Gruntz Playtest 2.01 Intro

[@Mr_Squarepeg]

Looking forward to the Gruntz v2 rules. Hopefully there will be a PoD version once it is ready :)

[@jasesask]

Close assault does indeed sound deadly, I think I'm gonna like this. I like the squad leader being the focus, will be interesting to play that way. Nothing in this video is making me think 'what the hell', it all seems like a progression in the right way from v 1.1

[@samb2052]

Looks like I’m a bit late to this party. However I’m impressed with the streamlining of the rules. Are they available yet, and if so, where from?

[@SigmaUrash]

Really liking the infantry changes so far.

[@IKvASS]

How can I get those pdf's? I checked on Wargame Vault and on your blog and can't find it anywhere. Is it a closed play test?

[@elfbait3774]

Awesome news on the 2E

[@andrewcook1249]

I like the new basing. I will probably not rebase my individual troopers but will instead put them on a group base and remove them to indicate damage.

[@itsprobablydean]

I have little rank markings on my units, so I think I might just use one squad leader model, and then a single trooper model for each group of 4 men... Not sure how well that'll work yet but I think that'll be my work around haha.

[@venusboys3]

I'm sure I'm missing something, but it seems like the squad stands are largely superflous... that you could just go with the Squad Leader figure and assume he's got a squad around him. May be drifting too abstract for me...

[@itsprobablydean]

I sort of feel that way too. I do think having the other squaddies on the table does a good job of representing the space taken up by the unit, that way you can't just stick 4 leaders, representing 4 13 man squads (52 men) in a cramped hallway... I suppose it would work to just stick your full squad on a really large base, or, better for quick play, have a "minimum 2 inches between squad leaders" rule and not bother with squaddies, but like you said that's getting pretty abstract. Either way I think this seems a good deal smoother than OG Gruntz, if not perfectly ideal.

[@RottenMechGaming]

AOE type attacks and indirect fire are still targeting the bases. Its still up for debate though, I was playing a lot of games with AOE attacks, so it did not feel too abstract but its certainly something I am considering changing. Its been a couple years while things were on pause, so I am taking a fres look.

[@itsprobablydean]

@@RottenMechGaming That makes sense

[@andrewcook1249]

@@itsprobablydean The video showed that in Close Combat the attacking SL charges to within 1" of any enemy stand in the squad, not just the leader, so another reason for their presence.

[@DrVesuvius70]

Wait...you recorded this on Friday July 19th???? What's it like in the future? Do we have flying cars yet? :-) Joking aside, really pleased to hear there's a Gruntz 2 in the works.

[@RottenMechGaming]

It was a while ago. Pre-pandemic. Just rebooting my time on it and thanks for the comment.

[@Azmodai34]

Hi, first I'm a proud owner of Grunts v1. My biggest but fairly small bugbear of the system was using multiple couples of different coloured D6s. I believe the use of D6 is for ease of "playability" ie everybody has D6s. However I think your rules are maybe more for "veteran players" and generally we have all sorts of different dice at hand, also in a world of Amazon and Alibaba polyhedral dice are fairly cheap and easy to come by. My point is why not base the rules on D10 or D12?

[@RottenMechGaming]

Thanks for the comment. I use 2D6 because there is a probability bell curve on the role i.e. Its more likely that you roll total is 7 on 2D6 than any other result. With that info you can plan incremental bonus to attack etc. It's why playing a game like D&D feels totally random rolling a D20, you are just as likely to roll 1 as 20. Modifiers always help but 2D6 really does make it more predictable to plan rules around it. However, no harm in you trying it with a D12 to see how you get on?

[@Azmodai34]

Ok, I can see that for individual roles, however it does have advantages and disadvantages especially modifiers make it slightly wilder. I think D10s are more intuitive as one can compare them to percentages but are obviously more random. It depends on ones vision of the game i think. Regardless I will purchase Grunts 2 when it comes out 😉

[@RottenMechGaming]

@@Azmodai34 I really like a D10. Avalon Hill had some great 80's vintage boxed games that used D10 and White Wolf Vampire RPG was also a D10 and I felt the 7+ success roll on a bunch of D10 worked well for me. I will look into that again because I like the idea of streamlining to a single.

[@itsprobablydean]

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAH

[@TheLordUrban]

I’m not really in love with the supernumerary squad leader and the single skill stat. That means we are going to end up with orks that are just as good at shooting as they are in hand to hand.

[@RottenMechGaming]

Not many people do and I am leaning back away from it. I still want to focus on group basing but pick up a mechanism to reduce the overload of dice from Gruntz v1. More play testing is happening through April and I will adjust + upload a new video. Thanks

Any news on Gruntz 2.0 ?

[@RottenMechGaming]

No Sorry. Not had my local gaming mate available to get any games in, so currently energy going into playing other published games where there are players. I am also getting old I think and prioritising walking and cycling out with friends, simply to get away from the computer. It will happen though, I will table another game session with my friend in spring and write up what I need to do.

@@RottenMechGaming Thanks for the update! I have my own unpublished set of rules for a Mech skirmish game on my PC and know how difficult it is to get proper test games in...

[@aanler]

How do I help playtest this? Any idea how far this is from completion? 🙂

[@RottenMechGaming]

Its got art for the new book and lots of playtesting done but I need to revisit because I stalled after Covid and need to start again with a fresh playtest of the rules.

[@RavenShinyThings]

How are the rules going?

[@RottenMechGaming]

They stalled during Covid and I can't seem to get my crew together for more playtesting. I had art for the book and a lot of work done. I have other ideas for streamlining now, so trying to get myself back into gear over the next year with work done on it.

[@RavenShinyThings]

@@RottenMechGaming makes so much sense, i had a side project stalled as little did i know all along i had long covid