Unit creation
Step 1: Determine it's type
The types are: leader, infantry unit, and vehicles.
Infantry units and Leaders are basically the same when it comes to creation, however vehicles are different and they are covered in the section Vehicle creation. This cost is fixed and can't be avoided by negative characteristics.
| Troop type | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Leader | 5 | A single soldier that can be inside other units |
| Infantry unit | 10 | Multiple soldiers with multiple weapons |
| Vehicles | 10 | A mechanical entity |
Step 2: Determine the basic attributes
Much like the characteristics of the army, each unit has a few attributes that they must choose. It will also make the rest of prices vary, especially troop quality.
Troop Quality
| Troop Quality | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Untrained (D6) | 3 | Militias, barely trained groups |
| Normal (D8) | 5 | Standard army troops, well trained, with low to medium experience |
| High (D10) | 7 | Veteran forces, smart bots, elite troops |
| Elite (D12) | 10 | Enhanced elite humans with natural aptitude and extensive experience. Should be very very rare. Requires Killer Instinct. |
NOTE: It seems the table is the same as the Iniative table, but it isn't! But they are related. For example smart bots with full grid may have unbeatable initiative as they fully control the battlefield, but as good as they are, they most likely are not Elite (D12) troops. Elite forces (D10) that use old tech or have poor intel maybe D8 Initiative. However, you should avoid differences on more than one level between them
Troop quantity
Skip this in the case of leaders, which are always one. In the rest of units, they always have a cost equal to the troop quality multiplied by how many soldiers are in the unit. Additionally, if the unit it's compromised of only two soldiers, it costs 10 additional points and it gains the "Team" rule. You can have up to 6 troops in a unit. You can increase this cap to 8 for 5 points, and from 6 to 10 for 10 points. These are called "Large unit doctrine" and "Very large unit doctrine".
Morale
This rating represents how motivated the troops are to fight for whatever cause they have to fight, and not go away when things turns south. No unit may have a Morale higher than the Leader of the army.
| Morale | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Low (D6) | 6 | Will run away. |
| Normal (D8) | 10 | Standard morale for most troops. |
| High (D10) | 14 | Can be trusted with high risk missions. High trained armies usaully have this. |
| Very High (D12) | 20 | Suicide missions are no problem for these. |
NOTE: Morale and Troop Quality are different. Elite troops deployed against their will, or fighting in a campaign that is not going well, may have low morale. And a bunch of fanatical idiots far too motivated by someone charismatic may (and will) face death without signs of retreat.
Supply level
This is determined by the army supply level, and applies a cost modifier to the squad, depending on his Troop Quality:
| Supply level | Untrained | Normal | High | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poor | -3 | -5 | -7 | -10 |
| Normal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Abundant | 6 | 10 | 14 | 20 |
Step 3: Choose Weapons
First, we have to equip a base weapon to all members of the squad. The TL is always the Army TL. This has a fixed cost to the squad:
| Weapon | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rifle | 10 | |
| Shotgun, SMG | 5 | +1 Firepower at Optimum Range and Close Assault. Use D6 outside Optimum Range. |
| Pistol | 0 | Can only shoot at Optimum Range. Reduces Troop Quality by one. +1 Firepower in Close Assault. |
| Melee Weapon | 0 | +1 Firepower in Close Assault. |
Step 4: Choose armor
It's a fixed cost per unit:
| Armor | Untrained | Normal | High | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light +1 (Army TL) | 15 | 17 | 19 | 22 |
| Medium +2 (Army TL) | 30 | 34 | 38 | 44 |
| Heavy +3 (Army TL) | 45 | 51 | 57 | 66 |
| Early Power armor (TL1). Counts as armor 2, can't perform Rapid moves | 40 | 45 | 51 | 57 |
| Standard Power armor (TL2). Counts as armor 3, duplicates optimum range | 50 | 57 | 63 | 75 |
| Recon Power armor (TL2). Counts as armor 2, movement becomes 8"/16" | 45 | 51 | 57 | 66 |
| Advanced Power armor (TL3). Count as armor 3, movement becomes 8"/16", duplicates optimum range. Must be on Grid TL2 or higher. | 55 | 63 | 69 | 84 |
Step 5: Choose Support Weapons
You can buy one support weapon per 2 soldiers in a unit. All members in a unit with power armor can also take a Light weapon. To simplify things, ignore the modifiers, TLs, organic advanced effects, split advanced effects, etc and just use the description. Light/Medium/Heavy define how many Firepower they add depending on moving, plus the extra effects described. Weapons are not antitank unless defined as ATGMs or with AT attributes, in which case they are described exactly what kind of ATGM or AT they are. TLs are indicated only for the requirement to buy one, the effects don't change.
TL1
| Support Weapon | Untrained | Normal | High | Elite | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LMG | 3 | 5 | 7 | 10 | Light, no effects |
| MMG | 6 | 10 | 14 | 20 | Medium, no effects |
| Grenade launcher | 8 | 12 | 16 | 22 | Medium, can throw smoke |
| RPG | 9 | 15 | 21 | 30 | Medium, Basic ATGM (3D, can be dodged) |
| HMG | 9 | 15 | 21 | 30 | Heavy, no effects |
| Sniper rifle | 8 | 12 | 16 | 22 | +1 Firepower to squad, gain the sniper rule (all in Optimum range, can designate 1 casualty, Intimidating). |
| AntiTank rifle | 8 | 12 | 16 | 22 | Medium, AT1 |
| AntiMateriel Rifle | 11 | 17 | 23 | 32 | Heavy, AT2 |
| Light Mortar | 50 | 56 | 68 | 80 | Acts as a light Mortar. Only for teams (AP3, 3" radius) |
| Flamethrower | 18 | 22 | 26 | 32 | The units gains the flamethrower rule. Only for teams |
TL2
| Support Weapon | Untrained | Normal | High | Elite | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced LMG | 6 | 10 | 14 | 20 | Light, +1 Firepower to squad |
| Rare material MMG | 9 | 16 | 20 | 26 | Medium, +1 Firepower to squad, +1 die roll to Vehicle damage when shooting alone, AT2 |
| Advanced ATGM | 18 | 22 | 26 | 32 | Medium, ATGM (4D, cant be dodged, performs deck attack), +1 die roll to Vehicle damage when shooting alone |
| Guided ATGM | 22 | 28 | 34 | 43 | Heavy, ATGM (4D, fire and forget, cant be dodged, Ignores 2D ERA) |
| Support HMG | 12 | 18 | 24 | 33 | Heavy, 1.5x optimum range for all Squad, Ignore 1 die of target armor/cover for all squad. Counts as Laser. |
| Heavy Sniper Rifle | 11 | 17 | 23 | 32 | +1 Firepower to squad, -1 cover of target armor/cover for all squad, gain the sniper rule (all in Optimum range, can designate 1 casualty, Intimidating). AT2. Counts as Energy. |
TL3
| Support Weapon | Untrained | Normal | High | Elite | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portable Laser Machine Gun | 8 | 14 | 16 | 22 | Light, 1.5x optimum range for all squad. Counts as Laser. |
| Supression cannon | 11 | 17 | 23 | 32 | Medium, Ignores one die of target armor/cover for squad), AT2, +1 die roll to Vehicle damage to squad and him. |
| Sat-Guided ATGM | 33 | 39 | 45 | 54 | Heavy, ATGM (4D, fire and forget, performs deck attack), +1 die roll to Vehicle damage when shooting alone, 1.5x optimum range for squad. |
Step 6: Choose special rules
NOTE: Unless said otherwise, bonuses do not stack.
| Characteristics | Cost | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Active Trauma Treatment | 15 | They can make First Aid Checks without healthy units around. They are always counted as if being treated by a medic. |
| Adapted to Hostile Environment | 5 | They are not subject to gravity effects or Hardzaous Atmosphere Casualty Checks. Assumed to be specific for each mission |
| Advanced First Aid Training | 5/figure | All members in this unit count as medics. |
| Advanced sensors | 5 | Gain a postive die shift when attempting to spot or detect enemy units. Optimum range is doubled for detecting stealthy or hidden units (does not stack). Can see in adverse weather/atmospheric conditions. |
| Animal Team | 5 | Within 8", automatically detect hidden units, prevent out of contact movement, detec IEDs, booby traps or mines. The unit has +1 Firepower in close assault. One of the unit figures must be the handler. |
| Animosity | -10 | Whenever an allied unit gains a victory point, or when failing a morale check with more than "1", it must make a TQ check to avoid shooting with AP2 that allied unit or the closest one. The other unit also reacts with AP2. Overwatch and other reactions aren't allowed. |
| Augmented Senses | 3 | +1 to Spotting. Twice the optimum range for detecting stealthy or hidden units. |
| Berserker (Involuntary) | -20 | When it fails a morale check with at least one "1", it goes berserker. It must charge with a rapid move the nearest enemy unit, even if it has already moved. They can opt to attack the nearest infantry unit instead of a vehicle. They do not need to make a TQ to chatge. If they can't get into Closse Assault range, they will try again in the next turn. In Close Assault, they receive a positive die shift in TQ and is inmune to morale checks. Close Assaults will continue until all figures are down. Once they defeat an enemy in Close Assault, they go back to normal. All casualties in Close Assault are considered KIAs. If they go berserk again in the same turn, they will suffer a negative die shift to its TQ. If it drops below D6, it doesn't drop but the next turn they will be Pinned. |
| Berserker (Voluntary) | 5 | They can go berserker with an action. Except the first time, the unit must pass a TQ or remain in place without ability to react (except for being shot or Close Assault). Once they go berserk, they are equal to Berserker (Involuntary). |
| Big Monster | +30/figure | Units in close combat against this suffer a -1 Die Shift to their morale. Units firing this have +1 Firepower. Can't join units of other sizes. +4 Firepower or AT 3 in close assault. Basic defense of 4D. |
| Bloody Minded | 10 | They can be Pinned but they never Fall Back or suffer Fall Back penalties |
| Borged Up | 15 | Positive Die Shift for Reaction tests when Reacting |
| Burst movement | 15 | They can move up to 12" in an Activation or Reaction move. They can only move to a spot in LOS in the beginning. Enemy units trying to react to his movement have a negative die shift to Reaction test. They also lose two dice of Firepower. This also applies to defense fire against a Close Assault. Units making the burst movement cannot react by fire and cannot return fire if fired upon. |
| Cannibal | -10 | Before doing a First Aid Check, they must make a TQ check. If failed, they eat the dead and they are considered KIA. |
| Cavemen CASEVAC | 5 | When making a First Aid Check, with a 6, the figure is OK and gets up normally. Any other result is KIA. These checks are done automatically and don't require anyone present for giving First Aid. |
| Damage Projectors | 5 | A spit of acid, gaseous cloud, energy blast... that behaves like a ranged attack with the creature's Optimum Range. -1 to the enemy armor. Can't be used if the unit already has a ranged weapon. |
| Designated Marskman | 10 | They designate one of the casualties. |
| Despised | 0 | -1 die roll to interact with Neutrals. |
| Dominator | 30 | Action. The enemy unit must be within 8". Resolve 6D8 vs Morale of the unit. If the dominator rolls more successes, the unit is dominated. Otherwise, the dominator must make a Morale check to not become Pinned. The dominated units can be activated (even if they have already), moving and/or shooting. Dominated units cant take no further actions or reactions (other than return fire). It ends at the end of the turn. The dominator can only make one domination attempt per turn. |
| Dreadful | 15 | Any enemy unit within 6" suffered a negative die shift to the morale and must make a morale check to avoid becoming pinned. They lose one firepower to both ranged and close assault. The effects are negated instantly once the unit is more than 6". |
| Drugs: Awareness | 10 | +1 to Reaction rolls |
| Drugs: Performance Enhacement | 5 | +1 Firepower in close assault |
| Drugs: Frenzy | 25 | +1 Reaction die rolls, +1 TQ die shift when reacting, +1 Firepower in close assault. If pinned, they behave like berserkers. |
| Elusive | 20 | Any enemy shooting at a elusive unit must pass an opposed TQ check. Does not affect reactions. |
| Fast | 10 | The unit now moves 8"/16" instead of 6"/12". |
| Fearless | 10 | Inmune to intimidation, dread or any other fear related Characteristics from enemy units or weapons. |
| Fly | 20 | The unit can fly, like vehicles. |
| Forward Observer | 10 | They receive the Actual Forward Observer bonus when requesting fires. |
| Group Entity | 30 | TQ and morale depends on the number of aliens. With 1, the unit is brain dead and counts as wiped out. 2 = D6, 4 = D8, 6+ = D10. |
| Hard to Kill D10 | 25/per figure | When taking casualties, roll a D10. With a 4+, they are unhurt. Weapons with unmodified firepower of 3D make a dieshift in the hard to kill test. If dropped below D6, they can't make the roll. |
| Hard to Kill D8 | 15/per figure | Same as D10 but with D8. |
| Hard to Kill D6 | 10/per figure | Same as D10 but with D6. |
| Heightened Reflexes | 10 | +1 when making reaction tests (stacks with overwatch), when reacting. |
| Hive mind | 10 | They count as Grid Enabled even if the army isn't, but they do not negate out of contact movement. If the leader is killed or seriously wounded, the troops are treated as if they were TL3 troops who have lost the Grid. |
| Hot Drop | 25 | When deploying as reinforcement, choose any point on the board. The unit deploys there and follows the rules for hot drops. |
| Human spirit | 10 | +1 die roll to morale check. Positive die shift when making checks to resist domination. Extra die against domination. |
| Hungry | -10 | When defeating a unit in Close Assault or coming into cohesion with (enemy, if not cannibals) wounded , they must make a TQ to avoid eating them. If they eat the tasty flesh, they must make no further actions other than return fire or Close Assault. They suffer a negative die shift in those cases. |
| Indigenous Scout | 10 | One of the members of the unit is a indigenous scout. They can spot beyond optimum range, but they have a negative die shift if the unit is hidden in dense cover. Ambush attempts against this unit suffer a -1 die shift to the TQ check to spring the ambush. If the unit takes fire, the scout must take a morale check, if it fails, it flees. |
| Infiltration | 10/figure | After deployment, and following the deployment order, they may move up to 24", as long as they end 6" away from any enemy unit. |
| Inspiring | 10 | Units within LOS of this unit receive a one level confidence boost. If the unit is destroyed, they must make a Morale check to not become pinned. |
| Interpreter | 0 | +1 to TQ Check to disperse civilian mobs. |
| Intimidating | 5 | When shooting, the unit causes the same effect as Intimidating weapons. |
| Jump Troops | 15 | May use jump movement rules. |
| Killer Instict | 10 | Allows you to take D12 TQ. |
| Large unit doctrine | 5 | The unit may have up to 8 soldiers. |
| Medic | 5 | The unit has a medic. |
| Mounted Cavalry | 6/figure | This unit is considered Cavalry. |
| Mounted | 3/figure | This unit is considered mounted. |
| Natural Armor | 15 | TL1, 1D armor. Can't be taken if the unit uses normal armor. Since they are considered race-specific, all units in the force must use Natural Armor. |
| Old School | 10 | When losing the grid, they do not become pinned nor lose any confidence. |
| Pain resistant | 15 | Treat Light wounds as OK. |
| Pointman | 5 | Reroll failed checks to spot enemy traps, mines... Increase hte optimum range for spotting by 2". Ambushing a unit with pointman causes a -1 die shift to spring the ambush. |
| Poor Initiative | -20 | If there's no leader within 8", they must make a successful TQ check to use Move actions. |
| Pyrrhic Attacks | 10 | When the unit has received casualties in close assault, they receive a D6 attack equal to half of the casualties (rounded up). The enemy units throws defense as normal. Any result is resolved inmediatelly. |
| Remote Controlled | -10 | -1 Die roll to reaction tests. Inmune to Morale and Casualty penalties. They contribute half the initiative die (0.25 instead of 0.5). |
| Shared senses | 5 | The unit is considered on Grid if within optimum range of a unit that also has shared senses. |
| Slow | -15 | -2" to movement |
| Skeletal Augmentation | 5/figure | +1 Armor die, stacks with armor. |
| Stealthy | 10 | They are considered to be equiped with supressed weapons. They deploy as hidden. |
| Small Target | 20 | +1 To cover, and they can't never be exposed. |
| Subject to Shrinkage | -20 | The unit may shrink when taking Morale checks. |
| Teleportation | 20 | The unit may use a Teleport action to move anywhere within LOS, or any other point seen by grid units. Requires a TQ test. If failed, each figure must make a TQ check to not become KIA. This can't be used as reaction. After doing this, they sufferent the disorientation effects. |
| Tyrant | -10 | One of the member of the unit is considered a Tyrant. If it dies, and no Leader is in the troops Optimum Range, the unit sufferes a Negative Die Shift to the TQ and Morale, and must pass a TQ test before they can be activated or react. Can't be taken by leaders. |
| Very Large | -10/figure | Units in close combat against this suffer a -1 Die Shift to their morale. Units firing this have +1 Firepower. Can't join units of other sizes. +1 Firepower or AT 3 in close assault. Basic defense of 2D. Can't be taken by Big Monster units. |
| Very large unit doctrine | 10 | The unit may have up to 10 troops. |
| Vulnerability | -5 | Attacks of type Energy or Laser (choose one) receive one extra Firepower against this unit. |
Step 7: Choose Leader quality
This only applies to units of type Leader. You can't make a leader negative, only positive. It's based on the Morale characteristic. If you are not using the combat stress rules, only use +1 Leaders. Can be skipped if you don't want positive leaders.
| Leader | Low | Normal | High | Very High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| +1 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 37 |
| +2 | 45 | 49 | 53 | 59 |
| +3 | 60 | 66 | 72 | 81 |