Game: Shadowrun Duels

Image

Zxqueb — 2007-12-25T23:38:51+00:00

Wolf Nev. Graaawwllll!!!

Image

Zxqueb — 2007-12-25T23:36:54+00:00

Natokah, the shaman

Image

Zxqueb — 2007-12-25T23:34:33+00:00

The Shadowrun Orks: G-Dogg (Bouncer) and Kross (Bodyguard)

Image

Zxqueb — 2007-12-25T23:32:54+00:00

Kellan Colt - The only LE and the only 2 point magic user... Twice as good!

Image

Zxqueb — 2007-12-25T23:30:34+00:00

The Dwarves: Draven Von Drekill (Warrior) and Silver Max (Decker)

Image

Zxqueb — 2007-12-25T23:28:23+00:00

Cybernetics Laboratory - SR Duels prize support

Image

Zxqueb — 2007-12-25T23:27:36+00:00

Matrix Certification - SR Duels prize support

Image

Zxqueb — 2007-12-25T23:25:24+00:00

Magic Certification - SR Duels prize support

Image

Zxqueb — 2007-12-25T23:24:47+00:00

Biotech division- SR Duels prize support

Image

Zxqueb — 2007-12-25T23:24:15+00:00

Weapons Tester- SR Duels prize support

Thread: User Review

Geosphere — 2004-10-01T14:35:30+00:00

After tiring of Miniature games, Wizkids decided to whip out the Action Figure Game.

Two series were released. Each had 6 figures. Each figure had a daunting $15.00 price tag on it.

Finding them (as I did) for $5.00 a figure makes the game a nice purchase.

Figures are about 6" tall and absolutely gorgeous representations of Orcs with shotguns, dwarves with computer remote drones, troll shamans, cyborg preachers.

Yeah, OK, there's a bit of genre bending.

Each figure has a base with dials to represent Body (Hit points/damage), Head (reaction and speed) and Weapon (Attack strength).

Also on the base is a number for the value of the figure (2, 3 or 4) to balance sides, and a number of dice of various colors/shapes.

Then you deck your figure. Each comes with a bunch of gear to play dress up with. Magic amulets, walkie talkies, summoned creatures, machine guns. The usual.

Somewhere on each piece of gear is an absolutely freakin tiny representation of some dice and a gear cost. Equip your guys with gear (NOT the same points as figure points), and you basically are buying the dice you get to play with.

SO, you have some dice on the base of your characters figure, and some on each equipment piece. Now you go through yours figures storage cup/base, and find all the appropriate cute little dice. Bigger dice=bigger chance of hitting. Different colors=different attack types. White is movement, yellow is defense or movement, red and black are magic and tech, which can enhance any other roll, and other colors represent different ranges on your Range RUler - unique to each character.

Move shoot, assign damage. Sometimes, light damage only rotates a dial, not lowering a skill number. Sometimes, you get noticeably weaker. 3 bulletholes come up among your dials - you die.

Theres rules for special case criticals as well, and healing via magic or tech, but the heart of the game is a really nice dice pool mechanic.

All those dice you bought at the start of the game are available to roll, and each does different things, like make yu move faster or hit harder or get the all-important initiative.

But you only get to use 6 dice per turn.

Lets mull that over.

I have 10 to choose from, but need to decide my 6. Well, I want to rush in and attack. So I'll take some close combat dice. And some move dice. But, hmm, if I want to rush in, I better use some of those dice to gain initiative. But if my opponent is faster and gets intiative, and backs off, should I also take a ranged die? Or should I use a really big die for initiative, but then I can't use it later in the turn?

See, those six dice are your initiative, move, defense, and the two attacks you're allowed to make per turn.

Starts to sound a lot like gambling...

Choosing the dice is excruciatingly difficult at some times. Do I attack weakly twice, or strongly once?

Overall, a very very nice luck driven (not as much as this description might lead you to believe) excuse to play with awesome action figures. It plays fast and easy.

Thread: User Review

StormKnight — 2003-06-20T13:37:52+00:00

Shadowrun Duels is based on the Shadowrun Role-playing game world; a futuristic world in which magical forces have awakened, merging high technology with magic and fantastic creatures.

SRD is a straightforward combat game, in which players battle against one another using Shadowrun characters. It is based on classical miniatures games, but instead of the traditional 1 - 1 1/2 inch tall figures uses 6" tall action figure style pieces instead. Each figure is sold individually, and comes with the rules, and all of the dice and components needed to use that figure. It is possible to play with just one figure on each side, but more will make for a more interesting game. Typical retail price for the figures is about $15 each. There are currently 6 different figures available normally, two of the series 2 figures that are available as promos, and one special promo available through a Toyfare offer.

Each figure has 3 dials on it, which show the models current ratings. The ratings are Head, which defines how quickly the model can move and react, Body which is how tough the figure is, and Weapon which is how well it can attack. As the model takes damage, the dials are clicked and their stats are reduced. Eventually, a dial will show bullet holes in it - when 3 bullet holes appear in any combination of dials, the figure is eliminated.

The base of the model also shows other game information, including the point cost of the figure. Points costs currently range from 2 to 4 points, which is used to balance teams against each other. The base also shows several dice, which are the most critical part of the game. A typical model will have three or four dice showing on it, which can be 4 sided, 6 sided, 8, 10 or 12 sided, and can be several colors.

The dice form the core component of the game. Each figure has a pool of dice, from its base and from its equipment. At the start of each turn, a player selects 6 dice for each figure and places them on the figures base. These dice allow the figure to add to its statistics and take various actions through the turn. Each color can be used for something different: White for Initiative, moving and dodging, Yellow for dodging and close combat attacks, Blue for short ranged attacks and green for long ranged attacks. Black and Red dice represent Tech and Magic respectively, and can be used as 'wilds' adding to any roll. Some figures can also make tech or magic attacks.

The decision of what dice to place is the most critical strategy element of the game; you need to balance dice for movement, attacking and defense. Loading up on say, Blue dice won't help you if the opposing figures can stay out of short range! Dice are used as they are rolled, and placed back in your pool to be reassigned next turn.

Each turn, a figure can move, moving a number of inches equal to its Head score plus the roll of dice spent to move it, and can make up to 2 attacks to attempt to eliminate other models.

Earlier, I mentioned that equipment also adds dice. This seems to be one of the reasons they went with the 6" figures; each figure comes with 5 pieces of eqipment, each of which has a point cost and dice or shields printed on it. The equipment is designed to be placed on the figures, either on pegs or via cords or clips. Most of it is also interchangeable between other figures, so you can freely swap it around within a limit of 12 points of equipment per figure.

The gameplay is fairly fast, with a lot of luck but a nice bit of tactical decision making in choosing what dice to use, and where to spend them during a turn. The game is bit simple; it could stand with more special abilities in my opinion.
It should be noted that there is an additional set of rules available for download from the WizKids game site. These advanced rules include terrain types, which spice up a battlefield, healing, and some other things that improve the game. I recommend switching to the advanced rules after one or two plays to get familiar with the mechanics.

Overall, the game is a bit too simple to be really satistying as a tactical simulation. However, it is fun, and the campaign rules with the inclusion of skill checks offer some good possibilities for scenario based games rather than straight out fights. The figures are high quality and very nice looking; easily equal or better than other collectible figures. The $15 price tag is a bit high for a playing piece, but I understand it is not unreasonable for an action figure of that size. I think this game would go over really well with younger players who would enjoy the action figure aspect while getting an intro to wargaming, and with older players willing to be seen playing with toys who want a quick, very visually nice wargame.