Striker

Striker is a science fiction miniatures wargame, designed by Frank Chadwick, and illustrated by William H. Keith. It was published by Game Designers' Workshop in 1981 as a boxed expansion to the Traveller role-playing game. Although Striker is a 15mm miniatures ruleset, GDW consider it their eighth Traveller boardgame. It was republished in 2004 as part of Far Future Enterprises Traveller: The Classic Games, Games 1-6+. Gameplay Striker was notable for attempting to cover a broad range of technological levels and having an intricate "engineering" style of vehicle design by the player using formulas and tables. The game also had an innovative command system that forced the player to lead a force and execute a plan with limited time/command pressure and constant communication/morale to maintain. The combat rules were an elaboration on the rules introduced in the Azhanti High Lightning game, using a 2D6 mechanic very different from the original "Traveller" rules. In 1994, an updated version Striker II, was published as a supplement for GDW's Traveller: The New Era. The rules were based on GDW's Command Decision also designed by Frank Chadwick. The game used 15mm scale figures with a 1:1000 or 1:985 ground scale. The miniatures were produced by the now defunct Martian Miniatures.* All of the major Traveller races were represented, including Zhodani, Aslan, and Imperial humans. The game enjoyed popularity in the early 1980s but was quickly eclipsed by new products by rival companies like Fasa's Battletech and Games Workshop's Warhammer 40k. One reason for its decline may have been the rules mechanics which attempted to combine the decision making of a roleplaying game with the tactical maneuverings of a miniatures war-game. The result of this fusion was seen as a "worst of both worlds" situation which left players looking for a more streamlined game.