Phoenix Command Small Arms Tactical Combat System

[GJK]

I saw this system mentioned in the RPG section so I know it's not unique to only me....anybody play it recently?

For those wondering, this was a series of highly detailed combat rules books aimed at miniatures but playable on hex grid maps by a defunct company called Leading Edge Games.  Imagine charts for about everything a person could do in a shoot out.

I've owned a number of the books for many years; the combat manual, hand to hand combat supplement, armor warfare, wild west shoot outs, cold war scenarios. Lots of data!  My 13yr old wargaming son has looked through the books for some time and just the other day asked if we could play it.  I didn't recall actually playing this game but recalled how overwhelming it seemed to be but I agreed to give it a try.

So, using a pair of GI Joes and the bedroom floor, we set up some obstacles and rolled up a couple of characters.  I was armed with an M16A1 and he had an M14 with a Colt M1911 sidearm. We assumed no armor for either.

We went through a couple of impulses and ran from cover to cover.  The range was at great enough distances that there was no chance for a hit.  After firing a few times each, getting the final To Hit number was quick and easy enough to acquire. 

Once the distances closed, the fighting heated up.  My son attempted to low crawl to cover and I fired off a burst that hit him in the hip.  Luckily for him, he passed his Knockout roll but was restricted to crawling around on the floor.  Then, I made my fatal move- hoping to get around to behind him, I attempted to dart to some nearby cover that would put me in prime position to get some shots on him.  He had been prone since the wounding and spent several impulses aiming.  As I ran out from behind cover, he let loose with a burst that hit the target (me!).  He rolls a 02 for hit location- right in the forehead!  No need to roll for damage, it was an instant kill. 

We had a blast!  I can see having a really good time with a couple of characters each and perhaps some scenario objectives. 

I'm working on OCR'ing all of my rules and we've thought of some house rules that I'd like to try out.  I also plan to put together a VASSAL module and I'm even thinking that it would be easy enough to create a web based app that could figure out the To Hit numbers and Damage Results.  I still like actually rolling the dice so I'm thinking that the program would just get the final numbers needed and not actually resolve the combat. 

So any players of this obscure little combat system?   If you like detail in your tactical games, this would be one to check out!

[eyebiter]

Think the Phoenix Command discussion group is still active.

http://games.dir.groups.yahoo.com/group/phoenix_command/


There are unofficial rule variants over on www.phoenixcommand.com

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Used to play it all the time back in the early 90s.  I'd act as referee and use the maps from Sniper! or TSR's Gangbusters to run a firefight between two teams.  It was fun but way too much downtime as I'd collect and process everyone's orders.