Post by grumpymuppet on Sept 13, 2021 13:32:44 GMT
I have been considering a way to make GDF:FF into an awesome but assymetrical game, which is either solo or co-operative. The idea mixes a deck of cards and the 'fog of war' rules in the full rulebook. I am curious if there is anything similar out there, or if it is an idea others would see as worthwhile developing. I foresee it being a space hulk-ish style game, but no reason it can't work on a normal table.
Game set up.
Choose a team from the firefight rules, at a points level that suits you.
Choose a similar sized (in points) team to oppose. Organise the AI team in to 3-5 smaller teams, each consisting of 1-4ish models. They do not need to be armed the same, or the same entry. Ideally there would be some synergy between them.
Choose a mission (to be written). Example missions would be to find and return a relic (get it and get off the table with it, from where you came in), claim X number of objectives, assassinate a big boss.
The assymetry sets in here. Place objectives over the table in 'obvious' locations (major terrain features, doors, ideal look outs or whatever). Deploy each team 2d6" from an objective in a random direction. Then ensure they have a good location, by allowing them a move into cover / hiding / vantage before placing your own team.
Your team is deployed by 'coming on' to the table. Pick an entry point, and come on.
Place one coloured token (of the same colour; I would use bolt action dice) into a dice bag / beer cooler (stubby holder for the aussies out there) / cap for each of your models. Place an equal number of tokens of a different colour (this will not match the number of teams they have) in for the AI.
Game starts by drawing a token. If it is yours, activate one of your models, according to GFF rules. If it is an AI token draw a card off a deck. The deck has something like these cards in it:
1 Advance Game timer
2 Advance Game timer
3 Scenario event
4 Activate group 1
5 Activate group 1
6 Activate group 2
7 Activate group 2
8 Activate group 3
9 Activate group 3
10 Activate group 4
11 Activate group 4
12 Activate group 5
13 Activate group 5
14 Activate nearest group
15 Re-shuffle deck
For any of the 'activate' cards, you activate the corresponding group.
For the 'advance game timer' card, you use a d10. Starting at zero. Every time you draw this card, move it up one (from 0-1-2-3 etc). Should it reach 10, you have run out of time and lose.
For the scenario event card, an event relating to the scenario occurs. For instance, a new group of enemy models appears according to the ambush rules, the big gribbly that you need to assassinate appears at a random location - or a random event from the full rules occurs.
When you draw re-shuffle, you grab all the discarded cards and shuffle them back into the deck (so it never runs out).
This is the gist of my idea, but I can go into more detail. The unpredictability of the deck creates the challenge. It is likely that AI teams can activate twice in the time between you being able to activate all your models.
Other ideas -
1. Claiming an objective allows the player to choose to heal a wound, wind back the game timer, or take a free action.
2. AI teams do not have a stunned, and just go straight to knocked out (reduce the housekeeping)
3. Different races have different AI. Orcs and space elves have different tactics. I could see space elves using lots of overwatch and ambush actions, orcs just charging in.
4. Different teams could be 'blips' until seen, at which time random models from the AI list are used.
5. Compatible and probably enhanced by most of the bolt on rules - campaign, kitchen table etc.
Game set up.
Choose a team from the firefight rules, at a points level that suits you.
Choose a similar sized (in points) team to oppose. Organise the AI team in to 3-5 smaller teams, each consisting of 1-4ish models. They do not need to be armed the same, or the same entry. Ideally there would be some synergy between them.
Choose a mission (to be written). Example missions would be to find and return a relic (get it and get off the table with it, from where you came in), claim X number of objectives, assassinate a big boss.
The assymetry sets in here. Place objectives over the table in 'obvious' locations (major terrain features, doors, ideal look outs or whatever). Deploy each team 2d6" from an objective in a random direction. Then ensure they have a good location, by allowing them a move into cover / hiding / vantage before placing your own team.
Your team is deployed by 'coming on' to the table. Pick an entry point, and come on.
Place one coloured token (of the same colour; I would use bolt action dice) into a dice bag / beer cooler (stubby holder for the aussies out there) / cap for each of your models. Place an equal number of tokens of a different colour (this will not match the number of teams they have) in for the AI.
Game starts by drawing a token. If it is yours, activate one of your models, according to GFF rules. If it is an AI token draw a card off a deck. The deck has something like these cards in it:
1 Advance Game timer
2 Advance Game timer
3 Scenario event
4 Activate group 1
5 Activate group 1
6 Activate group 2
7 Activate group 2
8 Activate group 3
9 Activate group 3
10 Activate group 4
11 Activate group 4
12 Activate group 5
13 Activate group 5
14 Activate nearest group
15 Re-shuffle deck
For any of the 'activate' cards, you activate the corresponding group.
For the 'advance game timer' card, you use a d10. Starting at zero. Every time you draw this card, move it up one (from 0-1-2-3 etc). Should it reach 10, you have run out of time and lose.
For the scenario event card, an event relating to the scenario occurs. For instance, a new group of enemy models appears according to the ambush rules, the big gribbly that you need to assassinate appears at a random location - or a random event from the full rules occurs.
When you draw re-shuffle, you grab all the discarded cards and shuffle them back into the deck (so it never runs out).
This is the gist of my idea, but I can go into more detail. The unpredictability of the deck creates the challenge. It is likely that AI teams can activate twice in the time between you being able to activate all your models.
Other ideas -
1. Claiming an objective allows the player to choose to heal a wound, wind back the game timer, or take a free action.
2. AI teams do not have a stunned, and just go straight to knocked out (reduce the housekeeping)
3. Different races have different AI. Orcs and space elves have different tactics. I could see space elves using lots of overwatch and ambush actions, orcs just charging in.
4. Different teams could be 'blips' until seen, at which time random models from the AI list are used.
5. Compatible and probably enhanced by most of the bolt on rules - campaign, kitchen table etc.