Vor the ###### is clawing it's way back to life with 2.0 in the works.
Edit: why is "Maelstr0m" above (but with an 'o') getting censored?

Some of you may remember Vor which was produced by Fasa, and was taking off before Fasa suddenly closed shop (damn you Weissman!).

Are there any Melbournites who still play? I have a number of Growlers and Neo-Soviets, though will need to acquire more models soon! Iron Wind Metals still produces them - the same guys producing Battletech miniatures.

Additionally for those looking to support a revival Skuzz (the creator - yes he does have the rights for the game itself, just not the artwork) there are new forums (bioplazm.com) running by Skuzz himself, and supporting both the existing rules (1.0) and 2.0.

There is also a KickStarter project to get the artwork for the new rulebook self-published and get it out the door http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/biopla...-vor-20-project
Even if the Kickstarter project doesn't quite get funding there are still other options for how 2.0 gets released.

###### (the company) are traders based in the... UK from memory? that discount more heavily than sponsors, and due to dealing in the same currency also don't have the crazy markup that converting from GBP to AUD seems to bring here. So to help promote the sponsors (as they should... Shout out to Phoenix Forge!) ###### (the word) is as banned as ######, #### and mcdoodle.

There ya go.

Anyway for a mere newb such as I, can you give us an overview of play? Was it similar to existing games, any particular quirks, focus on melee, ranged, other?

Edit: the Maw in the Maelstr*m is where this all takes place so it's disappointing that word is barred!
Edit: added Zykhee

Vor is a D10 squad-based skirmish game.

There are a number of armies published for version 1 - Union (ie US), Noe-Soviet, Growlers (wild pack-mind creatures), Pharon (Egyptian mummies), Shard (crystal beings) and Zykhee (thin humanoid with an extra elbow/limb, focus on melee and psychic combat).

Not published are the Golems, Ceru (think Smurfs on bikes) and Mashers (Ork-like).

As a result of the variety of forces some forces would focus on ranged combat, other close combat. Since the Maelstr*m sucks planets into it you could get any wierd race coming in to play! The Maw is at the center and sucks planets into it. The closer the planets are to this ring the more catastrophies begin to occur. Think of it being similar to a black hole.

Whilst the concentration is on troops there are also vehicle rules for those races that are capable of using them.

As for gameplay...

On setting up you role on the Battlefield Terrain Table (BTT), though of course this is optional. There is one in the main book and each force book has it's own relating more to the force involved. You will typically make one or two rules to determine terrain effects. You may be slowed to a wind storm, man eating plants may spawn, or many other interesting battlefield additions.

Like Warzone and similar systems you have alternate unit activation (not just your force, my force like Warhammer), and every unit has a number of options (combat, movement, etc). Instead of having a number of actions you have MP or "Movement Points". You could spend 1MP per inch of movement, or various attacks (various melee, ranged options) would have varying MP costs. Each model in a unit can perform it's own actions as long as it's within command range of the rest of the squad.

There is also an option to use Warhammer style activation to "simplify" resolution though I never saw or read of this being used much at all. This does limit your options though.

Combat has the common resolution system to other games:
roll to hit, roll to wound, roll armor test (if applicable)
A dodge test may apply in special cases

There is also a form of wait/overwatch/etc if you reserve several MP.

There was also one campaign book published before Fasa closed.

Now the attractive part for many - custom force rules. Yes, make your own force. The main book has some basic rules. The official rulebook was well under production, but sadly Fasa closed before this got to publication. There will definitely be a full Vor 2.0 version, but that's probably a year or two off, depending how things go. As a result there are a number of conversions around - 40k armies, Warzone (I did a Warzone Cybertronic list), and various others.