The New Car Wars

Dredging around on Discord, and Alexander Macris was discussing the new edition of Car Wars Steve Jackson Games is putting together.

He wasn’t impressed, not sure I am either. Complete list from the forum is below.

I don’t have an issue with the Kickstarter date – likely to be pushed back, and of course the timeline is adjusted – and despite “starting over from scratch” it will include badlands/etc.. I’m Glad Uncle Al will return. I can understand if you’re revamping rules you may do a limited set, and I can even understand a desire to streamline the rules given how hard it is to get modern gamers playing old school Car Wars or Battletech.

I don’t even mind, that much, an abstracted card-based build/upgrade system, but that, and the custom dice, are starting to make this a very different game.

But Miniatures-based? HO-scale? “Clix-like” dashboard?

Look, I can just go buy Gaslands as it is. I also don’t like the collectible/starter kit aspect, and dammit miniatures for Car Wars should be voluntary. There shouldn’t be preset “starter kits” and factions and additional vehicle kits to buy to play trucks and cycles. I’ve done Warmachine and Malifaux and really don’t want to, yet again, go on a miniatures spree on top of buying the relevant rules just to play the pieces I want in the damn game, complete with factions, faction expansions, etc.

It may have the name “Car Wars” slapped onto it, and be vaguely post-downfall/apocalypse, but mechanics, playstyle, and collectible aspect make it no more Car Wars than that clix-based mecha game was actually Battletech.