tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6350611440505059146.post4166567187385565498..comments2024-02-12T05:24:22.186-08:00Comments on Always Board Never Boring: Review - Gangs of CommorraghCarbon Copyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13155710832017131015noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6350611440505059146.post-63510505734466773222017-04-17T09:55:34.165-07:002017-04-17T09:55:34.165-07:00Thanks for reading.
On BoardGameGeek someone sugg...Thanks for reading.<br /><br />On BoardGameGeek someone suggested the big difference between X-Wing and Gangs was how difficult it is to kill units in X-Wing. My personal opinion on the subject (clipped here for space) was...<br /><br />"I think if you zoom out and squint, the games look quite similar, but I don't think they really are (from my limited knowledge of X-Wing).<br /><br />I feel like Gangs is probably a lot more forgiving, and a bit more fluid and dynamic as a result (but also probably a bit less strategic and slightly more random). You don't have pre-planned movements for a start, so when you activate a unit you get a chance to adapt to what is happening. Furthermore, you don't move units in a set order unless they are in a hunter/quarry chain (initiative is rolled for in each phase, so you always have the chance of getting the upper hand), and while vehicles have restricted firing arcs, every unit has a secondary weapon for attacking in any direction so you can at least do something if you mess up your movement.<br /><br />Movement is also a bit more loosey-goosey. You only have one template (for determining your turning arc), and you choose to turn before or after moving. Once you are moving, you have to move a minimum distance, but after that you can stop whenever you want. Every unit also gets a lot of manoeuvering options, allowing them to travel farther, stop suddenly, or make extra turns.<br /><br />I'm not sure if X-Wing gives you a lot of options for messing with your opponent in the movement phase, but that's a big part of gangs. Some units can fly over opponents and try to cut their head off as a secondary attack option, other units can grab an enemy and drag them out of position as they fly by. You can drop caltrops, do a u-turn, swing around a tower on a grapple. Movement feels like the strongest and most relevant part of the system. Attacking is just something you do as a kind of test of how well your movement phase went!<br /><br />Combat is also quite different. No custom dice, and no opposed dice rolling. You roll to hit, then you roll to kill. A target has a chance to jink (dodge), but otherwise just has to face the consequences of being out of position. If a unit survives an attack, it gets a damage token, and you can just keep stacking damage.<br /><br />The hunter and quarry mechanism is something unique to Gangs. Like I said in my review, I'm not 100 percent sold on it as an idea, but I've never played anything like it.<br /><br />X-Wing is obviously much more customisable, if you get into the system. You get a lot more options for crew and upgrades, and there are tons more units. Gangs really is very focused in its design, with just two unit types and a limited selection of weapons and crew upgrades.<br /><br />Overall, I think the games do a similar thing, but the methods feel very different. I'm not convinced you would need both, though (although I would have to play X-Wing to know for sure, so don't take my word for it). For me, Gangs is the better option. It has a theme I like more, it has a good campaign in the box, I don't need to invest more money in it, and it doesn't have pre-planned movements and dials which are mechanisms that I really don't enjoy. But for people who want something they can really sink their teeth into and play for a long time, I would guess X-Wing is the better option.<br /><br />From what I know of X-Wing, I actually think Dreadfleet looks like a closer system. That game has more templates for movement, damage is determined via drawing damage cards that cause permanent and varied effects to the ships, and each ship has special skills derived from the captain and crew."Carbon Copyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13155710832017131015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6350611440505059146.post-68358402587309732812017-04-17T05:31:02.399-07:002017-04-17T05:31:02.399-07:00I have a Dark Eldar army for 40k and already have ...I have a Dark Eldar army for 40k and already have a lot of reavers and hellions. I therefore managed to pick up a copy on eBay sans models for £3. For that money it is a great little game, but i also agree that at even at full price you get a great deal on the models. The rules have more in common with xwing than any other GW game. I'm going to struggle to get it to the gaming table due to competing games but the few times I've played I've enjoyed it, although i really noticed the imbalance between helions and reavers. Adding harlequins from white dwarf was a little odd, I'm hoping for scourges to be added to increase the unit diversity.Replicant253https://www.blogger.com/profile/03649345313015565195noreply@blogger.com