Hi, All!

First-time GM here learning the ropes so that I can hopefully coerce my roommates and fiance into playing their (and my) first role playing game!

I am having some issues understanding how enemies work. In the second encounter, we are supposed to engage in combat with some security guards.

1. Do they attack as a group?
2. How many are there?
3. Do they have individual health?
4. Do they have 1 action and 1 maneuver? If so, does each individual have this, or just the group?
5. And when they attack, does the dice pool consist of their green and the PC's purple die?
   1. Do I resolve the threats/advantages from the NPC minion's perspective?

Help, guidance, and tips would all be appreciated. Thanks!

The beginner sets are designed for starting GMs and players, and the answers are available in pages 10-12 in the Adventure Book. It may take several thorough readings before you feel ready to run the adventure.

1. "..in this encounter, all NPCs act simultaneously."
2. "There are as many Whisper Base sentries in this encounter as there are PCs."
3. Yes. Wound Threshold 5 per sentry.
4. Each sentry can Act/ Maneuver, just as the PCs can.
5. It is not an opposed check. The purple dice are dependent upon range.

1. Generally, the GM interprets Threat/ Advantage generated by NPC rolls.

The boxed sets really are pretty novice-friendly, but if you still have questions after further perusal, this forum is an excellent resource.

Welcome, and good luck!

It helps to think in minis game terms, specifically in "stands". A stand gets its own turn, and it makes one attack.

A group of minions is a single stand - use the dice from the topmost line with boxes left. When they fire, use the indicated dice. When they take hits, subtract armor once, then start in on the topmost row with WT boxes left unmarked. At 0 boxes left, they're all down. When they move, they remain together (you might allow a dispersed stance on a leadership roll, so that they aren't taking grenades as bad...). In an eception, area effects hit each row with the after armor effects... so grenades clear minions out quick.

5 minion Stormtroopers
☐☐☐☐☐ YYYG
☐☐☐☐☐ YYY
☐☐☐☐☐ YYG
☐☐☐☐☐ YGG
☐☐☐☐☐ GGG

Rivals are buffer - but also, each rival is a stand with one action. If said Rival has certain minion type allies (squaddies), the squaddies are the same stand, but replace a main character maneuver with the squaddies having a turn.

Nemesis characters are buffer still - mechanically identical to PCs in all but advancement.

Start set uses simplified rules not sure it uses minion group rules in the same way.

On 1/26/2018 at 8:00 AM, TheShard said:

Start set uses simplified rules not sure it uses minion group rules in the same way.

It does. The crits vs Rivals/Nemesis/PC's are different; Edge Beginner Box also had the wrong cost to activate qualities. Otherwise, they're subset, not altered.