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Hello everyone! I am incredibly excited to announce that the MVP version (v1.5) of Code: Zero Line is officially live and available for download!

If you are a fan of modern tactical skirmish games but find yourself bogged down by the traditional mechanics, this game was designed exactly for you. I wanted to share a bit about the design philosophy behind this project and why I decided to strip away some of the most common wargaming tropes.

The Problem with Tape Measures and "I-Go, You-Go"

When playing traditional wargames, I often found that the pacing suffered. Measuring every single inch slows down the momentum of a firefight. Furthermore, the rigid "I-Go, You-Go" turn structure often leaves one player just standing there, waiting for the storm to pass. In a real firefight, if you have the advantage, you press it until you run out of steam or the enemy stops you.

The Code: Zero Line Solution

To capture the tension of modern combat, I focused on three core pillars: Metric-less Movement: As long as you have a clear path and aren't taking fire, your unit can move anywhere in a straight line. Cover is your only lifeline. This makes positioning intuitive and terrifyingly fast. The Momentum System: You don't take turns; you fight for the Initiative. If your elite operators succeed, you keep going. But if you push your luck and fail an action, the Initiative flips. The "Overdraft" Gamble: This is my favorite mechanic. Sometimes you desperately need a unit to act, but you don't have enough Momentum. You can force the action by "Overdrafting," but doing so immediately hands the Initiative—and extra Momentum points—to your opponent. It forces you to ask: Is this shot worth giving my enemy the upper hand?

What's Next? (And How You Can Help!)

This v1.5 release is an MVP, meaning the core engine is fully playable, but I want to build the rest of the game with the community. I've released this as Pay What You Want, so please grab a copy for free, grab some 28mm models (or even paper stand-ins!), and roll some dice. I would love to hear your thoughts on the suppression mechanics, the asymmetric scenarios, and the Overdraft system.

Drop a comment below or leave a rating if you enjoyed it. Welcome to the Zero Line!

— Alan Wang, Sloth Mage Games

I'm really glad that the game system quickly found a suitable background for you to apply! 

Yes, in my notes, I've even defined stats like electronic warfare defense and armor to create a near-future setting. It turned out to be easier than expected—if the opposite roll succeeds, the defense is successful; otherwise, the EW action take effect, and so on. You can use it on magic, mind, even TRPG skill checks.

Right now, I'm working on expanding the factions for a World War II setting. Before adding more unit stats, I hope to demonstrate how unit design can be done purely through the existing rules. In fact, I just uploaded an update! Feel free to give it a try whenever you have time!

Hi! Glad you like the rules!

Technically melee is a *free* action, which I should make it more clear in the next revision, so yes, it still takes place!

Welcome to the General Questions and Discussion thread for Miniature Field Manual!

This is the place to ask any questions you may have about the game,. Whether you're a new player or need clarification on specific rules, feel free to ask anything related to any aspect of the game.

I also encourage players to use this thread to share thoughts, discuss strategies, and help each other out. If you have suggestions or feedback, this is also the place to leave them.

Please remember to be respectful and patient with one another, as we're all here to enjoy the game together.