Just announced via their newsletter email, the Enemy Spotted Studios team have announced a new variant of the INCOUNTRY(or INX) ruleset, titled INCOUNTRY:RECON.

From reading through the newsletter (available here), this is a matched play version of the original INCOUNTRY rules, designed to be quick to pick up and play while focusing on smaller battles. While INCOUNTRY was focused on moving your teams around each activation, RECON will take a set of rules tweaks referred to as “INCOUNTRY CQB” (which dropped the focus to the individual operator) and update and improve them for a full release. Things like injury rules and specific weapon systems which are streamlined at the larger scale instead come to more of the forefront.

I still need to get around to actually playing INCOUNTRY but from my reading through of the rulebook in preparation (and taking a look at the existing CQB ruleset) it’s easy to see how the mechanics would make for a fast paced skirmish game around individual operators. ESS have already done something similar with their other game KILLWAGER, releasing SKULLCORE which was again all about getting a game together quickly and playing through it in a sensible amount of time for a matched play environment. I really like this concept – keeping the same basic rules people know and love (and more importantly are familiar with) but adjusting them for a different style of play.

The first event using the rules will be at NOVA OPEN in August, and I’ll be keeping an eye open for when they become available.

Before you ask, yes, the capitalisation throughout this post was mandatory.

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