The Inside Scoop on Gaming

What is the sound of one Gear walking? THRUMP, THRUMP, THRUMP

With those thunderous first steps you enter the world of Gear Krieg, DP9's table-top wargame of 'two-fisted superscience in a world at war'. Unlike its spiritual predecessor Heavy Gear, the initial Gear Krieg book contains only war game rules, though a Gear Krieg RPG is expected soon. The game is set on a parallel earth during World War II, with the 'Gear' in the title coming from armored walkers that join the more conventional tanks and infantry of WWII. The entire book is written from a historical point of view, with future books in the game line to be written in the same style.

This 128-page hardcover bears a striking resemblance to those Time-Life history books (if my memory serves). The stark cover is done in black with white lettering and red borders and illustrations, while the interior is plain black and white. Illustrations include numerous sketches, a few maps and several blurry period photographs. The gears themselves look hard-edged and somewhat clunky, a style that fits rather well with the other armored vehicles of early WWII.

Chapter One: The World, includes a twenty page history of the alternate World War II, from its inception in September 1939 up until December of 1941. At the outset, this alternative war seems to follow a very similar timeline to our own WWII, beginning with the invasion of Poland in 1939. The Phony war, the wars in Finland and Norway, the North Africa campaigns, the Russian front and the bombing of Pearl Harbor are all present and accounted for, as well as a more unfamiliar Middle-Eastern war. Peppered about the historical narrative are numerous sidebars containing tons of anecdotal alternate history. Examples include a piece on lightning warfare and the role of walkers in Blitzkrieg tactics, a short bio on the inventor of the Maginot Line Death-Ray cannons, wacky-go-lucky Nicholas Tesla, and a footnote on the role of eight-legged robotic Kuschenschabe in the breaching of the Maginot line. Overall, the background does a good job setting a familiar stage while including enough distinct weirdness to make it new and nifty.

Following the historical timeline are ten pages detailing the warfare technology of this alternate age. Again, it is very similar to our own technology of that period, with the exception of some superscience such as the Death-Ray guns, and of course the walkers, first developed by Walter J. Christie in the early 1920's. Included is a detailed breakdown of walker anatomy and technolgy, finishing with walk-around of 'Moritz', a Valkurie A panzerkamper. After reading this section, I can almost feel myself lumbering about the North African deserts in a radial-engine powered, computator controlled, hot and noisy tin can deathtrap built for two.

Chapter Two: The Games contains all the basic rules needed to recreate battles in Gear Krieg's alternate history. Like other DP9 products, GK uses DP9's Silhouette system. Briefly, a number of six-sided dice are rolled, with the highest result considered to be the outcome. The number dice rolled generally depends upon the skill level of the crew. Extra 6's add one to the total, while rolling all 1's is a fumble. Various modifiers are then added (except for fumbles, which always give a result of 0), and there are an imperial tonne of them. For example, a ranged attack is essentially an opposed skill test between the gunnery skill of the attacker and the driving skill of the target. Attack modifiers include the fire control rating, weapon accuracy rating, a range modifier, an obscurement modifier and an attacker movement modifier. A maneuver rating, the defender's movement modifier, and an arc of attack modifier modify the defense roll. If the attackers total is above the defender's total, it's a hit (yay!) and then damage is calculated (doh!). Even calculating whether an attacker can detect a target in order to fire off a shot can be a bit of a chore at times. To be fair, all of the modifiers are needed to realistically simulate combat. Still, it would have been nice to tabulate them all on a few pages at the back of the book. There's a bit too much page flipping, and I'm far too lazy to compile my own tables. A compilation of combat tables available for download from the GK web page could help to prevent unsightly wear, tear, and accidental death by paper cuts.

The rules are scale independent, using variable Measurement Units rather than centimeters or furlongs. The length of one MU on the game table thus depends upon the scale used. Included is a game scale table that converts various vehicle scales, ground scales and time frames to meaningful Measurement Units. However, because the final scale for the Gear Krieg miniatures line was undecided at the time of the first print run, a 15mm scale, the final scale for the minis, is not included in the table. Ambitious mathematical types can break out the calculator and play with scales to their hearts content, others (if they care) should consult a local math geek or hope that DP9 includes the 15mm scale in the second printing. A simple conversion for playing on hex-maps is also included for those so inclined.

Chapter Three: Game Resources contains briefs on the armies of Germany, Great Britain and the Commonwealth, Imperial Japan, Soviet Russia, and the United States. Each includes a general introduction and short sections on tactics and morale, color schemes, and tables of organization and equipment for armor and infantry at both the platoon and company level. This short chapter ends with six alternate historical scenarios.

Following the final chapters are three appendices. Appendix I: Perks Flaws and Weapon Characteristics contains descriptions of all the various vehicle special features, but does not include cost for calculating threat values. Appendix II:Vehicles contains game stats on some fifty-odd tanks, walkers and artillery pieces. Appendix III: Miniatures Modeling is a nice four-page, step-by-step, how-to introduction to the hobby. Finishing it all off is an alphabetical index; the front of the product features a topically listed table of contents as well.

Overall, the Gear Krieg hardcover is a good introduction to potentially great product line. The background sets a familiar stage with a pulpy superscience twist that will make technophiles drool for more. More is the key, however. Though DP9 has managed to fit a complete miniatures wargame in 125 pages, I can't help but feel something is missing. Perhaps it's the fact that they detail their alternate-yet-very-familiar history only up to end of 1941, while teasing me with greater and stranger things to come. It could be my fetish for funky polyhedrons over those boring (though easy to scrounge) six-siders. Maybe it's the replacement of the swastika by the simple black cross. Most likely it's the lack of game stats for those Tesla Death-Ray Doohickeys.

To be frank, one could take any system for WWII armored combat, create some rules for walking machines, and have at it. In my honest opinion this does little to diminish an otherwise thunderous first foray with WWII walkers set in a funky alternate earth just beginning to gel. Your mileage may vary. If DP9 can support this promising rulebook with supplements that mix more pulpy goodness with meaty wargamer kit, they could have a real nifty keen Death-Ray Maginot line of books on their hands.

Gear Krieg David J. Martin
Item type: Wargame Product Name: Gear Krieg Author: Dream Pod 9 Company/Publisher: Dream Pod 9 Line: Gear Krieg SKU: DP9-501 Cost: Page count: 128 ISBN: 1-896776-72-8 Ratings: Style 4 (Classy and well done) Substance 4 (Meaty) Review type: Capsule Review	What is the sound of one Gear walking? THRUMP, THRUMP, THRUMP With those thunderous first steps you enter the world of Gear Krieg, DP9's table-top wargame of 'two-fisted superscience in a world at war'. Unlike its spiritual predecessor Heavy Gear, the initial Gear Krieg book contains only war game rules, though a Gear Krieg RPG is expected soon. The game is set on a parallel earth during World War II, with the 'Gear' in the title coming from armored walkers that join the more conventional tanks and infantry of WWII. The entire book is written from a historical point of view, with future books in the game line to be written in the same style. This 128-page hardcover bears a striking resemblance to those Time-Life history books (if my memory serves). The stark cover is done in black with white lettering and red borders and illustrations, while the interior is plain black and white. Illustrations include numerous sketches, a few maps and several blurry period photographs. The gears themselves look hard-edged and somewhat clunky, a style that fits rather well with the other armored vehicles of early WWII. Chapter One: The World, includes a twenty page history of the alternate World War II, from its inception in September 1939 up until December of 1941. At the outset, this alternative war seems to follow a very similar timeline to our own WWII, beginning with the invasion of Poland in 1939. The Phony war, the wars in Finland and Norway, the North Africa campaigns, the Russian front and the bombing of Pearl Harbor are all present and accounted for, as well as a more unfamiliar Middle-Eastern war. Peppered about the historical narrative are numerous sidebars containing tons of anecdotal alternate history. Examples include a piece on lightning warfare and the role of walkers in Blitzkrieg tactics, a short bio on the inventor of the Maginot Line Death-Ray cannons, wacky-go-lucky Nicholas Tesla, and a footnote on the role of eight-legged robotic Kuschenschabe in the breaching of the Maginot line. Overall, the background does a good job setting a familiar stage while including enough distinct weirdness to make it new and nifty. Following the historical timeline are ten pages detailing the warfare technology of this alternate age. Again, it is very similar to our own technology of that period, with the exception of some superscience such as the Death-Ray guns, and of course the walkers, first developed by Walter J. Christie in the early 1920's. Included is a detailed breakdown of walker anatomy and technolgy, finishing with walk-around of 'Moritz', a Valkurie A panzerkamper. After reading this section, I can almost feel myself lumbering about the North African deserts in a radial-engine powered, computator controlled, hot and noisy tin can deathtrap built for two. Chapter Two: The Games contains all the basic rules needed to recreate battles in Gear Krieg's alternate history. Like other DP9 products, GK uses DP9's Silhouette system. Briefly, a number of six-sided dice are rolled, with the highest result considered to be the outcome. The number dice rolled generally depends upon the skill level of the crew. Extra 6's add one to the total, while rolling all 1's is a fumble. Various modifiers are then added (except for fumbles, which always give a result of 0), and there are an imperial tonne of them. For example, a ranged attack is essentially an opposed skill test between the gunnery skill of the attacker and the driving skill of the target. Attack modifiers include the fire control rating, weapon accuracy rating, a range modifier, an obscurement modifier and an attacker movement modifier. A maneuver rating, the defender's movement modifier, and an arc of attack modifier modify the defense roll. If the attackers total is above the defender's total, it's a hit (yay!) and then damage is calculated (doh!). Even calculating whether an attacker can detect a target in order to fire off a shot can be a bit of a chore at times. To be fair, all of the modifiers are needed to realistically simulate combat. Still, it would have been nice to tabulate them all on a few pages at the back of the book. There's a bit too much page flipping, and I'm far too lazy to compile my own tables. A compilation of combat tables available for download from the GK web page could help to prevent unsightly wear, tear, and accidental death by paper cuts. The rules are scale independent, using variable Measurement Units rather than centimeters or furlongs. The length of one MU on the game table thus depends upon the scale used. Included is a game scale table that converts various vehicle scales, ground scales and time frames to meaningful Measurement Units. However, because the final scale for the Gear Krieg miniatures line was undecided at the time of the first print run, a 15mm scale, the final scale for the minis, is not included in the table. Ambitious mathematical types can break out the calculator and play with scales to their hearts content, others (if they care) should consult a local math geek or hope that DP9 includes the 15mm scale in the second printing. A simple conversion for playing on hex-maps is also included for those so inclined. Chapter Three: Game Resources contains briefs on the armies of Germany, Great Britain and the Commonwealth, Imperial Japan, Soviet Russia, and the United States. Each includes a general introduction and short sections on tactics and morale, color schemes, and tables of organization and equipment for armor and infantry at both the platoon and company level. This short chapter ends with six alternate historical scenarios. Following the final chapters are three appendices. Appendix I: Perks Flaws and Weapon Characteristics contains descriptions of all the various vehicle special features, but does not include cost for calculating threat values. Appendix II:Vehicles contains game stats on some fifty-odd tanks, walkers and artillery pieces. Appendix III: Miniatures Modeling is a nice four-page, step-by-step, how-to introduction to the hobby. Finishing it all off is an alphabetical index; the front of the product features a topically listed table of contents as well. Overall, the Gear Krieg hardcover is a good introduction to potentially great product line. The background sets a familiar stage with a pulpy superscience twist that will make technophiles drool for more. More is the key, however. Though DP9 has managed to fit a complete miniatures wargame in 125 pages, I can't help but feel something is missing. Perhaps it's the fact that they detail their alternate-yet-very-familiar history only up to end of 1941, while teasing me with greater and stranger things to come. It could be my fetish for funky polyhedrons over those boring (though easy to scrounge) six-siders. Maybe it's the replacement of the swastika by the simple black cross. Most likely it's the lack of game stats for those Tesla Death-Ray Doohickeys. To be frank, one could take any system for WWII armored combat, create some rules for walking machines, and have at it. In my honest opinion this does little to diminish an otherwise thunderous first foray with WWII walkers set in a funky alternate earth just beginning to gel. Your mileage may vary. If DP9 can support this promising rulebook with supplements that mix more pulpy goodness with meaty wargamer kit, they could have a real nifty keen Death-Ray Maginot line of books on their hands.