Using Hex Maps

Andrew Finch 

These house rules are an adaptation of Jon Tuffley’s Full Thrust system to a hex based game. No infringement of copyright is intended and all rights of GZG and Jon Tuffley are acknowledged. They are reprinted courtesy of Rank and File, Journal of the Tunbridge Wells Wargames Society.

What we have reproduced here is an extract of some house rules which we have tested and found very easy to use. I would like to run through the basics by way of introduction.

The main new component is the use of Geo Hex hex mats to regularise movement and weapon ranges. This is an unsolicited, free plug for our friend Jon Tuffley and GZG, so not only can you buy the rules from him, but also buy the hex mats from him as well.

Movement is done using the hex rows as a guide, and only six directions, rather than the twelve clock faces of the original. With the alterations in the rules to govern movement and speed, the turning circles of vessels are that bit greater. Game play is easier because you can better plan your move and know exactly where the unit will be after the manoeuvre.

The set up idea is one which developed in our Into the Lazerzone rules, and they regulate a fair layout of forces before the game. Space games usually have no scenery, so we added the random effect of scenery. Our house rules allow for non-fatal (but very messy) collisions with asteroids and similar. One terrain effect not described in detail is the Dust Cloud. This blocks lines of sight, can be flown through, but a ship cannot manoeuvre, accelerate or decelerate in a Dust cloud, without slagging his engine. The assumption is made that the hydrogen scoops (or whatever) will suck up the dust and clog up the systems.

The Scenarios are a further idea from Lazerzone and enable players to set up their own games as part of a campaign.

We adopted the idea of Control Rolls from Battlespace, which also served as the source for Excess Thrust, which enables better manoeuvrability at higher speeds. To give the effect of the Kravak high manoeuvre drive, give them a +2 on their control roll. We also make use of crew quality, which changes the purchase price of ships, and has an effect on Control Rolls. Finally, we have a large number of circumstances in which rolls need to be made, but these areas are not covered below (Scrambling Fighters, Damage Control etc.).

In the movement section we have allowed the table to be “scrolled”. Remember, you heard it here first (though our mainstream wargamers at the club expressed some astonishment at the concept of “scrolling the table”!). One reason we did this was to prevent players sitting with massed batteries on the edge of the table. This way, they can be forced off the table if they are not careful. It also allows ships to be brought back later in the game.

We found that using the mat, with the changes described in the movement section, enables easier movement. Under manoeuvre, we have allowed ships to change heading anywhere during their move, as long as they move 1 hex forward first. In our games, changes of speed take place at the end of the move, and ships must actually move their full Velocity during the current move. This is slightly different from FT, which allows the change to take place at the start of the move. We adopted the option of changing facing but not heading, which gives some more flexibility in the game.

Conventions Play Area & Equipment

Abbreviations and definitions used in these rules

MD : Manoeuvre Drive : provide manoeuvre ability  

TP : Thrust Point : read from the Thrust Output Track  

V : Velocity, unit of.  

Ship : Refers to any craft built using construction rules, as opposed to fighters or missiles.  

Calculations resulting in fractions, are always rounded up.  The game is played on a hex mat or sheet on a table.

The players will also have to provide a large number of D6, and some scrap paper. Also various small numbered and other counters will be needed to denote the velocity of the ships in play as well as other effects.

Set-Up & Scenarios

Play Area Set-Up

First define the centre point of the play area, and the corresponding centre points of the two players’ sides.

Dice for the terrain, using 1D6. Roll the D6 as below. If any result comes up a second time, then 1-3 stationary Dust clouds are available for placement.  

1: 1-3 groups of 1D6 Asteroids  

Each group of asteroids is placed within a circular area of 7 hexes.  

2: 1 large Planetoid  

3: 1-3 small planetoids  

4: Re-roll dice at -1  

5: Re-roll dice at +1  

6+: No further terrain.

Place all terrain items to one side of the table. Each terrain item chosen must be placed initially on the hex mat within 15 hexes of the centre point. Placement is carried out alternately by the players, each putting a group of items on the play area until all are placed.

After placement of all items, determine direction and velocity of the items. Direction is determined at random on 1D6. If this is Planetary Invasion scenario, then items may only move across the play area, not towards or away from the planet. All items of a particular type move in the same direction. Each group moves at a speed determined for it at 1D6-1 V.

Encounter Scenario

Each side has equal points (for a one-off battle - in a campaign then the points values may differ).

Each side rolls 1D6 to determine who deploys first, under following conditions:

• V may be any desired, unless otherwise stipulated below, and must be displayed when laid.  

• Loser sets up one ship, within 15 of the centre point.  

• Winner sets up 1 ship, exactly 30 hexes away from the first deployed ship.  

• Remaining ships are set out alternately by each side, at least 30 hexes away from an opposing ship, but winner of roll must place one ship last.

Victory is determined by the loser being the first player/side to lose 50% of his original points value of ships, expressed in points of ships destroyed or captured. If one side captures enemy ships, their value after capture is added to the PV of the side and used to determine whether 50% has been achieved. The points value of captured ships is reduced pro rata the number of destroyed hull hit boxes. For example, side A had 1000 points, has lost 520 points at the end of a turn in which it captures a ship from side B worth 26 points. Side A has therefore not lost yet.

System Defence Scenario

The attacker has an advantage of 3:2 in points.

Victory is determined for the attacker if he can exit, from the Defender’s edge of the table, at least 50% of his force’s original Hull Hit Box value, with a V on each ship not greater than 6. Captured ships’ hull hit boxes are counted towards this, so if side A had 50 hit boxes and had lost 30 of them, then captured 6 hit boxes and exited all 26 hit boxes according to the scenario rule, they would win.

Planetary Invasion

The attacker has a 2:1 points advantage over the defender. He enters at a speed no greater than 150% the Planetary Rating of the planet.

The defender’s end of the table is designated the Planetary Zone, with a rating of between 4 and 8. The set up is as for Encounter, however the Defender ships may be moving at up to 200% the Planetary Rating of the Planet.

The defender may keep ships off the table at either side. These may be brought on in the Planetary Zone (the band of 4 to 8 hexes on the Defender’s base line) at a V = Planetary Rating.

Victory is determined for the attacker if he can exit in orbit, or land on the planet, cargo boxes equal to the defender’s original points value, divided by 50. (20 friendly cargo boxes per 1000 enemy points).

Convoy Action Overlay

The (defending) convoy player defines the PV of his escorts.

The attacker then defines the PV of his ships attacking the convoy, which may not exceed the 150% the PV of the escorts.

The civilian ship points values are total of escort’s PV plus attacker’s PV.

The convoy player defines his destination area, which has a 2 hex radius from a defined point. This defined point must be within the Planetary Zone at the planet end of the table if the Convoy Action is part of a Planetary Invasion Scenario. In other scenarios, it might be a Jump Point. The area must be clearly designated on the table.

Victory for the convoy is to get at least 50% of the civilian ships’ hull boxes to the destination area, ending their move in the area. Captured civilian ships do not count in this scenario type. To safely discharge their cargo, which is usually the objective, they must have a V agreed before play starts.

Off Table Ships Phase

The following actions regulate what happens to ships off the table and are carried out in the indicated order.

If a ship is not out of control, make a control roll deducting the ship’s current V from the dice. If successful, the ship is brought back on the table within its current Thrust Output in hexes from the exit point. It has its current V, and the heading must be towards the centre of, or across the table. The ship will move as part of the move interface according to the rules. If it fails, the ship stays off the table.

If the ship is not out of control, it may change its V, if damage does not prevent this.

The ship may try to carry out Damage Control, according to Damage Control Rules, with prior declaration as usual. This may be attempted even if out of control.

If the ship is out of control, a control roll may now be attempted.

Movement

Movement Sequence

Movement is carried out alternating between sides.

Stacking

Stacking of two objects, either friendly or hostile is not permitted. Notes:

A Fighter and a missile counter may be stacked at the time of launch. They may not be stacked at any time afterwards.

Multiple missiles may be stacked at the time of launch. They may not be stacked at any time afterwards.

Two or more fighter counters cannot stack at launch or at any time afterwards.

If movement of a ship would mean that it would end in the same hex as another ship, an asteroid or a starbase, then each rolls 1D6. and adds the current, Manoeuvre Drive rating to the result (asteroids and starbases have an MD rating of 0). 

If the roll is against a starbase or a ship, the higher scoring ship makes an emergency manoeuvre and dsplaces by 1 hex to avoid the collision (even if the drive rating is zero). The ship making the emergency manoeuvre must maintain its current heading and facing. The manoeuvre must he into an unoccupied hex. If there is no suitable unoccupied hex for the manoeuvre, which cause the ship to enter another already occupied hex, then the repeat the roll for the next hex for the ships entering and already in the hex until a valid result is obtained. These manoeuvres are made regardless of whether ships have moved in the turn.

If the roll was against an asteroid and if the ship wins, it displaces  as usual with no ill effects. If "loses" then it still displaces but suffers damage as if hitting an asteroid (see Terrain Effects).

Course determination

All ships move ahead into the hex in front of their facing, after spending Thrust for manoeuvre All ships must be aligned with the hex sides. 

Thrust & Excess Thrust

All movement is regulated by the Manoeuvre Drive which uses Thrust Points (TP) to change speed and heading. The total of TP used by the drive in a turn may not exceed the current Thrust Output of the ship, nor may total thrust burned in manoeuvre or changing V exceed the drive capacity of the ship. 

Heading may only be changed by using up to the Thrust Output of a ship, unless using Excess Thrust. Speed may be altered by using up to the Thrust Output of the ship to accelerate or decelerate 

Excess Thrust allows a drive to burn up to the entire Thrust Output in Manoeuvre, instead of just 1/2 as normally would be the case. Excess Thrust must be declared before any rnovement takes place, and immediately a Control Roll must be made. To successfully, make a control roll, roll 2D6 and score 6 or more. If the ship fails its Control Roll then it goes out of control.

Ships out of Control

A ship that is out of control may only move forwards at its current velocity in its movement phase, with no change of direction or velocity, until it succeeds in regaining control at the end of a tun. To regain control, roll 2D6, scoring -2 if the ship used Excess Thrust this turn.

Ship Velocity

A ship's velocity is marked beside the model with a numbered counter, which denotes the V it will move next movement. 

Thrust to alter velocity is applied during each ship's movement. The V resulting from any change will be effective in the next movement phase. After the ship has finished moving,  the counter is replaced with a counter showing the V in effect next movement phase. If a ship encounters a terrain object, the V used to determine effects is that valid at the start of the move. 

Unless a ship has burned enough Thrust as its last action in the previous turn to bring the V to 0, all ships must move forward into the hex ahead of them as their first movement action in the turn if their V is greater than 0. 

Velocity may not be reduced to a negative number and ships cannot move backwards. 

Facing heading & course changes

Ships may change heading by a maximum of 1 hex side in a hex. To alter heading by 1 hex side costs 1/2 TP per V of current velocity (rounded up) so a heading change of 1 by a V5 ship costs 3TP.

Ships with V=0 may spend TP to change facing in a hex, at a cost of 1 TP per hex face changed, but such a ship must remain in the hex. These count against the manoeuvre limits on a ship.

Ships may also OPTIONALLY elect to charge, facing at the start of its movement using Manoeuvre Points, as long as they do not change either heading or speed this turn. It costs 1 point per hex side to change facing while not changing direction. Facing may not be changed using Excess Thrust. If a ship subsequently charges heading or speed, it automatically adopts the  facing of its heading at the start of its movement. 

Starbase movement

Starbases have a V determined at the start of the game, between 1 and 6. This does not change during the game. They may also have the ability to rotate (see below). If Starbases are to move into  to Planetary Zones. then they must be Streamlined if they have  a V of 5 or 6, and Partially Streamlined if they, have a V of 3, or 4.

Starbases may have the ability to rotate I hex face per turn Whether this is possible, and the direction, is defined at the start of the game. The rotation happens at the end of the Starbases' Movement in the End Phase. 

Leaving the Play Area

If the ship leaves the play area, note its velocity and point of exit. Off Table ships are handled in the Off Table Ships Phase. Fighters may not leave the play area. but missiles, mines and terrain features doing so are lost 

A player may optionally claim the right to "scroll" the play area along any one of the hex rows by an agreed number of hexes, before he moves his ship, to avoid having to leave the table. If there is a geographical objective point, this may not be "scrolled" off the table, nor may the table be scrolled towards or away from a planetary edge. The number of hexes "scrolled" may not be greater than that required to place the player's ship two hexes away from the edge of the table after his movement, unless agreed by both the players. 

A player may not use this manoeuvre unnecessarily or to push another ship off the table, unless that ship is out of control or has a V of 0. 

A ship with a V of 0 will be assumed to adopt a V equal to the number of hexes scrolled, and its return point is then marked as shown above.

If a terrain feature is "scrolled" off the table, then roll 1D6 for a new terrain feature in the newly revealed area. using the terrain set-up rules. and treating 4. 5 or 6 as new terrain The new feature(s) will be on the edge of the play area moving across it.