Turns and Phases

Turns

Turns are I-Go, U-Go.

Phases

Each turn has four phases:

1. Movement
2. Shooting.  For all shooting over 12”. Only the active player shoots.
3. Firefight.  For all shooting within 12”.  Both players shoot.  Cover saves are worse than at range.
4. Melee.  Unpinned units within range may charge into melee and fight.  Both players fight.

Geek Notes

I toyed around with the idea of alternating activations.  Lots of games use them, but they've never felt quite right to me. They are hard to keep track of and muddle the sequence of play unbearably.

The Firefight phase is a bit of a novelty.  (I think there may be something like it in Epic 40k.) Here the Firefight phase represents what, in Flames of War, would be part of the Assault Phase.  The bit of a fire and maneuver in which the maneuvering force is now close enough to the enemy to shoot them at close range, ignoring their fortifications, and to use close weapons like pistols, grenades, and SMGs.  It also represents the moment with the maneuvering attacks must surrender their cover to make that last push on the defenders.  Thus, both sides get to shoot.

 It has a couple of advantages, game mechanically:

1. It allows us to do without that awkward beast known variously as Defensive Fire or Overwatch.  Anything that wants to close to Melee is going to have to get shot in the face, regardless of gimmicky movement rules. 
2. It permits further differentiation of weapons and roles. Some units can be really good at long range shooting, and others can specialize at getting into the enemy’s face and blasting away.  Dedicated assault units may shoot terribly, but be really good and clubbing things with sticks or swords.