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mj12games.com/forum → ARES → Ares Sci-fi any chance this will happen?
Hi. Being a big fan of the Ares system and having used it for both Star Wars and Warzone conversion. I was wondering if there were any plans on taking the rules in that direction? Err, not neccessarily for those systems but for Sci-fi.
Thanks,
John
Hi. Being a big fan of the Ares system and having used it for both Star Wars and Warzone conversion. I was wondering if there were any plans on taking the rules in that direction? Err, not neccessarily for those systems but for Sci-fi.
We have some immediate plans for ARES, which I am not at liberty to divulge at this time... 
But long-term, we've always been interested in branching out into other genres. Kevin, for one, has developed tentative versions of ARES for everything from the Wild West to WW2.
A sci-fi version of ARES might be fun, but I wouldn't want to spend too much time developing something that Defiance already does so well.
I've been wanting to get some SF figs to try the SF version of Ares. Soon, soon...just paint a few dozen more fantasy figs first, thats all. 
What are these secret plans you mention? Any hints? The rulebook mentions something about additonal army lists being made in the 'near future', but presumably there would have to be more than just that since we can make armies ourselves. I must know what is going to happen to Ares. :shock:
P.S. I got a big kick out of seeing my comment in another thread on the Ares webpage as a customer comment. That's a first for me!
EDIT: Try here for Ares SF rules: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Ares-Variants/
Hey Dan. I appreciate your comments. I have never seen Ares Sci0fi as a competitor to Defiance. The two games are quite different. I'm not looking for all the extra chrome that comes with Defiance. Ares Sci-fi (reduced wound fast play variant) allows for 50-100+ figs per side with no problems. Defiance iusn't really designed for that.
Thanks,
John
A sci-fi version of ARES might be fun, but I wouldn't want to spend too much time developing something that Defiance already does so well.
Although, if you want to see what ARES can do in a sci-fi setting, you might want to show up at Archon...
Hey Dan. I appreciate your comments. I have never seen Ares Sci0fi as a competitor to Defiance. The two games are quite different. I'm not looking for all the extra chrome that comes with Defiance. Ares Sci-fi (reduced wound fast play variant) allows for 50-100+ figs per side with no problems. Defiance iusn't really designed for that.
From having played the basic ARES game a few times myself, I would actually say that Defiance allows for more figures per game, given a set amount of time. Though, as you suggest, the quick play version of ARES is faster, and probably makes things about even.
The major difference between ARES and Defiance is that the former is based around individual activation and the latter around unit activation.
If you did want to make Defiance primarily focused around individual activation - which you can do, by choosing lots of vehicles and elites - then it would definitely take longer to play than ARES for the same amount of figures.
-Demian
Hey Demian. I like unit activation. Howver, I was made to understand that Defiance was designed to handle up to say 50 figures per side and started to lessen its effeciency after that. Is that not correct? The Ares fast play variant (which i helped to create based on my style of play) is that normal humans have a single wound. This means troops die much more quickly and you don't have to track all those wounds. I have had around 100+ figs on the table using Ares for around 2-2.5 hour games.
Thanks,
John
I was more thinking ARES with default rules would make for a good very-small-skirmish game, Necromunda style.
Off the top of my head, I can't think why experienced ARES (fastplay) players would be able to finish a 100-figure game any faster than experienced Defiance players, assuming there weren't lots of Elites and Vehicles.
Off the top of my head, I can't think why experienced ARES (fastplay) players would be able to finish a 100-figure game any faster than experienced Defiance players, assuming there weren't lots of Elites and Vehicles.
Huh.
Sounds like a convention challenge to me!
Hey Demian. I like unit activation. Howver, I was made to understand that Defiance was designed to handle up to say 50 figures per side and started to lessen its effeciency after that. Is that not correct? The Ares fast play variant (which i helped to create based on my style of play) is that normal humans have a single wound. This means troops die much more quickly and you don't have to track all those wounds. I have had around 100+ figs on the table using Ares for around 2-2.5 hour games.
I haven't tried the ARES fast play variant, so was making the comparison based on the "standard" rules, in which case I'd say Definace is actually a bit faster on a number of figures per tabletop basis. Most of this difference is probably due to the fact that ARES figs have more than one action per turn and multiple wounds. My understanding is that the fast play varaiant does away with multiple wounds, which would make a big difference.
Defiance *can* handle 100 figs per side, but would take 4 hours instead of 2.5 and would assume you don't take too many "fancy" things like vehicles, elite troops and indirect fire weapons. The 50 figures per side number is a good ballpark for relatively inexperienced players to build eclectic forces and try them out in an afternoon. During initial Starslayer playtesting, our group tended to play with 40-50 figs per side due to logistical constraints - e.g. number of figs we had managed to paint :-) - but after a few games of learning curve, everyone was able to finish a full battle within 2 hours or so, 2.5 counting terrain set up and break down.
Forgive my ignorance, but where can I find the fast-play variant? I think ARES is perfect except for having to track multiple wounds per figure.
Forgive my ignorance, but where can I find the fast-play variant? I think ARES is perfect except for having to track multiple wounds per figure.
The "fast play" variant doesn't change any rules.
It's simply having most "grunt" level models represented by one wound.
In my normal ARES games, I assume the average humanoid model as having three wounds.
By setting the number of wounds of the average humanoid at one, and only letting character types have more than one wound (similar to what 40K does), then you can get more troops on the table over the same amount of time that a normal ARES game takes. And you're right, you deal with fewer markers.
Kevin
Count me as one more person very interested in ARES: Scifi. I've got Defiance - and it's excellent - but I've got to say that ARES resonates pretty strongly with me.
One thing that appeals to me is that ARES seems to be more friendly to solo play. I'll probably end up importing/adapting some of the 'Reaction System' ideas from Two Hour Wargames but ARES seems to be a great framework to bolt a few things onto.
Count me as one more person very interested in ARES: Scifi. I've got Defiance - and it's excellent - but I've got to say that ARES resonates pretty strongly with me.
One thing that appeals to me is that ARES seems to be more friendly to solo play. I'll probably end up importing/adapting some of the 'Reaction System' ideas from Two Hour Wargames but ARES seems to be a great framework to bolt a few things onto.
I agree, and I try to give Dan a hard time about this every once in a while. I doubt that you'll see an official ARES sci-fi release.
At one time ARES probably could have conquered the world.
Ah well...
I've dabbled with ARES in several genres: sci-fi, western, and weird west. I believe it'd handle just about setting at the skirmish level.
Kevin
Yes, yes, more Ares. Me likey lots.
I think I've said that before here.
Ares scifi would be great. I too have Defiance, but I find Ares to be more accessible to my way of thinking.
I doubt that you'll see an official ARES sci-fi release.
Well, I guess I'll have to get writing, then...okay, painting first, but still - there's a bunch of good ideas out there, and if that supplement ever shows up (with all those neat add-ons mentioned in the spreadsheet) it'll be even easier.
underling wrote:I doubt that you'll see an official ARES sci-fi release.
Well, I guess I'll have to get writing, then...okay, painting first, but still - there's a bunch of good ideas out there, and if that supplement ever shows up (with all those neat add-ons mentioned in the spreadsheet) it'll be even easier.
If you're not a member yet, I'd suggest you join the ARES-Variants Yahoo discussion group. It hasn't been very active lately, but I believe there are still some files posted over there you might be interested in. I'd also be open to any discussions as far as new rules, special abilities, weapon abilities etc...
Kevin
NVDoyle wrote:underling wrote:I doubt that you'll see an official ARES sci-fi release.
Well, I guess I'll have to get writing, then...okay, painting first, but still - there's a bunch of good ideas out there, and if that supplement ever shows up (with all those neat add-ons mentioned in the spreadsheet) it'll be even easier.
If you're not a member yet, I'd suggest you join the ARES-Variants Yahoo discussion group. It hasn't been very active lately, but I believe there are still some files posted over there you might be interested in. I'd also be open to any discussions as far as new rules, special abilities, weapon abilities etc...
Kevin
I'd be real happy to join in myself. The variants list hasn't been real active since I joined...
Posted some ideas for a RPG, just didn't have much interest, and I run outta steam without lots of stokin....
A sciFi version shouldn't be that hard.
NVDoyle wrote:underling wrote:I doubt that you'll see an official ARES sci-fi release.
Well, I guess I'll have to get writing, then...okay, painting first, but still - there's a bunch of good ideas out there, and if that supplement ever shows up (with all those neat add-ons mentioned in the spreadsheet) it'll be even easier.
If you're not a member yet, I'd suggest you join the ARES-Variants Yahoo discussion group. It hasn't been very active lately, but I believe there are still some files posted over there you might be interested in. I'd also be open to any discussions as far as new rules, special abilities, weapon abilities etc...
Kevin
Already joined, and grabbed 'em all! Ares is one of those games that I kick myself for missing the first time around. Let me get through the rest of the semester (final in about 20 days), and I'll have more time to think.
I'd be real happy to join in myself. The variants list hasn't been real active since I joined...
Posted some ideas for a RPG, just didn't have much interest, and I run outta steam without lots of stokin....
A sciFi version shouldn't be that hard.
I don't mind tossing some ideas out, but I'd really like to see what else Daniel has put together for ARES - from what's on the spreadsheet, there seems to be some factors that'd be really, really useful for Ares Scifi in the 'unfinished supplement'.
thedugan wrote:I'd be real happy to join in myself. The variants list hasn't been real active since I joined...
Posted some ideas for a RPG, just didn't have much interest, and I run outta steam without lots of stokin....
A sciFi version shouldn't be that hard.I don't mind tossing some ideas out, but I'd really like to see what else Daniel has put together for ARES - from what's on the spreadsheet, there seems to be some factors that'd be really, really useful for Ares Scifi in the 'unfinished supplement'.
Actually Dan may or may not know what's going on with respect to any of the new stuff. Most of the "blame" for that can probably be sent my way.
:wink:
And I might even have some additional stuff that didn't get posted to the variants group.
Kevin
Actually Dan may or may not know what's going on with respect to any of the new stuff. Most of the "blame" for that can probably be sent my way.
:wink:
And I might even have some additional stuff that didn't get posted to the variants group.
Kevin
I know that ARES might not be burning up the MJ12 eStore, but whatever we can do to encourage the release of that supplement...
Noah
mj12games.com/forum → ARES → Ares Sci-fi any chance this will happen?
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