Back in Jacksonville, the guys I hung about with were designing dice games like, Stomp the Roach, where a handful of d6s were rolled and some results Stomped, and others Hatched new roaches. It was an amusing game, especially while I was under the influence of Hornsby's or Woodchuck Hard Cider.
I'm not known to play many board games, and fewer card games (Aquarius, and Guillotine being two notable exceptions), but I have been taken to task by a minis wargamer that games like AMBUSH! or SHELL SHOCK! are, in fact, board games, and I've played plenty of those.
I'm curious which non-RPGs readers of this blog are fans of, and which features of them are best liked, and why.
--Too much to ask of you folks? I hope not. :)
On a mildly-related topic, I Refereed a friendly BLOCKMEN v. LEGOS scenario last night, with the dice favouring the invaders (after losses) of a base, and an alien saucer as the prize. Simple d6 pools of varying sizes compared to other d6 pools, with the higher roll winning, and the difference taken as hits in an attack action.
--The young player asked if this counted as 'wargaming' and after a moment's thought, I replied, 'yes.', thinking of Wells' Little Wars basic conceit of a War Game.
Have fun. :)
Showing posts with label Wargaming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wargaming. Show all posts
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Old URUTSK Minis Combat Rules (Primitive to Modern)-
URUTSK COMBAT
EDIT: 1998/09/08
(c) 1998, 2010 Kyrinn S. Eis
* Scale: Open (1/2 of an Average Figure' Height = 01 Yard)
* Time: 01 Round = Approximately 06 Seconds
Range
Increment Penalty
Point-blank: 0
Short: 1
Medium: 2
Long: 3
Extreme: 4
Pass Ammo. check: '6', including appropriate Weapon Ability score.
RANGED COMBAT-
Roll 1d6, and add 'Ranged' score.
--Range and Cover Penalties are then applied.
* A Modified Result of '1' or less is a Clean Miss
* Results of '2-5' indicate a 'hit' has been scored, applying the same total as Hit Points to the previously nominated targets/figures.
* A Result of '6' or more allows the die to be re-rolled, adding the new result to the total. This grand total is then distributed among the nominated target(s).
Other factors discussed later modify the low and high end results.
Misses-
(Roll 1d6):
1). Forced Ammo Check
2-5). Normal Miss
6). Strike another figure within 01 Yard to either side of the original target, regardless of range (nearer or further).
Group Ranged Combat-
* Dice for all involved per side are rolled
* Apply Range and Cover penalties to each die
* 1's are not added, and each removes a single high(est) scoring roll (preventing additive re-rolls for that die removed)
* A result of 6 on any (remaining) die is then added with its re-roll. This is performed only once per die.
* Total the modified rolls
* This is distributed to the pre-nominated targets, with those without cover (even in further ranks/rows) receiving the brunt of damage first, then those in partial cover, and lastly to those in full cover.
Autofire / Volley Modifiers (Single)-
* Modified results of '1' are treated normally
* A '2' may also indicate a 'miss' if the weapon condition is poor or the item is damage, defective, etc.
* A result of 5+ is an additive re-roll
* Continue as normal
Autofire / Volley Modifiers (Group)-
* 1's (and 2's if the gear is damaged or poorly maintained) are not added, and instead each subtracts a single high(est) scoring roll (preventing Additive Re-Rolls)
* 5+ is an ARR
* Continue as normal
Burst-Effect Weapons-
* 1's act as normal
* 4's, 5's, and 6's are ARRs
* Figures without cover, within the range of the effect, are automatically subject to 12 Hit-points, before rolled points are distributed to those with cover.
* The area affected by the burst is often devastated and poses its own hinderances, namely fires and broken terrain.
* Structures in the area are treated as figures without cover, and sustain 12 hit-points. Although this is often not enough to destroy the structure outright, it is usually enough to deteriorate the integrity of the structure, and can cause dangerous conditions (collapses, etc.)
* Figures with cover provided by damaged structures may have survived the initial blast, but may still persh from their refuge's collapse. In these cases, 2d6 are rolled:
* If the results are doubles (5, 5, or 3, 3, for instance), they are treated as ARRs
* Any other results are simply added, and hit-points distributed among the figures in the structure. This damage represents injuries suffered from falling debris or other special effects from such an event.
MELEE (CLOSE) COMBAT-
* Roll 1d6 per unit (based on combat scale), and add the Close score
* Ties result in an ARR for both parties, with the figure wit the higher Close score breaking a further tie.
Parries & Ripostes-
A number of Hit-Points of damage a melee or unarmed fighter generates, up to its Close score, can be used to interfere with incoming enemy hit-points. If this amount is equal to the incoming hit-points, then the strike is negated. If the total is greater, and a '6' was rolled, the enemy is disarmed. Any remaining points may still be used to inflict injury as normal.
Breaking-off in Melee-
On occasions where a figure wants to disengage from its opponent, the opponent is entitled to an unopposed roll (adding its Close score) to determine the effect of its strike.
Mass Melee-
When more than one figure engages an enemy in Melee combat, follow standard One-on-one Melee Procedure, as expanded by the following rules:
* Parry and Riposte points may be spread among one-half as many opponents (round up)
* Command Checks must be made each Minute of such combat
COMMAND CHECKS-
* Figures must be within 10 Yards of a Command-capable figure when a Command Check is required, or the figures are Out of Command (OoC).
* Figures which are OoC will attempt to join other friendly units, even if they are also OoC, rather than remain isolated.
* Groups of OoC troops are under the Referee's control.
* Groups of troops with a Command-capable commander are Detachments, and act as sub-units with all the same properties as the main unit in regard to Command Checks.
Mass Melee Charges-
* Roll 1d6 for each side.
* If the Charging Attackers are at 21-40 Yards when the charge begins, 6's are ARRs for their side. If at 20 Yards (or less), 5's and 6's are ARRs.
* The Charged Party receives ARRs based on preparedness, and longer ranges. If the Charging Attackers are at Medium Range (for the weapons employed) then 6's are ARRs. Long and Extreme Range permit 5's and 4's, respectively. Readied weapons lower the ARR threshold by one, but never lower than '4'.
* Overwhelming numbers of Charging attackers (3:1 or greater) additionally force 2's to be discarded by the Other/Receiving Party. Autofire/Volley are conducted normally. Command Checks are necessary versus Disruption.
* The Grand Total for each party is applied to their opponents.
* If both parties Charge, treat each side as the Charging Party.
* Once the two forces engage, Standard Melee takes place.
* As with any instance of Mass Melee, Command Checks are required each Minute of Battle.
Disruption-
(Roll 1d6)
1). Staggered: Lose Next 02 Rounds
2-5). Stunned: Lose Next Round
6). Unaffected: May act as normal
HIT-POINTS-
Regardless of the source, any hit-points attached to a figure are compared to the figure's Fate score:
* If less than that score, the figure remains active, though at a Fate score reduced by the hit-points not negated by defences.
* If attached hit-points are equal to the figure's Fate, the figure is Injured.
* If the hit-points exceed the figure's Fate score, then the figure is Incapacitated.
Injuries-
* Injured figures may resume action on the second Round after suffering their Injury. the Fate score is reduced by 01. If faced with an enemy, the Injured figure may fight back, but 1's, 2's, and 3's are penalised as previously discussed.
Incapacitated-
(Roll 1d6):
1-2). Dead
3-5). Immobile: badly wounded and in serious pain. as a result, they are very likely to be noisy
6). Unconscious: 1d6 Minutes before regaining Consciousness, then treat as Injured
[END]
EDIT: 1998/09/08
(c) 1998, 2010 Kyrinn S. Eis
* Scale: Open (1/2 of an Average Figure' Height = 01 Yard)
* Time: 01 Round = Approximately 06 Seconds
Range
Increment Penalty
Point-blank: 0
Short: 1
Medium: 2
Long: 3
Extreme: 4
Pass Ammo. check: '6', including appropriate Weapon Ability score.
RANGED COMBAT-
Roll 1d6, and add 'Ranged' score.
--Range and Cover Penalties are then applied.
* A Modified Result of '1' or less is a Clean Miss
* Results of '2-5' indicate a 'hit' has been scored, applying the same total as Hit Points to the previously nominated targets/figures.
* A Result of '6' or more allows the die to be re-rolled, adding the new result to the total. This grand total is then distributed among the nominated target(s).
Other factors discussed later modify the low and high end results.
Misses-
(Roll 1d6):
1). Forced Ammo Check
2-5). Normal Miss
6). Strike another figure within 01 Yard to either side of the original target, regardless of range (nearer or further).
Group Ranged Combat-
* Dice for all involved per side are rolled
* Apply Range and Cover penalties to each die
* 1's are not added, and each removes a single high(est) scoring roll (preventing additive re-rolls for that die removed)
* A result of 6 on any (remaining) die is then added with its re-roll. This is performed only once per die.
* Total the modified rolls
* This is distributed to the pre-nominated targets, with those without cover (even in further ranks/rows) receiving the brunt of damage first, then those in partial cover, and lastly to those in full cover.
Autofire / Volley Modifiers (Single)-
* Modified results of '1' are treated normally
* A '2' may also indicate a 'miss' if the weapon condition is poor or the item is damage, defective, etc.
* A result of 5+ is an additive re-roll
* Continue as normal
Autofire / Volley Modifiers (Group)-
* 1's (and 2's if the gear is damaged or poorly maintained) are not added, and instead each subtracts a single high(est) scoring roll (preventing Additive Re-Rolls)
* 5+ is an ARR
* Continue as normal
Burst-Effect Weapons-
* 1's act as normal
* 4's, 5's, and 6's are ARRs
* Figures without cover, within the range of the effect, are automatically subject to 12 Hit-points, before rolled points are distributed to those with cover.
* The area affected by the burst is often devastated and poses its own hinderances, namely fires and broken terrain.
* Structures in the area are treated as figures without cover, and sustain 12 hit-points. Although this is often not enough to destroy the structure outright, it is usually enough to deteriorate the integrity of the structure, and can cause dangerous conditions (collapses, etc.)
* Figures with cover provided by damaged structures may have survived the initial blast, but may still persh from their refuge's collapse. In these cases, 2d6 are rolled:
* If the results are doubles (5, 5, or 3, 3, for instance), they are treated as ARRs
* Any other results are simply added, and hit-points distributed among the figures in the structure. This damage represents injuries suffered from falling debris or other special effects from such an event.
MELEE (CLOSE) COMBAT-
* Roll 1d6 per unit (based on combat scale), and add the Close score
* Ties result in an ARR for both parties, with the figure wit the higher Close score breaking a further tie.
Parries & Ripostes-
A number of Hit-Points of damage a melee or unarmed fighter generates, up to its Close score, can be used to interfere with incoming enemy hit-points. If this amount is equal to the incoming hit-points, then the strike is negated. If the total is greater, and a '6' was rolled, the enemy is disarmed. Any remaining points may still be used to inflict injury as normal.
Breaking-off in Melee-
On occasions where a figure wants to disengage from its opponent, the opponent is entitled to an unopposed roll (adding its Close score) to determine the effect of its strike.
Mass Melee-
When more than one figure engages an enemy in Melee combat, follow standard One-on-one Melee Procedure, as expanded by the following rules:
* Parry and Riposte points may be spread among one-half as many opponents (round up)
* Command Checks must be made each Minute of such combat
COMMAND CHECKS-
* Figures must be within 10 Yards of a Command-capable figure when a Command Check is required, or the figures are Out of Command (OoC).
* Figures which are OoC will attempt to join other friendly units, even if they are also OoC, rather than remain isolated.
* Groups of OoC troops are under the Referee's control.
* Groups of troops with a Command-capable commander are Detachments, and act as sub-units with all the same properties as the main unit in regard to Command Checks.
Mass Melee Charges-
* Roll 1d6 for each side.
* If the Charging Attackers are at 21-40 Yards when the charge begins, 6's are ARRs for their side. If at 20 Yards (or less), 5's and 6's are ARRs.
* The Charged Party receives ARRs based on preparedness, and longer ranges. If the Charging Attackers are at Medium Range (for the weapons employed) then 6's are ARRs. Long and Extreme Range permit 5's and 4's, respectively. Readied weapons lower the ARR threshold by one, but never lower than '4'.
* Overwhelming numbers of Charging attackers (3:1 or greater) additionally force 2's to be discarded by the Other/Receiving Party. Autofire/Volley are conducted normally. Command Checks are necessary versus Disruption.
* The Grand Total for each party is applied to their opponents.
* If both parties Charge, treat each side as the Charging Party.
* Once the two forces engage, Standard Melee takes place.
* As with any instance of Mass Melee, Command Checks are required each Minute of Battle.
Disruption-
(Roll 1d6)
1). Staggered: Lose Next 02 Rounds
2-5). Stunned: Lose Next Round
6). Unaffected: May act as normal
HIT-POINTS-
Regardless of the source, any hit-points attached to a figure are compared to the figure's Fate score:
* If less than that score, the figure remains active, though at a Fate score reduced by the hit-points not negated by defences.
* If attached hit-points are equal to the figure's Fate, the figure is Injured.
* If the hit-points exceed the figure's Fate score, then the figure is Incapacitated.
Injuries-
* Injured figures may resume action on the second Round after suffering their Injury. the Fate score is reduced by 01. If faced with an enemy, the Injured figure may fight back, but 1's, 2's, and 3's are penalised as previously discussed.
Incapacitated-
(Roll 1d6):
1-2). Dead
3-5). Immobile: badly wounded and in serious pain. as a result, they are very likely to be noisy
6). Unconscious: 1d6 Minutes before regaining Consciousness, then treat as Injured
[END]
Saturday, August 1, 2009
A The Grand Tapestry Exclusive: Jeff Berry: "What's Old School Gaming?"-
The following was an unsolicited (but much enjoyed) e-mail I have received this fine day from Jeff Berry, friend to and gamer with both Dave Arneson and Professor M. A. R. 'Phil' Barker, as well as the author of the Tekumelani wargames rules set: Qadardalikoi.
(c) Copyright 2009 Jeff Berry All Rights Reserved. Used here by permission of the author.
Linking to this article is permitted.
[Bold: mine]
I realise that the above will not settle the matter for either the Old Guard, the OSR or New School crowd, but then again, nothing is likely to do so.
Sally-forth unto Adventure, Honour, and Glory!
(c) Copyright 2009 Jeff Berry All Rights Reserved. Used here by permission of the author.
Linking to this article is permitted.
I'm a dinosaur, I think...
(This is a short little essay on gaming styles that might be of interest to folks, in response to the various postings I've been reading lately.
All opinions are my own, no warranty express or implied, and are packed by weight, not by volume; some settling of contents may have occurred during shipping and handling...)
Okay, I give up. What's 'old school gaming', and how does it apply to miniatures and role-playing games? I've just managed to get my head around the 'simulationist' and 'narrativist' schools of role-playing games, sorta, but now I'm even more confused. I got started in miniatures back about 1970, and in role-playing about 1975, and I have the feeling that I'm either a dinosaur or trapped like an insect in ancient amber; I still do things the way I have been doing them since that ancient and long-lost time, both in miniatures games and in RPGs.
Am I an 'old school gamer', or just imprisoned by the conditioning I got at the hands of Dave Arneson (of D&D), and Phil Barker (of EPT)?
For the benefit of those of you in the audience who hadn't been born yet, gaming back then consisted of historical miniatures. Period. Sure, some folks had been calling their medieval figures 'orcs' and 'elves' so they could play out the battles from Middle-Earth, and if you took the five SPI "Prestags" board games and put all the maps together - and sorted the counters from all five by color - you had a mega-game that looked just like Tolkein but evaded copyright issues; but, oh my patient listeners, the world of RPGs as you know them just didn't exist.
Enter, stage left, a bunch of bored Twin Cities Napoleonics players; enter, stage right, a bunch of bored medieval players from Lake Geneva.
Net result, D&D, followed in short order in the Twin Cities by something really weird called "Empire of the Petal Throne": all three of the authors involved were old hands at historical miniatures, and their first sets of rules reflected this - the 'Simulationist' school of game design, they tell me. Dave Arneson was a particular example of this kind of design; he was a perfectionist at getting all of the little details nailed down before the players showed up on his doorstep, and he played - like they did - for keeps. Sitting down with Dave to play with him was an invitation to having your heart cut out, doused with Tabasco sauce, and eaten with great glee; you - like all of the folks who regularly played in that group - had to be quick on the uptake, fast on the draw, and really smart; you had to know your stuff, or you'd get handed your head on a platter. The only exception to that was if you were a new player, and didn't come into the game session with an attitude; if you were polite and reasonable, that bunch of unreformed Visigoths would be more then happy to help you learn the game and the rules.
Phil Barker certainly did his own rules, of course, but his natural flair for story-telling usually showed through the rules mechanics.
Tekumel was the setting for his stories and fiction writing, and those of us who gamed with him were the 'bit players' in the story arc and quite often provided him with the 'local color' he used in his books.
Very quickly, he dropped using any rules more complicated then the following:
Prof. Mohammed abd Rahman Barker's Perfected Game Rules:
1) We both roll dice.
2) If you roll high, your view of reality prevails.
3) If I roll high, my view of reality prevails.
4) If we're close, we negotiate.
Simple, yes? I still use this complex and detailed set of rules to this very day, which - I assume - makes me a 'Narrativist' like Phil. Mind you, I also do all of my research and planning ahead of each game session, just like Dave did, so I guess I'm sort of a hybrid of the two genres. And just perhaps, is this hybrid 'old school'? The major objective of any game run by either of those two was to have fun; if there wasn't a laugh or two around the table in the course of the mayhem, we all thought we were slipping up somehow. I try very hard to make sure my players have fun, and I also make damn sure that I know my source material, too.
Over on the miniatures table, I run games pretty much the same way.
Yes, I confess, I did write a set of miniatures rules for Tekumel; it's still in print, still being played, and still being denounced as "too simplistic" by historical gamers (who have never played it) and as "too complicated" by RPG gamers (who have never played it). I might modestly mention that both types of gamers who have played the thing discover that it's neither, but that may not be important; what is important is that I try very hard to provide players with a good time; everyone gets something to do, everyone gets a laugh and some fun, and everyone gets to play equally heroically. I do the figures and the scenery, and that's where I get my jollies; I'm a model-builder before I'm a gamer. (Which may be rank heresy, and probably the subject of another essay.)
So, I think I'm a fossil. I game the same way both Dave and Phil did, and my players don't look at the published rules very much; they seem to be having fun at game sessions, which think is the point of the exercise. We keep it light, simple, and fun; is this 'old school'?
[Bold: mine]
I realise that the above will not settle the matter for either the Old Guard, the OSR or New School crowd, but then again, nothing is likely to do so.
Sally-forth unto Adventure, Honour, and Glory!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
[Wargaming][Gaming] RPG History and PreHistory-
If you haven't already read THIS, please consider doing so. I also heavily suggest reading THIS.
All of that makes me want to finish Volume I and jump right into my wargaming rules for Urutsk, but as they are for the latter Autumn era, I'll have to keep my reins tight until the appropriate time.
If only I knew where Karl P. is at and how to reach him, I'd make every effort to get as many games of the Second Tyrrhean War played on the squad-level as possible during that time.
We used tan plastic army men of the vaguely Vietnam-era style for the mainline Khark warriors, and Blockmen [*] figures and cowboys to represent the Resth Clan Confederacy troops defending their fully-staffed and equipped, air-dropped firebases.
Using a reallly nifty rule from Leonard Hung's Cathy Arts of RolePlay (I lament losing my copy of that brilliant game) where Chi allowed for any sort of linear movement at full rate, we had the equivalent of Khark 'ninja' sappers simply hop over the perimiter defences (if they had detected them) and up into the gunners' tower. My d6-only based rules were fast and vicious, and the sappers would almost always kill in hand-to-hand. Once the sentinels and heavy weapons were neutralised, the mainline Kharks would swarm en mass and only lost once or perhaps twice (but that was nearly a total kill on both sides), regardless of who played them. Memories of this weird mustard, olive, and khaky flower-print as being the jungle terrain and utilising the actual shapes and sizes of the print to act as degrees of cover just make me long for those late night, back patio, Hialeah games when I came down from the hell that was Jacksonville.
I had rules for single-shot, musket-era volley-fire, so there is nothing stopping me from releasing those rules either at the end of Vol. I or at the dawn of Vol. II.
We'll see...
All of that makes me want to finish Volume I and jump right into my wargaming rules for Urutsk, but as they are for the latter Autumn era, I'll have to keep my reins tight until the appropriate time.
If only I knew where Karl P. is at and how to reach him, I'd make every effort to get as many games of the Second Tyrrhean War played on the squad-level as possible during that time.
We used tan plastic army men of the vaguely Vietnam-era style for the mainline Khark warriors, and Blockmen [*] figures and cowboys to represent the Resth Clan Confederacy troops defending their fully-staffed and equipped, air-dropped firebases.
Using a reallly nifty rule from Leonard Hung's Cathy Arts of RolePlay (I lament losing my copy of that brilliant game) where Chi allowed for any sort of linear movement at full rate, we had the equivalent of Khark 'ninja' sappers simply hop over the perimiter defences (if they had detected them) and up into the gunners' tower. My d6-only based rules were fast and vicious, and the sappers would almost always kill in hand-to-hand. Once the sentinels and heavy weapons were neutralised, the mainline Kharks would swarm en mass and only lost once or perhaps twice (but that was nearly a total kill on both sides), regardless of who played them. Memories of this weird mustard, olive, and khaky flower-print as being the jungle terrain and utilising the actual shapes and sizes of the print to act as degrees of cover just make me long for those late night, back patio, Hialeah games when I came down from the hell that was Jacksonville.
I had rules for single-shot, musket-era volley-fire, so there is nothing stopping me from releasing those rules either at the end of Vol. I or at the dawn of Vol. II.
We'll see...
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