New review, haven't done one in a while but this is something that goes along with my renewed mech love thanks to Mechwarrior Online, and also because a new video game was just announce for it!
HEAVY GEAR
What is it?
- Developed by the Canadian company Dream Pod 9, Heavy Gear became pretty well known in the 90's when Activision having issues with the Mechwarrior license, turned to DP9's Heavy Gear universe to replace it. The original game played much like a reskinned Mechwarrior game, but it's sequel was a big change and huge improvement. Sadly we never got more than 2 games in the Heavy Gear universe, but the franchise also did also influence a CG TV series that focused on gladiator style mech arena fighters. But the universe was originally a series of games by DP9, miniature wargames and a roleplaying game series. After the 90's the game line kinda went on hiatus and DP9 faded a bit into obscurity. In the recent years though DP9 has rebuilt itself a bit and relaunched with a new focus on the Heavy Gear franchise with a rerelease under the Heavy Gear Blitz ruleset. While most see the game series as all about mechs, it truly isn't.
The rules
- Heavy Gear Blitz: Lock and Loaded is the current version of the newly revamped game system. DP9's games have all focused around a similar system which even is used in their RPG's. The focus of the Silhouette system used by DP9 was basically to use the common method of rolling a dice with a target number usually set by a defenders stat. Modifiers are big aspect of the game as you really often have to pile them on for everything from range, weapon type used, speed of the defender, speed of the attacker, cover/concealment mods, etc. If you prefer more straightforward dice fests, this game might not be for you, as it harkens back to games like Battletech which also loves using plus and minus modifiers to a dice roll. Skill levels determine amount of D6 dice a person rolls but no matter how many you roll, you always take the highest value rolled on one of the dice, while any extra 6's you might roll add +1 to your total. You then take the highest value and toss in all the modifiers and compare it to the target defense value. Now what makes the Silhouette system unique is basically that it's not a hit or miss system, the higher you beat a target number by, the better the results. If you simply meet the target number of an opponent for example, you deal base damage which might simply bounce off or do very light damage to your opponent, but if you beat it by several points, you create a measure of success by which you multiply the damage making your attacks more powerful. Damage values of weapons are presented in multiples such as x8, so if you beat a target number by 3 for example, you would be doing 3x8 damage (24).
Almost everything in HG boils down to this kind of roll system with some situations involving your opponent rolling an opposed value which are then compared. Older versions of the rules had alot more unique game systems but it really slowed the game down so they greatly streamlined most game functions to use the same Silhouette style dice rolling. Unlike Battletech, you do not have highly detailed mech sheets where you have to keep track of things, units in Heavy Gear Blitz have simple abstract states of function such as light, medium, or heavy damage, but no actual hit locations. Ammo is simplified with only tracking done for heavy weapons. Older versions of Heavy Gear did require lots of micromanagement more similar to Battletech style, but with Heavy Gear's streamlining they have gone for more larger scale battles that can be played in a shorter period of time. All units in Heavy Gear also have multiple speed values which a person has to keep track of, as it affects the ability to shoot, and be shot at. You simply can't be having your mech go full out top speed and capable of shooting well, you have to slow down or your going to have lots of negative modifiers to your shot. At the same time, a fast moving target though is harder to hit than a big slow one. So slowing down to attack or stopping for the best shot possible can make you a sitting duck!
As mentioned earlier, the game is not just about mechs though, the universe of Heavy Gear has a wide array of combined arms with infantry, vehicles, artillery, and air support all having very useful purposes and many forces will want to take advantage of the combined arms aspect. Mechs have advantages unique to them, largely in the mobility department, but often enough proper usage of other unit types make up for any shortcomings of something like a slow moving tank. Army construction is also highly unique aspect about the latest version of the game, as you build using what is called Priority levels. The idea is that you choose how important a force you are building is, such as Priority level 1 force being considered something like a basic patrol or garrison force, while a priority level 4 force would be an elite attack force using many special forces units. The concept of the priority level system is that it changes what you can and can't build similar to force charts found in stuff like 40K, but it not only changes army composition, but also your victory conditions. If you make a high priority army, it means it has a very important purpose and because of that you have to achieve extra victory points to win. You may get to take awesome stuff in your force, more elite units than the others, but you have to achieve extra objectives to win. While a lower priority force is something that has simplified goals so they need less objectives to win a game.
Along with the priority build system, before you play depending on the point values and the priority level of your force, each player has to determine the objectives of their force. The rules have a list of different objectives so unlike most games that have premade scenarios, you essentially get a mix of different objectives in a game of Heavy Gear. You might have a set up where you have to kill a specific unit that will give you 2 victory points, along with another objective that you must take and hold a piece of terrain for another victory point, and on top of that you could have another 2-3 objectives that you can go for to score points. Again the higher priority level you used to build your force, the more objectives you will need for a chance at victory.
Further Notes:
- Heavy Gear while greatly streamlined still can be a fairly heavy game, but is one full of tactical diversity and many unique aspects that sets it apart. Game still has a heavy feel to it that your not simply rolling dice and moving off a ton of figs at once, every action you do has so many variables involved that one has to account for. As mentioned in talking about the rules, variables all change modifiers and along with that, the game promotes combined arm actions with units. You don't have to keep a squad of mechs within a certain distance of each other, you can actually surround an enemy for a flanking action that can give bonuses to other squad mates. Combining attacks from multiple sources to the same target can be in your favor, and even at times a squad mate can relay info to help a friendly mech target an enemy. You can have one unit go full out speed in the open to acquire data for a unit behind a hill so it can fire it's indirect missiles or to help a unit see an opponent that it can't get a lock on. I would never recommend this game to a newbie to miniature wargames as it really can be a brain burner with all the tactical options and I've only scratched the surface about the game, so much more. The good thing is, the rules are now available free!
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/97110/Heavy-Gear-Blitz!-Field-Manual---Core-Rulebook-Revised
Pros:
+ Free Rules
+ Wide array of tactical builds and options
+ Well balanced towards combined arm play
+ Great miniatures that just get better and better
+ Lot of common sense put into the rules over abstractions
+ Game has greatly expanded to include many factions now unlike the old game which had basically 2 major factions. Lot more diversity now in play with all the new forces at play.
Cons:
- Expensive. The cost of the figs which are usually around size of normal 28mm figures is pretty high, and DP9 is not a big fan of online retailers who over discount products. Even their starter set prices are not the hottest.
- Heavy rules even though they have been streamlined greatly, will turn off many as games can take quite a while to play out.
Again if your interested in learning about the game first, the rules have now been made available for free online at DriveThruRpg, download them here:
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/97110/Heavy-Gear-Blitz!-Field-Manual---Core-Rulebook-Revised
A companion game has also been put out called Heavy Gear Blitz: Arena which lets you use many of the mech figs to play out arena style games as seen in the old 90's CG television show.
Want to learn more then hit up Dream Pod 9's official website at:
www.dp9.com
