Cav newbie questions...

[sdnelson]

OK, I've got the CAV rulebook (and glanced over it but haven't read it in depth, hope to do that this weekend) and the Spectre mini that I picked up.  In line with the armies that Black Lighting 2 recommended I've ordered a Sovereign, an APC blister, and a Heavy Infantry blister.  Then in a couple of weeks I'll pick up another Heavy infantry blister, a Starhawk, and a Dictator.

 

In the meantime I have a couple of stupid questions to ask:

 

1) Do most people use Hex-grid battlemats, Hex-grid printed maps (will Battletech map hexes be big enough?), Geo-Hex type terrain with hexes, or regular scenery with hills and trees and no hexes printed on them?  If you use battlemats what size hexes will I want to get?

 

2) I noticed in the rulebook that they are called infantry and heavy infantry.  The miniatures are called Infantry Grenadiers, Assault Grenadiers with Heavy Weapons, and Assault Grenadiers.  Why are they different and what are Assault Grenadiers?

 

3) Are the Terrans the only real humans and the other factions just human in appearance?  Or are the Ritterlich and Templars humans from different galaxies?  Are the AEC all pointy eared or just some of them?  Just a bit uncertain on that after reading the first few pages of the rulebook.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Leech]

Sdnelson, those are some good questions. They've been asked before but afterall - great minds think alike :o)

 

Firstly, I personally use open terrain because I also play 40k, fantasy and some other games so having two seperate sets of terrain is an expense I cannot justify (and space I haven't got :o)). However, some play on hexed terrain like Geohex. But most I know use open terrain.

 

The answer to your second question is simple... the names were changed before the first concepts and the final priniting of the rulebook but no-one told the blister labeling people. Infantry Grenadiers are regular infantry (commonly known as 'squishies') and Assault Grenadiers are heavy infantry (normally called 'crunchies'). Both have their weaknesses and strengths and it is wise to use both as one kind can often do what you need that the other kind can't.

 

Heavy weapons are grenade launchers and missile launchers. Normal armaments for squishies are the GP-11 rifle and the crunchies are armed with the FA-45 machine gun. Matt mentioned at Origins that the squishies would be modelled with the FA-45 at some point. The mortar packs are fairly self explainatory.

 

All of the alien races in the CAV galaxy are 'humanoid'. This is expressed well by one of the Reaper guys in an interview when they said "all the races are 'Star Trek aliens' - ones you can make with an actor and rubber masks and stuff".

 

This means that while all of the races have two arms and two legs and a head and a thorax and an abdomen, they aren't all humans (as in Homo Sapiens).

 

The best way I think of the races are like this: Humans are well, humans. Ritterlich and Adonese are elves. The Malvies are trolls and the Rach are orkish. I know these aren't strictly true but they are a handy way of remembering which is which.

 

Remember, Ritterlich and AEC/NADO are from the same planet which is why both have pointy ears.

[nadinbrzezinski]

And nice ears at that....

 

Also as the fluff develops you will see more specifics... now back to the map... I use open terrain, and Tech Maps can be used with some adaptations since they are not strickly 3D, so use some judgement there, but if you have those, they make for a convenient start. FYI some people who have played CAV online have also used tech maps.

 

Heck for that use we could even use HG maps, hexes are smaller hence more area per map, and paper chits.

 

Otherwise I use open terrain because it is convenient for multiple systems.

 

Nadin

[Froggy the Great]

I've always thought of the Rach as much more Klingons from the first couple Star Trek movies.

 

And I always use open terrain.  Playing CAV on hexes always leaves me feeling like I'm playing a board game, and I get claustrophobic.  It's weird, and hard to explain, but there you go.

[sdnelson]

OK, I was hoping there would be people who used open terrain.  As a miniatures gamer that cuts down on the extra paraphenalia.

 

Which brings us to another thing that I was wondering... how do you do 30 and 60 degree turns on open terrain.  Is there a nice simple trick for determining hex facing while moving your minis?

[Froggy the Great]

That's why you mount your minis on the hex-bases that come with them.  You've got a perfect guide right there.

[Black Lightning 2]

Which brings us to another thing that I was wondering... how do you do 30 and 60 degree turns on open terrain.  Is there a nice simple trick for determining hex facing while moving your minis?

Eyeball it.

 

It you can pretty much tell a 60 degree turn from a 90 degreee or a 180 degree turn.

 

Remember, 60 degree turns are free (as long as they aren't consecutive).  So, as I move, I can veer right 60 degree, move forward a bit and veer left 60 degrees, and the turns won't cost me anything.

 

Also, you have a 360 degree firing arc.  There are no rear arc disadvantages in this game.

 

So, you need only turn to determine direction.

[Black Lightning 2]

Infantry Grenadiers are regular infantry (commonly known as 'squishies') and Assault Grenadiers are heavy infantry (normally called 'crunchies').

I don't call them that.  In fact, nobody on West Coast calls them that.

 

You assume too much.

 

We call them Heavy Infantry and Light Infantry.

You can tell by looking at the blister itself.  You got small thin guys and thicker stockier guys.

 

The thin guys are your regular infantry and the stockier guys are your heavy infantry.

 

But, at this point, for the beginning player...  You can proxy it out and play.  It really doesn't matter.

[nadinbrzezinski]

And if you do not want to mount them on a hex yuo do not have to. Just keep one for reference when turning and for fire deviation.

 

Also in Hawaii we do not call them grenadier or whatever, just light and heavy... and yes I do use proxis from time to time.

[sdnelson]

OK, just a small rehashing on the infantry thing to make sure I'm up to speed:

 

7015 Infantry Grenadiers-  These are the appropriate figures to use for Light Infantry armed with GP-11s.

 

7016 Assault Grenadiers w/Heavy Weapons-  These are the appropriate figures to use for Heavy Infantry that is carry custom loadouts of grenade and missile launchers.

 

7017 Assault Grenadiers-  These are the appropriate figures to use for Heavy Infantry with their default armament of FA-45's.

 

Does all the above sound accurate?

 

I understand it's not necessary and that I can proxy, but I'm rather anal when it comes to representing my models, I like them to be the "official" minis when available.  Not that I'm anal about my opponents troops so long as they declare what is what prior to the game, but I'm just particular about what I field.

 

Also, I know the game is about mixed units, and primarily about CAV's, but has anyone played out a battle with all infantry and vehicles before?  How well laid out is it for that?  Just curious.

[Black Lightning 2]

7015 Infantry Grenadiers-

7016 Assault Grenadiers w/Heavy Weapons-

7017 Assault Grenadiers-

Does all the above sound accurate?

 

Also, I know the game is about mixed units, and primarily about CAV's, but has anyone played out a battle with all infantry and vehicles before?  How well laid out is it for that?  Just curious.

Here you go:

 

7015 Infantry Grenadiers-  This is your Regular Infantry. "Squishies" and Frank would call them.

7016 Heavy Weapons Grenadiers-  These are your Heavy Infantry with the good, big guns.  Missile launchers, grenade launchers... Bang bang.

7017 Assault Grenadiers-  Vanilla Heavy Infantry.

7025 Heavy Weapons Infantry-  These are what I told you to get.  Regular, light, shuishy infantry with the cool big guns and missile.  Important for anti-armor operations.

7032 Light Mortar Armed Infantry-  These are regular infantry with mortars.  Good for Indirect anti-infantry tactics.

7033 Heavy Mortar Armed Infantry-  These are regular infantry with the big mortars.  Great for indirect anti-armor attacks.

 

Now about mixed units.  You can have all infantry/ tank battles.  Tanks are pretty darned good, and awesome against infantry...  And, vise-versa, if you arm the infantry correctly.

If you wanted to reneact battles in the Vela Wars or the early Spica Wars...  You don't have a choice.  Because CAVs haven't been invented back then.  Heck even during the late Spica War period, CAVs were first beginning to make an appearance and probably didn't see a lot of action.

There are still, even now, a lot of back water worlds that can't afford CAVs in their militia...  And, can only field tanks and infantry.

 

Game On!

[sdnelson]

OK, thanks for the clarification.  Now I just have to wait for the right models to hit the retailers shelves!  In the meantime I'll use teh Assault Grenadiers with Heavy Weapons that I ordered to represent Heavy Weapon Infantry...

[Chrome]

Just ask your retailer to order you some.  The 3 newest infantry packs have been available for over a month now, it may be that your retailer just doesn't plan on ordering any or may not know about them.

[Leech]

Jeez....

 

I put those in so that others, not just sdnelson, could finally figure out what we're all (and I do mean all) talking about when we say squishies and crunchies.

 

So some people don't use the term regularly, some of us use it all the time and we use it in posts so people need to know what we're talking about if nothing else.

 

And I thought 'normally' and 'commonly' implied most of the time but not all. Guess my english is out of date.

[nadinbrzezinski]

Nah Frank your English is fine, seems your American is out of date. Don't worry I have that problem going the other way around

 

:p

 

Nadin