Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Old West => Topic started by: Brian Smaller on October 07, 2013, 09:48:11 PM
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When I first started making Wild West buildings for my skirmish gaming I made detachable roofs. The interiors were unadorned but you could place figures inside. After a while I decided to make all my buildings solid with attached roofs. We use an abstract system for 'interior' action. Mostly though, we try to avoid going into buildings at all - that is for chickens :)
Removing roofs, and entire floors just seems to complicate things for me - and change the visual appeal of the wargame as a whole when buildings are deconstructed during play.
Your mileage will certainly vary and I wouldn't mind hearing about it:)
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Solely depends on the scenario and how "sneaky" players are. Many of my scenarios involve getting some place rather quick and stealing stuff and escaping etc...so few people have time to go into buildings. In other scenarios we get people dug into buildings, bunkered in etc. It all depends on the scenario I guess. I do find some players who are really tactically minded or concerned about winning (possibly a bit too much!) end up playing SnS like a tactical wargame.
That works well, but it does take a bit of fun out of it. When we used to play LOTOW my buddy had an excellent guy with a rifle he'd put in a window and he'd sit there all game and kill anything in sight.
I do enjoy playing in buildings enough that I'll be placing a massive order for furniture from GEG or 4Ground at some point in the future, and flush out all of my building interiors with furniture etc. Then again, as I promote my game, I tend to try to make my game tables advertising show-pieces, so all of the little doo-dads add to the curb appeal, even if they don't directly affect the game itself.
I also have rules for all types of climbing, leaping, diving through windows etc. so the rules themselves make buildings/cover etc. far more user friendly.
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I love using building interiors for gaming. After all , for all the westerns where the action is in the street there are as many where the shooting takes place indoors. Even my current favourite street shoot out - from Open Range - hasd plenty of action inside buildings. Now I have a nice town growing - I'm adding extra board sections regularly - I'm feeling the itch to do some work on the interiors.
But, mostly, it looks cool.
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The first buildings I made were solid with no interiors. I made my saloon with playable interior and detachable roof and the laser cut buildings I own have playable interiors. I like the option to go into buildings to fight it out but I agree that with roofs (and in the case of the saloon, floors) removed, the game loses some of the atmosphere and aesthetic.
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By and large we abstract most of the interior combat simply because of the cramped nature of Old West buildings. I have built a few larger buildings such as a brick bank that I intended to be useable, but for the most part we use separate floor plans if necessary.
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PS: Stuart, let us know when you get in some of those lovely 4Ground furniture sets. Those, combined with the Frontline resin stuff = goldmine for interior bits. lol
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We use an abstract system for movement and fighting in buildings. Using TRWNN all combatants inside buildings count as close range and in cover.
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It depends on the building. I did interiors for my Saloon, Hotel, Bank and a couple others. Most though I've gone with solid.
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I have taken the trouble to made interiors in nearly all the buildings I have constructed for myself and most clients over the years. I have also purchased and used many, many solid, cast resin buildings, mostly w/out interiors. Many of the new type of laser cut plywood buildings have interiors.
I agree that the level of the detail in the interior on a building depends on the use for it. In a Wild West game the interior of a saloon, bank, jailhouse, barn, etc. can be an element of the game as figures fight it out, free the convict or rob the bank. In the Harper's Ferry game I run, there are 40-50 buildings (recreating the town and armory) In that game there is a lot of in-town fighting between the militia, the revolting slaves, John Brown and his men and the US regulars.
I plan to use building interiors in my under development Pirate games, using many of the cast buildings from various companies that have interiors. The island forts and pirate hideouts I build for these games will be constructed with interiors for interior play.
I have used building interiors in F&IW (forts, taverns, blockhouses, etc.) and ACW games also. Many of my friends use building interiors in WWII skirmish games. One commission I built for a friend was the ruins of Stalingrad with interiors in the ruins and rubble. He used skirmish rules for very involved games.
One gentleman asked me to construct a 54mm scale, Three Musketeers tavern with two flood and many rooms. That building included very detailed interiors and even furniture.
But, the use of interiors can really slow down game play as the building to building and intra-building fighting continues. So try it out but be aware there will need to be modifications to the game/rules, etc. at time to keep the game moving.
Let me know if I can provide any further details for you.
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I try to when I can...
But most of the games don't really need it. :(
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I fudge it, started and put a bar in first one etc, then thought bugger it as it means to use the bar it needs to be a lot bigger than you wold use in games to get floor space. So last ones with a first floor etc have lift off roof and platforms around open windows to accomodate that sniper shooting from within
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I use lift-off roofs but not interior walls or furniture, etc. :)