STALKER7

Hardwired: Hostile Takeover is the latest set of war game rules from Cape Cod Wargaming. Instead of the Solo/Cooperative emphasis in the original Hardwired game, HW:HT allows players to engage in head-to-head combat either in single Sprawl Skirmish missions or full blown Corporate War campaigns.

ASSAULT TEAMS

In either mode, players must select from a menu of elite Agents and customizable Tactical Units to form assault teams. This is the force that will battle for control of an urban district. The composition of a player’s team depends partially on the designation of the district being fought over, with more valuable districts seeing larger forces.

Because Agents are the de facto commanders, the other force composition factor is the number of Agents being deployed. More Agents means more and or higher quality Tactical Units.

• 

• 

• 

• 

While there are different types of Tactical Units, (TacU) simply put, a single Agent can command one low tier quality TacU. Two Agents can command two low tier TacU – or one medium quality TacU. Three Agents can deploy with a variation of the above or one high quality TacU. Bring four or more Agents and you can start to mix-n-match to create a truly customized assault team tailored to the mission’s tactical environment and your rival’s style of play.

• 

• 

• 

Adaptable: Single mission or campaign

The idea behind all the Hardwired games, including this one, is to offer a game where you can stat out whatever cool miniatures you have – be they standard grunts, combat drones, sleek grav-bikes, or stompy exo-suits- and get them into action with a fast play, easy-to-learn system.

Single Sprawl Skirmishes require minimal prep time while longer Corporate War campaigns add only light resource management, a simple advancement system for the Agents, and a gridded ‘capture the flag’ campaign map. That’s it.

Pick your favorite dystopia

Altered Carbon, Blade Runner, Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Cyberpunk 2077, or W. Gibson’s Sprawl trilogy, where ever and when ever your cyberpunk dystopia takes place, the goal is a fun, low maintenance game that’s adaptable to your collection and preferred setting.

• 

• 

• 

In future posts, I’ll go into detail about different urban districts, multiple objectives, civilians, and VIPs, but for now, it’s time to dust off your favorite cyberpunk miniatures, perhaps buy some new ones, and get ready for a little corporate war. The future is yours – if you can take it.

• 

• 

Thanks for stopping by. Hardwired: Hostile Takeover is available in PDF at Wargame Vault and in print at Amazon.

Good gaming. Take Care.