Revisiting SLA Industries: Cannibal Sector 1

Almost four years ago I was exploring the SLA Industries Cannibal Sector 1 (CS1) skirmish wargame. I recall being really captivated by it at the time - combining a great 'splatter punk' sci-fi, gritty, seriously dystopian SLA Industries setting and what stuck me as some really interesting and novel mechanics.

What is the Cannibal Sector 1?

Cannibal Sector 1 is a vast, treacherous wasteland spanning nearly 20,000 square kilometers of the most hostile and violent terrain on the planet Mort. Once a thriving part of Mort City, it devolved into a ruined urban deathtrap following neglect by SLA Industries and catastrophic mistakes by those in charge. The sector is now home to a diverse array of dangerous inhabitants, including mutated Cannibals, aggressive Carrien, and resourceful Scavs fighting for control, resources, and survival. This deadly environment is further complicated by extreme pollution levels, lethal diseases, and hostile flora and fauna, making it a constant, desperate battle for survival for all.

I really like that the fact that SLA and CS1 are so different from the W40k universe. It's a little splatter-punk, with its roots in commercialism and technology, not grimdark and mysticism. The various Factions are really fleshed out, full of flavour. One of my favourite factions are the Scavs.

When it comes to playing the game, Scav faction traits translate to several faction-specific abilities.

Scavs are formidable warriors and highly skilled scavengers. A Scav Patrol is few in numbers, but high in technical capability. They utilise Static Markers which represent equipment and traps to tip the fight in their favour and lure the enemy into difficult positions.
Resourceful: Any Friendly Model may pay 2 Ratings Points during its activation to regain 1 Armour Point, up to the models starting Armour Points. This may not be used whilst a model is engaged.

Equipment Cache: This model may deploy an Equipment Cache Static Marker within 6". There may only be three such markers in play at any one time. Once placed, a marker may only be removed by activating one of the following rules or may be removed by the owning player during any Maintenance Phase. Any Friendly Model within 3" of a marker may do one of the following:

• Armour Plates: discard the marker from play to use the Resourceful ability without paying the normal Ratings Points cost.
• Ammo Cache: discard the marker from play when making a Ranged Attack to add +1d10 to the model’s Combat Pool.
• Hazard Suits: remove the Poisoned and Burning conditions. Models are considered immune to these conditions when within 3" of the markers.

Customise: When this model declares a Ranged Attack with a Scav Autorifle or Shotgun, it may apply one of the following bonuses:

• The weapon gains +4" range for this attack.
• The weapon gains +1 damage, but its range is reduced by 6" for this attack
• The weapon gains Rapid Fire for this attack.

If either shot is unsuccessful, this weapon jams and may not be used during this model’s next Activation.

Custom Sights: When this model declares a Ranged Attack with a Scav Sniping Rifle, it may apply one of the following bonuses:

• The weapon gains Armour Piercing for this attack.
• The weapon gains Headshot for this attack.

Scrap Mines:

• Clicker: Place the 3" blast template over the centre of the marker. All models within the template suffer 3 damage and the Bleeding condition.
• Gas Trap: Place the 3" blast template over the centre of the marker. The marker remains in place until the next Maintenance Phase and affects anyone who enters it. All models within the template suffer the Poisoned and Stunned conditions.

Yeah, lots of words I know, but if you read them, you can get the sense that Scavs are adaptable, versatile bags of trouble. The above describes a combination of 'upgrades' that can be added at a cost when preparing your list for a game, specialist abilities, and the more interesting Resourceful Faction Trait that can be initiated by expending Rating Points.

What are Rating Points?

Ratings Points represent the TV ratings of the action taking place across the Sector. This ties directly into the game's setting, where conflicts are televised for the entertainment of the masses.

At the start of the game, each player's initial Ratings Points are determined by their chosen Patrol leader. Then, throughout the game, players can acquire more Ratings Points, primarily through successful combat actions.

When a player succeeds in a Ranged or Melee Attack, they can earn Ratings Points. The number of points earned is based on the Margin of Success (MoS) of the attack - the bigger the MoS, the more Ratings Points are awarded, representing greater media exposure for particularly impressive actions. Importantly, Ratings Points can be earned by either player in a combat situation, even if they're defending and unable to strike back.

Ratings Points aren't just a scoring mechanism; they can be spent during the game to gain tactical advantages. For example, the "Pure Grit" General Ability allows any player to spend Ratings Points before rolling dice in their Combat Pool. For each Ratings Point spent, the player adds +1 to their Combat Pool result after all other modifiers have been applied. This represents the combatants pushing themselves harder for the cameras, adding an exciting risk-reward element to the gameplay. Another General Ability is "Tactics." At the start of the Initiative Phase, a player can spend 1 to 3 Ratings Points to add the same number to their initiative roll, potentially gaining an advantage in determining turn order.

By incorporating this resource management mechanic, CS1 incentivises players to take risks and perform dramatic actions. The combination of resource management coupled with high-risk, high-stakes tactical play is something I love in a wargame.

So why haven't I been playing CS1?

First of all, the minis. I REALLY wanted the minis but haven't been able to secure them for a reasonable price. They're not made anymore, so finding them is hard enough, but then the prices people are charging... you'd think they're made of gold! Yeah, I could (and have) use proxies, but I'm into the setting and anything but the real thing feels... second rate 😔

The other thing is that the game tracks each units' Hit Points and Armour. Let me explain:

Hit Points represent a model's overall health and ability to stay in the fight. When a model runs out of Hit Points, it is taken out of the game. Scavs have 6 Hit Points whereas Shivers (think corporate soldiers) have 5 Hit Points, and Cannibal Butchers have 7 Hit Points.

Armour Points act as a protective buffer against damage. When a model is hit, the damage is first reduced by the model's current Armour Points, to a minimum of zero. Importantly, every time a model's Armour absorbs any amount of damage, it loses one Armour Point, regardless of how much damage was absorbed. This means that even small hits can gradually wear down a model's protection. Once all Armour Points are depleted, the model is considered Unarmoured, and any further damage is applied directly to their Hit Points. Again, different units have different levels of Armour Shivers around 2 Armour Points, Scavs 3 and Cannibals aren't armoured whatsoever.

At first glance, this system introduces a dynamic where models become progressively more vulnerable as a battle unfolds, injecting tension and strategic depth into the gameplay. Conversely, players must monitor both Hit Points and Armour Points during the game. This might seem trivial, and in a computer game, it wouldn't pose an issue. However, in tabletop wargaming, managing the Hit Points, Armour Points, and Rating Points of several models, while also tracking the opponent's units, can quickly become overwhelming.

Which is a real shame. I really feel that these mechanics work so well together, however when it comes to playing, I just don't want to deal with all that overhead. That's where other games like Black Powder Red Earth (BPRE) do a better job of striking the sort of balance that makes for a fun and engaging wargame. Maybe that's one of the factors that ultimately contributed to CS1's demise.

Maybe I should give it a try again...