'm guessing there are quite a few people interested in getting into a good skirmish sci-fi game...but for myself I had my run with GW games and I kind of look for helping out the smaller guys now .

Thanks for the info on Urban War Mr. Smigs, I'll have to check that one out. I'm still on the fence about Infinity but I'll have to look into it more. I have to admit I still love the darkness of 40k, heh, just not that the company or rules system.

[tenabrae]

Sounds like you should dig up an ancient copy of 1st edition Warzone.

[The Madman]

Star Wars Miniatures both the old WEG d6 table top version and the WOTC Grid map version are SOLID skirmish games

for jut a mechanics source, "5150" is about as good as it gets for $25.00

i think Space Hulk is a blast too

[DangerousBeans]

Check out Dark Age, it's a great game with great figs and some of the best fluff about these days. The website's a bit dire at the moment but the new and improved rules are being released around the end of this year. In the mean time there are quickstart rules and forcelist pdf's on the forum. I strongly recommend it, especially if you like "dark" games.

Infinity is also very good, just for the record!

A non sci-fi skirmish to look out for is Hell dorado, again currently undergoing an overhaul but it's a really good game with arguably some of the nicest models around at the moment.

[gregdorf]

Infinity is highly recommended, if you are on the fence I would suggest going to their download section. You can get a copy of the rules and profiles and give the game a test drive before you commit any cash.

As for Dark Age, I have nothing good to say about that company and I wish them nothing but failure. Very harsh thing to say but they have a lot to learn about customer service.

It is not very sci-fi but if you can get past the fruffy parts Anima Tactics is a very good game.

[Runsamok]

Rezolution is a good Sci-Fi game by Abberant Games.