2.0 Beta Cards Revealed!
If you were a MERCS fan at GenCon this year, then chances are you got a real treat when you stopped by the MegaCon booth.
Not only did MCG have EIC and GCC 6 man teams available for purchase, they also had cards available for the 2.0 beta. Don't try calling them 2.0 cards around the MCG crew though, they'll quickly inform you that they are "Version 1.9" cards and are still in the works. Really if you ask me, they're 2.0 beta cards, but don't tell them I said that, they know how to find me. The new cards were the same style as those revealed in the recent kickstarter update and they had packs for every faction on sale for just $5. These are a very limited run and the intention is to give them to folks to work out the kinks and check for errors (we've already found a few and brought them to the team's attention).
We at Michigan MERCS will be sending these cards to you to give you an opportunity to test them out and give us your thoughts here and on the MCG forums. Over the next two weeks, we will post every set of cards, starting with this update with a CCC and KemVar reveal. You can find download links to PDFs a the bottom of this page. So what's new? How differently does the game play? Changes are minimal and truly for the better. I got to sit down with Ryan "Briggand" while Brian Shotton walked us through a demo. We found his involvement in the demo limited as he didn't need to tell us much. The cards were really ipressive and now MCG is utilizing both sides to ensure that rules are properly explained and there is no room for confusion. So long as you know the few changes to the system, you can play the MERCS 2.0 beta (or, you know, 1.9) right now. So what are the changes? Initiative modifiers really matter. It's a great way to mitigate the ridiculously luck based activation system. After you roll an initiative die, you may choose to adjust the result based upon your initiative modifier immediately. You may not roll all the dice and see how they turn out before making your modifications to any roll. Roll the initiative dice, adjust it up or down, up to the initiative modifier value, or leave it as is, then move to the next model. Suppression and Overwatch got a significant nerf. This was a weird way to adjust the ACMs if you ask me, and I haven't really been able to see them in action yet, but here's how they work: --Overwatch only effects every other enemy model that would trigger overwatch during a single overwatch action. --Suppression does not effect every third enemy model that would normally tirgger suppression during a single suppression action. This really suspends the overwhlming lockdown that overwatch and suppression could cause in 1.0, which sounds great. It will need some testing on my part before I can fully agree with the change. There's a new range in the game; medium range. Medium range is within two card lengths and gives a -1FN modifier. This game has become far more deadly with far lower firing numbers.
Any model with the melee keyword may move and melee. LOTS of models can do this now, which is a big game changer.
Lots and lots of Personal Ability adjustments have been made. Many PAs have received a full overhaul or been replaced entirely. Im shocked by the amount of MERCS with the "civilian" PA, like the KW Forward Observer who runs across the battlefield with a machine pistol and nuke launch codes. I dont think anyone is concerned that HE might be a civilan, he's CLEARLY a major threat. PAs like the KW sniper's "Headshot" have been renamed and nerfed, now only doing 2 blood instead of 3. With PAs on the back of the card, MCG has left themselves a lot of room for a full explanations, something they had a lot of trouble with in the 1.0 cards where they really tried to make everything fit on one side.
Many weapons and equipment pieces have been changed. Incindiary grenades now have a smaller template and frag grenades got an upgrade to a big template. Medpacs heal 2 Blood instead of one and tons of mercs can now choose an aim action based on their kits and loadouts. The Housemember now only carries 2 flashbangs but they stun for 2 rounds instead of 1. Little changes like these need to be studied and remembered to get the most out of the new system.
Template weapons now do double damage to armor 0 models. I know, right? I didn't expect that. As someone who has easily played hundreds of games of MERCS, I've got to say I'm very pleased with MCG's work. The game is far less clunky, runs smoothly and efficiently, and brings a lot of fun to the table. We'll be dropping the remaining PDFs with the 1.9 cards in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out. When you get them, grab a game, give it a test run and use these changes to the rules. If you feel like they need more details on how they function, let us know and we'll expand them further for better clarity. CCC 1.9 Cards KemVar 1.9 Cards Notice a problme with the cards? lack of clarity? a misprint? Head over to the MCG forums and drop MERCKenny a line.
