Lots of players - reduce force sizes?

[mikedemana]

Hi everyone,

I played my first game of Frostgrave: Ghost Archipelago this weekend. Enjoyed it enough to rush out and pick up the rules. I think it will be a good evening's enjoyment for our usual Sunday night game crew.

Here's my question for those experienced players: What if we have a really big group of players -- say 6-8? Should we reduce the size of the warbands from a Heritor, Warden and 8 figures to less? I searched the threads and couldn't find anything addressing it (my apologies for not going through all 33 pages).

What do you suggest?

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com
http://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/

[Knabe]

Haven't played GA yet but we regularly play FG with 6-8 players at full warband size with no issues.  Of course our table is a bit larger than 3x3.  Sometimes it is 3x10.

We intend to play our GA campaign with 6-8 players as well at full warband size.

Knabe

[Knabe]

Makes for interesting games.

[critsmash]

Wow, that picture is so nice and crisp...its...gorgeous! I can't stop waching it! 
I suggest using alot of tall terrain, like buildings with several floors if you are worried about the amount of players. Agree on placing treasure on high places to take advantage of the vertical space. Reducing the size of the warband is a good idea too. I'd definately give that a try if I had the luxury of that many players. Heritor+warden+1 specialist and 2-3 crewmen, maybe?       

[joe5mc]

Reducing the figures will created faster games, but it does cause some problems with picking up treasure (as every figure that leaves the table with treasure is a greater percentage of your total force). Maybe allow players to 'stash treasure' either at table edge or designated point, but allow the figure doing to remain on the table.

[Murawski1812]

What about just running more than one table?

The game works with the way it is set up.. reducing the war band numbers puts the balance in jeopardy...

[Roger]

loosing between 3 to 5 players a game I've found not unusual in GA, so I'd say stick with the full gang

Roger

[mdauben]

What about just running more than one table?

This would be my first suggestion. 

[zapzook]

Mike,

We've been playing FG with four players and a base warband size of six. We thought maybe five each, but it seemed odd to have more "cool" characters than expendable soldiers so we split the difference: wizard, apprentice, captain and three soldiers.

We play on a 3'x3' table. Our thoughts were to keep about as many figs on the table as during a standard two player game. On a time note, smaller warbands means there is less to paint as I'm our only painter.

I get Joe's point about diminishing tabletop power as figs move off the board. On the flipside, those without treasure are then going up against a weaker foe! We noticed that having a smaller force does make you want to keep EVERYONE very, very alive.

Have fun- Z

[mikedemana]

Thanks, everyone! I really appreciate the comments.

I think that I may try a reduced force size in my first intro game for the Sunday night gaming crew. Honestly, it is going to take longer because they will all be new. I will be the only experienced player with one game...

Since I'll be playing Ghost Archipelago (I have LOTS of appropriate terrain already and no ice terrain), I'm thinking maybe each force will have a Heritor, Warden, and 100 points for specialist or standard crew (maxing out at 5 figures -- maybe 6 if I have only 4 players). I know that is only half of the recommended number, but I can easily beef the force up if the players think they need more. I'll probably reduce the command ability for the Heritor and Warden to +2 figs, not three. Initially, that may likely mean we skip the Crew phase in the first turn or two, but that will only serve to speed up the game. Once forces begin to fragment upon contact with the enemy (or to secure treasures), the Crew phase will return.

I find that we prefer games that last about 3 to 3.5 hours. Once it hits 11 pm (we start 7-7:30pm) everybody starts looking at the clock and wanting to go home for work on Monday.

Comments? All input from veteran FG/GA players is greatly appreciated!

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com
http://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/

[jacar]

My son and I are playing Frostgrave as a same side solo adventure.  we have a single warband.  He plays the wizard role and I play the apprentice role.  We generally each take half the warband.  Any figures that move in the infantry phase are moved by the controlling player.  I see no reason why you couldn't do the same for a big multiplayer game.  10 players playing 5 warbands on two man teams.  One player plays the Heritor and the other the warden.  Divide the crew among the two players.  It makes for faster turns and as each half warband is controlled by different people, you  can run into some command and control issues.    The methodology can be used in a solo or competitive game as you like. 

John

[mdauben]

We play on a 3'x3' table.

Just as a suggestion, I think 3x3 works great for two player games, and even three.  I think for four players I'd want a larger area like 4x4 and for six or eight players I'd want a 4x6 foot board.  The trouble is having enough terrain to get the coverage needed for FG on a table that big. 

If you have to play on 3x3 foot tables and don't want to split the game into 2-3 tables, I guess it makes sense to limit the size of the warbands. 

[mikedemana]

One player plays the Heritor and the other the warden.  Divide the crew among the two players.  It makes for faster turns and as each half warband is controlled by different people, you  can run into some command and control issues. 

Interesting idea! I'll float it by my players. I threw out the idea of the game to them last night in an email and got an enthusiastic response. Even some players who don't show up regularly seemed interested. So, that's good! The players are into it...that's the first step!

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com
http://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/

[Coenus Scaldingus]

Having teams of two players does sound fun, adds a bit of cooperative gaming and will speed up the game both by having less figures on the table (compared to full warbands for all) and having two players to move figures, pay attention, roll dice etc.

I've previously been involved in a few larger Frostgrave (regular) games. One was an intro game where we had limited spells (enough choices already, and neutral spells were difficult to cast for starting bands anyway), but I think having five and four heritor abilities/warden spells respectively does not necessitate that. Even without the slight delays due to decision making, having 6 warbands on the table can drag on a bit due to the amount of figures to move and fight with (with players only able to do so simultaneously if the actions won't affect the other player). Smaller bands would help there, which I'd then combine with fewer treasure tokens (you have less crew to carry less treasure, but also lower costs with fewer specialists). Could just have the single central treasure if all forces start at the same distance from it, or probably 2 on a 3x6 or 4x6 table. As GA then only has 2 tokens per player anyway, you'll probably be fine - in normal Frostgrave I'd limit it to 2/player as well.