Introduction to NUTS!

The following is taken from the rule book NUTS! - Final Version. It is a good and crisp introduction to the game and I hope you will like the rules as much as I do. Enjoy!

INTRODUCTION

NUTS! - Final Version is a set of man-to-man combat rules that can be played with any figures you may already have. Play it as a RPG or as a wargame; it’s both.

Games are usually finished in two hours or less, hence the company name. Before we go into detail about the game let's explain the cornerstone of all THW, the Reaction System.

Traditional games use a turn sequence known as “IGO, UGO”. This means that I move my figures, fire, we do some melee and maybe you do a morale test or two.

THW uses what is called the Reaction System. In this system your side activates and you move part of your force. That triggers a reaction from parts of my force. I immediately react and this may cause you to react in kind. Here’s an example of both systems using one figure on each side.

IGO UGO

Our figures start on opposite sides of a building and are out of sight of each other.

• It’s my turn and I move first.
• I move my figure around the corner and see your figure.
• I shoot at your figure.
• You either get hit or not.
• If you get hit I see how bad the damage is.
• If you don’t get hit maybe you take a morale test or maybe you don't.
• Now it’s your turn.
• If you stay where you are you shoot at me.
• You either hit me or not.
• If you get a hit you see how bad the damage is.
• If you don’t get a hit maybe I take a morale test or maybe I don’t.
• Now it’s my turn again.

The big thing is I get to move and shoot at you and you can’t do anything about it.

Now let’s put that in real life context. Private Smith and Private Manfred are on opposite sides of a building. Private Smith walks around the corner and Private Manfred sees him, yet does nothing about it. Instead he stands his ground and lets Private Smith shoot at him. A bit strange, don’t you think?

THWREACTION SYSTEM

Now let's go through the same scenario using the Reaction System. Our figures start on opposite sides of a building and are out of sight of each other.

• I activate and move first.
• I move my figure around the corner and your figure can see me.
• We take an In Sight Reaction Test.
• Maybe you go first and shoot at me.
• Or maybe you duck for cover.
• Or maybe I go first.
• If you do shoot at me either you hit me or you miss.
• If you hit me you see how bad the damage is.
• But if you miss me I take a Received Fire Reaction Test.
• Maybe I shoot you.
• Maybe I duck back for cover.
• Or maybe I run away.
• We continue to fire back and forth until either one of us gets hit, runs out of ammo, ducks back behind cover, or runs away.
• When all my actions and all reactions that they have caused are finished, it’s your turn.

The big thing is you immediately get to react to what I do, during my turn, just like in real life.

Now let’s put that in real life context. Private Smith and Private Manfred are on opposite sides of a building. Private Smith walks around the corner and Private Manfred sees him and Manfred fires first but misses. Smith fires back and Manfred dives for cover. Private Smith cannot see Manfred so stops firing. Better?

This rule book is available from Two Hour Wargames which can be ordered from their website:
 http://twohourwargames.com/