How to keep track of Tactics/Unit abilities?

[Inquisitor Eisenhorn]

I've finally realized that I just don't have the mental capacity anymore to remember all the rules and abilities for a war game when I play as infrequently as I do.  Which becomes a bit of a catch-22 because that makes the mental barrier of setting a game up to be even higher, knowing I'm going to have to review/relearn a bit each session.

 

Last time I pulled out my Rogue Trader Kill Team box I was met with just a TON of tactics cards, not to mention unit specific abilities that are printed on the cards (but not the RULES for those abilities).  

 

I had to spread the tactics cards out all over half the table because I didn't know what else to do. Just holding a stack in my hand seemed like a worse option, especially considering that half of them would be available to both sides.  

 

I was just messing around with Battlescribe this morning (late to the game, I know) and was pleased to see that the rules for abilities are listed right there on the same line.  That seems extremely helpful.  (as a side note, how do they get away with printing the rules for the game, as opposed to just names and equipment?)

 

Anyone else have any suggestions about how to keep track of all of the tactics that are available to a given faction?  I know there are lists I can find on the internet that have them all listed in a line, but is the game really meant to be played keeping all of those (sometimes dozens) of tactics at the forefront of my mind at all times while playing? Some of the tactics cards are unit specific, some faction specific, some universal!

 

I know in Necromunda that tactics cards are considered somewhat optional, and that only a few are selected per scenario.  Did I miss something about tactics that they are limited in a similar fashion?  If I skip or house-rule to limit how many tactics are used, am I really hobbling the game?

[Panzer]

Creating a cheatsheet or simply practice. There's not really any other way.

[Exilyth]

1. download open/libre/star office if you don't have an office suite yet.
2. using 'calc' (aka not-excel) or 'writer' (aka not-word), create a document summing up the rules you need to memorize in an organized fashion (e.g. grouping stratagems together). Alternatively: use 'impress' (aka not-powerpoint) to do the same, but with all kind of colorful funny shapes (remember to change the slide format to A4 or letter first).
3. export as pdf
4. print
5. don't forget to actually put a copy into the place where you keep your kt command rooster.

 

Back in the day, I used a cheatsheet for 40k with information like e.g. rough outline of turn sequence, BS table and the S vs T table (which was much larger in old editions - nowadays BS is given directly as a roll and S vs T is only a single column).

[Interrogator Stobz]

Just don't use them mate, KT plays great without those CP shenanigans.

[ShVagYeR]

Like sfPanzer said, practice is key. Build a deck of tactic cards that apply to your roster (for example if you don't have a Scout specialist, leave out any Scout-related cards). Play every game on a big table so that you can lay out all your cards next to your rulebook, close to the gaming area. Have a glance at all the cards before every game and try to memorize situations where they can be useful (e.g. Death Denied comes in handy only when one of your Astartes dies). With each game you will find you remember one or two more.

 

BTW that's coming from someone who still forgets to play the scouting phase.

Edited September 24, 2019 by ShVagYeR