Rules: Hybrid RPG

Intro: Rackham recently published their rules for playing 'RPG Style' in their
quarterly supplement, Cry Havoc (volume 6). I read them and was rather dissatis
fied- I felt the rules as written were rather simple and restrictive. The Rackh
am rules only gave you a small choice of characters to play- none of which were
included in the box (and with no rules to create more), and only a few scenarios
, (and again no way to make more). In short, they suffer from the company's usu
al lack of attention to detail (which is mind-boggling, as they spend so much at
tention on their miniatures, you'd think they want the rest of the product to ma
tch).
This document is an attempt to slightly re-write and expand their Hybrid RPG rul
es. Perhaps it will get more people interested in this fascinating game.
When we talk of playing 'RPG style', we aren't actually talking about 'speaking
in-character' or anything like that- we're talking about playing a game of Hybri
d where all but one player each controls only one piece, and acts with only it e
ach turn. These players are therefore on the same team, and must cooperate in th
eir fight to overcome the game master.
The last player takes the role of this 'game master', and controls the denizens
of the laboratory, as well as the laboratory itself (these expanded rules includ
e a variation of the 'Against the Laboratory' rules published in Cry Havoc #3).
He must coordinate his fighters and events against the rest of the players.
The comparison doesn't end there, though. Indeed, the fighters allied against t
he lab progress from mission to mission, gaining equipment and skills along the
way.
Game Setup:
First, players decide which figures to use, and who will be the GM. Players mus
t choose as a group whether their squad will be of the Griffons (and allies) or
from the New Scorpions (and allies). Fighters must be chosen from the lists be
low. There are a few alternate stats to down-power Rank 3 characters to play in
the game. We suggest starting with Rank 2 Characters.
Griffons
Griffon Minelayer
Cypher Lukhan
Knight of the Lodge of Hod
Ysis the Viper
Phidas de Basarac
Sin Assyris
Misericorde
Belisarius Clone
Purifier
Dasyatis Clone
Seneschaler
Dirz Biopsist
Griffon Templar
Neuromancer
Venerable Ambrosius
Sasia Samaris
Garrell the Redeemer
Dirz Crossbowman
The Red Lioness
Chagall

New Scorpions

Alahel the Messenger*

Wolfen Zombie*
Griffon Executioner
Keratis Warrior*
As you can see from this list, it's easier to play on the side of Griffons if yo
u have no (or few) other figures for the game. The Scorpions that come in the H
ybrid box and Nemesis expansion are reserved for use by the GM to populate the l
ab. That said, other Scorpions are also usable by the GM, as well as Griffon In
quisition figures (see appendix XX) and some Acheron figures (as long as those f
igures haven't been chosen by the players).
Compositions:
Each Hero controls a single figure. To play it, he has a gaming aid called a 'C
haracter Sheet'- if a sheet isn't available for your chosen figure, you must cre
ate one before the first game (see 'Evolution', and App. XX).
The GM can deploy a rank total equal to that of the Heroes, plus the Mission's d
ifficulty. Note that Evolution increasing a character's rank is counted here (s
ee 'Evolution', below). His number of fighters is equal to three times the numb
er of Heroes, plus the mission's difficulty. The list of mission difficulty num
bers, for the original Hybrid, Nemesis and Cry Havoc missions is listed in Appen
dix XX. The GM should make a list of his chosen models, by rank, on a piece of
paper. This list is kept secret from the players. As mentioned previously, the
GM's force may be composed of any Scorpion figure (but especially the 'Old Scor
pions'- those included in the Hybrid/Nemesis boxes), but also
any Inquisition or Acheron figure with models/stats available.
Deployment:
The deployment of the Heroes is similar to a regular game of Hybrid. No matter
which camp the Heroes are playing (Griffons or New Scorpions), they use the list
ed 'Griffon Deployment Zone or Entrance' to the map. The map is not laid out ah
ead of time, instead, the GM places each room and all appropriate doors, walls a
nd passages as the Heroes gain Line of Sight to them. Every turn, during the 'E
ffects of the End of the Round' phase, check LOS for each of the Heroes, and pla
ce any appropriate tiles on the board, and fill it with enemies. If a Hero attem
pts to move into an unexplored (but legal) space, immediately place the appropri
ate tiles and fill it with enemies. I have found it useful for the GM to tack p
assages, doors, etc. onto the tiles with putty before placement to speed up game
play.
To deploy enemies the GM rolls two d6s. The first die shows how many figures ma
y be deployed- divide by two if the tile is a corridor section. The second die
is divided by two (round fractions up) to show the max. Ranks of the enemies- su
btract one point before dividing if the tile is a corridor. The figures may be
any type, rank, and number up to these limits and may be placed anywhere on the
newly-revealed tile or on any other tile not containing heroes with at least one
unexplored exit. They may not be placed directly adjacent to a hero. It shoul
d be reiterated that these numbers are optional maximums- the GM can play fewer
(or even no) figures, of a lesser rank, but he must play them immediately. He m
ay not play them on a later turn. Every figure played should be marked as such
on he GM's deployment sheet, and may not be deployed again.
Card Deployment:
Each Hero draws an Action Card at the start of the game. From then on, he gets
another one every time his fighter eliminates an enemy figure. A Hero cannot hav
e more than four Action Cards in his hand at any time.

The Action cards played by the Heroes are discarded into a pile called "Torment"
The GM draws three Action cards at the beginning of the game. During the game,
at the beginning of the round, he randomly draws one card from the Torment pile
and places it in his hand (if this pile has at least three cards in it when maki
ng this draw).
Events:
Only the heroes may activate Event counters, and one hero may not activate two e
vents in a row.
The GM has the chance to play a single event card each turn,
from a second draw pile. Event tiles are sorted as stated in the normal mission
description (ratio of Traps: Events), and placed in a stack next to the play are
a in a random order. The top counter is drawn and placed without looking at it'
s face when called for in tile placement.
Certain event cards are used by the GM to simulate the dangers of the lab. The
following cards are removed from their respective decks and shuffled into a pile
:
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

Explosive Zone
Giant Vermin
Pit
Bad Draw
Explosive Traps
Booby-Trapped door
Toxic Zone
Debris
Lights Out
Flood
Secret Passageway
Security Door
Purulent Ground

Every turn, after both players have placed activation markers, but before the fi
rst is revealed, the GM takes the bottom card from the stack and reads it, or he
may choose the top card if he's seen it already (see below). If its effects ar
e immediately applicable, he may read the card aloud and resolve it. If its eff
ects aren't usable yet (or he just doesn't want to play it yet), he saves it unt
il the right situation arises or all models (on both sides) have been activated
(the end of the turn) - he may play it immediately before activating any of his
figures. If the turn ends without the card being used, he returns it to the top
of the stack.
Evolution:
The heroes evolve from one mission to the next. They find useful equipment in t
he laboratories and gain experience.
LOOT:
When one of the GM's fighters dies, he leaves some loot behind, which is immedia
tly recovered by the hero who killed him. The player controlling this hero roll
s 1d10 and refers to the 'loot' table- some missions have special loot for certa
in die rolls (see App. XX).
Objects gained can only be used by the hero, and on himself. This can only be d
one at the beginning of his activation. A hero can use only one such object at
a time.

A hero can give one such object to another hero. This is to be done at the begi
nning of the round, and the heroes must have LOS to one another.
An object that isn't used during the game can be kept for a later one.
A hero cannot have more than four objects at a time. Discarded objects cannot b
e retrieved in any way.
Experience:
Every hero has a character sheet that summarizes his stats and Evolution (as a f
low chart). Every time a hero survives a mission, he ticks off one of the avail
able evolutions. The first level is at the top of the list. One can only move
on to the next level once all the evolutions on the previous level have been ti
cked.
Every two full levels of Experience increases the figure's effective rank by one
, when considering deployment at the beginning of the game.
DEATH
If a hero should die, the gods resuscitate him before the next game. The charac
ter's new incarnation loses the last evolution gained, yet he keeps his previous
ly acquired loot.
Sequence of Play:
A game of Hybrid RPG is played as a normal game of Hybrid- the heroes decide amo
ngst themselves what their activation order will be. If they can't reach an agr
eement, then each player rolls 1d10 and the one who gets the lowest result decid
es the activation sequence. Ties are re-rolled.
The GM places his activation markers as normal, reserving the numbers that he do
esn't play for lack of figures. After each hero has finished his activation, he
checks his figure's LOS to place new tiles/enemies. At the time of figure plac
ement, the GM may also place any activation markers that were reserved at the be
ginning of the turn.
The game round now flows like this:
1. Beginning of the game
The "Before the activation Roll..." effects are played.
2. Activation Roll
A. As of the second round 'Action cards' can be staked.
B. Resolution of the Activation roll.
C. Heroes within LOS of each other may trade found items.
3. Choice of the Activation Sequence
A. Placement of Activation Counters face down by all players, for all available
figures.
B. Use of Event Cards, where applicable. The heroes may (collectively) play one
Event card, if possible. The GM then draws his event card, and decides whether
to play it immediately or not.
C. Revealing of the First Counter of the first camp's activation

4. Activation of the first camp's First Fighter

A. Use of one or several Event cards.
B. Use of one or several Mutation cards.
C. Choice of activated fighter's Aura, where applicable.
D. Announcement of chosen Action Mode.
E. Movement of Fighter. Use of the "Skilled Firing" level of mastery by enemy f
ighters, when applicable (in which case go to step G). If a legal move is attemp
ted onto a tile that has not been placed yet, the GM places the tile as per step
I, below.
F. Activation of Event counters, when applicable.
G. Use of the Action mode:
1. Announcement of its use and its target
2. The player controlling the activated fighter uses no, one or several action c
ards.
3. The other player may only use one action card to perform a Hindrance.
4. The player controlling the activated fighter reacts to the Hindrance with one
or several cards (ONLY IF a Hindrance card was played)
5. Choice of the activated fighter's level of Mastery.
6. The activated fighter's Natural roll.
7. Use of Defensive combat by the targeted fighter when applicable. In this case
the steps above (1-6) must be played by the target.
8. If the attack strikes true (the target was not in, or failed, his Defensive C
ombat action), then its effects are applied. If a second attack is possible, st
eps 1-7 must be repeated.
H. If a hero's action defeated a GM figure, the hero player rolls for loot.
I. If a hero figure is in activation, check for LOS to unexplored tiles.
i. If LOS exists, the GM places the new tile(s)
ii. The GM determines maximum Rank and number of figures to place on the board,
places them legally, and marks them with activation counters reserved from step
3-A above.