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Other Stuff => General Wargames and Hobby Discussion => Topic started by: Johnno on June 18, 2018, 01:58:09 AM
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Help!
Im looking for a ruleset where each player controls 1 figure and can interact with NPCs.. Similar to a RPG but without advancement/XP.
Setting isn't important as I can modify to suit my needs. But if it helps, I'm planning a Cold War Spy vs Spy style game with 6+ players. 28mm scale, roughly 3x3 playing surface.
I suppose, worst case scenario I can create some homebrew ones but was just wondering if something already exists or if anyone has tried this before.
Thanks in advance
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Only thing that I can think of that is vaguely similar is the old GW inquisitor rules set. That was very much a table-top RPG in terms of details and skills.. And for all they suggested using a handful of figures a side individuals would work well enough I would have thought
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Lots of skirmish games can be used for 'Single miniature rulesets'
I was introduced to skirmish wargaming by a very nice gent, Brian Povey (sadly no longer with us).
he would often set up such games e.g. each player was one of the 'Magnificent seven' he would
run EVERYTHING else:-
Mexican Banditos; Villagers; Cattle; Goats and even down to an angry rattlesnake.
You might consider doing something similar with another rule-set such as Black Ops.
I believe that Osprey's web-site has the Quick reference Sheet for free, worth a look.
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I've tinkered a few times with single models rulesets and here's what I've found (for what it's worth):
There needs to be quite a lot of terrain interaction and movement to make it worthwhile as a miniatures game (as opposed to more of a pen and paper type exercise). NPCs, sneaking about, whatever.
Melee is boring, unless characters can disengage, move away, try things. I spent a fair chunk of time working on a mod of Ganesha's Mighty Monsters to play some monster hunter (think Witcher - a hero versus an overpowered beast), and whilst it worked OK, it really didn't need to be a miniature game.
What did work from the Ganesha rules is the sense of 'gambling' - push for extra actions vs. a turnover. I keep thinking some mod of this using a wheel (so players gamble with the number of actions they take vs when their opponent might act) might be worth returning to.
Sorry, not massively helpful.
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Oh, and I misunderstood the question a little.
For multiplayer games like that, why not just use a regular ruleset (sounds like Pulp Alley might be good) and have characters activations based on a card draw. So effectively it's a PulpAlley game with 6 sides, those sides just happen to be one mini.
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Are you planning on having the players cooperate or compete?
If the former, Ganesha Games' Spellswords and Spellslingers might be a good starting point. It's a cooperative skirmish game with the NPCs/baddies controlled by a deck of cards. For six players, it recommends one to two figures a player.
You wouldn't need to to do too much to the ruleset to make it work for a Cold War setting, if you had (say) border guards as "hordes" (baddies that appear in groups).
If the players are competing, Pulp Alley might hit the mark. You generally have a "league" of a few characters per player, but if memory serves, there's contingency for one character per player in the rules. It includes (slightly abstracted) interactions with NPCs (as "plot points") as an integral part of the game.
Finally, adapting an RPG would be pretty straightforward, especially if you want lots of detail. I'd recommend one of the Basic Roleplaying/RuneQuest family. You can get the introductory version of Mythras, the non-Chaosium version of RuneQuest, free here (http://thedesignmechanism.com/resources/TDM110%20Mythras%20Imperative.pdf). It has rules for pistols, rifles and shotguns and gives you plenty of "colour" through the combat rules (hit locations, various sorts of criticals, etc.). And it has a very detailed skill system.
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Thanks for all of the great suggestions.
Perhaps I should clarify what my intentions are to narrow down the results.
It takes place in a large building with lots of rooms and people wandering around (ex. museum). Each player controls a KGB spy. They don't know the allegiance of the other spies. They are each following a different target carrying vital intelligence. That target meets with another target and makes a drop. The spy has to recover the intelligence. Along the way they see other things of value (priceless art), other intelligence drops, assassination opportunities etc. They have a dossier with their main and secondary missions, targets and other high value opportunities etc.
Combat should be limited as it's in a location populated with civilians and it's best not to draw too much attention to oneself. It is a museum so there may be armed guards, police, foreign dignitaries with body guards etc. Each NPC can be interacted with and will give off information/intelligence (good or bad) based on die rolls.
Spies will be armed with money and intelligence. Guns (for when things go bad) Knives and garrottes (for when opportunity arises).
It's both co-operative and competitive. If you figure it out, it's in the best interest to co-operate (to an extent). But you get VPs based on completing your own personal mission.
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Dinoproof might be a good system. Each play takes on control of one Slayer while an AI controls the dinosaurs. I'm sure you could tweak the profiles or re-skin whatever you need to fit your setting.
http://goodgamedesigns.co.uk/store/4591395972/dinoproof/10415729 (http://goodgamedesigns.co.uk/store/4591395972/dinoproof/10415729)
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Pulp alley sounds about right to me
Glen
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The Department might be right. Sounds very much like what you are after, though the game was intended as a Blade Runner type investigation/capture thing.
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Haven't heard of The Department. Shall have to check that out.
I've meandered through some of the other rule systems mentioned. So good bits and pieces there.
Might just end up making my own and borrowing bits and pieces from others.
Didn't see that Pulp Alley had a solo option. I am familiar with those rules but have never played a game with them yet.
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7TV stuff might work? I was just going to suggest that homebrewing some rules would probably work best in this situation, and probably start with a base system that you’re most used to and work from there.
Given the scenario you’ve described, I’d make sure that each player has a ‘second chance’ type token they can use in order to narrate their way out of a bad situation! Having one model on the table can otherwise force people into really conservative play which might not be so interesting.
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Haven't heard of The Department. Shall have to check that out.
I've meandered through some of the other rule systems mentioned. So good bits and pieces there.
Might just end up making my own and borrowing bits and pieces from others.
Didn't see that Pulp Alley had a solo option. I am familiar with those rules but have never played a game with them yet.
I beleive pulp alley does have a solo option
Glen
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I don't have any suggestions beyond what others have offered, but what you are envisioning sure sounds interesting.
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Sounds more like a RPG than a wargame to me. And you already have an exact image of how the game should be like. Maybe have a look at the Savage Worlds Showdown rules? They are the figure-centered version of the multi purpose RPG rules. They provide a solid frame, with player characters and NPCs and most of the things you need to build a ruleset for your specific setting.
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Pulp Alley would do the trick. It has rules and mechanics that facilitate non-combat actions. It also does have a solo option, but I don't think you'd need it if all the players are on their own side.
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It takes place in a large building with lots of rooms and people wandering around (ex. museum). Each player controls a KGB spy. They don't know the allegiance of the other spies.
Black Ops covers your requirements:
https://tinyhordes.com/osprey-black-ops-review/
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I've often dabbled in this sort of game - Inquisitor was a good suggestion and you might want to look at Warwick Kincade's Normandy Firefight.
arwickkinrade.blogspot.com/2011/12/sneak-peak-normandy-firefight.html (http://arwickkinrade.blogspot.com/2011/12/sneak-peak-normandy-firefight.html)
I found that what would be excessive granularity in a typical skirmish game - character pose, ammo counting, actions etc, can be really immersive without slowing up the game, or more importantly, becoming tedious. I think NF manages to pull this off really well.
Inquisitor is a good base, it has a nice activation sequence based on a characters initiative, but after a while comes across as a bit rushed/rough round the edges - I found there was a huge tempation for players to tweak the stats or indulge in powerplay, which was even encouraged by Gav Thorpe, but if rigourously controlled, it can produce some really interesting games .