Simplified Hive Mind Rules Version 1 Test Game

 This is the Battle report for the the Swarm Scenario Using my Simplified Hive Mind (Intellect) Rules.  The engagement is between The Federal Army & Hive Mind (Intellect) represented by my Zerge.  Is the third post in my series Simplified Hive Mind (Intellect) Rules.
The other 2 posts in this series are. #1 The post on a Simplified Version of Rules for a Hive Mind (Intellect) Army for Gruntz V1.1. That Explains the Rules I used & other Possible modification.
#2 The pregame post which presented The Unit Cards & Army compositions ((TO&Es) for the forces Involve in the Game.
Sorry it took so long to post but Was visiting with my father & Learning a Battle report program for the Maps at the end of the report.


Test game for my simplified Hive Mind Using  a Swarm scenario.

PreGame Hive Mind

 This Pregame post is for The test game for my Simplified Version of Rules for a Hive Mind (Intellect). It will Include The Unit Cards & Army compositions ((TO&Es) for the forces Involve in the battle.  This Post Follows My post on a Simplified Version of Rules for a Hive Mind (Intellect) Army for Gruntz V1.1.  My Father is visiting From Panama & I wanted Simpler Rules for the Hive Mind (Intellect) as this was his second Game Using Gruntz.  These Basic Rules I Devised in about 20 to 30 minutes while setting up the Unit Cards & Figures for the game. The special rules and objectives for a Swarm Scenario are very simple.   The Federal Army Is Holding a Listening Post, With Patrols out ( three on table Squads on Perimeter patrol as well is 2 Patrol forces consisting of 2 Fire teams 1 PML team & 2 Griffon APCs Off table as reserves.  Starting In turned 2 role 1D6 (+1 per to the role for each additional Turn) for each Patrol force on the role of 4+  they arrive coming in on the road that turn.  Your opponent does not know where the patrol will come in when it arrives.  Below the Unit card for each force starting with the Federal Assault Troops followed by the forces of the Hive Mind (Intellect).    Pics of Each force follow the cards.  I will also list the number of squads (Horde) and the composition of each Squad (Horde) and  breakdown Of each of the forces involved plus the total number of troops they contain.  This post will be followed by the Battle Report for the the Swarm Scenario Using my Simplified Hive Mind (Intellect) Rules.  

Simplified Hive Mind (Intellect) Rules for Gruntz Version 1.1 Test Rules 1

I will be Presenting a Simplified Version of Rules for a Hive Mind (Intellect) Army for Gruntz V1.1.  My Father is visiting From Panama & I wanted Simpler Rules for the Hive Mind (Intellect) as this was his second Game Using Gruntz.  These are the Basic Rules I Devised. This Post will be followed by two further posts regarding I simplify Simplified Hive Mind (Intellect) Rules.  The first of these other posts will be pregame post which will present Special rules and objectives for a Swarm Scenario in Addition to the Unit Cards & Army compositions ((TO&Es) for the forces Involved.  The second Related post will be the Battle Report for the game using the Swarm Scenario.

 

Gruntz Specific Rules Hive Mind Updated

All units in a Hive Army must take 1 of the Hive Mind Perks this is Mandatory not optional. The Hive Intellect is unconcerned with losses so the entire army is Immune to Mental Checks & Suppression & Units can Never go prone. Any unit that is out of control of the Hive Mind becomes subject to Instinctive Behavior as most of the units are no more intelligent than any other predator. Loss of control by the Hive Intellect can happen in a Number of ways (when this happens the unit becomes subject to Mental Checks & are Bloodthirsty but are still immune to Suppression). First the Units of Drone Warrior are not themselves Directly linked to the Hive Mind but are linked to it by a specialist unit with Hive Mind Node that is attached to a Squad, if this unit dies the Drone Warriors no longer are controlled by the Hive Mind until another Hive Node takes control of the unit. Secondly if the Hive Mind Grand Lord (Army General) is Killed all units must test to see if the link to the hive Mind has been interrupted Mental test (Vehicles Test as a Mental Stat of 11 As Either Hive Clusters Or Hive Nodes) at a -1 for Hive Mind Lords -2 for Hive Mind Clusters & -3 for Hive Mind Nodes if failed they are Bloodthirsty (subject to Frenzy) & Instinctive behavior + In Addition All Drone Units are at a -2 to their Instinctive behavior rolls for the rest of the game with 2 being the lowest result.
I will be adding the Hive Mind Perks & Modz over the next few days. The initial Perk for all Most Squads is bellow with the first Instinctive Behavior chart which corresponds to it.

Hive Mind (Intellect) Horde Army Over View Part 1

General Overview of Hive Armies Part 1 

All units in a Hive Army must! Have 1 of the Hive Mind Attributes this is Mandatory not optional. The Hive Intellect is unconcerned with losses so the entire army is Immune to Psychology & Can Never be effected by Suppression Fire & As they have no concern for their Personal Safety they can Never go prone. Any unit that is out of control of the Hive Mind becomes subject to Instinctive Behavior as most of the units are no more intelligent than any other predator Animal on without the driving force of the Hive Mind. Loss of control by the Hive Intellect can happen in a Number of ways. when the Connection to the Hive Mind is Severed the unit becomes subject to Psychology & are Bloodthirsty. Due to the Blood lust the Unit Must Assault any Enemy That is in range they must Charge into Close Combat & while Charging they are immune to Suppression Fire. First the Units of Drone Warrior are not themselves Directly linked to the Hive Mind but are linked to it by a specialized Commander which has evolved the ability to be a Node for the Hive Mind. Hive Mind Node Must be attached to a Unit & no Drone unit can deploy without an attached Hive Mind Node. The Biggest disadvantage to the Hive Nodes & Drone Arrangement is if a unit of drones is without a Node beginning immediately when the Node dies the Drone Warriors no longer are controlled by the Hive Mind until another Hive Node takes control of the unit. Secondly if the Hive Mind Grand Lord (Army General) is Killed all units must test to see if the link to the hive Mind has been interrupted All units have a chance of loosing connection to the Hive Intellect based on their level of connection to the Hive Mind. A Hive Mind Lord & Units in his Direct area of Influence are Least Likely (Only 15 to 20% Chance of Loosing Direct Connection to the Hive Mind) to loose the connection to the Hives Controlling Intellect. Hive Mind Clusters Can Usually (Maintain Connection 60 to 65% of the Time) Maintain Their Link to the Intellect in control of the Hive Mind, but can become disconnected to the Hive Mind & Become Subject to Extreme Instinctive Behavior. For The Hive Mind Nodes the Disconnection Can Actually be Fatal (75% chance of Psychic Over Load) If the Hive Mind Nodes loose Connection (45 to 50% Chance of Loosing Connection) if failed they are Bloodthirsty (subject to Frenzy) & Instinctive behavior + In Addition All Drone Units are Now Subject to Extreme Instinctive behavior.

Can't see the forest for the trees 2

Most of my trees are mounted 2 or 3 to a base & placed to represent wooded terrain.  This works for most situations but I decided that I needed some clumps of trees to improve the appearance of my wooded terrain originally I was working on some modular add on pieces for my tree bases & I found that this did not work.  So my solution was to make some large clumps of trees.  Wooded areas are difficult terrain most of the time but I decided to make the clumps represent thickly wooded patches in the forest.  They are impassable terrain & block line of sight.  This makes a big impact as my Wooded areas usually limit line of sight based on the scenario between 6 & 12 inches depending on the type of wooded terrain they are representing. 









Large pictures follow

Gruntz Cards for Federal Army Armored core Force

Here are the cards for my Federal Army.  I play with modified Squad sizes between 4 & 10 Troops including Squad Attachments.  In addition all the Gruntz Specialist Weapons Teams must be attached to Gruntz Squads or form squads of there own of 2 to 4 weapons teams.The stats are very High as they are Elite troops augmented by  Technology.  The core force is 1350 point.

House Rules for Large Engagements Using Gruntz 1.1

I myself got into 15mm so I could play Games on a Larger Tactical Level & be able to use Combined Arm Forces without it being Silly as it is in most 28mm Games. I Have Been Playing Tactical Engagement using a Minimum of a Full Platoon + associated Support Units & have started playing Games with Multiple Platoons & even in some cases going above the Company Level with some Forces. I always attempt to keep Forces Involved in the Game Balanced but  the Points are Secondary.  I prefer to play Narrative Story Driven Scenarios. I find it more challenging & fun to use Full TO&E's for the Forces Involved. Gruntz & Gruntz 1.1 have been a Really Good Rules System for this Size Tactical Engagements & only Required a few Small Tweaks to Make the Rules Work for Tactical Engagements of Platoon & Company Level in the Game. I Play with the following Modifications to the Core Rules to allow Larger Games of Gruntz.& Gruntz 1.1 .