Hello all! After over 6 months of play testing in my local metas, I'm happy to finally upload MICS for public release! MICS is called modular for the following reason - it's a card-based living system that I intend to modify, for balance and entertainment, based on community feedback. The Draw vs. Keep mechanic allows us to chart the cards that, when drawn, are always kept, versus the cards that are rarely kept when drawn. The goal is to improve balance of the game play experience while keeping the experience fresh and enjoyable. MICS cards are available for download at the link below (as a PPT file - print, cut, fold, play!). https://www.sendspace.com/file/azideo note: I did not get any pop-ups with this host using Google Chrome with AdBlock. If someone has a suggestion for a better host, please let me know. What is MICS? Modular Infinity Card System (MICS) is a card-based mission system for Infinity The Game, by Corvus Belli. MICS is intended to facilitate both casual and tournament play, with an eye to pick-up games. If you just want to throw some dice without worrying about studying or building for specific missions, or are eager to practice your general Infinity tactics and brush up on the rules, you've come to the right place! MICS is specifically intended to accomplish the following goals in a mission system – it should be simple, it should provide a huge amount of replayability, it should be balanced among factions, it should be balanced across potential build styles (e.g., low model count lists vs. high model count lists, lots of specialists vs. few specialists), it should be modular (more on that later), and most importantly – it should be fun! Why a Card-Based System? Card-based systems offer a lot of advantages over mission-based systems. There are some drawbacks – for example, it is easier to write fluff for a symmetrical mission-based system than for a set of cards that are randomly drawn. That said, card-based systems offer a number of advantages that make game play fun and interesting. Card-based systems are easy to play – Mission-based systems often have complicated objectives and scoring systems. In MICS, you simply look at your cards and play to fulfill those objectives. No need to track down the rules packet for verification or print anything out (other than your cards, of course). Card-based systems offer great replay value – A large number of cards produce a great deal of variability in the combinations that are drawn and ultimately selected. You will probably not play the same MICS game twice, especially if you are frequently updating your cards (see below). Card-based systems are modular – Players can add and remove cards as desired. One goal of MICS is to leverage player-provided data in order to (a) remove cards that are drawn but rarely selected, and (b) add cards that the community wants to try. Card-based systems offer balanced asymmetry – Local veteran and novice players both have voiced an interest in playing asymmetrical missions, where each player is trying to achieve different mission objectives. A card-based system offers the opportunity for asymmetrical objectives while still permitting balance through the draw n keep n-x system. A Living System MICS is a living system in that it is intended to be updated and modified by the player base. Use the cards you like, scrap the cards you don't, and submit Post-Battle Draw & Selection data. Cards that are almost always selected if drawn might be considered OP – these might be moved to a Legacy status (i.e., they will not be included in further releases but they can be used with your opponent's consent). If you have a card you'd like to include, write it up, play it locally, and you may see it in the next Build of MICS. The benefit of a living system is that you don't need to wait for the next Season or Update in order to try something new. Rules MICS is similar to other card-based systems. This section will cover the dynamics and characteristics of items in the environment, as well as the procedure for drawing cards, placing Objective Elements, etc. MICS Cards MICS cards can either be drawn from the same deck by both players, or each player can draw from their own decks. There are a few different schemes for play (see Game Styles). Generally, each MICS Card Objective completed yields 2 points. There are currently 4 Themes of MICS cards, Seek & Destroy: Inflict maximum damage on enemy personnel and materiel. Recon & Scavenging: Gain information on the enemy by any means necessary. Military Industrial Complex: In the business of war, it's best to keep the stakeholders happy. Strategic Priorities: Each battle puts your forces one step closer to winning the war. After drawing the appropriate number of MICS Cards for that Game Style, they are kept face-down somewhere visible to both players – the Theme of each players' MICS Cards is Open Information, but the specific objectives are Private Information. Objective Elements There are three Objective Elements in MICS – a Cache, and two BOLO Targets (one placed by each player). The Cache is a Silhouette 5 piece of terrain that can be represented on the table however you see fit. The Cache provides cover. In addition, any non-TAG, non-REM Trooper in Base contact with the Cache may perform a Short Skill WIP check to attempt to loot the Cache. A successful WIP check in this manner allows that model to roll once on the Booty L1 chart. Additionally, the Cache has the Baggage skill and may be accessed by either player. These functions can only be performed once each per Trooper. The Cache has an 8” Exclusion Zone around it (i.e., models may not deploy within 8 inches of the Cache). The Cache is deployed in the following fashion, Place the Cache directly in the center of the Table. Both players roll a D20. The player who rolls higher may move the Cache a number of inches equal to or less than the number rolled along the center line. The player who rolled lower may then move the Cache again a number of inches equal to or less than the number he or she rolled along the center line. If both players' rolls are equal, the Cache deploys in the center of the table. Note: The Cache must be deployed at ground level. If the Cache's location is not on the Ground Level, move it along the center line the shortest distance necessary to place it on Ground Level BOLO Targets (Be On the Look Out in military parlance - BOLOs) are placed by each player at least 4” from the edge of his or her Deployment Zone, at Ground Level. BOLOs are S2, ARM0, BTS0, PH10, CC10, BS10, W1. BOLOs have 360 degree LOF. Each player's BOLO is deployed at the beginning of his or her Deployment Phase. BOLOs can only be Targeted by a player’s models after they have been Verified. Troopers in Base contact with a BOLO attempt to Verify the BOLO by performing a successful Short Skill WIP check; Troopers with the Specialist Operative skill receive a +3 to this roll. Attacks that affect the BOLO will count as Null if the BOLO has not been Verified by the player with the attacking Trooper. Players may not Attack their own BOLO – those Attacks will count as Null. Troopers vs. Models Models include any model included in each player’s Army List. Troopers are a subset of Models, and include all Models that generate Regular or Irregular orders (i.e., not G: Sync or G: Servant models. Posthumans collectively count as a single Trooper). TAGs in MICS TAGs all have the Fatality L1 Skill. Gameplay Flow ) Select army lists. ) Deploy the Cache ) Draw Cards ) Roll for Initiative / Deployment ) Deploy & Play Game Styles The default draw scheme is Draw 7 Keep 5. However, we have experimented with several others that we enjoy, and we hope you will like them too. Traditional MICS – Each player Draws 7 cards, and Keeps 5. Cards can either be drawn from the same deck, or each player can draw from his own deck. The Cards are Private Information, though the Theme of the cards is Open Information – they are placed face-down in an area where both players can see them. Texas Hold’em – Each player Draws 3 cards, and Keeps 2 (during Step 3). Off of the top of the deck, three cards are placed face-down on the side of the table as the ‘river.’ At the beginning each Game Turn, one of these cards is flipped. Both players can accomplish those missions. This draw scheme encourages dynamic, flexible tactics. Hidden Objectives – Players Draw 5 cards, but do not view them until the beginning of their first active turn. This draw scheme encourages flexibility during deployment. Shared Objectives – Players Draw 10 cards, placing them face-up off to the side of the table. Whoever accomplishes the objective listed on the card first scores the point. Cards Flipped (scored) at the end of the game can award points to both players if both have satisfied the conditions. In this draw scheme, each objective is worth 1 point. If you get a chance to play a game, and you are interested in participating in shaping future MICS builds, please post some information in this thread that will allow me to refine the living system, Cards Drawn Cards Kept Finally, I'd like to thank Geoff for his input on game design and James for playing this system with me almost exclusively, every week since day 1
still on it but very well done. thank you for the community. SM-C9000 cihazımdan Tapatalk kullanılarak gönderildi
Cheers Perseus, thanks for the encouragement. Played a great game last night...Texas Hold'em with TAK vs. my friend James with his NCA. Drew Cache Monopoly, BOLO Interrogation, and Testing & Evaluation. Discarded BOLO Interrogation. Opponent drew Decimate, Televised Propaganda, and DZ surveillance (his discard). River consisted of, T1) Beheading T2) Hold the Line T3) Jacob's Ladder Highlight included a scramble in the last turn to figure out a suitable candidate for our (dubiously safe) drug trial (Jacob's Ladder). I ended up giving it to a Spetsnaz, who rolled NWI. The Spetsnaz made a flanking maneuver but ate a few bullets, putting him in NWI state. My opponent, realizing the potential opportunity, gave the drug packet to his CSU, who rolled Enhanced Mobility and ended up impetuously running straight into the Spetsnaz's knife. Jacob's Ladder is a helluva drug...neither of us scored that one lol Neoterra won 8-6...great last turn play. A Swiss Guard who had been hidden the whole game made a bee-line for my DZ, obliterating a Vet / Line Kazak mixed link and denying me points on Hold the Line.
