Mini Car Wars
 

OK, I'm relatively new to these boards, & recently I purchased the PDF of "Mini Car Wars" from the site. While this product reminded me of the first time I played Car Wars, I noticed that it did not contain the "Fifth Edition" variant rules, for use with small scale (Hot Wheels/Matchbox/ect.) sized toy cars.

Since I am planning to try out a short test-play with these rules, I need to know what I need to change in the Mini-CW rules to make them compatible. Can anyone help out? Is there an Errata?

Thanks in advance. May the highways you drive be clear.

Re: Mini Car Wars
 

I have limited experience with Car Wars Fifth Edition, but I will attempt to give you some advice.

Car Wars Fifth Edition is a system that has more differences than the systme in Mini Car Wars for an errata sheet to adequately cover.

You need to purchase at least one of the nine Starter Books to have the core rules. The Arena Book (2002 Edition) will provide you a nice variety of arenas.

I recommend you read the "More Information" section on the page below.

BoardGameGeek - Car Wars Fifth Edition
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3183

You can use Hot Wheels, Matchbox and other 1:64 die cast cars with Mini Car Wars if you triple the scale. When you read "move one inch" remember you are moving the vehicle "one game inch," which is one car length. For 1X scale, a car (1" x 0.5") will move one inch per 10 mph of speed. For 3X scale, a car (3" x 1.5") will move three inches per 10 mph of speed.

1X: Original Car Wars Playing Materials
Cars: 1" x 0.5"
Motorcycles: 0.5" x 0.5"

3X: Car Wars Fifth Edition, 1:64 Die Cast Cars
Cars: 3" x 1.5"
Motorcycles: 1.5" x 1.5"

I recommend purchasing Car Wars Compendium Second Edition Fifth Printing. To play the rules in that book, you do not need to understand all of the sections. I and other veteran duellists here would be glad to help you read that text which can seem like hieroglyphics without the Rosetta Stone to a novice Car Warrior.

Re: Mini Car Wars
 

Thanks, owenmp. I'll look into purchasing the additional CW products later.

Re: Mini Car Wars
 

Mini CAR WARS is based (I think) on the "Jump Start" rules that were first included with Deluxe CAR WARS. They are extremely simplified and omit a lot of the color of the classic game.

5th Edition CAR WARS includes several slick rules that are very easy to learn and implement that are engineered to be simple-in-play without losing much or the color and fun of the original. The revisions are so thorough... and so integral to the new system, that you cannot summarize them easily without really giving them away in their totality....

Re: Mini Car Wars
 

Yes, the Mini-CW is based on the "Jump Start" section in Deluxe CW. I had a look at a friend's PDF copy for comparrison.

If all I really need for the 'rules tack-on', as one friend suggested, is any one of the Fifth Edition books, then I'll look into picking up Arena Set 1. I have a local sci-fi/gaming convention coming up in April, I'll start my search there.

Re: Mini Car Wars
 

Get one of the Division XX books before the Arena Book. The latter doesn't have the rules.

Re: Mini Car Wars
 

Thanks Jeffr0. I'll see what my local 'con has. With luck, I'll find what I need.

Re: Mini Car Wars
 

It's really simple to play at matchbox scale.

Make 1.5" x 3" counters. Mount cars on them. Multiply all distances moved, etc, by 3. Divide measured range by 3 to before calculating range penalties.

Print out the SPARK version of the turning key for CW5.
Or find a CW5 turning key. (It's the same shape and measures.)

Re: Mini Car Wars
 

Nice, ak-aramis. Thanks. :D

BTW, where can I find the SPARK version of the turning key?

Re: Mini Car Wars
 

St. Paul Area Road Knights (SPARK)
http://www.autoduel.org
http://www.esglabs.com/spark

SWAT HQ - Play-Aids - Game Tools
http://www.seanet.com/~owenmp/playaids/tools.html