hello everyone...I wanted to run these rules by you and see what you think. I will be making a nice reference sheet for it..but wanted to get insights from you so that once i do it nice, it has covered everything. ok..here it is:
COG BUDDY SYSTEM RULES
This system allows a player to control 2 COG figures at one time and it is intended for those players that want to get the most out of the game but are limited by the number of human players. These rules can be used for 1, 2 or 3 human players. In this system a player must choose who his/her PRIMARY COG will be. This COG is the one that will be used normally, with ammo, order cards, etc. Then the player must choose a SECONDARY COG ( or COG BUDDY) who will be used as a support player during game play. Just like in the video games, these players are those who help out the human controlled COG’s during game play but are limited to certain amount of actions (meaning they do not perform all actions a human controlled player does).
IMPORTANT: these rules are made to include the rules and missions I had done for Lt. Kim and Carmine.
COG BUDDY SET UP:
1- Grab the character card for the cog buddy and place it next to your primary cog area.
2- Cog buddies DO NOT USE order cards for life or for taking actions.
Place on it a six sided die with the number 6 on top, which will indicate his initial life. (every time this cog takes a hit you change the die face to the corresponding number depending on the damage it took). If his life reaches zero, then take the die off of the character card and lie down the figure to show he is bleeding out. He may be healed by any primary cog at any time during that primary cog’s turn.
3- Place on the cog buddy’s character card ONLY the number of ammo and grenade that he starts with. They may use these during the game at any time.
4- When you set up the map, place locust figures according to the full number of cog figures in play (both primary and cog buddies combined).
COG BUDDY ACTIONS:
A COG BUDDY may be used at either the beginning of a primary cog turn, or at the end of the turn. He may not be used in between actions of the primary cog. The primary cog may do his turn normally either after the cog buddy or before. Once both of these have perfume their actions, it is the Locust turn.
The cog buddy may only MOVE or ATTACK. It may not do both.
MOVEMENT: he may be moved in 2 ways:
a. Move him 2 spaces in any direction either at the beginning or the end of the primary cog’s turn.
b. He may be used at the end of the primary cog’s turn to FOLLOW the primary COG as a follow reaction ability. If using the follow reaction, it is done without having to spend a follow reaction card and must move into the exact space that the primary cog moved into. Remember that the cog buddy must be in the same area at the beginning of the primary cog’s movement in order to follow him.
During his movement, the cog buddy may be moved freely into cover or out of cover. However if all he will be doing is moving into/out of cover in the same area he is in, this counts as a movement and may not do anything else after going into/out of cover.
Once a cog buddy is used to move, he ends this turn and may not do anything else.
ATTACK: he may be used to fire at any enemy from his current position. Once he makes an attack he may do nothing else. The rules of attacking are as follows:
a. His firing range depends on the weapon that he will be using following the rules of the game.
b. Their weapon’s special abilities apply always.
c. They may use grenades to attack.
d. They may do overkill attacks for as long as they have ammo tokens to use.
e. They may spend all their ammo tokens and still be able to fire their weapons at normal attack (applies for all weapons). They have unlimited number of ammo. They do not have unlimited number of grenades.
DEFENDING A COG BUDDY:
You may choose to use a cog buddy to defend against a locust attack instead of using the primary cog to take an attack. This may prove helpful when multiple locust figures are attacking. The cog buddy defends with 1 defense die plus any other number of die provided by cover. A cog buddy may not be used for guard or dodge reaction ability unless stated so in his special cog buddy ability. A cog buddy may only be used ONCE to defend against an attack from a locust per turn (meaning you may choose to have him take the hits from an attack!).
COG BUDDY SPECIAL ABILITIES:
Each cog buddy also has a special ability that applies during game play:
MARCUS FENIX: +1 attack dice always for shooting and lancer chainsaw. Marcus also starts with 7 points of life. In order to show this place the 6 sided die outside the character card with the number six on top. Once he takes hits, move the die inside the character card showing the corresponding life left.
DOMINIQUE SANTIAGO: +1 movement always. He may perform a free FOLLOW reaction ability when another primary cog figure moves (not his own primary cog). (he is the only one that can do this).
DAMON BAIRD: may pick up ammo and activate equipment areas FOR the primary cog for free. (he is the only one that can do this).
AUGUSTUS COLE: may be used to do 1 free GUARD reaction ability when attacked per turn. (he is the only one that can do this).
LT. KIM: may skip his turn to allow another cog buddy to perform a movement or an attack OR (if no other cog buddy in play) he may allow his own primary cog figure to make a free attack or a free 2 space movement (without having to spend an order card).
CARMINE: +1 defense die always. And may do 2 free DODGE reaction ability per GAME when attacked. (he is the only one that can do this). Use them wisely! And keep track of them.
HEALING A COG BUDDY:
At the beginning of the primary cog’s turn, the buddy cog may also heal by adding 2 points to the damage die. For example: if the cog buddy had 3 lives left, then on his primary cog’s turn he would heal up to 5 points.
If a cog buddy is bleeding out, any other primary cog may move into his space to heal him. To do this stand the figure up, but keep the life die outside the character card to show that he has 0 points. Once he gains healing points then move the die into the character card with the appropriate health showing on it.
ADDITIONAL COG BUDDY RULES:
a. If you use a cog buddy before the primary cog’s turn, place a LOCK token on the character card of the cog buddy to show that he has been used already (so there is no confusion). Take the lock away once you end the primary cog’s turn.
b. Once a cog buddy has used up all his ammo, he may not pick up weapons, ammo or grenades.
c. A cog buddy may never be used to explore another level.
d. If a primary cog does a follow reaction ability (to follow another primary cog), then his own cob buddy may also follow but the primary cob must discard an order card with the follow reaction ability icon. (meaning there must be 2 order cards used with follow reaction ability icons in order to have 2 cogs follow. This will not apply to DOM since he can do a follow reaction ability to another primary cog as special ability).
e. You may not choose to have Cole do a GUARD reaction ability and then use another cog to defend the locust attack if cole missed the guard attack. Cole must be used to take the attack and defend against it.
f. A cog buddy may be used to operate a troika weapon following normal rules of the game.
g. If an AI card calls for a locust to attack the nearest COG figure and a cob buddy is the nearest cog figure, then he must take the attack (or guard if cole).
h. If a primary cog and a cog buddy are in the same area as the ‘closest cog figure’ you may choose the cob buddy to take the attack instead of the primary cog.